SGW Gunsmith

Come on folks, this could be a really great site if everybody came back to create some civil conversation pertaining to the BEST caliber firearms there ever were, are and will be. I'll bet none of us started out shooting a .458 Winchester Model 70, or worse yet a Weatherby .340 Weatherby Magnum. 10 to 1, most everyone who visits here at one time or another, began their first shooting experience with a .22 rimfire. The heck with those others who think they are the "premier" rimfire sites, like RFC. They've gone down the toilet with much of what gets passed along there as fact for the last 5, or more, years. There's more bickering and false statements that are posted there than anywhere else on the inter-web. Here's a great chance to get the truth about rimfire firearms and how they function and can be repaired, than that floundering forum will ever know, or accept. I'm willing to do what I can to resurrect activity here and invite you all to send all your rimfire friends to at least visit this site and "lurk" for a while, or better yet, contribute your rimfire experiences with all the the others who stop by. Like, what is your current .22 rimfire, rifle or handgun?

.22 rimfire ammunition is the most dirtiest of all metallic cartridge ammunition. I use a "Simple Green" type of cleaner in my ultra-sonic apparatus. Due to that stuff being water soluble, a good wipe down after the parts are dried with a product like EEZOX is a good idea

Well, it's now 2020, and there are some really effective synthetic gun cleaning solvents currently available. The brand that I have on my bench currently is EEZOX. this CLP is easy to use, I just run two wet fel cylinders soaked with EEZOX through the bore, let it sit for 15 minutes and then dry the bore with a dry fely plug: If a centerfire bore has a bullet jacket coating involved, then, if you can stand the ammonia smell, Sweete's 7.62, will get the fouling out in short order, just don't leave the bore wet and once cleaned, a light coating of oil will protect the bore.

Fire lapping .22 rimfire bores with the grit impregnated lead bullets has been known to move the leade area just ahead of the chamber forward, sometimes more than ¼ of an inch. Consider this before you do ANY lapping in a .22 rimfire bore. The rifling to bore height is only 0.0020 to 0.0025 of an inch and that's less than the thickness of a sheet of computer paper. Lapping will easily ruin a nice bore, if over-done.

Is that a "threaded spud" on the table that you used get the threads for the compensator aligned with the bore?

There are some web-site myths that just seem to get carried along, even though those that repeat the "myth" have never actually done any testing, or experimenting to see if in fact, they're true. One of those myths were started by a web-site owner who fancies himself as being a gun "Dr.". That myth involves the use of the bolt stop thumb piece as a "bolt release" to allow the bolt to go forward and charge a new round into the chamber, after the empty magazine is removed and a fresh, full magazine has been installed. The claim is, that using the bolt stop thumb piece to release the bolt will cause damage to the bolt face and the rear face of the bolt stop assembly. My testing and experimenting has not proven that to be so. When the thumb piece is used to release the bolt, the rear face of the bolt stop assembly actually just "slides down" and off the bolt face very easily. Not an action that could cause any damage as the Dr. has professed in his prognosis, or that ding in my bolt. Here's what I have found: The above is a picture of a brand new bolt out of a brand new out-of-the-box Ruger Mark IV Competition Target that has only had the "sling-shot" procedure used to load a fresh round from a full magazine. Still, as you can see, there is a "ding" in the bolt face, but how did that ding get there? It was caused by the rear end of the bolt stop assembly after the magazine follower button has pushed the bolt stop assembly upward and the front of the bolt crashed into the bolt stop to hold the bolt in the rear position so that the empty magazine can be released and a fresh, full magazine can be inserted. The ding on the front face of the bolt is just a part of the process involved with these pistols and NOT caused by using the bolt stop thumb piece to release the bolt after a fresh magazine is inserted. This is what I have found to be the case, and I use the thumb piece to release the bolts on all my Ruger Mark pistols that allow it. As long as the damage is as minimal as shown above, the process will never impede anything involved with proper function.

