Ruger 22/45 chambering question

[nanp]

I am going over my (deceased) husbands guns. Found a Ruger 22/45 with no magazine in it. Finally found a magazine that(I believe) fits it, put 22lr bullets in it but cannot get it to fire. I do  not believe any bullet is in the chamber. What am I doing incorrectly?

Thank you.

[chances R]

first get some competent help immediately..I am concerned that you are unsure whether it is loaded or not.  Please treat it as loaded and don't point it at anything you don't want to put a hole in!  Not sure but the base plate of the mag doesn't look like it is the right one.  Again someone familiar with handguns to help you out.

[Oh Shoot]

Very basic questiion: are you pulling the bolt back and releasing to load the first shell?

(also echo Chances advice)

edit: looks like correct mag to me

- OS

Edited January 21, 2018 by Oh Shoot

[nanp]

No, I cannot pull the bolt back. I do know how to chamber a bullet(I have a Glock 26). I have  a basic knowledge of guns but finer points are not my area of expertise(they were my husbands keen interest). I am not sure 1- if the magazine is the correct one, though it seems to fit perfectly 2- if the bullets are the correct ones. I do have somewhere I can take it for answers to my questions, just attempting to learn on my own.

 

Nancy

[chances R]

double checked my 22/45.  Yes, I believe you have the correct magazine.  Also a fully loaded mag will show 7 rounds of ammo and the top 3 will be hidden by the metal side.  So it is very possible you have a live round loaded as I count 6 rounds visible.  Next, be sure and place the safety 'on'.  As pictured yours is 'off'.  Pointed in a safe direction, the bolt/slide should be able to be pulled back with enough force.  As a good safety reminder please keep your finger off the trigger as some place it there in error.  Again if in doubt get competent help.

[nanp]

Thanks. I am quite competent, I may not have the correct "terminology" but am quite comfortable around guns and definitely know enough to keep my finger away from the trigger and always point any gun away from people et al and to assume any gun is loaded. That being said, this particular handgun had no magazine in it. 

   On the left side of the pistol there are three small buttons. The lower left one releases the magazine. I assume the upper right button is the safety(I use a SigSauer P238 as my carry, so trying to compare). I press this, try to slide it, it does not budge. The button on the upper left , I have no idea of its purpose. My husband had different handguns and rifles and I attempted to be knowledgeable but not using them from time to time I could not keep current.

 

[nanp]

As to 6 visible rounds in the magazine, I only put a few bullets in the magazine to try it out. None from the magazine went into the chamber, I am confident of that.

[Garufa]

Here is a link to the instruction manual.  You may want to read it.

https://ruger-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/_manuals/markIII.pdf

[chances R]

well, not knowing your exact history I tried not to leave anything out, no offense intended.  the most rear button is the safety.  push it up for 'on'.  The more forward button is the slide lock.  The mag holds 10 max.  6 visible, 3 at top, and one possibly in chamber.  Seems you are not certain if you started with a full mag or not.

[nanp]

Well, the instruction manual did it. It showed me where to pull back . I had already tried this but lightly, this time I gave it a tad harder pull and, voila. The round was chambered.  I fired the pistol, no recoil, great. I have a feeling my husband had this for a target pistol as there are some weird sights on it, Matchdot II. Now I have to figure out how to use the Matchdot, when I look through the sights it is a greenish tinge. I remember my husband showing me a sight onetime that when held correctly crosshairs came into the view. I do not know if this is the sight or not. More learning to do.....A big thanks for the manual and also thanks to others who offered suggestions. It can be overwhelming trying to figure out another persons interest.   

Oh yes, I cannot get the safety to move. I'll go back to the instruction manual to see if they offer any suggestions.    Found it. The manual said the hammer must be cocked(the bolt pulled back, in my terms) before the safety can be put to On.

 

 

Edited January 22, 2018 by nanp

[charlessummers]

The knob on top of that Matchdot that goes from 1 to 11 should turn your sites on. The higher the number, the brighter the site.

 

Good luck

[Garufa]

8 hours ago, nanp said:

Well, the instruction manual did it. It showed me where to pull back . I had already tried this but lightly, this time I gave it a tad harder pull and, voila. The round was chambered.  I fired the pistol, no recoil, great. I have a feeling my husband had this for a target pistol as there are some weird sights on it, Matchdot II. Now I have to figure out how to use the Matchdot, when I look through the sights it is a greenish tinge. I remember my husband showing me a sight onetime that when held correctly crosshairs came into the view. I do not know if this is the sight or not. More learning to do.....A big thanks for the manual and also thanks to others who offered suggestions. It can be overwhelming trying to figure out another persons interest.   

Oh yes, I cannot get the safety to move. I'll go back to the instruction manual to see if they offer any suggestions.    Found it. The manual said the hammer must be cocked(the bolt pulled back, in my terms) before the safety can be put to On.

 

 

Glad your getting it figured out.

The manual also discusses disassembly.  Don’t do it!    They either go back together with little effort or will have you cussing and throwing the thing across the room.

[gregintenn]

Welcome to the forum. Sorry to hear of your husband's passing. That's a dandy target pistol he left you with. The sight may need a new battery. I'd bet you could find an instruction manual for it online as well.

[nanp]

A neighbor who is very gun-knowledgeable stopped by to help w/my inventory and showed me how to turn on the Matchdot, which he calls red-dot. I am trying to whittle down the collection to guns of easy-to-load magazines. This  Ruger fits the bill. I want to keep at least one gun to shoot snapping turtles and my neighbor said I could do it w/this Ruger or my Remington 66 rifle, which also takes 22s. I am hoping a 22 hollow point should dispatch a turtle. My husband used a larger capacity rifle, he wanted to get the job done. My neighbor is very nice, sincerely helping me. That being said, his terminologies are different than how I've heard items described. He calls Glocks automatics, while I refer to them as semi-automatic. When we talk(he is rather a good ole'southern-boy,  no disparagement intended) I listen and attempt to learn/remember, as he knows where all releases/safetys are on most any gun/rifle I have. 

Edited January 23, 2018 by nanp

[Ronald_55]

Looks like the Matchdot manual is here under Ultradot. Not a lot to the manual though. Looks like battery compartment may be on the largest upward turret or post. A Nickle should work on it. These usually use large watch batteries.

http://www.ultradotusa.com/ultradotdist2010_013.htm

I agree on the target pistol idea. This is not a cheap red dot.