Ruger 10/22 problems

[tbinder]

I have an older ruger 10/22 (purchased in 1974) that is exhibing some firing problems. About 5% of the rounds misfire because of soft (I think) firing pin contact, and it occassionally jams because the spent round doesn't eject properly. Any suggestions to further trouble shooting or replace parts. I have seen ads for titanium firing pins and extractors, would that help? She has fired approximately 1500 rounds over all those years.

The rifle feeds fine with Ruger magazines but misfeeds with any other after market magazine - any suggestions?

I have also seen bolt buffers for sale - is there any value in purchasing one? My wife and son love to plink with the Ruger so I expect that it will see considerable use in the future.

Thanks and warm regards.......

[DesertShooter]

Offhand, I'd say that your bolt might have some built-up crud that is causing a light strike. Before doing anything else, give your rifle a thorough cleaning, and soak the bolt assembly in solvent over-night. Then, blow out the bolt with some brake parts cleaner aerosol or "Gun Scrubber" aerosol, followed by lubing with some thin gun oil.

Blow out ALL of the built-up crud in the receiver, too. 1,500 rounds of ammo is NOT an excessive amount. It's probably that, over the years, some of the lube has congealed and "cemented" itself to the moving parts in the bolt, around the striker and the extractor channels. That old/hardened lube will also become somewhat of a "magnet" to carbon particles and dust.

I have a 10/22 that I bought back in 1973 or 1974, and it keeps on ticking! I've probably put 30,000+ rounds through it! I've never "baby'ed" it, but it DOES get a thorough cleaning every OTHER time I shoot it.

Another place to look is the recoil post and recoil spring. Lots of crud gets in there, but it's usually easy to clean out. I usually use a toothbrush with solvent, and a wooden toothpick to loosen up the clots of carbon build-up, then blow it out with brake cleaner spray. DO NOT use pointed steel tools! The wooden toothpicks will work fine, and won't harm any of the steel or aluminum parts.

[hoghunting]

DesertShooter gave you the same advice that I would have. 1500 rounds in the 10/22 is just getting started. Clean the rifle and fire it. If you are still having problems, post again and we will try to help you with the problem.

[tbinder]

Thanks for the advive - a thorough cleaning it will be!

[Harry Bonar]

Dear Sir:
That 10-22 is a fine rifle and I also think it's dirt.
Here is a tip (I hate that word - and "combo" too), take the barreled action out of the stock and tighten the two allen screws that hold the bbl in. You will find they will tighten almost 1/2 turn and restore or increase you're accuracy.
No, you don't need a "buffer."
Harry B.

[jimmyb.1]

I mainly use Winchester Wilcat ammo, the ones that come in a brick of 10 boxes of 50 per little box. It sounds odd but the Rem ammo or even the Winchester value boxes of 600 "loose" rounds in a box have less pop to them and don't cycle as well. I notice it more on my Buckmark pistol then on my 10/22. I've also bought two of the 50 round clips for the 10/22 and the wildcat ammo works better with them then other ammo. I use up the other ammo on my lever action where it doesn't make a difference.

Good luck.
jb

[Scorch]

I have seen similar problems with 10/22s. They can often be solved by disassembling the rifle, removing the bolt, and removing and cleaning the firing pin itself. There is a small sping in a slot in the firing pin (rebound spring), and it fills up with crud if you don't give the rifle a good scrub regularly. If it is filled with crud, it will limit movement of the firing pin when the rifle is fired.

[jcadwell]

I shot 1500 rounds in a day through my 10/22...

Unless you are certain that it is a light strike problem, I'd bet it is the ammo. Next time it happens, try cycling the bolt back far enough to recock the hammer, but not extract the round. Then close it again, and pull the trigger. It should hit the round in the same place. Odds are it still won't go off. Now take the same round (that should have already been struck twice) and rotate it so that a different part of the rim in under the firing pin. I'll bet it fires. A lot of this cheap ammo has inconsistent primer fill in the rim. Some parts of the rim get enough primer to fire, and others don't. When the round gets hit where it doesn't have primer it doesn't fire.

Trying changing ammo. I settled on CCI Blazer, as EVERY round goes off, and it is accurate for me. Winchester ammo isn't bad either.

As for extraction, consider an aftermarket extractor. My extraction issues went away after I spent 15$ on one.

[cosmolinelover]

www.rimfirecentral.com is a great place to get help with exactly that kind of problem. I had the same problem myself on a 30 year old 10/22, with 30 or 40 times the ammo through it though. I eventually fixed it with a new hammer/spring combo that hit the firing pin a little harder. That being said, I've heard a new firing pin can sometimes do the trick as well.

Good luck!

-Cosmo

[stinkin]

I have a Ruger 270 bolt action. When cleaning the bolt, I turned the back pin. Now when I go to insert back in rifle, It will not go back in. The bolt hits the safety. I cant get the thing back to the normal position. Ive misplaced my owners manual. Hope you guys will know.

[Brian Williams]

Go to Ruger.com and find the corect manual

http://www.ruger.com/Firearms/PS-InstructionManuals-RI.html

[44 AMP]

After about a decade (10,000+ rounds) of not cleaning my 10/22 besides the bore and wiping out what I could reach, I disassembled the rifle and gave it a thorough cleaning. The inside of the reciever had caked material 1/4-3/8" thick in places. The rifle never gave any sign of problem.

Once in a while, bargin .22s have "dead" spots where the primer compound failed to be distributed around the rim. Just rechamber the round so the firing pin hits a different spot.

[Foxman]

+1 on 44AMPs reply.
Also I NEVER oil the springs or Bolt parts on any ruger I work on, they can and will gum up after a few hundre rounds of cheap amo, sometimes quicker, as with any "blow back action, the powder residue blows back over the working parts. Cheapo ammo is worse than the good stuff for this.
Use one of the spray on Dri-lube lubricants ( with Teflon/PTFE and/ or graphite ) and it will only need a blow out of the powder residue every so often. Do the same with the magazine spring and pin also, you will get great reliability.
You will need to clean it thoroughly first and I would fit a new firing pin as a matter of course.
The 10/22 is sensitive to spring pressure and feeding ramp shape/angle, a lot of after market mags are well off when you compare with a standard ruger mag's lips. Either mess with them with a small file or throw them and get one of the Ruger to replace them. I have had reasonable success with the Butler Creek ones.

[Harry Bonar]

Dear Sir:
After cleaning that rifle be SURE to take a proper allen wrench and tighten the two bbl. mounting screws. This is a common complaint of innacuracy in the 10-22! The bbl. even after a brick of shells will have "set" the screws so they need tightened.
Harry B.

[Foxman]

+1 on Harrys advice.