Ruger Extraction Problem

[DWalt]

I have an early 1950s Ruger Standard Model .22 pistol (pre-Mark I, II, etc). I quit shooting it several years ago as I started getting frequent stovepipe jams (about 10-15%), and they are a pain to clear as you must remove the magazine every time. Jams were not related to the ammunition (although they seemed fewer when SV ammo was used) or the magazine (same results with three different magazines). I was considering selling it, but it is in such good condition I couldn't bring myself to do that. I did a little checking and found from another forum that those jams are usually the result of a worn extractor, and the recommendation was to get a replacement extractor from TANDEMKROSS for $16 including shipping. Very quick shipment, 2 days. The same extractor fits all the Ruger Marks plus the old Standard Model .22s. I ordered one and installed it (installation video is on the Tandem Kross website), and it seems to work fine. I fired 30 rounds (10 in each magazine) rapid fire, not a bobble. The only strange thing is that the new and old extractors are visually nearly identical in appearance, at least I can't tell any difference, but the new one seems to work much better. So it must not take much wear to cause a jamming problem.

 

[ggibson511960]

I've told this story many times, but it bears re-telling in this context. A friend's Mark I functioned for years without an extractor. It broke in half. He never noticed it until clearing the piece one day without emptying the magazine at a target, and could not pull the live round from the chamber. You would think that the extractor has to be in place to pivot an ejecting case when it hits the ejector. Extractors are along for the ride as the fired case pushes the bolt back. My friend's Mk. I worked perfectly without one.

 

[DWalt]

I have a friend who has a .32 Beretta Bobcat (or maybe some other cat) without an extractor (it is blowback), and it runs fine. But it has one of those tip-up barrels to allow loading or unloading the chamber. For a fact, most short recoil pistols (such as the M1911) will not eject fired cases without an extractor as I have some personal experience to that effect.

While a typical blowback-operated pistol may eject upon firing OK without an extractor, it is not a good idea. This is principally because if you ever find yourself in a sticky personal defense situation and have a misfire, then about all you can do is throw your pistol at your attacker as you have no way to take immediate action to clear the misfire and reload the chamber.

 

[swsig]

I have a 1974 Standard, and it had a failure to eject problem. The FTEs diminished when I used high velocity ammo, but were still a problem. I installed a Volquartsen extractor, which is supposed to cure FTEs, but it helped only a little. Finally, I noticed that the ejector was slightly loose. It wasn't very noticeable when the bolt was in the receiver, but with the bolt out, the ejector had a much more noticeable wobble. I sent it back to Ruger and they repaired it free of charge, with a turnaround of about a week. I have fired about 1,000 rounds since with no problems whatsoever. If you need to send yours back, Ruger will treat you right.

 

[OLDSTER]

Both the Tandemkross and Volquartsen extractors are slightly different than the stock extractor. If you look very closely, you'll find a slightly rounded corner on the bottom of the "claw". Why that detail makes a difference I don't know, but it works. I've installed the Volquartsen "Exact Edge" extractor on both my MKII and MKIII thousands of rounds ago. Stovepipes virtually disappeared ( unless ammo related).

 

[DWalt]

I'll probably take my Ruger out next week for a more thorough test to see if the stovepipe problem has been resolved. I didn't notice the slight claw curvature difference as I wasn't looking for it. When I first bought that SM Ruger, I discovered the aiming point of the sights was so far from the impact point on the target that it was essentially useless - hitting about 6"-7" low and left at only 50 feet. I had to file down the front sight height quite a bit and drive the rear dovetailed sight to the right. Easier said than done - that rear sight took a ridiculous amount of pounding to get it to budge and I burned up a full box of ammo making the cut and try sight corrections to get to where all shots were in the X-ring at 50 feet over sandbags. I can imagine why the Ruger was in such good condition. The prior owner(s) probably found they couldn't hit anything with it and as a result didn't take it out to shoot much.