Ruger MKII- disassembly fun?

[Maddawg46]

Have not shot my MKII for a while. Took to the range and put thru about 300 rounds. Yep, it's a tack driver just like I remembered! Came home and thought....I have not done a complete breakdown for maybe 15 years. Now I know why. What a puzzle, had to get the manual out again. It was just filthy! Don't know how it even worked.
I may just start taking it apart every month, just to get the process down pat. Of I had to take it apart right now, would still need the owners manual!

[XDJYo]

Hey, at least you got yours apart! I got the bolt-pin and then the bolt out. But that was as far as it let me get! Mine is a brand new Mark III 22/45 with 400 rounds thru it so far. Tried to break it down after the first 300. Tried it with a rubber mallet and it would not budge. O.K. It did budge, but by about a millimeter. Enough so that the bolt-pin holes would not line up between the frame and the barrel.

I love the way it shoots and it's great for cheap plinking and confidence boosting and practicing of the fundamentals. But, it sure is tough to maintain!

[littlejake]

Required:
2 pound dead blow, non-marring hammer.
1/4 " brass pin punch.
Long 5/16 steel pin punch to realign receiver during reassembly.

[mlevans66]

This is a BIG help

http://www.ruger.com/products/markIIITarget/extras.html

[MrElectric03]

My first experience cleaning one was my grandfathers. I had been shooting it since age 10 and he always told me how important it was to clean guns after shooting them but never showed me how. A couple years ago I found out that it was because he never cleaned them. I took his Winchester 1300 20 ga and markII out and both were having issues. I cleaned both very thoroughly and both worked great again. That mark II was a real PITA.

[CS Sports]

They are not hard once you know the process.

Ruger made tow videos, one for assembly and one for disassembly. It's been a while since I've seen them, but I'm sure a google search would turn them up.

Just don't try and force anything. If you have followed the procedure properly, it will come apart and go back together without drama. If you feel that something needs to be forced, you have done something wrong.

[diveRN]

I found a YouTube video that properly addresses reassembly issues.

In it, the author said that if I couldn't get the backstrap lever to fully close on reassembly, that I would need to disassemble again and "hold the gun straight up and down and pound the barrel hard against a thick magazine on a firm surface." Seriously?
I thought he was crazy, but it turns out he was right. The hammer can fall into the wrong position when the gun is manipulated while apart.

I also recommend a few shots of Patron while cleaning these guns.

[XDJYo]

Yup. Watched the videos. Watched them several times. Watched several of them around the youtube world. Pain in the rear.

[Chaos47]

While quirky I don't find field stripping a Ruger MK hard. If you can believe it a MK3 with its magazine disconnect in is even more quirky.
For that matter detail stripping isn't that bad if you pay attention and after you have done it once.

Heres a good step by step photo guide:

http://www.guntalk-online.com/detailstrip.htm

[INFAMOUS762X39]

I clean my MkIII 22/45 after each outing, even if I shoot 200 rounds or two bricks I clean it regardless.

Take down gets easier after a few attempts, just be patience.

[Press Check]

When I had a MKIII, I detail-stripped it down to the bare frame after each outting. Not complicated at all. Not many parts in the frame.

[psango]

Mark III field strip.

In removing the upper receiver if you remember that the magazine has to be out after pulling the trigger and that the hammer must lie flat and not obstruct the rearward movement of the upper receiver. After a few taps with a plastic or wooden mallet, the upper should come right off. Reverse the procedure to reinstall.

In reinstalling the mainspring the hammer must lie flat before installing the bolt, then while keeping pressure on the trigger just move the hammer fully forward (UP) before installing the mainspring housing. What makes it confusing on the MARK III is the magazine/trigger disconnect that requires you to insert the magazine to pull the trigger before installing the MSH.

Then it's a matter of making sure the hammer strut contacts the MSH plunger
and does not hang up behind a cross pin as it is replaced.

These illustrations show the difference between a mark III and the older mark II.



Note the moving hammer it is down to remove the upper receiver and UP to install the the MSH

It is more complicated than field stripping most pistols but not that hard once you take the time to think about how the pistol works. I have removed the magazine disconnect and installed a replacement hammer and bushing in my Mark III. to make the process easier.

[jyo]

Cleaning 22s doesn't have to be a huge event---yeah, Ruger 22 pistols of the orig pattern are a bit difficult---take-down is easy---putting the little dawg back together can be tricky. Just remember, we no longer shooter corrosive ammo---NO NEED TO RUSH HOME AND CLEAN YOUR GUN BEFORE IT RUSTS!! Most of the "flithy" part of 22s is just unburnt powder mixed with gun oil---a quick spray with a pressurized cleaner will remove this stuff in an instant without taking the gun apart (plastic grips might not like this stuff, so remove them). Far more damage to firearms and their screws is done to the guns by owners taking them apart to clean them---some folks evevn detail strip their guns and do even more damage!
How do I know this? I manged several large gunstores for years---I've seen it all! 22 cal firearms need a LOT LESS cleaning than many people think...

[SoCal Bob]

I have found Moe to be very helpful: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYHJm2P4kP0

[psango]

O.C.C.

Yes the spray down method works very well. Some of us are however obsessive compulsive cleaners and enjoy taking things apart.

If you are firearms O.C.C. please buy a good set of screwdrivers and punches so as not to mar up the screw heads and pins on your firearms. They are not that expensive and makes life so much easier.

It is handy to have a selection of screws, springs and pins for your firearms on hand they also are cheap.

Midway and Brownells have a good selection.

Cleaning 22s doesn't have to be a huge event---yeah, Ruger 22 pistols of the orig pattern are a bit difficult---take-down is easy---putting the little dawg back together can be tricky. Just remember, we no longer shooter corrosive ammo---NO NEED TO RUSH HOME AND CLEAN YOUR GUN BEFORE IT RUSTS!! Most of the "flithy" part of 22s is just unburnt powder mixed with gun oil---a quick spray with a pressurized cleaner will remove this stuff in an instant without taking the gun apart (plastic grips might not like this stuff, so remove them). Far more damage to firearms and their screws is done to the guns by owners taking them apart to clean them---some folks evevn detail strip their guns and do even more damage!
How do I know this? I manged several large gunstores for years---I've seen it all! 22 cal firearms need a LOT LESS cleaning than many people think...