Ruger Mk II feed question

[Droidicus]

I am new to shooting, and recently bought a used Ruger MK II from a friend. After tearing it down and completely cleaning it I went to the range for the first time today to give it a whirl with a couple of boxes of CCI SV. However, I had some... problems... with it.

About one out of every 10-15 shots the gun wouldn't cycle properly, after the shot the bolt would be about 1/4-1/3" out of battery. When this happened I could eject the round, put it back in the mag, and it would load and fire fine the second time. Every round I inspected when this happened had the same marks on them, the bullet had a bright almost flattened spot on it about 1/4 - 1/3" wide near the shoulder of the bullet, and about 2/3 of the way down the cartridge there was a small indentation on the opposite side from the mark on the bullet. This never happened when loading a new mag, only ever happened when the gun cycled.

The things that I can think of that would cause this are a bad magazine, something with the feed ramp (the very end of the feed ramp looks almost ragged, but I don't know what it is SUPPOSED to look like unfortunately), incorrectly reassembled after cleaning (I did a normal feild strip, plus I accidentally disassembled the bolt assembly as well), or just ammo that the gun doesn't like. I have heard that Rugers work well with CCI SV, so I doubt it is the last option.

Anyone have a guess or a suggested course of action?

~Droid

 

[MassMark]

Hmmmm....This is a toughy - especially since I have poured ammo through mine without a hitch for many, many years. My only guess is that it's a feed ramp, or extractor issue - perhaps try polishing your feed ramp and making sure your chamber is clean. You could also have weak mag springs - how used is this gun? I can't remember if I ever used CCI ammo, (I seem to remember shooting some Stingers some years ago), so perhaps try some different ammo?

 

[Droidicus]

Hmmmm....This is a toughy - especially since I have poured ammo through mine without a hitch for many, many years. My only guess is that it's a feed ramp, or extractor issue - perhaps try polishing your feed ramp and making sure your chamber is clean. You could also have weak mag springs - how used is this gun? I can't remember if I ever used CCI ammo, (I seem to remember shooting some Stingers some years ago), so perhaps try some different ammo?

The gun is in very good shape from the outside, it looks virtually new. My friend says he put about 600 rounds through it or so, and from what I saw when I cleaned it I doubt he ever cleaned it even once. I believe the gun is about 7-10 years old.

~Droid

 

[matt]

before you polish anything, try a different ammo brand. While my MkII eats CCI SV consistently, yours may like something else.

They other thing, when you took it apart to clean it did you lube it heavily? Mine likes to run with a wipe of oil, but not allot.

Funny, I finally cleaned my 1911 the other night after W's of rounds and had feeding problems with it today! Moral of the story: don't clean your guns!!

 

[shanef]

Is there any kink in the ammo that you have to eject - on the bullet head or on the case? Does it happen with specific mags - factory or after market?

I, like many others and yourself, have Ruger Mark II and I have no problems....

 

[Droidicus]

before you polish anything, try a different ammo brand. While my MkII eats CCI SV consistently, yours may like something else.

They other thing, when you took it apart to clean it did you lube it heavily? Mine likes to run with a wipe of oil, but not allot.

I have some Federal Gold Metal I can try next time I am at the range. Also, when I cleaned it I would say I put a medium amount of lube on it, it defiantly wasn't dripping off, but there was enough that if you ran your finger on the bolt a small amount would transfer.

~Droid

 

[Droidicus]

Is there any kink in the ammo that you have to eject - on the bullet head or on the case? Does it happen with specific mags - factory or after market?

I, like many others and yourself, have Ruger Mark II and I have no problems....

The rounds that I eject all have the same pattern of marks on that I described in my first post, a bright flat spot on the bullet and a small indentation on the opposite side 2/3 of the way down the cartridge. I only have one mag, it is a factory mag as well. I have a few more on the way though.

~Droid

 

[JimB]

mag

I have a MKIII, not much difference. i had some problems similar to this,

turned out to be a mag... or maybe yours need a cleaning, could be a wax build up at the top front of the mag.

try shooting again without doing anything,,, is it one mag or all.????

mine will shoot almost anything i feed it.

JimB

 

[Droidicus]

I went to the range again today and tried two things, first I tried some Federal ammo instead of the CCI, and also there was someone else at the range shooting a MK II and they were kind enough to allow me to use one of their mags for a while. BOTH worked to solve the problem!

I cycled some of the CCI rounds through the gun without firing with the new mag, and there is defiantly still some contact between the bullet and something leaving a mark. With the new mag the mark looks like it is just in the lube coating on the bullet and doesn't deform the bullet to the point where it won't feed correctly. Something to keep in mind, but at least it will work with a new mag.

~Droid