SR9 Mag Release Clean Up

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Turbobuddha

Single-Sixer
Joined
Apr 16, 2009
Messages
182
Location
Wichita, KS
So, I have this SR-9 that use for CCH. All of suden, the mag release started sticking real bad. The button would hang up and you'd have to push it in from the other side to reset the mag latch. I tried copious amount of CLP but it still acted up. So I pulled it out and cleaned it all up but even that didn't help.

So, I pulled it back out and polished it up with some nice fine polishing compound (the plastic button piece), very lightly went over the back side of the lever/latch, loaded it down with some Tetra grease and put it all back together. WOW! Very smooth. Soooo much better. With the slide closed, you still need slight pressure on the mag to overcome the mag safety but with the slide locked back, it's just a real nice easy mag drop. I think the only way it could be improved any more would be a polished metal sleave and button.

Still not sure what happened to it. It all looked fine. It just started locking up and sticking. Not sure teh polish was necessary but after the utter failure of CLP to help at all, I thought why not, it doens't work any way. Now it does again.
 

robilmichael

Bearcat
Joined
Apr 28, 2009
Messages
43
Hi, I just sent an email to Ruger on this as mine just started to hang up now. Can you tell me how you took out the Mag Latch Thumbpiece (part no. 55) to clean it up? Did the spring pop out? Thanks, as I want to do this.
 

Grendel

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jan 26, 2008
Messages
215
Location
FL
robilmichael":35lr97pq said:
Hi, I just sent an email to Ruger on this as mine just started to hang up now. Can you tell me how you took out the Mag Latch Thumbpiece (part no. 55) to clean it up? Did the spring pop out? Thanks, as I want to do this.

Had my mag catch/release out a couple times. Relatively simple.

Unload gun and ensure it's empty.

Field strip.

I like to have a mag half-inserted in the mag well (NOT fully seated).

Drive the pin out from left to right, being sure to adequately support the frame. I just use a big roll of tape.

The tension from the spring will make the catch fly a bit, hence the half-inserted mag. Due to the position of the parts, the catch would most likely pop out down the mag well, but that's not necessarily going to be true all the time, so be aware in case it flies out the top of the frame.

Getting it back in is basically a reversal of the steps. May want to leave the mag well free for reinstallation, though, in case you need to have your fingers in there holding the catch down as you insert the pin.

-JT
 

robilmichael

Bearcat
Joined
Apr 28, 2009
Messages
43
Thanks, is the spring attached to the latch? How do you get the latch and spring back in? This may be easier that I am questioning, but I just want to make sure. Thanks again.
 

Grendel

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jan 26, 2008
Messages
215
Location
FL
robilmichael":368ot0sm said:
Thanks, is the spring attached to the latch? How do you get the latch and spring back in? This may be easier that I am questioning, but I just want to make sure. Thanks again.

The spring, as I recall, is attached by friction, so it can come off of the catch, but is easily reinserted.

To reinstall, what I do is:

Set the button in the frame making sure the notch is lined up properly, facing towards the rear of the frame.

Set the catch on the little ledge of plastic it sits on in the mag well and line the spring up with the small detent in the frame.

Push the catch towards the button, lining up the hole in the catch with the hole in the frame.

Insert the tool used to remove the pin into the lined up parts; in my case, a skinny allen wrench.

Slowly retract the tool, and as it clears the frame, insert the pin, replacing the tool with the pin. Once the pin is inserted, you can release the catch.

If, for some reason, you do what I do for mag catch removal and have a mag partially in the well, and you accidentally seat the mag after you start the disassembly and the button no longer works, you'll need to remove the mag base plate, remove the spring and follower, and then press down on the mag catch through the feed lips or bottom of the mag to free the magazine.

-JT
 

graygun

Hunter
Joined
Sep 24, 2008
Messages
4,068
Location
Junction,Tx
OP: How many rounds have been through it ? I'm wondering how problem-prone the SR9 might be. Mine has 900+ rds (almost all WWB) down-range so far. I've had no m.r. problems with mine.
 

Turbobuddha

Single-Sixer
Joined
Apr 16, 2009
Messages
182
Location
Wichita, KS
graygun":1kijp114 said:
OP: How many rounds have been through it ? I'm wondering how problem-prone the SR9 might be. Mine has 900+ rds (almost all WWB) down-range so far. I've had no m.r. problems with mine.

This one is under 500. My other one is over 1300 or so. This one is my EDC piece so it sees a lot of things that the other one, which sits in the safe, does not. Extreme temperature changes, a few hours here and there in a small lock box in the car, lawn care in a crossbreed supertuck IWB, etc.

It was strange as it just came on all at once. It was fine, and then it wasn't. I'm a bit crazy with the care of my carry gun so I noticed it pretty quick but still can't determine what exactly happened. I took it apart and cleaned it very well but that didn't help at all. All parts moved ok by themselves, just not together.

My guess it, it was something to do with the latch piece, rust type issue, maybe. The back of it was real rough and under tension, it may have been digging into groove in the button. Add in a long period in the car on a hot day and that could be an issue. But it works very well now. A little Tetra grease.
 

Dusterman

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jun 21, 2009
Messages
149
Location
Moreno Valley, CA.
Thanks for the info mine was starting to get a little stickey so I followed your instructions and now in works very smoothly and once again I am a happy shooter thanks again
 
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