Ruger 10/22 issues

[bangswitch]

Does anyone have any issues with the rotary magazine in the 10/22? I don't own one myself, but this past week, I requalified a group of animal control officers, who are issued 10/22's. Each officer shot the rifle he was issued, and out of the seven, only two had no problems. Everyone else had some problem with either:
1-magazine not properly locking in place
2-magazine difficult to remove,
or both.

Those whose magazines would not consistently lock in place also had problems with closing the bolt and feeding rounds. Some could insert the magazine, and then chamber a round, but would have a failure to feed by the 3rd or 4th shot. When inspected, it was apparent that the magazine had shifted and the round either did not properly strip from the magazine, or the bolt did not close past the end of the magazine closest to the open bolt face.

Out of the five rifles with problems, two were stainless models with wood stocks, the other three were blue steel with poly stocks, and all of them are less than three years old. I also had difficulties locking the magazines in place, especially on the poly stock models, which are the newest ones they have. None of the guns were what I would characterize as nasty dirty, but all could have used a thorough cleaning. Only one had any oil that could be seen in the mechanism, but none looked like they'd never been oiled.

Since these rifles are kept by the officer it is issued to, each one is subject to different standards of care, although their policy is pretty clear on maintenance and repair. Every officer had some type of case to keep the rifle in, ranging from a simple gun sock to a low-end plastic hard case. My overall guess is that the rifles need a bit more maintenance than they are getting, and made that recommendation to the ACO's manager.

Several officers were also issued Mossberg 500's and we had no issues with any of them when they shot them for qualification.

What are your thoughts on the issues with the 10/22's? They've been out forever, and are probably the most popular .22 rimfire rifle sold. I've been considering buying one of the take-down versions, but after "playing" with these, I'm not sure if I care much for the rotary magazine. I have a Springfield autoloader with a tube magazine, and a marlin bolt action with a stick mag, and like them pretty well.

 

[General Geoff]

Most of the issues I've seen with 10/22s relating to magazines dropping out or not seating properly, has to do with the flush fitment and 'weird' latching mechanism. The rotary mechanism inside the mag is not to blame, but rather the mechanism of the action to hold the mag in place is... finicky. It works well, but only if the person using it is well practiced with it. Same with the bolt hold-open.

I've found it's much easier to positively lock a BX-25 magazine in place (and remove it), which may alleviate the issues you've noticed.

 

[jmr40]

I've found the 10-22 magazines to be among the most reliable made. Sounds like operator error, or bad ammo to me.

On some guns they can be a little harder to remove with the old style mag release, but I've never had an issue with inserting them or with feeding. Newer guns have an extended mag release and aftermarket versions are made for older guns which helps with removing the magazines.

FWIW, while I've never had a problem with the factroy magazines, I actually like the Butler Creel 10 round magazines better than factory. They only protrude slightly below the rifle, not enough to get in the way, but enough to get a good grip on making loading/unloading easier.

 

[aubie515]

The 10rd OEM mags are the most reliable 10/22 mags. I own a few 10/22 and never had issues with the 10rd mags.

If it's department issue, I'm not sure if you can add aftermarket parts, but if you can...upgrade with KIDD mag releases and KIDD parts in general.

 

[Taurus 617 CCW]

If the guns and mags are used for qualifying duty personnel, there is a good chance that the mags get used often and hard. They may be worn out. The first thing I would do is replace the magazine and go from there.

 

[CraigC]

...there is a good chance that the mags get used often and hard.

Or not at all.

Seriously, it sounds like 100% operator error. Your shooters are not spending enough time with their rifles. If any at all.

 

[sappyg]

Never had a mag issue with a 10 rounds factory 10-22 magazine.

Seating them and removing them tends to give a new shooter fits. If you really want to see them struggle just lock the bolt back before you hand it to them. Total confusion.

 

[unlimited4x4]

Also, remember the springs in the rotary magazines can have the tension adjusted. It may need to be tightened. I find this thread very puzzling due to the very high reliability of this rifle. Best of luck figuring it out. I have several high round count 10/22's and never had any issues.

 

[BCRider]

I've got that problem with my own Ruger 10/22 Carbine model. The magazines shoot fine but they can be difficult to lock into place and they area a bear to drop out. It's been getting slowly worse too. The last time out I had to lock back the bolt and push them out with my pinky down through the ejection port while holding the latch lever forward.

I've also got a full on Tactical Solutions Xring which is a 10/22 clone made with top end components. It doesn't have a whisper of the same problem. So it has something to do with the stock Ruger and likely part of the problem is that Ruger uses the wood as partial side support for the magazines to guide them into place.

