New to forum with a problematic Semi Auto

[WalterEmrick]

Not to bash Ruger as I have four other firearms that are Ruger and are wonderful. This latest purchase I'm having trouble with.

It's the Ruger 380 Max 75th anniversary model. First 20 rounds at the range and......

1. Can't load 10 rounds in the 10 round magazine. I can force the 10th round in but then the slide will not function. 9 rounds is max

2. Need to use extreme care on the trigger safety. It wants to lock up often when my finger isn't just right on the trigger.

3. Slide release is impossible to release without using two hands to pull the slide full back.

4. Out of 20 rounds, 2 stove piped.

5. Out of the box low and to the left by about 4 inches at 21 feet.

I am going to break the firearm in further before contacting Ruger, but it doesn't look good at this point. I know Ruger will make it right. I just hope this is an isolated case.

Oh, and I bought two of them. One for my wife. The one I gave my wife did not stove pipe in over 50 rounds and is on target. The other inconveniences exist in hers also.

 

[hittman]

Welcome to the forum.
If you use "Search" in upper right or look below at "Similar Threads" there may be more info to help you.

 

[WalterEmrick]

Welcome to the forum.
If you use "Search" in upper right or look below at "Similar Threads" there may be more info to help you.

Thanks! I'll give that a try.

 

[Fox Mike]

Just a suggestion. Strip them and de grease and then oil them thoroughly.

 

[blume357]

I'd try a lot of lube too but if that does not fix it, send it to Ruger ....
the questions I do have in reference the other one you bought...
how about all the magazines.... are they all limited to 9 rounds
same problem if you put 10 in for that pistol.... slide won't work?
trigger safety?
accuracy on that one?

 

[WalterEmrick]

Just a suggestion. Strip them and de grease and then oil them thoroughly.

Thanks! I did that tonight as part of cleaning after shooting. Will be going back to the range in a few days to see if it helps.

I'd try a lot of lube too but if that does not fix it, send it to Ruger ....
the questions I do have in reference the other one you bought...
how about all the magazines.... are they all limited to 9 rounds
same problem if you put 10 in for that pistol.... slide won't work?
trigger safety?
accuracy on that one?

Both pistols came with 10 round magazines and both exhibit the same problem. 10 rounds will jam up the slide. The slide is extremel hard to cycle with the 10th round in the magazine. The slide is obviously being physically impacted by the top round.

Trigger safety. I have the SR9 and the SR1911. Both have trigger safeties and regardless of what part of my trigger finger engages the safety, they will fire without problem. With the 380 max I have to be careful to use the pad of my trigger finger at the bottom of the trigger safety to ensure the safety works correctly. Using the fold in my trigger finger or engaging the trigger at the top of the trigger will result in the safety not releasing the trigger locking the trigger from being pulled.

Accuracy is still a bit dubious as I think more about it. My wife shot hers and achieved much better results than I did with mine. I did not shoot hers. I reviewed with her, her experience but she is a new shooter and I did not ascertain what could make a difference. I am going back to the range and try mine again with a greater concentration of technique to see if I can improve my accuracy.

Thank you for responding! I'm getting a wonderful impression of this forum.

 

[davevabch]

Personally I would only load 9 rounds. Why put so much stress on the magazine? Causes too much pressure on cambering and IMO not good for the magazine. Are you new to small pocket guns?. Sounds like a common case of limp wristing. I doubt the gun shoots low or high. In most cases it is the shooter shooting low or high etc. Keep a tight grip. Be sure and use the off hand tightly as well. Get use to the gun, shoot it often. I doubt there is anything wrong with the gun.

 

[WalterEmrick]

It is quite possible that I am "limp wristing" the firearm. I typically use a full frame pistol and am used to a fairly relaxed hold elevating rigid muscle complications and better allowing for barrel rise and fall target acquisition timing. In regard to the magazine capacity, I will not return the firearm for the inability to utilize the 10th round in the magazine. I do however hold Ruger to a higher standard than to misrepresent the capabilities of their magazines. Misrepresenting capabilities of a product has become ramped across the board of products and I find it discussing. In regard to the trigger, IMHO, the trigger action should not be inhibited in any manner in a firearm that is designed for self defense. In many if not most cases of self defense, the fight or flight response has been initiated and small muscle control is greatly impacted compromising the ability to address this trigger system.

 

[fiasconva]

It sounds like it just may need a little more breaking in, including the mags. Why not load 10 rounds into the mags and let them sit for a while? The slide release may be easier once the recoil spring has been broken in with more rounds downrange. Some of them just need more breaking in than others. Just MHO and good luck.

 

[WalterEmrick]

Update:

Went to the range today and after the clean an lube along with using a gorilla hold on the thing, it is feeding correctly now. I've been practicing the trigger placement at home and evidently have developed muscle memory as I had no trigger problems either. Still grouping low and left but not outside of what would be center mass strikes. It's no target pistol but is acceptable for carry at this point.

 

[MaxMan]

Welcome from SoFla. The folks here have no problem dumping on Ruger products when deserved. But there are also a lot of smart good guys here that have good insight. Remember, some members can't read so lots of pictures are necessary.

