Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Question about the reliability of Ruger 22/45

I just picked up one of these pistols yesterday. It's a 1997 production, blued and with the short barrel. Maybe 3"? It is in very good condition with just a couple nicks in the bluing around the muzzle and scarcely any marks on the bolt from cycling.

I got it home and loaded up the 2 mags that came with it. The first mag didn't want to seat very well, but a little force with the heel of my hand got it locked into place and I commenced to shooting steel plates, or, I should say, I tried to. I got multiple FTF's and FTE's with that mag. I swapped to the other mag and all was well.

I compared the 2 mags empty and noticed that one seated easily with a bit of play while the other still didn't seat easily, but took a good nudge and was quite tight when seated, so I took a small needle file and took a bit off the nub on the mag, making it easier to seat. Some more shooting showed that one mag was almost completely trouble free while the other was hit and miss. It might go all 10 rounds without a bobble, or it might bobble every time.

Now I want to mention another detail I had left out - the original owner had lost the recoil spring and put the gun away for several years. The guy I bought it from had the spring replaced and I'm wondering if it might be a heavier spring than standard. I could see that leading to FTF issues if the bolt/slide isn't coming back far enough to grab the next round from the mag. It still doesn't explain the FTE'S, though.

To sum it up, I'm most suspicious of magazine problems and wondering if anyone else has experienced this issue. I'm also wondering if anyone has changed the recoil spring on one of these for a heavier one and if it caused any issues.

2 more points. I'm very familiar with the Mark II pistols having bought my first in 1990 and another in about 2004, both of them still reside in my safe. Also, the above mentioned reliability issues happened with more than one brand and loading of ammo.

It is the mags. They suck balls.

There is a thread from rim fire central that shows how to polish them up. I will find it for you.


Travis

I'm pretty sure that I have one of the pistols you are talking about. They were a special run ordered by Point Distributor, back in the middle 90's.

Reference the magazines. I have found that they can be hateful to seat, but if you put your thumb against the back corner, or the back corner of the magazine when you press, it will click into place.

Good luck. I don't mind the one I have because I don't consider it a combat pistol. Just make sure the magazine clicks into place and focus on the front sight.

CT

"Reference the magazines. I have found that they can be hateful to seat, but if you put your thumb against the back corner, or the back corner of the magazine when you press, it will click into place."

IMO all of the 22/45 magazines are hard to seat. You can get extensions that eliminate the problem.

Jerry

http://www.magbumper.com/22_45_Standard.html

The mags seat hard in mine as well. The pistol however has been uber reliable.

Ernie

Spidey sense should tell you the original owner was having trouble with that magazine as well.

Here you go.

Made 3 out of four mags I owned function properly.

http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=507693



Travis

I got a definite sense of being bitten when I started clearing jams.

Thanks for responses, guys, and thanks for taking the time to find and post that link, Travis. Much appreciated.

A nudder question - anyone know of a holster for this stubby barreled thing?

I have a 22/45 that I bought back around 1998 or so. It has never bobbled, not once. I only have the two original magazines, and they seem to be fine.

MM,

The old mags are good.

The new ones suck balls.



Travis

What kinda holster? An UBER holster or a will-work just fine holster?



Travis

Just a field holster for a non-gunny type. Plain leather would be good, but if it's just a nylon Uncle Mike's type, that'd be OK too. I'm sure any old MKII holster would do, but I'd like to find something sized for the shorter barrel.

BTW, I just shot it again this evening using the "good" magazine and it would FTF the first and second rounds like clockwork. Didn't even try the other mag.

I'm going to take it apart and see what I can see.

I just use a regular Uncle Mikes. I'm used to my barrel not being big enough anyway.

Seems to annoy the holster but I don't much care.



Travis

I bet one of the owners kept the magazine loaded. The Ruger springs take a set and refuse to feed after 2 shots. Pull the spring and stretch it out, I have not found a replacement.
FT Fire is usually ammo. Guys come to shoot the bulk stuff and I can find the ground full of live ammo with good pin strikes on them. Turn them and they will go off.
Made a test leaving a Ruger mag with 5 shots in it and it also failed to feed.
Rem 870's and 1100's have the same magazine spring problems. I bought Wolfe springs by the dozen to fix them.

Your experience is quite different from mine.

Ernie

You misread, I believe. It won't feed the first 2 rounds from the magazine, after the first 2 rounds have been cycled manually it runs fine.

I did, sorry. Never seen that so I have no idea. Did they change the springs?

I don't know if mine is reliable or not. I haven't shot it enough to know. I bought it new, a few days before Sandy Hook....

And ammo for it has been unobtainium ever since....