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Old August 21, 2007, 01:13 AM   #26
cmm6259
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problems assembling the mark III

I recently purchased a replacement 'target' sear for my 22/45 mark III hunter after reading online reviews describing this as as 'drop in' and installation as 'no problem'. Yeah right. While there is a very good mark III disassembly/assembly guide available here:

http://www.wiztechs.com/knightsrealm...r_assembly.htm

it forgets to mention how to reassemble the stupid magazine disconnect. Grrrr... After about six hour of poking and prodding, searching online, repeat ad nauseum, and probably ruining the micro-finish on my new sear, I finally figured out how to reassemble the magazine disconnect.

The magazine disconnect has a forward facing 'beak' and a rearward facing 'hook'. The trick is how to get everything in its proper place.

Take a good look at the blowout diagram in the Ruger manual. Assemble everything as described in the link provided. The spring goes just to the right (starboard) side of the hammer. The mag disconnect goes next on the pin before it goes through the disconnecter. The beak of this part goes forward.

Assemble the parts, drop into the frame, and insert the pin. The long tail end of the disconnecter spring will be in the magazine well. the front hook-looking part of the spring end up between the sear and the hammer (obviously, this won't work... ) Through the slot in the back of the grip where the mainspring housing goes, you can see a slot in the radial center of the grip. Use a probe to push the tail end of the disconnecter spring through this slot so that it snaps into place in the body of the gun. This may take some fumbling. Then... from the top of the gun, grab the little 'hook' on the front part of the disconnecter spring with a strong pair or tweezers and pull it up and over the front 'beak' part of the disconnecter. There is a small recess here where the spring is supposed to fit.

If anyone can provide more details, or hopefully a more civilized way of doing this, please enlighten us all.
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Old August 21, 2007, 01:37 AM   #27
somechick1980
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cmm, i looked at the site you listed and the diagrams alone turned me off from it. find the pdf file which ruger has. the instructions are detailed and the diagrams (i'm more of a visual person) helped me a lot with the mark ii. from what i understand the mark ii is similar to the mark i & iii.

as a side note... a few people have said that 22s do not need cleaning... that may be the case with some 22s but the mark ii that i use does not like to be dirty. before i gave it a good cleaning and oiled it (it's my brother's gun & he has the whole no cleaning philosophy), it misfired frequently. haven't had a problem with it since i've kept up with the cleaning. oh & don't over oil it either (learned that from personal experience )
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Old August 21, 2007, 11:58 AM   #28
El Barto
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Due to the massive recoil on my new 22/45 I had the sear pivot pin back out, and the manual had no clear instructions on how to strip down and reassemble to that fine of detail. Using the schematics in the manual and trial and error, I was able to reassemble the thing.

My problem was the correct position of the sear spring in relation to the sear. It would not have been a problem if I was able to see the correct position when I tore it down, but because the pin backed out, I could not.

If you follow the instructions in the manual, EXACTLY, you should have no problem.
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Old December 22, 2008, 11:30 PM   #29
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I fully agree with CrustyFM and thank him for solving my problem. I spent most of the afternoon trying to reassemble my Ruger Mark II 22/45. I was stuck in step 7 of the reassembly instruction. After pointing the muzzle upward in preparation to closing the housing latch, insert an empty magazine then snap shut the latch. I agree Ruger forgot to include this important step.
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Old March 10, 2009, 06:42 AM   #30
ME262
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"Cock the gun and pull the trigger which will allow the hammer to fall forward. Lift the mainspring housing lock and bring it up and then remove it from the gun by pulling downward on it. Now the receiver can be pulled forward, but you could use a rubber mallet the first time that you try this because at times they are very tight and require either bumping it forward by a mallet or bumping it downward onto a padded bench on the back end."