 

[WalterEmrick]

Welcome from SoFla. The folks here have no problem dumping on Ruger products when deserved. But there are also a lot of smart good guys here that have good insight. Remember, some members can't read so lots of pictures are necessary.

Lol, Pictures it is! Photography and videography is another hobby I pursue. I agree also per "smart good guys....". I've gotten nothing but good solid advice in this thread.

 

[black1970]

Simple solution. If you must have a 380 get a Glock.

 

[s4s4u]

5. Out of the box low and to the left by about 4 inches at 21 feet.

Low and left is a common trait of right handed shooters and small pistols. I would have someone else shoot it before I made any adjustments based on that.

 

[WalterEmrick]

I think you are absolutely right. I've been studying up on it and I wouldn't be surprised that my huge hand on that tiny pistol is going to take a while to adjust. It is a super cramped hand position and the the little thing is jumpy to say the least. I think over time I'll get it under control. Next month I'll try to pick up 1000 rounds and go to work.

 

[davevabch]

It is quite possible that I am "limp wristing" the firearm. I typically use a full frame pistol and am used to a fairly relaxed hold elevating rigid muscle complications and better allowing for barrel rise and fall target acquisition timing. In regard to the magazine capacity, I will not return the firearm for the inability to utilize the 10th round in the magazine. I do however hold Ruger to a higher standard than to misrepresent the capabilities of their magazines. Misrepresenting capabilities of a product has become ramped across the board of products and I find it discussing. In regard to the trigger, IMHO, the trigger action should not be inhibited in any manner in a firearm that is designed for self defense. In many if not most cases of self defense, the fight or flight response has been initiated and small muscle control is greatly impacted compromising the ability to address this trigger system.

The misrepresentation of Firearm capacity in firearms/magazines is a common issue now with many Manufactures. And worse since a majority of the public have very little knowledge of magazines and Springs to begin with. Combine that with the Marketing and the internet propaganda of constantly promoting the need for more capacity. Not to mention they fact that the majority of EDC firearms are not meant to be target guns to begin with. With the rise of firearm sales came millions of new shooters that never learned to shoot a DA or DAO firearm and never had the opportunity to realize the inherent benefits of these triggers.
I would also go so far as to say the vast majority of the public do not any real knowledge of the training requirement and capabilities of the class of guns called "Pocket guns".
IMO the very best LCP Ruger has come out with was the Ruger LCP Gen 2. (not to be confused with the LCPll). The Fist Generation LCP did have a terrible DAO, but the Gen 2 was and is a excellent. The Gen 2 is now listed on the Ruger website as just LCP. I find it no surprise that this LCP is still manufactuered to this day.

 

[HoosierBilly1]

Not sure if there is any misrepresentation by Ruger about the magazines. I have one LCP MAX and the 10 rounds magazine holds 10 rounds. I can do that with a round in the chamber or not. The same is for the 12 rounds magazine. It holds 12 rounds plus one in the chamber. I give you that the slide feels tighter but it runs just fine. I think it can be a break in issue.

 

[WalterEmrick]

The misrepresentation of Firearm capacity in firearms/magazines is a common issue now with many Manufactures. And worse since a majority of the public have very little knowledge of magazines and Springs to begin with. Combine that with the Marketing and the internet propaganda of constantly promoting the need for more capacity. Not to mention they fact that the majority of EDC firearms are not meant to be target guns to begin with. With the rise of firearm sales came millions of new shooters that never learned to shoot a DA or DAO firearm and never had the opportunity to realize the inherent benefits of these triggers.
I would also go so far as to say the vast majority of the public do not any real knowledge of the training requirement and capabilities of the class of guns called "Pocket guns".
IMO the very best LCP Ruger has come out with was the Ruger LCP Gen 2. (not to be confused with the LCPll). The Fist Generation LCP did have a terrible DAO, but the Gen 2 was and is a excellent. The Gen 2 is now listed on the Ruger website as just LCP. I find it no surprise that this LCP is still manufactuered to this day.

You're talkin my language for sure. Look we gots this here wiz bang new feature!!! And people flock to buy it. Often turns out to be a nightmare but the manufacturer has already planed end of life and the next new wiz bang generation and have your money. The internet is flooded with reviews for three days after release, then crickets. Specs? Blahahahaha, what does the thing do in reality? Having ranted too much already, there is nothing I can do about it. No sense in elevating my blood pressure and eating drugs to compensate for my inability to accept things as they are.

 

[rotor]

The fallacy of breaking a gun in. Either they work out of the box or they go back to the manufacturer. Had this with one Ruger and they fixed it. As far as magazines, it may be hard to get 10 rounds in a 10 round magazine so you need a Maglula (or a similar mag loader) but it does not hurt the springs no matter how long you have it loaded. If the gun won't feed a fully loaded magazine it goes back to the manufacturer. As far as slide "release", not all of them are designed to release the slide. Some are only slide locks. Read the manual for recommended slide release. I have always wondered why people think a gun needs braking in. If it doesn't work out of the box it is already broken.

 

[WalterEmrick]

Appreciate you chiming in. I don't have any anecdotal evidence that allows me to side either way. Shooting with it is getting better regardless of whether I'm breaking it in or it is breaking me in.