 

[red-demon652]

Another problem may be that the magazines were once loaded all the time at some point and weakening the spring giving them the wore out effect,plus the lack of oil and cleanliness combined will definetly make for feed problems. Ammo quality is a big thing to consider as well.
Clean, oil, get some CCI Minni mags and replace the mags and they should run.

In a qualification class for fire arms just my opinion but I believe a person aught to be learning proper fire arm care and maintinence as well.

 

[bangswitch]

I've found the 10-22 magazines to be among the most reliable made. Sounds like operator error, or bad ammo to me.

The magazines themselves worked properly, in that they rotate and placed the next round correctly for the bolt to strip and feed. If the magazine wasn't perfectly aligned and locked in place, though, the bolt would not move forward; on the occasions where there was a feed jam (happened on one rifle during four of the rounds of fire), it became apparent when I inspected the rifle that the magazine had become unlocked in the well.

These rifles are not used solely for qualification; they are their issued "duty weapon" and are carried by the ACO in their vehicles. They are required by policy to qualify once a year, which involves shooting 10 rounds standing from 10 yards, 10 rounds kneeling from 10 yards, then 10 rounds standing at 30 yard, and 10 rounds kneeling from 30 yards. All the ammunition used for qualifying came from the same box of Remington .22 LR, so it was not some cheap off-brand nor a mixed bag of brands. There were no failures to fire (dud rounds) during the entire qualification. By policy, the ACO's are not permitted to shoot at ranges greater than 40 yards. The rifles are only used to dispatch mortally wounded animals or to kill rabid ones. Tranquilizer darts are normally used for capture situations.

All but two of the ACO's have been at their job greater than 5 years, and the two newest ones shoot recreationally, so all are familiar with the rifle and its operation. I fired two of the rifles after the ACO's had shot, to see if the guns "misbehaved " for me. I had two occasions of misfeed because the magazine had released, and one occasion where I could not seat the magazine correctly so the bolt would release and feed the first round. I also found the bolt release sort of tricky to release at first, until I figured out that it's more of a "push forward" rather than a "push in" to release the bolt.

Thanks for the input and replies.

 

[Balrog]

This was a bunch of dog catchers, right?

 

[bangswitch]

This was a bunch of dog catchers, right?

I consider that term a bit derogatory, and doesn't fully address what they do. They do catch strays and take them to the animal shelter for claim and/or disposal, but they are also responsible for pest animals that are chasing livestock, or otherwise endangering the public, such as wild animals from coyotes to black bear, which are either scavenging or rabid. They also have a big public relations responsibility, trying to maintain peace between neighbors with complaints about pets, etc. and also attempt to locate owners of animals at large before having to destroy them. It can be a frustrating and long-houred job that doesn't pay particularly well for the responsibility and potential dangers it has.

I was asked by the County Animal Services Director if I would qualify the ACO's since I have NRA instructor certificates. I did it for no fee, as a public service, since their budget is limited. They only requested a requalification; I had a short safety briefing prior to going to the range, which included the basic safety considerations (NRA's Big 4) and what was expected at the range, plus some Q&A designed to allow me to assess their experience with firearms. They have specific policies related to cleaning and maintenance that I was not asked or allowed to address.

 

[Balrog]

Well, I am guessing for every bear they catch, they catch about 100 dogs.
To point though, I am also figuring there were not a lot of valedictorians in the group, and they may not understand the finer points of gun maintenance.

 

[bangswitch]

Well, I am guessing for every bear they catch, they catch about 100 dogs.
To point though, I am also figuring there were not a lot of valedictorians in the group, and they may not understand the finer points of gun maintenance.

I shouldn't be, but I'm continually amazed at the preconceived notions people have of those in certain professions. FYI, in my Q&A before qualifying, all but two hunt, and a couple were former Sheriff's Deputies. I kind of figure that these people do it because they enjoy being on their own and outdoors, and generally like animals (dogs at least). They certainly aren't doing it to get rich.

 

[Justin]

Balrog, there's no need to deride the guys who were taking the class, and making fun of others isn't going to help solve the problem, nor is it taking The High Road.

For what it's worth, out of all of the 10/22 magazines that I've got, one of them is problematic in that it was difficult to take it out of the rifle. It would continually stick in the magazine well.

Installing an after-market extended magazine release more or less solved the problem with that magazine.

It still doesn't drop free, but it is much easier to get out of the gun.

