Ruger MKIII 22/45 problem

[localguy]

I've been having the same exact problem this guy Kaiservontexas is having with his Ruger, has anyone else had this problem/know how to fix it?

http://kaiservontexas.blogspot.com/2007/10/ruger-mark-iii-2245.html

[jmc45]

sounds like the hammer strut became disengaged when the mainspring housing was swung out. then when swung back in, pushed the strut into the magazine well.

[wilit]

In the process of cleaning the gun to get all of the packing grease off it I bent a pin when I was trying to force it back together.

I think I figured out the problem. He forced something into place without knowing how to reassemble the firearm. Yes the Ruger Mk series are a PITA to disassemble and reassemble the first couple of times, but if you watch the following How-To, it's super simple. I can strip it and reassemble almost as fast as my 1911 now.

[localguy]

I was never able to disassemble it to begin with, I merely opened the little 'pocket knife' portion of the main spring assembly, pulled it out a little bit to try to detach it from the bolt, couldn't, and put it back into place in the gun. After that, the magazine doesn't fit into the gun and the bolt sticks. Who can I talk to about fixing this? I sent a message to ruger directly about it but they haven't gotten back to me yet.

[Bobshouse]

Here's a link to a couple of sites that will help. They have step by step instructions with photos. Sounds to me that you didn't engage the hammer strut when you put your mainspring back in. You need to point the gun at the ceiling, pull the trigger while putting in the mainspring to catch the lever in the proper place.

http://www.1bad69.com/ruger/index.htm

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

[localguy]

I have not been able to resolve this issue. Does anyone know a gunsmith in the LA area that can help me with this? Otherwise, I may just have to send this in to Ruger directly.

[CalNRA]

if you were in the Bay Area I can help you but...

I can disassemble and reassemble my 22/45 MKIII with my eyes close. it's pretty easy.

[Guntech]

Lol..its pretty easy to disassemble. I did it the first day I got one.

[Sheldon]

I was never able to disassemble it to begin with, I merely opened the little 'pocket knife' portion of the main spring assembly, pulled it out a little bit to try to detach it from the bolt, couldn't, and put it back into place in the gun. After that, the magazine doesn't fit into the gun and the bolt sticks. Who can I talk to about fixing this? I sent a message to ruger directly about it but they haven't gotten back to me yet.

Swinging out the main spring assembly out allows the mainsping strut to possibly swing out of place. If the strut is out of place it will jam up when you try to retract the bolt and inhibit it's motion rearward.

Just swing the mainspring out of the way again. You don't have to remove it. Look into the opening and you will see the hammer and the strut swinging around. The hammer needs to be in the fired (forward) position so you may need to hold the trigger down and then turn the gun upsidedown to get the hammer to fallinto the fired position. After that, you hold the pistol upright and aimed at about a 45 degree angle upward so that the hammer strut is free swinging straight towards the ground. This positioning of the pistol allows the strut to align correctly with the mainspring assembly. Hold the pistol at that angle as you close the mainspring. If the strut is going into the mainspring assembly correctly you should feel a springyness the last fraction of an inch as the mainspring assembly closes....if not the strut is in the wrong position relative to the mainspring assembly. Thats is, if the mainspring closes all the way, bottoms out, without any spring tension the final 1/8" upon closing, the strut is off position. The secret is knowing the strut is swinging free when you have the pistol in the 45 degree position and are closing the mainspring. Because it swings free, it can flip into a spot where is lodges and doesn't guide into the mainspring.

I'm at work near downtown L.A. and am willing to drive to your place after work....I get out at 5:30am though.

[Guntech]

if you were in the Bay Area I can help you but...

I can disassemble and reassemble my 22/45 MKIII with my eyes close. it's pretty easy.

+1 sorry I live too far.

[localguy]

Thank you for the support guys, finally I got it open after lots and lots of jiggling the trigger whilst pulling on the mainspring. I figured out how to disassemble and reassemble, but it apparently is a pain in my *** to pull the bolt stop pin in my gun. Ah well, it works.

[Sheldon]

Good deal!!! Welcome to the "I know how to do it" club.

[slowfire]

Localguy this was a good thread. My friend told me that his Mk III had extra steps in the disassembly procedure so I try to stick with the Mk I and II models so that I don't have to relearn the entire procedure. I'm glad that it all worked out for you.

[jfred90]

Localguy this was a good thread. My friend told me that his Mk III had extra steps in the disassembly procedure so I try to stick with the Mk I and II models so that I don't have to relearn the entire procedure. I'm glad that it all worked out for you.

The process is basically the same. It's just that at any point where you'd want to pull the trigger (i.e. to push the hammer forward), you have to insert an EMPTY magazine first due to the mag disconnect.

[Ltfive]

I've got a new MKIII stainless target model (not the 22/45), and had a lot of frustration the first time I cleaned it. As you probably know by now, the key to a lot of the reassembly steps, is where the hammer is. On mine, I can't just tip it forward and pull the trigger to get the hammer forward. I guess everything is still too tight. I have to poke in there with a small screwdriver and put it where I want it. Once I figured that out, I can take it apart and reassemble it pretty easily.