Interesting problem with the 22/45 MAGAZINES

[Reverenddel]

The gun? The gun is perfection. Runs like a top, and 100% better than expected.

However, the issue is the MAGAZINES! The follower likes to "stick" after the 5th round is loaded, during loading, preventing it from being loaded to the maximum... and it's on ALL of the magazines, and I have 5 of them. Now with copperjacketed rounds I tested, worked okay in the first one. But I was shooting lead nose, and those springs/followers were just a pain. Keep in mind this is after disassembling the mags, and cleaning them spotless.

I read somewhere that people were buying the Mark II magazines, and changing the bottoms for the 22/45, and having no issues. However, I think it's got to do with the pisspoor weak springs in the gun. I've seen stronger springs on ballpoint pens.

The follower is probably the issue.

Just wanted some thoughts, or tricks people have used/seen.

Thinking polishing the followers with Flitz to a high sheen, and polish the mags interior might help, whatcha think?

[BertMacklin]

Had a similar problem with regular (=/= 22/45) Mark 2 magazines. They would stick near the last round such that bolt hold open didn't occur, or occurred in odd intervals. This was however after a lifetime of use, ended up just replacing and keeping as spares.

A few things come to mind anyhow.

1. Did all 5 come from the same place, or with the gun? Might be a long shot but my Glock came with two 10 round magazines instead of what should have been 15, perhaps you got a lot of NY mags or something.

2. Probably not a spring problem, unless I'm reading this wrong ( you are having trouble getting more then 5 rounds to fit into the clipazine right?). If the spring was too weak then loading wouldn't be a problem, chambering would.

[MarcSpaz]

I had this problem with new GSG 5 mags.

Does it do it with all bullet types? HP's and round nose? Can you use a plastic knife (or similar) to push the follower down successfully with no ammo in it?

I would be cautious about polishing the follower to much. the tolerances are made to prevent the follower from twisting or tilting. Heavy polishing removing even .004 of a mm, though making the service slick, can cause chattering or canting, making the problem worse. I had to throw away two mags for that very reason. Got them to the point where they would load okay, but the follower would get stuck about half way up during use, leading to FTF.

When I bought my 6 new GSG 5 mags, I found using a nice coat of gun oil to lube my mag followers for the first 5 or 6 times I used them fixed the problem. After awhile, the followers wore in and work fine dry.

[Reverenddel]

I can put five in of any type, after I get to the 6th, or 7th round, the follower will continue to load, but sticks, thereby giving no spring pressure whatsoever, so if you tilt the mags over? The rounds just fallout.

I appreciate the forewarning about polishing.

Two of the mags came with the gun, three came factory new from varied sources.

Ruger sent me an e-mail that they're looking into it.

The curiousity is that a regular MK II mag built many moons ago... no issues, BUT THICKER spring! Same size, but the spring has a lil' "oomph" to it.

[BertMacklin]

Really odd that it's happening with all 5, perhaps you are best off changing out the bottom and maybe the spring.

[Reverenddel]

Tried the bottoms Bert... that's why I have a call out to Ruger, see about getting new springs, and solving that issue.

I swear! if you compare the OLD style springs to the NEW style? The new ones clearly are thinner, and spaced wider.

[BertMacklin]

Well here's hoping they don't send you more of the same.

[jmax]

Check with Wolff springs and see if they have extra strength replacement springs

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[FiremanBob]

Your question intrigued me, so I just ran a test on one of my new 22/45 mags. I don't think the spring is your problem, so spending money on a spring is a waste. The spring is plenty strong enough. My first impression was that if the follower is always sticking at a specific place, there is probably a burr or some roughness there that is catching the mag button or the follower.

I disassembled a magazine and ran a wooden kebab stick along the inner edge of the guide slot. Sure enough, it felt pretty rough - in line with Ruger's apparent hurried production methods these days. So I took a piece of very fine (600 grit) sandpaper and, using the kebab stick to support it, ran it along the inner edges of the guide. I also checked all the inside surfaces of the mag. Except for the edges of those two slots, they were smooth. For good measure, I sprayed a little dry lube into the spring channel also. Now the mag runs as slick as [insert your favorite metaphor here].

If you need instructions on disassembling the magazine, I'll post them. For optimal functioning, you do need to disassemble and clean out the magazines once in a while, but they don't need it nearly as often as the 10/22 mags do.