I spent all night watching Youtube and the Ruger demos of this. I couldn't remove the housing lock. It woouldn't budge. It just popped right out for the guys in the videos. Finally, after a lot of banging with a hammer and dowel on the top of the gun, I got it out. Now I can't remove the bolt. I point gun up and pull the trigger, but no, the bolt doesn't slide right out like it does in the Ruger video. It won't budge.
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Old March 10, 2009, 12:09 PM   #31
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Quote:
I point gun up and pull the trigger, but no, the bolt doesn't slide right out like it does in the Ruger video. It won't budge.
THe hammer strut is probably hung up behind one of the cross pins. Look inside where the mainspring housing came out and see it the strut is hanging up.
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Old March 10, 2009, 06:33 PM   #32
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The target model is much tighter than standard Ruger pistols I assume, because mine needed whacking to get the barrel on and off the receiver. Getting the bolt lock that comes up behind the sight was such a pain that I finally made a hardened tapered pin that finished up at .002 under the pins size. I was whacking the danged receiver one way, then the other until it finally lined up! The brass screwdriver thing is to pop the mainspring lift prong up. I should have made the screwdriver edge line up with the taper pin, but it works this way. Now I just get the receiver close and push this in and it's lined up.


The plastic hammer was $5.99 at Harbor Freight, the copper part is a mig tip I use to knock the bolt lock out of the hole from above.
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Last edited by HisSoldier; March 10, 2009 at 08:44 PM. Reason: Better photo's
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Old March 10, 2009, 08:04 PM   #33
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Wow, a new record.

Not one, but two different bumps as first posts by two different new members, each time resussitating a thread that had been long since dead and buried.

I see this so often it's almost funny. Almost.

The OP may be dead and buried by now. He hasn't posted since '06. The first bumper...it was his only post, never came back. We'll see how today's new bumper works out.

Search exists for a reason.

Last edited by orionengnr; March 10, 2009 at 08:10 PM.
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Old March 11, 2009, 11:56 AM   #34
ME262
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Right, googled up this thread.

Not the target model. Fixed sights.

Anyway, I don't think I'll never try taking it apart again. I finally did get the bolt off by wacking it hard a few times with my wooden mallet, but then the mag totally locked up in the gun. I called Ruger tech support but that was no help. He said that I could return it to them and they might or might not charge me for a repair, but they would keep it 4 to 6 weeks. I then brought it back to the store where I bought it the day before, but the man there couldn't figure out how to get the mag out either. He said to leave it for their gunsmith. I reclaimed it later in the day. The gunsmith put it back together and charged me $35. He said that the gun was extremely tight and it was hard for him to put it together too. He said he had to hammer the lock back in. I asked him how he got the mag out. He said he had some secret method with his special tool. He said that the gun should loosen up a little bit after shooting a few hundred rounds, but it will still be tight.

Scouring the internet I see people who say they shoot thousands of rounds through this gun and just clean it by soaking it in kerosene or just cleaning and lubing the barrel and inside the handle, so that's what I'm going to do. I'm going to try it out today.

Another thing, with the magazines - when I load em up with ten bullets, why is the top bullet so loose? It just about falls out if I turn the mag upside down. Both mags. Is this normal?
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Old March 11, 2009, 12:20 PM   #35
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Doesn't sound normal for the magazine to do that. Do you have more than one and do they all do that?

As far as cleaning, I just go to an Auto Zone and get their cheapest spray can of either brake or carb cleaner. Take off the grips, open the action, remove magazine and spray away.

Wear glasses or goggles to prevent it splashing in your eyes.

You'll notice a remarkable similarity in the way brake and carb cleaner smells to that of a $6 can of Birchwood Casey "Gun Scrubber".

An earlier post asked how to reassemble the magazine safety disconnect after putting in the target sear.

Answer: Don't.

Install an old Mk II hammer or VQ Mk II target hammer and one of Clark Customs oversized hammer bushings instead. Discard the Mk III magazine safety disconnect junk.