Additionally, this thread might have the answer you're looking for:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=621872

It looks like it's possible that the magazines need to receive a bit of maintenance. The archived thread also includes a link to this website, which steps you through the process of disassembling, cleaning, reassembling and tensioning the 10/22 magazine:

https://www.heypete.com/pete/shooting/rugermag.html

 

[greyling22]

those aftermarket mag releases like justin linked are just wonderful.

 

[il.bill]

Ruger has two factory 10-round 10/22 rotary magazines in .22LR. The 'original' Black Item #90005 BX-1 Magazine, and the Clear Item #90223.

They are not just different because of the see-through feature (which is actually kind of cool). The clear plastic magazine is very often physically larger than the black BX-1. This can cause seating and especially removal problems, particularly when used in the 10/22 stainless steel and plastic models. I have rarely seen them act up in the rifles with wood stocks, but it is certainly possible. My buddy can not even get the clear plastic mags to seat in his .22LR Ruger American bolt action rifle, but the black mags work flawlessly for him.

I bought several of the clear 10-round rotary magazines, and half of them I need to really work at to seat and remove in my Ruger 10/22 Takedown - some day I want to try filing or shaving the clear plastic housing down a bit to see if that helps. The five 'original' black BX-1 mags have always worked great for me.

Were the troublesome magazines the clear plastic ones?

 

[double bogey]

I have 4 of the ruger mags. 2 of them have been tight fits in the magwell. A little filing on the sides, no more problems with hangups, and they drop free when released. Never had a single feed malfunction after around 10k rounds.

 

[MyGreenGuns]

I had one that wouldn't seat correctly.

My magazine had a tiny bit of plastic flashing on its forward edge that was keeping it from snapping into place.

I cleaned up the flashing with my pocket knife and haven't had a problem since.

FWIW, I've never had a 10/22 magazine drop free. You always have to pull it. The extended release is nice; I pinch the release lever and the front of the mag and pull.

*-*-*-* IDEAS *-*-*-*

Take the action out of the stock and test fit an empty magazine.

Be sure to lock the action open when loading/unloading a magazine. This is usually the culprit. Magazines won't always seat with the bolt closed. Sometimes the first round in a mag will take a nosedive into the magazine when it presses into the bolt.

If it is a factory magazine, it should seat by pushing the Ruger logo.
The front will snap in before the rear.

With a magazine seated push forward on the magazine. Sometimes it will lock into place but still have another "click" if you push it forward.

If the magazine snaps in correctly, check the stock.

I've fixed this issue on someone else's gun once. It was the poly stock that had extra flashing and was keeping the mag from snapping into place.

two were stainless models with wood stocks, the other three were blue steel with poly stocks

I think the stocks go the other way. Stainless/poly and blued/wood.

 

[BCRider]

Once again on the issue of removing the magazines I'd like to draw a comparison between that TS Xring and the stock Ruger carbine.

On the XRing working the mag release sees the 10 rounders literally fall out of the rifle. The stock Ruger was always a little tricky but generally if I held my tongue right it came out with only a little wiggling.

But like I typed earlier recently it's become very sticky. And that's with all the mags I've tried with it.

All in all I think that there's some tweaking needed to make these work well with the stock Rugers. And it sounds like your ACO bunch is running into the same issues and likely it suggests that both them and I need to find the issue and do some sort of minor tweak to make the magazines easier and more reliable to seat and drop out.

I haven't looked at mine yet so I can't offer any suggestion.

 

[CraigC]

I think the stocks go the other way. Stainless/poly and blued/wood.

Goes both ways and has for a long time.

 

[MyGreenGuns]

Goes both ways and has for a long time.

I learn something everyday.

 

[bangswitch]

Were the troublesome magazines the clear plastic ones?

They had no clear magazines at all.

I'm going to recommend to the AS Director that all the rifles be given a thorough cleaning, and the magazine tensioning adjustment be checked and corrected if necessary. He had mentioned that two of the rifles, both recently purchased (with plastic stocks) had been problematic from the start. We'll see what happens. I'd hate for one of these guys have a system failure just when they need the rifle most.

 

[MedWheeler]

I have a 10/22 from 1986, and two of the factory rotary mags, one of which came with the gun, and the other I bought a year or two later.

I've never done any maintenance on either magazine (and little on the gun itself), and have had no issues with any of the equipment not related to the use of "bulk-priced" ammunition. With CCI MiniMags, which makes up 80 percent or greater of the thousands and thousands of rounds fired from the gun, I've never had a magazine or ammunition failure.