Ruger 44 autoloader

[havoc7usmc]

Good Day Gents,
I have a ruger 44 auto loader that has a problem with the cartridge stop and I do not know enough about this rifle to figure it out. I hope some one can provide me with some info. This is what I see going on.
As the slide moves rearward and close to the end of it's cycle, it moves under the cartridge stop flat spring and the cartridge stop moves to let the next round enter the carrier, OK that's normal. But as the slide comes to a stop the cartridge stop does not move back and it let's the next round follow and jam. The only thing that I can come up with is that maybe a very weak cartridge stop spring that does not have enough force to push on the flapper and push the cartridge stop back in time to prevent the next round from loading ? As I stated, I'm not familiar with this rifle and wounder if this is a common problem with the 44 auto loader.

 

[greyling22]

I don't have one and don't fully follow what you said, but my uncle has one of the really old ruger 44 auto loaders and only really really hot loads cycle right through it.

 

[gb6491]

I have not read anything about the cartridge stop being problematic on these. I never had any issues when I had mine. Have you detail stripped and cleaned that area? In addition to the flat spring, there are two little coil springs that also operate the stop and flapper. Perhaps one of these is gummed up (or bad). The manual and parts breakdown are available (in pdf form) on the Ruger website.
Regards,
Greg

 

[Big Az Al]

Just looked at the manual

There are 6 part numbers for the parts in the cartridge stop assembly.

Dirty, bent, pins out of place or broken, weak springs, could effect the oepration of the cartridge stop.

A cartridge that is to short can also cause this malfunction.

I have worked on several 44mag rifles, manufactured in about the same time frame as the Ruger 44 mag carbine that were built for a longer overall cartridge length, new or reloaded cartridges of the SAAMI length, set after some/many of these rifles were built, jams these rifles.

Marlin does not say why, put if you get an early production 1894 44 mag that jams feeding the cartridge out of the magizine, the lifter shelf will be a about a tenth of an inch longer, then the replacement lifter.

It is just a guess with out having the rifle in hand, a cartridge that is to short will let the next shell come past the cartridge stop before the stop has a chance to cycle back and stop it. I see only one cartridge stop, on the left in the break down, nothing to right side (ala the rem 1100 interuptor, and other tube fed rifles and shotguns) to time shells shorter then the lifter shelf, so length really will matter!

 

[havoc7usmc]

Even with the last round the shell follower will pop into the receiver. I stipped and detailed cleaned but no change. I'm trying to figure out the sequence of evens as it cycles. 1. Is the bolt supposed to come in contact with the flapper and push the cartridge stop, 2. What is makes the cartridge stop return to catch the next round, or prevent the mag follower from entering the receiver.
Lastly. Thank you gentlemen for your replys.

 

[dmazur]

The key seems to be the slide assembly (C47). The L finger of this slides along the L side of the receiver and lifts the cartridge stop flat spring (C41), which permits the cartridge stop to pivot. The cartridge moves now. The cartridge stop coil spring (C43) is supposed to push the cartridge stop back into position and catch the next cartridge rim. If this spring is weak or has a broken coil, this could be part of the problem.

I believe the lifter assembly (C34) is also involved in the sequence, because as the slide assembly moves forward, the cartridge stop is prevented from moving again. This would be a double feed.

You might check to see if your lifter assembly is lubricated and moving freely. I had feed problems with mine and it turned out to be the lifter pivots were dry. If the lifter doesn't lift soon enough, the slide is going to move back anyway, operating the cartridge stop again. Which you don't want.

I'm almost sure the lifter is involved in "cancelling" the cartridge stop movement on the forward stroke of the slide assembly. If it's stuck, the mechanism is "out of time". Not broken, just not timed right.

 

[havoc7usmc]

Thanks dmazur

That was some very good info and just what I needed to hear. Your assumption was right about the lifter pins being sticky, plus a little rusty.
Thanks a bunch.

 

[River Ranger]

Just call Ruger. I have been sending them in for several years. They still service them and have been charging nothing. They even send them back for free. Total cost to you is a phone call for the address and shipping to Ruger. Don't make it worse by trying to fix it yourself. They have the parts and personnel to do the job right.

River Ranger

 

[jordan1948]

Wanna sell it? Joking but I don't know much about it all I know really is that I want one

 

[River Ranger]

Jordan1948-
Check GunBroker.com I just put a really nice on up on auction.

River Ranger