I've been involved by working on, and with, Ruger Mark pistols for 50+ years now. There isn't much that I haven't seen that can go wrong with these pistols, or haven't been able to correct fairly easily. I have extensive notes, kept over the years, as to the ways and means of correcting any issues that, while they are rare, they do befall these fine pistols now and then. Some will post that if there's an issue with a Mark pistol, send it back to Ruger. Well that is an option, but they really don't take the time to actually "fix" a specific issue, they just change parts until they feel the pistol meets their current standards. If the issues you are having are brought here, and you are one who likes to do things yourself, solutions can be obtained with a visit here and just asking a question. Many times you will even get a pictorial view that I have on file that will guide you. I see many "gimmicks" that have been engineered by some very thoughtful folks who have solutions to problems with the Ruger Mark pistols that really don't exist, if you follow the basic disassembly and reassembly methods as done by the factory. I even have some solutions whereby you can prevent a catastrophe before it causes your language to go south. From what I've seen here, so far, is the potential to have the BEST rimfire site that there is, as long as all the actions remain and conversations stay civil and discussion also remains that way we all may just learn something new..

Any single shot, pump action or bolt action rifle will handle all three rounds. Don't know why anyone would want to spent the money for .22 Longs these days when .22 Long Rifle ammunition is easier to find and costs less.

This is the Ruger Mark III 22/45 10149 version that has been setup to shoot CCI Quiet .22 ammunition at 710 FPS exclusively. Complete function did require a "prototype bolt" that weighs less than half of the Ruger factory steel bolt at 5 ounces though:

Here are a couple of my Ruger Mark II pistols. The top pistol is the Ruger Mark II Competition Target, the bottom pistol is the civilian version of the Ruger Mark II Government version with the 6 7/8th Bull Barrel: The Ruger Mark II Government version, was commissioned by the Government contract to have a "roller-burnished" chamber and laser targeted sights from the factory. Barrel twist is still 1:16, same as all the Ruger Mark pistols after the very early production versions, like the one posted above. That's a very nice pistol by the OP and one that is a very desirable one by collectors. Nice find!

I know, this is an older thread, but it is still an interesting one. Ruger doesn't provide much for good lookin' grip panels, but more toward the functional, replace 'em if you like, variety. Life's too short to have fugly grip panels on your Ruger pistol:

I'm not willing to get "bad breath close" to anybody wanting to impart harm to my aging body either, especially not close enough to bash them with anything. I've sold several of the Ruger SR22 pistols to locals who have seen those here, or read about them elsewhere. A few of these folks are trappers who need to dispatch a critter that has some issues with spraying a stinky substance on anyone getting too near. My wife has used her SR22 to get through showing an instructor for her CCW class that she know how to load, clear and secure the carry weapon of her choice. I think the Ruger SR22 is a very viable addition to the Ruger marketing plan, and the sales have proven the pistol to be a good choice.

I've been involved by working on, and with, Ruger Mark pistols for 50+ years now. There isn't much that I haven't seen that can go wrong with these pistols, or haven't been able to correct fairly easily. I have extensive notes, kept over the years, as to ways and means to correct any issues that, while are rare, they do befall these fine pistols now and then. Some will post that if there's an issue with a Mark pistol, send it back to Ruger. Well that is an option, but they really don't take the time to actually "fix" a specific issue, they just change parts until they feel the pistol meets their current standards. If the issues you are having are brought here, and you are one who likes to do things yourself, solutions can be obtained with a visit here and just asking a question. Many times you will even get a pictorial view that I have on file that will guide you. I see many "gimmicks" that have been engineered by some very thoughtful folks who have solutions to problems with the Ruger Mark pistols that really don't exist, if you follow the basic disassembly and reassembly methods as done by the factory. I even have some solutions whereby you can prevent a catastrophe before it causes your language to go south. From what I've seen here, so far, is the potential to have the BEST rimfire site that there is, as long as all the actions remain civil and discussion also remains that way.

