My MKIV is getting light strikes way too much

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  • teddy12b

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    Last night I had some new shooters over to the house. Naturally I wanted to let them get all the reps in they wanted using my ruger MKIV tactical 22lr. I would keep the mags fed as they were working on the fundamentals and safe handling and just practicing away. It seemed like we were getting a light primer strike with every mag and maybe two. The ammo being used was Federal Automatch and I can confirm it was a light primer strike in each case.


    I've done some tinkering and light duty gunsmith work but I'm not sure where to start here. I'm thinking I need a stronger spring, but I don't know exactly. What suggestions have you all got?
     

    teddy12b

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    Everything is fairly clean. Not too much crud built up inside, but far from a mirror.

    At one time I bought the VQ tune up kit and had a smith put it all in there. I think i just went too light and not really sure what to do now. I'm not sure where the original factory parts ever ended up.
     

    BGDave

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    Clean the breech face first. Sometimes a small screwdriver used as a scraper is just the tool. This build up effectively shortens the firing pin and cushions the firing pin strike. Found this out when a buddy and I had a "contest" to see how many rounds before we had to clean our Mark 2s. I'm a clean gun freak and this bugged the heck out of me.
     

    JettaKnight

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    Everything is fairly clean. Not too much crud built up inside, but far from a mirror.

    At one time I bought the VQ tune up kit and had a smith put it all in there. I think i just went too light and not really sure what to do now. I'm not sure where the original factory parts ever ended up.

    Tune up kits don't typically mess with the mainspring, just the trigger, sear, and the hammer.
     

    teddy12b

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    Tune up kits don't typically mess with the mainspring, just the trigger, sear, and the hammer.

    My fear was that the trigger spring was lightened for a lighter trigger pull and wasn't hitting the primer with enough force. This is the kind of stuff that's out of my league. I can swap some parts, but really diving in and knowing what does what is a problem.
     

    JettaKnight

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    My fear was that the trigger spring was lightened for a lighter trigger pull and wasn't hitting the primer with enough force. This is the kind of stuff that's out of my league. I can swap some parts, but really diving in and knowing what does what is a problem.

    I'm not sure, but I've never opened a mainspring housing on those pistols. I know Wolf makes a lighter spring, but it's certain not common to monkey with it.
     

    gmcttr

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    My fear was that the trigger spring was lightened for a lighter trigger pull and wasn't hitting the primer with enough force...

    The trigger spring has nothing to do with the force of the hammer hitting the firing pin.

    Buildup of crud on the barrel or bolt breech faces (as previously mentioned), damaged of out of spec firing pin, too light of a hammer spring (unlikely), dirty or un-lubed hammer pivot or some other cause of the hammer binding up slightly (clean, check for rub marks and lube), possibly a carbon ring in the chamber holding the cartridge back slightly (pure guess here), etc.

    Start with a thorough cleaning and lubing, inspecting parts as you go. Pay particular attention to the breech faces and chamber.

    Has this always been a problem since the VQ parts were installed or did you go though many rounds successfully before the light strikes started?
     

    gmcttr

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    I think this has been an issue since day 1.

    It would appear the VQ installation is the problem. Time for a gunsmith or someone that is very familiar with Ruger MK's and Volquartsen parts installation to have a look at it.

    FWIW, I haven't had any problems with my MK3 and MK4 with the VQ "Accurizing Kits" I installed.
     

    marvin02

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    box it up and send it to Ruger.....great consumer service

    If you send it to Ruger with your VQ parts in it it will come back with stock Ruger parts.

    I would suggest to clean it thoroughly and test.

    If you still have problems put it back to stock and test.

    Still have problems, send it to Ruger.
     

    teddy12b

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    There's a new VQ firing pin inbound. If the thorough cleaning and new firing pin don't get it then I'll send it in.
     

    bwframe

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    If you have not yet tore it down to clean, I'd start with seeing whether a thorough lubing would change or fix the issue. Possibly even lubing an area at a time.

    One thing at a time, rather than throwing a bunch of changes into the gun to not know which actually solved the problem.
     

    teddy12b

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    So the gun has been cleaned, and mean I brushed out everything I could find. I sprayed carb cleaner throughout to get everything I couldn't find. I wiped it down and I didn't have any oil handy so I passed on that.

    The VQ firing pin and extractor showed up and I installed them. Oddly enough I was still getting some jams, but now when I get a jam and look at the brass there's nothing. Yesterday I ejected a bunch of rounds that showed zero marking on the rim of the brass. The emptied and fired brass now show a big burly beautiful firing pin hit. Now, I'm completely clueless because I feel and hear a trigger pull, and feel and hear the gun trying to work, but now there's zero mark on the rounds. This happened with both federal automatch and wolf match.

    The whole time I was running the pistol with an AAC pilot can on it.

    I'm right back to square one with not knowing what exactly to do.
     

    gmcttr

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    So the gun has been cleaned, and mean I brushed out everything I could find. I sprayed carb cleaner throughout to get everything I couldn't find. I wiped it down and I didn't have any oil handy so I passed on that.

    Don't clean a gun bone dry with carb cleaner, not lube it and then be surprised if it has problems. With that said, l wouldn't have been shocked if it worked. OIL it and give it another try.

    To me, the VQ parts installation most likely was not done correctly and needs to be looked at by someone that knows what they are doing. Seems that's been mentioned already.
     

    teddy12b

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    Don't clean a gun bone dry with carb cleaner, not lube it and then be surprised if it has problems. With that said, l wouldn't have been shocked if it worked. OIL it and give it another try.

    To me, the VQ parts installation most likely was not done correctly and needs to be looked at by someone that knows what they are doing. Seems that's been mentioned already.

    I don't know how many times I've used the carb cleaner spray to get into the nooks and cranny's in a gun that a brush or mop can't get to. Tonight, I'll put some oil on it and try again. I can't imagine in any circumstance where that alone would be keeping a 22lr pistol of all things from functioning 100% all by itself, but I'm willing to try it. Hopefully I'm wrong.

    As far as putting the VQ parts in wrong, that's not the case. I followed a youtube video step by step. The firing pin would be impossible to install incorrectly, but the little spring below could be screwed up which is why I confirmed how I had it on you tube. The extractor is impossible in stall incorrectly. I can't imagine how that could be done.
     
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