Fixed Ruger 22/45 FTF and FTE problem

[True Grit]

I was so disappointed with my Ruger 22/45 jamming constantly into the feed ramp with cheaper brick ammo but I was able to solve this problem myself and now it shoots everything well. I had a gunsmith look at it from the gun store that I purchased it and he said just shoot mini mags and you will be fine. That worked for awhile then even mini=mags would jam into the feed ramp.

I found a little spur at the start of the feed ramp and took a Dremel tool and sanded it flush. Apparently it was just catching the nose of the bullet stopping it from feeding. It now feeds flawlessly all 22lr ammo but still had several stovepipes about 5%. I then replaced the extractor with a Volquartsen exact edge as seen on several trouble shooting posts and now the gun shoots everything I have bought and 100% reliable. I don't know a lot about firearm repair but if I can fix this problem myself with just a little help from the internet I know you can too.

[NashvilleStage]

Isn't it great to fix a problem yourself?

[Oh Shoot]

Many 10/22 "failure to feed" probs are actually extraction/ejection probs.

I suspect same with the handgun actions, too.

For sure, Volquartsen extractors do seem fix a multitude of problems.

You can also file the factory extractor to a more dramatic angle, many say, and get same effect.

- OS

[Guest carbonarcher]

Oh shoot is right!

If you are comfortable working with your hands and able to understand "less is more" when dealing with metal. you can fix it your self!

Rugers are great firearms! when dealing with a .22 they are hard to beat. I am sure the other members will agree.

[StPatrick]

My Mark III had occasional light strikes, along with occasional stovepipes and rare double feeds. Total failures were probably <5%, but they were driving me nuts, so I decided to replace some parts. After adding the VQ extractor and firing pin, it's been 100%, even with cheap ammo. If you're experiencing FTF or FTE, my experience suggests the VQ parts will solve that issue.

Unrelated: I also replaced the trigger, hammer, and sear with VQ parts (before the work on the bolt), and they're worth the money if you really like to shoot your .22 pistol, and are semi-handy. Total trigger travel is less than 1/8", including pre-travel. One thing I did find - leave more pre-travel than necessary for full reset...otherwise, you'll find yourself having to remove your finger from the trigger after every shot to get a good reset.

[True Grit]

That's good to know. I am enjoying working on the Ruger. Its very satisfying to be able to turn a gun into 100% reliable.