Ruger Mark Pistols.......Bolt Release

SGW Gunsmith · December 9, 2017, 12:50 PM

For quite some time now, the written, and recommended procedure for releasing the held-back bolt on any Ruger Mark pistol that has a "bolt stop assembly", has been to pull the bolt back slightly and then release it.
It has been touted that using the "thumb-piece" for the bolt stop assembly to release the bolt will damage both the bolt face and the rear end of the bolt stop when the bolt stop assembly is dragged downward and off the bolt face.
I have been experimenting with newly received Ruger Mark pistols, for quite some time now, only to discover that, using the bolt stop thumb-piece to release the bolt is "malarkey" in that it will cause damage to the bolt stop and the bolt face. How is it even possible that the bolt stop assembly, when the thumb piece is pushed downward and the bolt stop slides off the bolt face, that, that action, could possibly cause damage?

The above bolt is from a NEW Ruger Mark IV pistol whereby the bolt stop thumb-piece was never used to release the held back bolt in that pistol. The recommended "sling-shot procedure" was used exclusively when a fully loaded magazine was inserted into the grip frame after an empty magazine was removed.
So, how did the damage occur? My conclusion is that, when the very last round is fired from the magazine, the energy stored in the compressed coils of the recoil spring will return the bolt forward with enough force that the bolt will meet the bolt stop assembly face to create this slight damage. Is this damage anything to worry about? I don't believe it is and I've begun to use the bolt stop thumb-piece as a bolt release on my personal Ruger Mark pistols, without worry, for quite some time now.

jpx2rk · December 10, 2017, 09:49 AM

Might want to post on RFC as well. I've seen some discussion about this topic over there in recent history.

Slopemeno · December 10, 2017, 02:16 PM

I've had my Mk-II since 1982, and always used the bolt release. Gun still works great.

December 9, 2017, 12:50 PM	#1
SGW Gunsmith Junior member Join Date: December 31, 2014 Location: Northwest Wisconsin Posts: 285	Ruger Mark Pistols.......Bolt Release For quite some time now, the written, and recommended procedure for releasing the held-back bolt on any Ruger Mark pistol that has a "bolt stop assembly", has been to pull the bolt back slightly and then release it. It has been touted that using the "thumb-piece" for the bolt stop assembly to release the bolt will damage both the bolt face and the rear end of the bolt stop when the bolt stop assembly is dragged downward and off the bolt face. I have been experimenting with newly received Ruger Mark pistols, for quite some time now, only to discover that, using the bolt stop thumb-piece to release the bolt is "malarkey" in that it will cause damage to the bolt stop and the bolt face. How is it even possible that the bolt stop assembly, when the thumb piece is pushed downward and the bolt stop slides off the bolt face, that, that action, could possibly cause damage? The above bolt is from a NEW Ruger Mark IV pistol whereby the bolt stop thumb-piece was never used to release the held back bolt in that pistol. The recommended "sling-shot procedure" was used exclusively when a fully loaded magazine was inserted into the grip frame after an empty magazine was removed. So, how did the damage occur? My conclusion is that, when the very last round is fired from the magazine, the energy stored in the compressed coils of the recoil spring will return the bolt forward with enough force that the bolt will meet the bolt stop assembly face to create this slight damage. Is this damage anything to worry about? I don't believe it is and I've begun to use the bolt stop thumb-piece as a bolt release on my personal Ruger Mark pistols, without worry, for quite some time now.

December 10, 2017, 09:49 AM	#2
jpx2rk Senior Member Join Date: December 29, 2015 Posts: 387	Might want to post on RFC as well. I've seen some discussion about this topic over there in recent history.

December 10, 2017, 02:16 PM	#3
Slopemeno Senior Member Join Date: January 19, 2007 Posts: 2,663	I've had my Mk-II since 1982, and always used the bolt release. Gun still works great.