Mark III Deburring, DIY Mods, & Drop-In Parts

[Press Check]

Has anyone else bothered deburring the interior of their Mark III pistol?



Stripped the frame and the picture above is about 15 minutes worth of stoning and deburring to the interior with a hard arkansas where the disconnector rides the frame. Hard to tell in the picture, but there’s a mirror finish developing, although that's not the goal, and there's still a lot of work to do. On a side note, you’d swear the frame was finished with old, worn out tooling. There are some seriously sharp and jagged edges in there.

The tolerances are so loose that you could stone to your hearts content without worrying about making a significant changes to the interior dimensions, especially with a hard arkansas. You’d have to stone for hours upon hours.

I reassembled the pistol with the intent to do some more stoning later, but the change is already notable. Prior to reassembly, I stoned / polished the mating surfaces of disconnector, safety, bolt-stop assembly, etc. Basically, any metal that pivots and contacts other metal.

The action on everything is buttery smooth, but there's more work to do.

UPDATE 09/15

Completely deburred:



UPDATE 9/20

Trued / squared the bolt face and radius, corrected the headspace from .051 to the universally recommended .043, and installed a Volquartsen extractor:



UPDATE 9/22

Installed a Volquartsen trigger:



UPDATE 10/13

Titanium Nitride (TiN) coating:



UPDATE 10/16

Volquartsen Machined Disconnector:



UPDATE 10/21

In response to a few PM’s, I would be more than happy to install and tune a trigger kit, sear, hammer, deburr a frame, or whatever else someone has in mind. Since the lower assembly is not serialized or considered the gun, you can ship them anywhere you want.

[Carsgunsandchics]

I did not feel the need to. I just shot mine till it was so fouled to not work right then pulled it apart. Figuring anything that was tight and needed to move would clearance itself, and the parts that don't move will stay put longer without removing any material. Of course it took around 1,500 rounds before I pulled it apart for the first time so it's smooth as silk now.

[Press Check]

Not referring to tight tolerances. In fact, the pistols interior tolerances are fairly loose. If you've ever stripped the frame, I'm referring to the burrs on the interior of the frame, and sharp, jagged edges that surround everything.

[Carsgunsandchics]

Not referring to tight tolerances. In fact, the pistols interior tolerances are fairly loose. If you've ever stripped the frame, I'm referring to the burrs on the interior of the frame, and sharp, jagged edges that surround everything.

I've seen these areas and am not concerned with them as I don't pull mine down all the time.

[sneather]

Funny timing. I just stripped my old MKII down completely, and washed and cleaned every single piece. I, too, was laughing at the shoddy interior finish. It's like Ruger had a high school metal shop drop out do the finish work on the inside - with nothing more than an old screw driver, and a piece of barbed wire.

I've also done some honing and polishing of various parts over the years, and it's helped some. But, as you mention, the interior tolerances can be measures in inches, so there's not all that much that can really help. Amazingly, despite the stamped and welded steel frame, and bargain-bin parts, it's a kick-*** gun that will always be more accurate than I. ;-)

[Press Check]

Amazing indeed, and there's no description for the sheet metal, stamped parts, but once they've been deburred, stoned and polished, they function quite nice.

After installing a VQ sear and Sam Lam bushing, I still noticed a bit of grittiness in the trigger. After deburring and stoning the frame area where the disconnector rides against the frame (pictured above), and stoning and polishing the disconnector itself, the trigger pull is far beyond smooth. Prior to this, the disconnector seemed to be dragging against burrs in the frame.

During reassembly, I installed a VQ extended bolt release, but prior to installation, I stoned and polished the backside that would be riding against the frame. While stoning, I noticed that even VQ parts aren't perfectly flat, and need some work.

Hope no one construes this as a complaint about the pistol. The Mark III is virtually bullet-proof.

[Khafre]

I have also noticed the rough interior finish on the frame of my Mk III. The interior portion of my bolt stop has some serious jagged edges.

I have not yet worked up the courage to detail strip the frame, but when I do I might polish some of the trigger components, but I don't see my self doing anything beyond that. Unless you find that there is a significant improvement in performance.

Even with the rough milling my Mk III eats everything but American Eagle 40 grain lrn. Neither my 10/22 or Marlin 60 likes that load as well.

[Carsgunsandchics]

It follows suit that my friend said his was made from schrapnel hammered over a mandrel. I guess he was right.

[Press Check]

I have also noticed the rough interior finish on the frame of my Mk III. The interior portion of my bolt stop has some serious jagged edges.

I have not yet worked up the courage to detail strip the frame, but when I do I might polish some of the trigger components, but I don't see my self doing anything beyond that. Unless you find that there is a significant improvement in performance.

Even with the rough milling my Mk III eats everything but American Eagle 40 grain lrn. Neither my 10/22 or Marlin 60 likes that load as well.

The complication associated with stripping the frame is grossly exaggerated. Disassembly is completely straight forward, and absolutely nothing to worry about. The disconnector, trigger assembly, sear, hammer and the rest of the components within the frame are nearly identical to most polymers pistols, and honestly, there aren't many parts in the frame.

This is everything inside the frame:

[CharlesV]

I have a new MkIII and dont yet feel the need to touch it. I shot the begeesus out of my MkII and never once a problem and never took it apart. Nothing in any moving action ever felt gritty, always smooth. The fact it works so well without touching jagged edges is really testament to its good design. If the MKIII ever develops any of that i'll take it to a gunsmith for an action job. Im not qualified and am 1000% sure i'd *&$^ it up.

[VictorFranko]

I remember cutting myself on a razor sharp edge when I first got my MK III.
Being a career machinist, I couldn't believe that Ruger released product with sharp edges like that.

[Fatcat]

I remember cutting myself on a razor sharp edge when I first got my MK III.
Being a career machinist, I couldn't believe that Ruger released product with sharp edges like that.

Agreed!
It's not the lack of smooth internal finish that concerned me, it's the sharp edges that you interface with when manipulating the bolt and/or disassemble the gun. I went with medium, then fine stone to break the edges around the back of the receiver edges at the bolt opening, then some of the exposed machined edges on the upper. Also, the ejection port edges as I sometimes have to get in there to clean or clear a case.

[DArBad]

So, would you all say that it is shoddy workmanship??? Just asking since I was initially interested in getting a Mark III, but the postings in this thread is making me have second thoughts.

To me, functional should go with aesthetics. I just don't want to have one without the other.

[sneather]

So, would you all say that it is shoddy workmanship??? Just asking since I was initially interested in getting a Mark III, but the postings in this thread is making me have second thoughts.

To me, functional should go with aesthetics. I just don't want to have one without the other.

While the less than flawless interiors of the MK-series guns are a head-scratcher, I guarantee that you won't find a single owner, who would ever give up their Ruger. The guns are absolutely without equal, in terms of bang for the buck, and longevity. A stock MK-series gun will outlast you, your kids, and their kids. Likely, even without proper cleanings nor replacing springs.

The loose internal tolerances wind up being an advantage, because there is little chance of things jamming up. Also, the mechanical structures of the firing system are simple, and durable. There is simply nothing to break, or wear down. No MIM. Everything is strong, stamped steel. May not be pretty, but it absolutely gets the job done.

The only modern .22 pistols which are going to have a refined internal build quality, are going to be match guns, like Hammereli, or something like the S&W 41. But those all cost at least three-times what the Ruger does, and will NEVER be as reliable, or easy to maintain.

[DArBad]

Thanks for the response^^^^^^^^^sneather.