Ruger is advising owners of its SR22 pistols that a small number of the guns may have shipped with their right and left frame inserts improperly secured together. In rare circumstances, the condition presents the possibility that certain internal safety mechanisms will be rendered ineffective. If that occurs the pistol could potentially discharge upon decocking.
Potentially affected pistols include SR22 pistols with a serial number of 369-40078 or lower (including those with an “SS” prefix). Owners of an SR22 pistol that has ever experienced a discharge at decocking, or slack trigger, should immediately discontinue use of the gun and sign up for the Safety Retrofit as outlined in Ruger’s Safety Bulletin. If you have never experienced either condition, your pistol is not affected by this Safety Bulletin.
A slack single-action trigger occurs if, while in single-action mode—with the slide forward, a magazine inserted and the manual safety disengaged—resistance isn’t encountered during trigger pull and the hammer does not fall. Ruger remains dedicated to safety and, although only a very small number of pistols appear to be affected, would like to examine all SR22 pistols that have ever exhibited a slack single-action trigger or discharged upon decocking.
Ruger has posted complete details on what to look for and how to sign up on a special web page. It also features a video demonstrating the inspection process and contains a variety of answers to Frequently Asked Questions.
Cost of the retrofit and all shipping costs will be paid by Ruger. Pistols sent for the service will be test fired by the company to ensure the process is complete to its satisfaction.
The FAQ also explains, “If you experience a slack single-action trigger while shooting, do not attempt to engage the safety lever to remedy the situation. Keep the pistol pointed in a safe direction at all times. Remove the magazine and lock the slide to the rear. Visually and manually check the chamber to ensure no ammunition is present in the pistol. Carefully close the slide and engage the safety lever (note, the hammer will fall to decock the pistol). Sign up for the retrofit on this page or by calling Customer Service at (336)949-5200. Store your pistol safely and do not attempt to use it until we have performed the retrofit.”