This is a great thread that needs to be resurrected, and then continued: This is an early 90's Ruger 10/22 action with a Fedderson threaded barrel, Volquartsen trigger and light weight "Firefly" bolt. The stock is a Hogue over-molded with the lava type pattern. I chose to use the Firefly bolt from Volquartsen because it, and the charging handle combined, are much, much lighter than the factory 10/22 bolt and this rig will now cycle CCI Quiet 710 FPS .22 rimfire ammunition with less decibels than a mouse fart when the suppressor is attached.

Took almost two years to find the Ruger Mark III Hunter version I was looking for, but I did finally find one: This one has had the magazine disconnect removed and a new hammer bushing installed and then the "loaded chamber indicator" has been replaced with a solid steel replacement filler. If anyone here owns a Ruger Mark III pistol, I would recommend that they inspect the firing pin stop pin in their bolt. Ruger doesn't make many of the small parts involved with these pistols, and they farm out most of that work to local "job shops" that do that job. For a short period of time, Ruger substituted the solid style firing pin stop pin for a much shorter slotted roll pin. That pin, when positioned incorrectly in the bolt will collapse from the constant contact of the hardened firing pin. The cause of that will provide a ding in the breech face: These dings are not easily fixed and will hinder both chambering of rounds and extraction: If you do find a "split pin" in your Mark III bolt, I'd recommend that you replace it ASAP.

During the doldrums of winter in these parts I have a bit more free time for personal project ideas I'd like to get done. A couple of winters ago I decided I really needed to assemble a Ruger 10/22 clone with most of the parts purchased from Tony Kidd at "CoolGuyGuns": The receiver is from KIDD, along with the barrel. KIDD barrels are guaranteed to shoot ½ groups at 50 yards with the proper .22 rimfire ammunition. The barrel shank to receiver receptacle fit is what's referred to as a "shrink fit". The receiver is warmed up and the barrel is put in the freezer over-night, so then after installation the fit has not slop at all. The trigger is also a KIDD single stage that measures in ounces. The bolt is also from KIDD, but it deviates quite a bit from the original 10/22 style bolt. The stock is a Boyd's thumbhole and the KIDD action has been bedded with the addition of DEVCON plastic steel putty 10110 for a solid mating. Barrel is free floated completely.

Don't read much here concerning the CZ brand of .22 rimfire rifles. I have two, a CZ 455 FS and now a CZ 457 LUX, both are excellent shooters for reasonable investment. Anyone else who visits this site own and shoot any of the CZ rifles?

My main interest in shooting involves the firearms that are chambered for .22 rimfire. Whenever I spot some new type of offering from any of the .22 rimfire ammunition manufacturers, I just gotta try some of it. This is what I recently received: The brick of 500 states that this ammunition is for "Long Range" shooting. ? Hmmm, the bullet design looks exactly like all the other Long Rifle bullets that I have in my inventory of .22 rimfire ammunition that I do my testing with: I recently received a couple of **NEW** rimfire rifles that I will be doing some group testing out back on my range. I'll post the results and information on this site first. Hope to get more interest involved with others to join the "Rimfire World Community".

The very first run of the William B Ruger Mark IV pistols, including the knife, were allocated to members of the Ruger Collectors Society. I didn't need another knife, so I waited until the Mark IV Competition Target became a regular production item: When the recall was announced, mine did not go back to Ruger. again, I really didn't need an extra magazine that badly. I did fix the issue myself, along with replacing a couple other features Ruger inflicted on this fine pistol.

Here's but a few that I own and shoot. Ain't no "safe queens" in my stable: Mark II Competition Target and Mark II Government Model. Both great shooters A pair of long range shooters. Most accurate of the ruger Mark pistols I own.

I've been involved with .22 rimfire firearms since I was 10 years old. Still have the very first .22 rimfire rifle I received for my 10th birthday, and have accumulated many, many more over the years. I'm a huge fan of the Ruger Mark .22 rimfire pistols and own and shoot every one of 'em. Been working on these for 50+ years now.