ARGH Ruger 22/45 problem

[Agent Akin]

Once you get it field stripped again follow the assembly instructions.

Problem is, I never got it field stripped the first time, and now I can't even get as far as I could before! I'm uploading a video to youtube showing what's going on, I'll post the link in a minute when it's ready...

[Agent Akin]

Okay, here's a video showing what's going on...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeJvv-t0B3Y

[bucktooth7]

Wow great video. It's a classic problem. Insert the mag point muzzle up and pull trigger. try to swing mains spring housing = (bolt stop) out. If it won't if it won't swing out pull the mag out and see if it will swing out.

If not insert mag and point muzzle down and do same. One way or the other I forget witch, the main spring housing will just swing out and the you can easily push it down and out of the hole in the back of the receiver.

Slide the bolt out. then follow the dissasembly instructions

[Agent Akin]

Wow great video. It's a classic problem. Insert the mag point muzzle up and pull trigger. try to swing mains spring housing = (bolt stop) out. If it won't if it won't swing out pull the mag out and see if it will swing out.

If not insert mag and point muzzle down and do same. One way or the other I forget witch, the main spring housing will just swing out and the you can easily push it down and out of the hole in the back of the receiver.

Slide the bolt out. then follow the dissasembly instructions

Try to swing it out with the magazine IN? I'll give it a shot... tie for dinner right now though (gotta work tonight...)

[chesterthehero]

untill you are taking full overhand swings with a 2x4 to get it apart you dont know what 22/45 fustration is...

[bucktooth7]

Over all remain calm, I freaked out when this happened to me and I thought more force was needed. using mallet and dowel the rear site leaf got broken. Don't go there! Ruger sent me a new one free.
Play with it some more tomorrow and I'm sure you will master it.
If you are still having a problem PM me. ED

[bucktooth7]

I've been thinking about this some more and I think the awnser is to pull the trigger and point the muzzle down allowing the hammer to fall forward. Try this with and with out the mag and I think the mainspring housing (bolt stop) will swing out and when pulled down is easily removed.

[Agent Akin]

Wow great video. It's a classic problem. Insert the mag point muzzle up and pull trigger. try to swing mains spring housing = (bolt stop) out. If it won't if it won't swing out pull the mag out and see if it will swing out.

If not insert mag and point muzzle down and do same. One way or the other I forget witch, the main spring housing will just swing out and the you can easily push it down and out of the hole in the back of the receiver.

Slide the bolt out. then follow the dissasembly instructions

Couldn't unlatch the mainspring housing with a mag in, so I unlatched it first and then tried options... no luck...

[Agent Akin]

I've been thinking about this some more and I think the awnser is to pull the trigger and point the muzzle down allowing the hammer to fall forward. Try this with and with out the mag and I think the mainspring housing (bolt stop) will swing out and when pulled down is easily removed.

Tried this too, to no avail.

Seriously... this kind of thing would have weighted seriously on my decision to purchase if I had known... this is just poor design!

[BJames]

Here's the best video that I use for my Ruger Mark III.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYHJm2P4kP0

[Agent Akin]

Here's the best video that I use for my Ruger Mark III.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYHJm2P4kP0

I can't get past about 0:44 in that video...

[Merc1138]

Okay, here's a video showing what's going on...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeJvv-t0B3Y

I can't say for sure since it's hard to tell by watching a video, but you aren't applying enough force to pull that mainspring housing out. It looks like you were just using finger pressure, and that's not going to work. Force the MSH to swivel out, then pull it free from the receiver. It's not going to come out by wiggling it with your fingers(and don't go smacking on the pin with a dowel until you get that MSH swiveled out of the frame).

[ck66]

http://guntalk-online.com/TroubleshootingPage.htm

solution #2

Your hammer strut probably wasn't lined up right when you reassemble previously, so causing the hammer to bind a bit. The whack should help it move.

[Sheldon]

Everything points to a misalignment of the hammer strut with the mainspring housing with the strut sounding like it's wedged or locked in a spot where it blocks the mainspring from swinging out. You will need to jar the hammer strut loose first. Get the pistol in the condition where the hammer would normally fall.....put the empty mag in the pistol (so the trigger will activated the sear), pull the trigger and while squeezing the trigger aim the gun downward and slightly behind you (so gravity will help pull the hammer forward), Then give the back of the bolt a few light sharp taps to hopefully free the hammer and strut up.

If the hammer goes forward/the strut gets free, you should be able to get the mainspring housing open again and then attempt to close it again while properly aligning the strut with the housing.

I wouldn't mind a shot at getting it working for ya if you aren't too far from La Puente.

[Les K]

Everything points to a misalignment of the hammer strut with the mainspring housing with the strut sounding like it's wedged or locked in a spot where it blocks the mainspring from swinging out. You will need to jar the hammer strut loose first. Get the pistol in the condition where the hammer would normally fall.....put the empty mag in the pistol (so the trigger will activated the sear), pull the trigger and while squeezing the trigger aim the gun downward and slightly behind you (so gravity will help pull the hammer forward), Then give the back of the bolt a few light sharp taps to hopefully free the hammer and strut up.

If the hammer goes forward/the strut gets free, you should be able to get the mainspring housing open again and then attempt to close it again while properly aligning the strut with the housing.

I'm no Ruger expert, but I agree here. That hammer strut is problematic and I've had my own issues with it getting jammed up behind a frame cross pin (mark 3 stainless hunter) and once it got stuck up at the other extreme and I needed to free it up with some pliers- it scratched up the strut pretty good too. I think Sheldon is right and that strut must be jammed in the wrong position and getting that hammer forward is imperative. Unfortunately, if the strut is "captive" and the hammer won't move at all, I doubt if you'll be able to easily remove the mainspring housing. If you can't get it free, I would try a phone call to Ruger and see if they can help. The last resort wold be to take it to a gunsmith. In my case, I was lucky enough to be able to remove the mainspring housing again and see where the strut was jammed. Looking at your video, since you can move the housing out a little, you might be able to gently tap on the pin that goes through the bolt and receiver and see if it moves. Gently would be the key here though because you wouldn't want to bend the hammer strut if it's truly jammed in there.

If you end up taking it to a gunsmith, after it's repaired, you might want to consider having him/her install a Majestic Arms "speed strip" kit. This allows you to remove the bolt in a matter of seconds without removing the mainspring housing so that you can clean the bolt and barrel. It also includes a new hammer and bushing that eliminates the magazine safety and they claim that it drops the trigger pull somewhat (I'm not sure of this claim since I had previously installed the Volquartsen accurizing kit-it does have a slightly different feel than the Volquartsen hammer though). There are many that have the speed strip kit and use it to clean the bolt and barrel, then they simply use a spray cleaner/lube such as CLP or the Hornady One Shot on the lower. This seems to clean it well enough and then leaves just enough lube behind to do the job. My speed strip kit is kind of newly installed and I've only used it once, but it's easy and I plan to use it for routine cleaning and then do the full field strip only periodically, say every 5 or 10 shooting sessions.

I hope this helps, and I just say be careful and don't hit anything too hard and don't force things to hard. If you can't get that hammer forward, I would seek out a professional.