So one of my training pistols I keep in my bag for students to use is an older MkII 22/45.
I admit I only clean it when it starts to malfunction which is maybe once a year, usually 2-3k rounds through it by then.

Never had issues with the 4 mags I use for it. All factory OEM, two of them are fairly new.

I noticed today and at a previous class I did that the mags where starting to malfunction. They feel 'sluggish' when loading around the 7th or 8th round, they would suddenly lose their 'springiness.' And when fully loaded there isn't much tension on the top round and it will FTL on the first or second round.

I cleaned them really well and tried again. Still the same thing.

Is it simply the springs?
Or I read on the Volquartsen website that it could be the buttons dragging.

Anyone experience this and is there an easy fix?

I'm thinking of buying the Volquartsen buttons.

Also, does anyone have issues with the Tandemcross Green springs?

Thanks in advance.

What ammo? CCI AR Tactical doesn’t work for my MK pistols. Neither does Norma Tac Standard Velocity. 38gr Federal GameShock HP, 36gr MiniMag HP or Blazer 22 works best for me.

I struggled with some similar issues with my MKIV dragging the top three rounds. My MKII that’s many years old just runs on the same factory mags and springs since new. https://sigforum.com/eve/forums...950098434#6950098434

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GL1rIj43sGA

Ultimately, I use either 36gr MiniMags or CCI Blazer, Slip 2000 Gun oil, polished the mags per TandemKross and use some spray silicone on the inside of the mags. Worked great for me today for 150rds in a misty 40* match. Stock mags and springs.

However, now that I know about these, I’m ordering the VQ buttons....

Thanks!

Hqving owned 4 mkII anf a dozen or so mkIII. Clean the mags.

Scrub them clean every time you clean the gun.
After cleaning swab out the mag tube with a lightly oiled patch, oil the spring and sides of the follower.

I have never had to replace a mag spring in a ruger mkII or Mk III.

I had issues with a buckmark doing the same thing... i realized it was the lube on the lead bullets. Problem went away when I started using copper washed projectiles instead of the raw lead.

Thanks guys.
Yeeah I cleaned the mags really well, and still had issues. I also checked for any metal burrs or rough spots that could cause possible hangups but didn't find any. Again, I've used these mags and gun extensively for a dozen years or so without issue until recently.

Ammo used was both lead and copper washed--CCI standards, MiniMags, Golden Bullets, Autocomp, but mostly federal champion as I have a palette of the stuff which are copper washed.

I went ahead and ordered 10 of the VQ buttons. We'll see if it fixes the issue.
If not, I'll order some springs next.

I had the same issue with one of my MK II magazines. Tried changing the follower and spring to no avail.

Then I took a good look at the spring guide and realized that it has a slight burr where the spring coils over it.

I chucked the spring guide in an electric drill and polished the area where the spring coils over it glass smooth with a piece of crocus cloth. Cleaned and reassembled the mag and no more feed issues.

quote:

Originally posted by CAR:
I had the same issue with one of my MK II magazines. Tried changing the follower and spring to no avail.

Then I took a good look at the spring guide and realized that it has a slight burr where the spring coils over it.

I chucked the spring guide in an electric drill and polished the area where the spring coils over it glass smooth with a piece of crocus cloth. Cleaned and reassembled the mag and no more feed issues.

Good info, I'll check my spring guides. Thanks!

See the tuning video from TandemKross. They cover the spring guide as well. I spun them in a drill and polished with 600g.

Just did the spring guide polishing.
Plus the Volquartsen buttons arrived.
I'll post up a review later this weekend.

In my Ruger MK pistols I found that magazines drag is from the coil spring. On older magazines it gets even worse because the coils get slightly distorted more. This coil spring loves oil, I kid you not. I lube the coil spring with a fair amount of ATF than work the load button up and down a few times, than turn mag upside down on a paper towel for a few hours to let excess oil run out.

Try it out on one of your mags to compare the difference.

I received the Volquartsen buttons today, they are nicer and seem smoother sliding than the factory. As a plus, if you don't use a mag loader, the button is easier to pull down and hold for loading.

For what its worth, Ruger has sent me free magazine springs for everything, every time I have asked them.

Call and tell them your springs are wore out, I bet they send you new springs for free.

quote:

Originally posted by Riley:
I received the Volquartsen buttons today, they are nicer and seem smoother sliding than the factory. As a plus, if you don't use a mag loader, the button is easier to pull down and hold for loading.

Yeah I think it was money well spent.
I reassembled four mags after doing polishing/deburring/etc with the original springs. I noticed that the two original mags I got with the gun many years ago have shorter springs than two newer mags. Also the old mags have blackened spring guides. The newer mags have silver/bare metal spring guides.
The older mags had a lot of caked on carbon inside, especially close to the top end of the mag. I eventually dunked them in the vibratory cleaner. Luckily no signs of interior corrosion or pitting.
The newer mags had more plastic flash and burrs on the follower too.

They do feel so much smoother now. The VQ button does make for much easier loading without need for a mag loader. I test-loaded each mag several times to capacity and they are definitely smoother without any signs of sluggishness or drag.

I'll shoot these mags this weekend. Will report later.

quote:

Originally posted by bubbatime:
For what its worth, Ruger has sent me free magazine springs for everything, every time I have asked them.

Call and tell them your springs are wore out, I bet they send you new springs for free.

Thanks for the tip. I may give them a call next week.

Update:
Shot the ten mags today, 500 rounds total through two different guns. Used mostly copperwashed Fed Champion but also some minimags, CCI standard, and CCI subsonics.
Everything went well, except there's one mag that still had issues. It isn't anywhere as smooth and still hangs up. I marked the mag, and will replace it with a new one.
Otherwise, no FTF, FTE, and super easy loading with and without a loading tool.
The VQ buttons are great, highly recommended but probably not necessary as there are vids online on how to polish the standard buttons that come with the mags.

Thanks for the input everyone.