Ruger 10/22 problem

[retired]

I understand this is probably not answerable without seeing the rifle, but I thought I'd give it a try.

I was trying to shoot my son's Ruger 10/22 over the weekend and had a problem with the gun that prevented that from happening. I was unable to get the action to slide close. It didn't make a difference whether the mag was in or out.

I haven't shot the gun for a number of years because my son had it in his possession. I do recall that when we used to go shooting with it, this problem sometimes occurred, but I was eventually able to get it to work. This time no luck.

I had planned on taking it somewhere to get it fixed, but thought I'd see if anyone here might have an idea before doing so. Thanks for any help.

[falbuff]

Have you ever gave it a good cleaning?

[javaduke]

Is the bolt locked all the way back? If yes, you have to pull it back, then manually pull out the bolt lock tab (in the trigger group, right next to the mag release) and then let bolt go. 10/22 factory doesn't have the spring-loaded bolt release, so "slingshot" is not possible without modifications (most after-market trigger groups have this mod though).

[MotoriousRacing]

I love the 10/22, but the bolt release is a little tricky. You need to press it up and in. I think it helps to pull the bolt back that last little bit with the right hand, and activate the release with the left.

[G-forceJunkie]

Perhaps the bolt hold open is gummed up, or your not working it right. Sometimes the plastic magazine catch can put pressure on the bolt hold open and impeed its movement.

[retired]

Thanks for all of the suggestions everyone. I tried it all, but it still doesn't work. As far as cleaning, it was cleaned the last time it was shot, but that was a couple of years ago. It had been sitting in my son's closet, but it's back with me since he doesn't have a safe and he has a 6 and 2 1/2yr. old.

I'll clean it again just to make sure and if it doesn't work, I'll take it to a gunsmith.

Thanks again everyone; I knew I'd get some good responses from the members here.

[Bastard]

I say take it apart - fully apart & clean the crap out of it, when you reassemble it replace the factory (assuming that it is still factory) bolt release with an auto bolt release.

[ar15barrels]

I was trying to shoot my son's Ruger 10/22 over the weekend and had a problem with the gun that prevented that from happening.
I was unable to get the action to slide close.

Do you understand how the bolt stop functions in the gun?

['ol shooter]

Take a look at the 10-22 Action forum Stickey posts here. It covers all about the care of your 10-22.

http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/index.php

[retired]

Do you understand how the bolt stop functions in the gun?

Absolutely not, tho once it is explained I'd probably be able to honestly say…..oh yeah, I see that now. I know that when I pull the trigger, the damn bullet is supposed to exit the barrel and hopefully hit the target. That's about it.

A member has contacted me by pm and I will be bringing the gun to him. He has worked on these for 40yrs. and said he was willing to look at it before I spent money at a smith. So I'll be seeing him Friday. I will post here what was wrong with it…..or what I did incorrectly, when I find out.

I really appreciate the help from all of you.

Bastard, I can take things apart, putting them back together has never been my forte. I am not really mechanically inclined, which is why I don't reload. I want my guns and me to stay intact.

[ar15barrels]

Absolutely not, tho once it is explained I'd probably be able to honestly say…..oh yeah, I see that now.

So look closely at the magazine release button.
Just to the side and behind the magazine release, there is a little steel nub hanging down.
That nub is the end of the bolt stop.



The bolt stop is probably currently engaged, which is holding the bolt to the rear just as it was designed to do.
To release the bolt stop, you need to hold the bolt to the rear with the charging handle, then toggle the bolt stop to disengage it while releasing the charging handle to let the bolt come forward.

Go try that and report back with any more questions.

[Bastard]

Bastard, I can take things apart, putting them back together has never been my forte. I am not really mechanically inclined, which is why I don't reload. I want my guns and me to stay intact.

that is the beauty of the 10/22 - its simplicity, and probably why it works so well. I am sure who ever is helping you out, kudos to him for being a good guy, will go over the basics of the 10/22 while you are there.

[bohoki]

ive always hated that thing

[retired]

First, I need to thank slowjonn for his generosity for offering to to take a look at the rifle on his own time (day off for him) in the first place and also for fixing the problem. Thank you sir!

As he took it out of the rifle case and pressed that little stub ar15barrels mentioned (I knew what that did, but thanks for explaining it and the pic ar15barrels), he asked, as the bolt slid forward, "So what is the problem?"

Yes, the damn thing that I couldn't get to work, worked just fine for him. I actually figured that would happen. Story of my life.

He proceeded to remove the wooden stock from the receiver and he discovered the apparent problem. The pin that kept the bolt stop from going too far back was missing and evidently had been since before I bought the gun for my son when he was 16 in 1998. The gun was a consignment gun I bought from a gun store in Riverside and I will surmise the owner wasn't aware it was missing either. You wouldn't know unless you removed the stock.

slowjonn had the correct pin from his parts stock, dropped it in, cleaned everything I had not been able to clean when it was together and test fired it with a special round he had. Everything worked fine.

slowjonn refused my offer to take him to lunch and said helping me out and working on the rifle was payment enough.

Thank you very much slowjonn. It was a pleasure to meet you and I appreciate your generosity. I also thank everyone else who offered their ideas.

[kcstott]

I am not really mechanically inclined, which is why I don't reload. I want my guns and me to stay intact.

Theres not a lot involved mechanically for basic reloading. it's like baking, size and prime the case, add the correct measured amount of powder, and top with a bullet. it does get more complicated the more you get into it like anything else. I was reloading with no instruction other then books when I was 16. Granted i am mechanically inclined I had no problem dragging a junked engine out of the trash and getting it running. All before my teen age years