Ruger Mark III mainspring housing issue

travisatlarge · December 27, 2008, 08:14 PM

Hey Guys,

I've searched for my issue but can't seem to find it. I got my Ruger for Christmas and shot a ton a rounds through it and decided to clean it afterwards. I took it apart and put it back together yesterday with no issue just to try it, but today after I've taken it apart I can't for the life of of me get the mainspring housing to fully extend back through the hole on the top of the receiver. It's just a few millimeters from being flush with the hole ( i know it needs to protrude) but obviously this prevents me from closing the mainspring housing. I've made sure to properly seat the receiver and the bottom holes certainly look aligned but I can't get it any farther that what i've described, rubber mallet or otherwise. Any tips would be great because Im about to throw it through the wall.

jckeffer · December 27, 2008, 08:51 PM

Don't know if this will help but with my MKII it seems I usually have to start over and be deliberate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVvIMAk64LM

http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to/vi...pistol-265406/

**James K** · December 27, 2008, 09:56 PM

Assuming the hammer is down and not interfering and things are lined up properly, the answer is simple brute force. You have to really grasp the mainspring housing and push up on it. After a couple of times, things will loosen up and the job gets a lot easier, but that first time is a doozy.

Jim

Notenoughguns · December 27, 2008, 11:38 PM

take it back out and follow the instructions EXACTLY. They can be a **** to put back together if the hammer and hammer strut are not in the correct position.

emmett · December 28, 2008, 09:49 AM

Not to worry - All of them do the same thing when new. Try twisting the upper and lower a bit either way, then try. It is a bear for the first 2 or 3 times, the the parts loosen up and it becomes a breeze. Don't get discouraged, it is normal. Good luck and have fun shooting, they are a lot of fun and accurate pistols.

Hubba · January 1, 2009, 10:07 PM

I had the same problem - everything looked perfect but the alignment of the holes was off just a touch. I got a drill bit the exact size on the hole, tapered it slightly for about 1/4 in. at one end, lined the holes up as best I could and inserted the tapered end of the bit. When I felt resistance only a tap of a small plastic hammer was necessary for perfect alignment. As already mentioned the process gets easier and easier.

azjohn · January 2, 2009, 01:10 AM

Try this out. http://ruger.com/Firearms/N-RugerTV.html#TT My dad took his Mark 1 apart and couldn't get it back together. These videos solved the problem for me when he left the gun with me to fix.

December 27, 2008, 08:14 PM	#1
travisatlarge Junior Member Join Date: December 27, 2008 Posts: 1	Ruger Mark III mainspring housing issue Hey Guys, I've searched for my issue but can't seem to find it. I got my Ruger for Christmas and shot a ton a rounds through it and decided to clean it afterwards. I took it apart and put it back together yesterday with no issue just to try it, but today after I've taken it apart I can't for the life of of me get the mainspring housing to fully extend back through the hole on the top of the receiver. It's just a few millimeters from being flush with the hole ( i know it needs to protrude) but obviously this prevents me from closing the mainspring housing. I've made sure to properly seat the receiver and the bottom holes certainly look aligned but I can't get it any farther that what i've described, rubber mallet or otherwise. Any tips would be great because Im about to throw it through the wall.

December 27, 2008, 08:51 PM	#2
jckeffer Senior Member Join Date: July 29, 2007 Posts: 182	Don't know if this will help Don't know if this will help but with my MKII it seems I usually have to start over and be deliberate. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVvIMAk64LM http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to/vi...pistol-265406/

December 27, 2008, 09:56 PM	#3
James K Staff Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 16,435	Assuming the hammer is down and not interfering and things are lined up properly, the answer is simple brute force. You have to really grasp the mainspring housing and push up on it. After a couple of times, things will loosen up and the job gets a lot easier, but that first time is a doozy. Jim __________________ Jim K

December 28, 2008, 09:49 AM	#5
emmett Junior Member Join Date: November 18, 2008 Posts: 11	Mainspring housing Not to worry - All of them do the same thing when new. Try twisting the upper and lower a bit either way, then try. It is a bear for the first 2 or 3 times, the the parts loosen up and it becomes a breeze. Don't get discouraged, it is normal. Good luck and have fun shooting, they are a lot of fun and accurate pistols.

January 1, 2009, 10:07 PM	#6
Hubba Junior Member Join Date: January 1, 2009 Posts: 1	Main Spring Housing I had the same problem - everything looked perfect but the alignment of the holes was off just a touch. I got a drill bit the exact size on the hole, tapered it slightly for about 1/4 in. at one end, lined the holes up as best I could and inserted the tapered end of the bit. When I felt resistance only a tap of a small plastic hammer was necessary for perfect alignment. As already mentioned the process gets easier and easier.

December 27, 2008, 11:38 PM	#4
Notenoughguns Member Join Date: December 14, 2008 Location: Kommiefornia Posts: 80	take it back out and follow the instructions EXACTLY. They can be a **** to put back together if the hammer and hammer strut are not in the correct position.

January 2, 2009, 01:10 AM	#7
azjohn Member Join Date: April 25, 2007 Location: Amado, Arizona Posts: 63	Try this out. http://ruger.com/Firearms/N-RugerTV.html#TT My dad took his Mark 1 apart and couldn't get it back together. These videos solved the problem for me when he left the gun with me to fix. __________________ Not cool sunglasses for the AZ sun.