Grayrock
Member
My spare mag blew apart. Anyone else experience this? Stored with 7 rounds in location prone to wide temperature fluctuations. Looks like the top of baseplate broke. Will post pics in a few minutes after I get home to my computer.
Ruger P97 magazine failure
- Thread starter Grayrock
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Grayrock
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have to resize photo 
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Grayrock
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Grayrock
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JTQ
Member
I haven't experienced it, but I'd expect that as an issue over time. It's just a polymer lip that broke off, correct?
I think you can still find mags for the P90/P97/P345, but they've all been out of production for about a decade and replacement parts (like a new base pad) may be tough to come by.
I think you can still find mags for the P90/P97/P345, but they've all been out of production for about a decade and replacement parts (like a new base pad) may be tough to come by.
I think I would call Ruger & ask. The worst that can happen is they say they don't have a baseplate for that mag & can't help you. Magazines are still available online. What I found after a quick search was new ones for about $30.
NIGHTLORD40K
Member
This is why I try to avoid tupperware gun parts. Espescially when they are under spring pressure. 
The very earliest P85s had steel base plate magazines, but AFAIK, the single stack P90 type mags were all plastic base and followers.
Me personally, I would fabricate a baseplate from sheet steel, it looks like an easy enough pattern to make.
Good luck!
The very earliest P85s had steel base plate magazines, but AFAIK, the single stack P90 type mags were all plastic base and followers.
Me personally, I would fabricate a baseplate from sheet steel, it looks like an easy enough pattern to make.
Good luck!
cslinger
Member
I had a metal baseplate Colt 1911 magazine fail similarly years ago.
The material has very little to do with this failure. I've seen polymer mags disassemble themselves when dropped, but you commonly just put them back together
I've likely seen more 1911s have base plates come off than any other pistol. I think the last one I saw was when a co-worker dropped his Beretta 92 magazine on a concrete floor
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Grayrock
Member
Disappointed- but not surprised by Ruger's response.
"
Thank you for contacting Ruger Customer Service.
Your Customer Service Issue # is 1016xxx
Mr. Grayrock, Unfortunately, under our policy we do not replace magazines on older pistols such as the one listed above. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. You may purchase additional magazines at www.shopruger.com.
Ruger Customer Service "
So for $39.99 I can fix my own problem.
"
Thank you for contacting Ruger Customer Service.
Your Customer Service Issue # is 1016xxx
Mr. Grayrock, Unfortunately, under our policy we do not replace magazines on older pistols such as the one listed above. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. You may purchase additional magazines at www.shopruger.com.
Ruger Customer Service "
So for $39.99 I can fix my own problem.
Buckeye63
Member
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2018
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- 2,273
I own several Rugers ... LCR357 ,
P95, Security Six 357 ,
Ruger American in 7.62x39 and a compact 10/22
Having said that ... Im still not a Ruger fan ... Due to the past few SP101's
I have owned ...
The above firearms I listed all are keepers and fine Firearms...
P95, Security Six 357 ,
Ruger American in 7.62x39 and a compact 10/22
Having said that ... Im still not a Ruger fan ... Due to the past few SP101's
I have owned ...
The above firearms I listed all are keepers and fine Firearms...
Would this deal be any better
https://gunmagwarehouse.com/ruger-p90-p97-45-acp-8-round-stainless-steel-magazine.html
bikerdoc
Moderator In Memoriam
I own a few Rugers and The SP 101 was a big disappointment to me.
That is what I would have expected also.
Magazines are consumable items...like brake pads
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Grayrock
Member
Nice- saves me 10 bucks right off the top! Thanks.
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Grayrock
Member
How do you figure? I have magazines that are decades old. I have 1 that is almost 100 years old. They all work fine. The difference is they are all metal.
JTQ
Member
That's just what they are, consumables.
All metal doesn't make that much difference. Using the 100 year old example, take a 1911 mag with a welded metal base plate and a 1911 mag with a polymer bumper pad, chances are good the polymer bumper pad model will out last the metal base plate mag in real world/competition environment.
One way to figure this out is to look at the guys that compete with a 1911, or those that still use them in LE or military use, and most of them won't use a welded base plate mag, and most will use a mag with a removable bumper pad.
JTQ
Member
NIGHTLORD40K
Member
Meh, the problem with the 1911 magazines is the welds break over time due to metal fatigue. Magazines with stamped or cast baseplates which engage a lip in the body will seldom, if ever, break.
At worst, they will pop apart when dropped and the retaining plate lug bounces out of its hole. In this case you can just reassemble the magazine, no harm done. In all likelihood, the Beretta example above was not permanently damaged if it was an older one with the cast aluminum base.
If the OPs baseplate was stamped steel, it would not have failed in this manner.
At worst, they will pop apart when dropped and the retaining plate lug bounces out of its hole. In this case you can just reassemble the magazine, no harm done. In all likelihood, the Beretta example above was not permanently damaged if it was an older one with the cast aluminum base.
If the OPs baseplate was stamped steel, it would not have failed in this manner.
Metal magazine fail more often than polymer one do...just as polymer frames have a longer service life than metal frames. Just because they are old doesn't mean they aren't wear items. Metal magazines use are some of the thinnest metal of all the parts in a pistol
The most common magazines to fail are the ones for the 1911. Besides the welded bottoms that break loose, the feed lips will spread over time from the constant pressure on the single column of bullets and from the sliding friction of rounds being stripped during chambering. I believe that the FBI, maybe their SWAT or HRT, did a study of 1911 magazines used in the regular training/practice and the service life was under two (2) years.
Obviously if your practice or training regimen is less than theirs, you'll encounter slower wear
This is true. Beretta 92 stamped steel baseplates usually fail by the toe being bent when dropped.
I have a H&K P7 base plate which had been bent upward...more than you'd expect from a drop, more like it had been used to strike a surface...to the point that the bottom metal had developed a surface crack. However, due to the design of the magazine and it's relation to the toe of the frame, it does not interfere with insertion or locking into the frame. But a P7 magazine is unusually strong and well designed
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Grayrock
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Grayrock
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It's not pretty, but it works. This will be a range mag now.
NIGHTLORD40K
Member
Nice!
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