Mark III magazine positioning - DIY

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Bullseye
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Mark III magazine positioning - DIY

Post by Bullseye » Thu Aug 18, 2005 9:39 pm

How to position a Mark III pistol magazine
By Bullseye

The newer Mark III series pistol has the magazine release on the grip frame just like a Ruger 22/45 series pistol. This button holds the magazine securely in place by means of a dimple located on the right side of the magazine body and not by the base block like a regular Mark II’s heel latch release. This release button on the Mark III is also responsible for properly indexing the magazine so the feed lips are in correct position relative to the feed ramp for smooth operation of the pistol.

But what if your Mark III doesn’t feed or eject properly? Is a magazine defective, or does more than one magazine cause feeding and ejection problems? If multiple magazines fail to function, the feed lips may be improperly positioned inside the pistol because the magazine is not properly seated. This is especially true if the left rear magazine lip knocks the cartridge case off the bolt before it ever reaches the ejector, causing stovepipe failures.

There can be a couple of reasons for the failures. The magazine release button may be slightly misshaped. Or, the release button mounting hole might have been bored slightly off center when that particular grip frame was manufactured.

The first thing to do is look inside the pistol's ejection port with a magazine installed. A properly positioned magazine should have a gap immediately underneath the ejector pin. This gap is measured where the magazine rear feed lip sits underneath the ejector. (See picture) There is about a 1/16" gap between the feed lip and the bottom of the ejector. The rear feed lip slopes upwards but only reaches a point that is about even with the bottom of the ejector pin’s bottom edge.

Image

One can duplicate this situation if they force the magazine base upwards with their finger and crunch the feed lip right up against the ejector pin. Of course, the magazine isn't supposed to sit that high when it's properly installed.

If your magazine is not positioned correctly then next inspect the magazine release button for irregularities. Remove the magazine release button from the grip frame by removing the left grip panel and then 3/8ths inch hold down screw just to the right of the release button. The button will now slide out of the grip frame. Inspect it for any flash (metal sticking up). You should look on the back side and see two rounded pins. (See drawing)

Image

One has a larger diameter, and is flat topped. The other one is a smaller diameter, rounded on top, and spring loaded. When looking at the back side of the release, just above the larger, flat topped pin, you should see a cut out. It should look like a pie chart with approximately 1/4th missing. The cut out should be 90 degrees or square and the edge should go down flush with the base of the larger round flat topped pin. If this metal on this edge isn't exactly flush with the pin base, then there's your problem. Any extra metal here and the magazine will lock in the grip frame slightly higher than it should, causing feeding and ejection problems.

There are few options to fix this type of problem.

One way is to file or grind about 1/16th inch of metal off of the rear of the magazine release button right where the magazine body bump sits on the metal edge. This metal edge should be flush with the base of the larger diameter pin. If you’re not comfortable with grinding or filing, then make a call to Ruger with a detailed explanation of what you found. They will likely send you a new magazine release button in the mail.

Another way could mean sending the gun back to Ruger for customer service. The grip frame may need replacing if the magazine button doesn’t have any excessive metal on the rear edge, and multiple magazines are sitting up too high, because the frame’s magazine release button’s hole might be miss-positioned.

Customer service is your only remedy short of modifying each individual magazine to operate smoothly in that pistol. Taking a grinding wheel and taking the 1/16th inch off the bottom of the right side bump will make the magazine fit. The problem with cutting the magazine is; it will only operate properly in that specific pistol.

All in all, if your Mark III is suffering from feeding or ejection problems, then inspecting it for proper magazine positioning is one possible way to get it running smoothly.

Hope this helps.
Bullseye
Last edited by Bullseye on Mon Jun 26, 2006 6:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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DancesWithSquirrels
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Great Information

Post by DancesWithSquirrels » Fri Aug 19, 2005 9:15 am

It is really good to see this little bit of information. I believe it just may be the solution to some minor stove piping problems with my new Mark III.

DWS

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Post by Bullseye » Fri Aug 19, 2005 9:40 am

Shuttleman wrote to me with a problem and wanted to know if I could help him, that post was the result of our conversations. I figured this might benefit some other people too, so I compiled it into an article.

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Post by boomer47 » Fri Aug 19, 2005 9:41 am

Good info Bullseye.
I only have 4 mags(poor boy) and just checked them. I only have about a 1/32 gap but all the mags load and eject ok.
I have a friend who has been having stovepipe problems with his 512 and I'm going to use your info to see if I can help him. Just may be the answer.

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Post by Bullseye » Fri Aug 19, 2005 10:25 am

A real good indictor if this is a problem is to slowly retract the bolt on a cartridge, if the rear magazine lip knocks the case off the bolt, then the magazine's positioned too high.

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Stovepipes

Post by DancesWithSquirrels » Fri Aug 19, 2005 10:52 am

The one consistent symptom of the stovepipes I've had is that the rim of the spent cartridge gets hung up behind the guide rod that protrudes into the upper area of the receiver opening. I believe this is the retaining rod for the bolt return spring if I'm not mistaken. I wind up with a stovepiped cartridge and a live round which is partially fed into the chamber. It has proven to be a little tricky to clear the jam. I can't just pull the stovepiped brass clear and let the bolt close.

But it doesn't seem to happen if I retract the follower slightly and release it to allow the freshly loaded rounds to assume their natural position. I need to put some more rounds through the gun to see if I really have a problem or not.

DWS

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Post by Bullseye » Fri Aug 19, 2005 11:02 am

This sounds like your extractor tension is too loose and releasing the case too early.

Put an empty case on your bolt and check the extractor. The case should be held firmly onto the bolt with very little wiggle evident. This can be done with the receiver on the frame. Just place an empty case in the chamber and close the bolt. Retract the bolt very slowly, just before the case rim hits the ejector, you should be able to get your finger in the ejection port and try wiggling the case. you should be able to move it a little but it should not be sitting loosely on the bolt face. If your case sits too loose on the bolt, then you'll need a new extractor; I'd recommend a VQ Exact Edge.

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Clearance Problem

Post by DancesWithSquirrels » Mon Aug 22, 2005 10:17 am

Well, it turns out that my problem was the clearance between the lip of the magazine and the ejector. There was no clearance, it was practically touching. I took the easy way out and did just a little bit of filing on the lips of the magazines. I realize this means those magazines may not behave in another MK III. But my stove pipe problems disappeared.

DWS

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Re: Clearance Problem

Post by Bullseye » Mon Aug 22, 2005 12:22 pm

DancesWithSquirrels wrote:Well, it turns out that my problem was the clearance between the lip of the magazine and the ejector. There was no clearance, it was practically touching. I took the easy way out and did just a little bit of filing on the lips of the magazines. I realize this means those magazines may not behave in another MK III. But my stove pipe problems disappeared.

DWS

I'm very pleased to hear you've solved that problem using some of the information you read here at GunTalk. Well, unless you have another Mark III pistol; does it really matter if those magazines work in another Mark III? :D

The exact problem was: the case was releasing off the bolt due to the rim striking the feed lip instead of the ejector. Without enough force to expel the empty out of the ejection port, the next cartridge was being stripped out of the magazine and getting jammed up with the unexpelled case sitting in the breech.

Not anymore! Good job DWS!

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