Now you've got a Mk II with a push button magazine release and loaded chamber indicator.
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Old March 11, 2009, 12:48 PM   #36
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Quote:
Now you've got a Mk II with a push button magazine release and loaded chamber indicator
A lot of folks say the loaded chamber indicator is a bad thing, I don't understand the reason. Can anyone tell me? I can say that it has kept me from dropping the hammer on an empty chamber a number of times. They say it doesn't hurt any modern .22's to dry fire once in a while but I don't like to do it.
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Old March 11, 2009, 01:16 PM   #37
ME262
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Thanks, CC. What about the residue from the carb/brake cleaner (or kerosene in the other method) in the innards of the gun? Is that OK? Do you just wipe off what you can get at and let the rest dry out? Do you lube the gun after the carb/brake spray treatment? How about WD-40 instead of carb/brake cleaner, or is that an inadequate solvent? Do the gun parts inside the handle actually get dirty?
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Old March 11, 2009, 02:38 PM   #38
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Carb and brake cleaner both evaporate very fast and leave little to no residue.
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CNC produced 416 stainless triggers to replace the plastic triggers on Colt Mustangs, Mustang Plus II's, MK IV Government .380's and Sig P238's and P938's. Plus Colt Mustang hardened 416 guide rods, and Llama .32 and .380 recoil spring buttons, checkered nicely and blued.
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Old March 11, 2009, 03:01 PM   #39
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The LCI is a bad thing IMHO as it takes one of the normal steps from the shooter and places it on a mechanical device. Devices fail all too often. The old LCI was metal and if impacted could set off the round. It protrudes when activated and could snag as well as let in dirt when protruded. I don't need the stupid Politically Correct LAWYER gizmo on my pistol as I consider the chamber hot every second until I remove the magazine and open the bolt and look for my self. Before closing bolt I verify no round is laying the action that could chamber when I close it. The magazine interlock safety forces you to insert a magazine to begin cleaning the gun and after reassembly to verify proper operation. Again, IMHO, I prefer to dryfire with no magazine... something about the "bullet holder thingy being inserted into an "empty" gun
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Old March 11, 2009, 03:04 PM   #40
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ME262, everything inside the pistol will get dirty.
I suggest you go to gun talk for your MK needs as there is a wealthbed of info on the pistols and great pictorials on stripping and mods as well as many of the quirks and typical wear related problems covered...
http://www.guntalk-online.com/forum/
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Old March 11, 2009, 10:02 PM   #41
ME262
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Thanks, guys. I shot the gun today. Works good, except one of the mags is indeed defective. I'm going to sell it as soon as Ruger sends me a replacement mag. I like guns that I can take apart and put back together all by myself (which is every gun I've ever had in my life up until this one). I'll sell it for $200, a $100+ loss. It's only two days old. Anyone interested? I'm in southern AZ.
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Old March 11, 2009, 11:13 PM   #42
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If I had the 2 bills I would jump on it!
I tear mine down and reassemble easily...

I also installed a home mag safety disconnect washer and disabled the LCI.
Brent
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Old March 11, 2009, 11:39 PM   #43
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I took my mag disconnect out too. Didn't notice any trigger improvement but there was great satisfaction in removing another mag disconnect.

I understand your view about the loaded chamber indicator Hogdogs, especially if they ever set off a round. I learned long ago to trust mechanical things myself, no machinist could work if he couldn't, but I respect your viewpoint.
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CNC produced 416 stainless triggers to replace the plastic triggers on Colt Mustangs, Mustang Plus II's, MK IV Government .380's and Sig P238's and P938's. Plus Colt Mustang hardened 416 guide rods, and Llama .32 and .380 recoil spring buttons, checkered nicely and blued.
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Old March 11, 2009, 11:49 PM   #44
hogdogs
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HS, The guy on gun talk "bullseye" was involved in convincing ruger the metal LCI coud set off a round they are plastic now. Mine is plastic but safety is 'tween my ears. If I had a CQC pistol the mag disconnect may be good as you can drop the mag out if the BG is about to get it from you.

Brent
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Old March 12, 2009, 04:45 AM   #45
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"I like guns that I can take apart and put back together all by myself (which is every gun I've ever had in my life up until this one). I'll sell it for $200, a $100+ loss. It's only two days old. Anyone interested? I'm in southern AZ."

A ruger MkIII 22/45 was my first pistol. About the only good thing I can say about it is that after I sold it, my experience with it convinced me to buy a S&W m41. Best gun purchase to date.
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Old March 13, 2009, 11:56 AM   #46
ME262
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If I had the 2 bills I would jump on it!
I tear mine down and reassemble easily...

