Ruger Mark 4 loose ejector

[Macross]

I got the Mrs a second hand Ruger Mark 4 Target. Came with lots of extras like 6 mags, Tandemkross trigger etc. So I think it was a good buy for what we paid.

First day at the range and it shoots 50 or so rounds and starts to stove pipe. Then after another 50 rounds its playing up two or three times every magazine.

Took it home and gave it a really good clean, as it had been at the gun shop and we had taken it straight to the range for a shoot. I had hoped it just needed a good clean but in the process noticed that the ejector is a little bit loose.

Googled it and have found a few posts on the issue and looks like it does happen with varying degrees of opinion on how bad the issue is.

Have any of you guys had experience with Ruger mark series pistols and loose ejectors? Im heading to the range again tomorrow morning to test with better ammo (CCI .22 MiniMag) after a good clean to see if it helps.

[gunnnie]

Have two Ruger 22 autos, Series 1 22/45 & a Mk3 Target. The ejector is a little loose on the 22/45, which is not surprising considering it ws a club range gun & would have shot 10's of thousand rds during the 4yrs of use before I bought it. The Mk 3 doesnt show any signs of being loose.

I had both stripped for cleaning last night after a range session yesterday, so that is fresh in mind.

I also have a Tactical Solutions PacLite which is effectively a Ruger Series 2 22/45 lower frame with a TS barrel assembly. The ejector is loose on this also but not what i would term bad. I put a Volquartson trigger upgrade kit in it yesterday so it was stripped down.

Point to note, the ejector rides in a slot in the underside of the bolt, so this should support it a fair amount. There could be other causes of the jams. Email Ruger support outlining the problem & ask what they advise as a fix/repair.

Ammo wise, all three of mine are fed CCI Std 1070fps 40gn solid. This is slower than the mini-Mag ammo & I'm not sure will remedy the problem. You can swap out the bolt spring for a lighter one which is designed or using low velocity target ammo. Also check the cases for signs of scratches on the body just forward of the rim & also the face of the barrel/chamber in the 12 o'clock position. If the pistol has been dry fired a lot there could be a burr on the chamber mouth. This will impede extraction & lead to jams.

Hope this helps.

[Macross]

Hey Gunnie,

Thanks for all that info. After I gave it a really thorough clean, I tried the CCI Minimag and it ran like a dream. However, I have been since informed that it may not be a good idea to run minimag through it long term. I have a few other boxes of ammo to try. CCI Blazer and Winchester Super Speed. I am gonna try these over the weekend to see if it will eat those.

I took the extractor and firing pin out and gave it a deep clean and its now spotless on the upper. The lower still has a bit of fouling around the trigger bar etc but shouldn't impede performance I wouldn't think. (Not game to take the lower totally apart yet).

I noted that just as you mentioned, the ejector does ride along side the bolt and shouldn't cause too much of an issue if its got a little wobble. So hoping that I will find a middle ground speed ammo that it will eat that's not too harsh like the minimag.