10/22 Mags won't drop free

[shoot4score]

Need help!  Some mags drop free, some don't.  Some work one time and don't the next.  I've looked, I've checked, I've cleaned, I've filed    Does anybody have a solution?

[4bfox]

I used a power sander on mine....found it on rimfirecentral.com or some such. They all work great now.

Ben

[Xeyed]

If you haven't replaced your stock magazine release, here is a good reason. Will help making releasing them easier.

I've found that magazines will eventually work themselves into releasing. Just keep working them in and out. The rough edges will eventually wear off.

Depending on your stock, check to see that you don't have anything intruding into the magwell.

Some folks on Rim fire central have said that  taking the mag apart and putting it together helped them, but I'm not sure why.

Note the Ruger Clear magazines seem to be just a touch larger/tighter than the factory Black ones. But with use they drop just fine.

A touch of CLP will also help the mags drop free.

[ksuguy]

Also, make sure you are holding the rifle so gravity can help you out.  I'm sure you are probably doing this already, but I've seen plenty of shooters turn the rifle upside down before trying to get those things out.   

[ErikAnderson]

Need help!  Some mags drop free, some don't.  Some work one time and don't the next.  I've looked, I've checked, I've cleaned, I've filed    Does anybody have a solution?

As mentioned here (and several LTR threads in greater detail), hit the sides of the mags lightly with sandpaper.  About half of my dozen or so wouldn't drop free, but 10-15 passes with some 180+ grit sandpaper did the trick for me on all of them. 

It's the mold lines and flashing that were holding mine up, and that's exacerbated by (some) aftermarket stocks.

[douglas34474]

You don't reveal what the stock is made of.

If wood, remove the action from the stock. Using sandpaper, smooth the inside of the mag well. Then sand the sides of the mags on a flat surface. With the action in the rifle, when you place a mag in the rifle and you should be able to place a business card between the mag and the stock.

The plastic over molded seem to be a real problem with this. Just keep working the sides of the mags until you get them to drop as they should.

[Pappy]

Hello Group; Yes you can sand the mags this works with your mags but it does not FIX the issue, the mag well should be opened up to let yours hers or my mags drop free no matter what then the rifle is fixed. in my opinion, the short way is not always the right way in this case... Thank You... Yes I have 5 LTRs and most needed a bit of tweeking to run without fail FWIW.... Pappy

[shoot4score]

Thanks for everybody's replys.  I willl start with the stock first and progress to the mags if that doesn't work.

[PHenry]

JB Weld a large washer - on end - to bottom of each mag and pull them out. Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome. 

[hawkeye]

Pappy's right ,The mag well is all that needs to be relieved. A fine wood rasp or a medium flat bastard file is all that is needed to make the mag drop out. All most all of the 10/22 stocks are tight at the mag well . Do this and any mag will drop free that you use. I bring a small wood rasp with me to the shoots to fix this problem for our shooters, many are bringing brand new rifles that they have never shot. It usually only takes a few passes with the rasp with no marks showing on the outside. 

[4bfox]

OK...OK. I'll try the file next time. But the sandpaper worked for me...

But the file is a permanent solution, and less work than sanding the crap out of the mags.

[oladcock]

Besides the sanding, if the allen screw on the mags is loose, they'll hang up. Got 2-10-22's, one wood stock, one plastic..Neither did we have to relieve the mag well, knocking flashing off the magazines did the trick. Had one mag where the screw worked loose. Started out being a nusance until it hung up so bad it had to be pried out. That's when the loose screw was discovered. Problem solved....O.L.

[hawkeye]

That's why you check everything about your firearm each time you clean, as you clean you inspect each part including mags, sights , pins ect... Fix it at home not at the range. OK DS mode off

[HPT]

A rifle with just enough mag clearance may swell slightly when wet and start hanging up the mag.  This happened to me in a particularly monsoon-like Appleseed.  Give the mag well a little extra clearance when filing/rasping. 

I don't know if it matters but I am going to seal the bare wood inside the barrel channel, mag well, etc.  Hopefully this will prevent any swelling during wet shooting activities.

Some mags have excess flash and that should be trimmed but, as was stated, make the rifle work with any mags.

Thanks for everyone's info.  I always learn something here.
Tony (HPT)

[hawkeye]

This stuff is great for water proofing a wood stock no more swelling. I make my own since I am a beekeeper but this is the same thing. In the hot weather when your sweating and trying to grip the stock it works like surf board wax, you hand will not slide around on the stock.
http://gunnyspaste.com/   

[HPT]

Thanks, Hawkeye.

By a strange cosmic alignment, I am also a beekeeper.  Feel free to describe your homemade recipe.

Tony - keeping bees in Southwest Ohio

[HPT]

Does replying to your own post qualify as talking to yourself?   

I read the rest of the Gunny's Paste site and see that he has the recipe right there.  Although I have beeswax out the ying-yang, I don't have the other ingredients so I ordered some Gunnys.

I have a muzzleloader stock to refinish so I had 2 good reasons to buy it.

Thanks again, hawkeye.
HPT