Stupid and Stumped!

[zenbiker]

Guess what I did with my MK III. I put the magazine in BACKWARDS and it is so jammed into place that I cannot remove it! I did this once before and had to bring it to my gun shop where they were able to remove it but I'm so embarrassed about this stupidity that I am hoping one of you can help. The magazine is destroyed with my attempts but remains firmly in place. I'm not sure what is hung up on. I can't remove the latch but can pull back the bolt and hold it in the open position with the slide stop lever. Problem is that I cannot see what is hanging it up!
Any ideas?

 

[rugerguy]

well depending on if the magazine is loaded or not, would make it a bit "interesting"....is the magazine out any amount ??If so you could remove the base plate assembly from it,but that won't work if its all the way in. The MK III has magazine safety that could be hanging up , or the mnag button is only "jammed" against the side wall, ,or the notch for the mag release is caught on "something": yessir, hard to tell with out "seeing" it...never tried to get one to "jam' or if they started it wrong, we were able to pull it out, no harm, no foul..............the mag 'channel is closed off almost entirely so hard to get at anything. ( some guns you can remove the grips to get at the mag...)hhmm, not sure if you can even field strip it with the mag "in" ( buit thats when things are "normal"......my bet is the "button" is jammed, have to force it out ( down)
the trick is doing LOTS all at the same time you are trying to push down.. hold the bolt back, the mag button 'in' the grip secured, and room at the bottom to knock out the mag...............
good luck

 

[zenbiker]

Thank you but I tried all that. I cannot take the gun apart nor can I see what's hanging it up! I've used dental picks, screwdrivers, etc. No go.
Even tried crushing the mag with the grips off. It is uncrushable...believe me!

 

[BlkHawk73]

If you can get a rod through the mag and use that to hold rather than the thin mag body itself. Think cross handle.

 

[zenbiker]

Got it out. Each mag has a small stamped notch on one side near the top. This was hung up on God knows what. I was able to sneak a dental pick between the magazine and the frame and somehow free the hook that was holding the magazine by feel. Trust me, don't put the magazine in backwards!

 

[OldSmoke]

zenbiker: I did the same thing. It is the magazine disconnect that slips into the hole in the side of the magazine when inserted backward. Very nasty situation. Here is a link to the thread that describes how I learned about this design oversight:

http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB/viewtop ... highlight=

What the heck good a magazine disconnect does is beyond me. I suppose it is supposed to be a "safety feature", but it seems a waste of manufacturing effort to me. Sort of like that ridiculous "loaded chamber indicator". The only person that would even notice it would be someone that knew to look for it, and that someone would know how to handle it anyway. The effect is higher parts count (cost) and lower reliability.

Smith&Wesson made the same mistake with their hammer lock.
Simple wins the race every time.

 

[rugerguy]

Good for you, thats what we had said, that the mag release 'notch' could be hung up on "something".......
just never tried to put one in backwards ourselves and got the others out before we could really "get into it...." so to speak....just be glad it was "empty"......rimfires make for 'interesting" removal.........
lesson learned.........

 

[zenbiker]

Thanks, Smoke
This is the second time for me. I'm amazed that the magazine can slide right in the wrong way. What a frustrating PIA! Luckily I didn't have to go as far as the post you linked me to and did no damage to the gun but I'm paying attention from now on!

 

[Wobble]

Thanks for the warning zenbiker. I've almost done it a couple of times and caught myself just in time. I'll be paranoid about it now that I know how serious the consequences can be. Seems to me that Ruger could have put some kind of simple blocking tab on the magazine to prevent what could be a common mistake. After all, they don't exactly make it easy to know or show you which way is correct.

 

[zenbiker]

What a cordial and helpful bunch on this forum! I think it really adds a lot to the ownership of the gun. I've learned so much here and enjoy reading people's take on things.
Dan, are the rimfires that easy to ignite?
Joe