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Oh my, look at all those little pieces! I bet you don't have to bang the pin on yours in and out with a hammer. But I suppose I could send the whole gun back to Ruger and ask them to loosen it up so the lock pops in and out easily as it does in the videos. I've have a couple of potential buyers already, but now I'm having second thoughts...
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Old March 13, 2009, 02:01 PM   #47
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You should be having second thoughts! You can't buy a new Ruger .22 pistol for $200.

I swear, unless you are installing an aftermarket part like a VQ sear or trigger, there really isn't any reason to ever disassemble one of these guns anyway.

And there is certainly nothing wrong with a gun with tightly fitting tolerances. That is a bonus, not a detriment.

Really, to clean this gun all you need is a screwdriver, a rod section with a patch eyelet or jag, possibly a bore brush, and a can of $1.59 brake cleaner from Auto Zone.

That's it.

Take the grip panels off with the screwdriver. Lock the bolt to the rear.

Put the little plastic spray tube on the nozzle of the brake cleaner.

Spray out the insides of the gun and let the crud run out through the magazine well. The inside of the gun will look as clean as the day you bought it and the cleaner evaporates quickly.

Run some patches through the bore.

Give the internals a shot of WD40 or similar lubricant. Put the grips back on and you're done.

Takes about 5 minutes.
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Old March 13, 2009, 08:52 PM   #48
ME262
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I did it! I became obsessed with this infernal machine and I took it apart again - and much to my amazement! - I put it back together - and it actually seems to still work! What's more, with all my wooden mallet bashing I think it may now come apart and go back together normally like the guns in the videos! So I'll keep it after all.

But here's the next big problem: If I don't do this every week or two I'll forget how to do it.

CC - I believe you said you've shot thousands of rounds using your cleaning method, but I'm just used to opening up guns to inspect and clean them. I have never encountered one like this before, and I hope I never do again.
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Old March 14, 2009, 05:50 AM   #49
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I'd use a rubber mallet to seperate the barrel/action, from the lower receiver.

No concern over marring the finish of the gun that way.

Bought mine at Walmart. If I remember correctly, they had rubber mallets in the tool section for $5. But if you go to the sporting goods section, you can find the same mallet with a hook built into the handle for $3, only they call it a "tent stake mallet".

Seems like every few weeks somebody shows up around here complaining about the assembly/disassembly of the Ruger pistols.

And there always seems to be a couple of people who state they simply cannot not disassemble the pistol for cleaning, regardless of how unnecessary it is in light of a $1.59 can of brake cleaner.

I challenge anybody to get a Ruger cleaner in less time using disassembly and the traditional solvent, rags, toothbrush, etc. cleaning routine. You can't do it.

And the more you disassemble and reassemble the gun, the more you accelerate looseness and wear. I wouldn't think it is necessary to take the gun apart more than once a year.
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Old March 14, 2009, 09:54 AM   #50
ME262
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Thanks, CC.

Yeah, I'll buy a rubber mallet. This all didn't do my good old homemade wooden mallet any good.

Is brake/carb cleaner then the same substance as gun cleaner? Would you use it to routinely clean guns?

I wonder what the consensus is amongst experienced users of this gun between CC's and Hogdog's cleaning method. Ruger instructions say the latter, take it apart.

Here's your earlier post, CC:

http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/....php?p=3205618

And here's upgrade parts for the gun:

http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/....php?p=3205618


I took the dismantling of this thing as a personal challenge.







Quote:
Doesn't sound normal for the magazine to do that. Do you have more than one and do they all do that?

As far as cleaning, I just go to an Auto Zone and get their cheapest spray can of either brake or carb cleaner. Take off the grips, open the action, remove magazine and spray away.

Wear glasses or goggles to prevent it splashing in your eyes.

You'll notice a remarkable similarity in the way brake and carb cleaner smells to that of a $6 can of Birchwood Casey "Gun Scrubber".

An earlier post asked how to reassemble the magazine safety disconnect after putting in the target sear.

Answer: Don't.

Install an old Mk II hammer or VQ Mk II target hammer and one of Clark Customs oversized hammer bushings instead. Discard the Mk III magazine safety disconnect junk.

Now you've got a Mk II with a push button magazine release and loaded chamber indicator.

Last edited by ME262; March 14, 2009 at 04:40 PM.
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