Ruger Mk III disassembly/reassembly instructions.

PaulD

PaulD

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Hopefully this is useful for someone here. I found the instruction manual supplied by Ruger to be a real PITA to read while trying to put my 22/45 Hunter back to together. So, I reformatted them to be more step by step and readable for me. In most cases, the words are from Ruger but in a few places, I reworded for clarity. I also removed most of the warnings.

If anyone has any additions or corrections, feel free to reply and I'll add them. Also, I printed this at a 16pt font which I found helpful to quickly read while working on the Ruger.

Disassembly
  1. Unload it.
  2. insert empty mag
  3. place safety in F position
  4. pull trigger to make sure hammer has fallen (Hammer must be
    uncocked to procede)
  5. remove magazine
  6. release mainspring housing and pull bolt stop pin out (may need punch and hammer to push pin out from top)
  7. bolt should pull out. Otherwise, fully insert EMPTY magazine and pull trigger to remove bolt.
  8. remove magazine
  9. At this point, the barrel/receiver can be seperated from the frame. A forward blow from a plastic mallet on the back of the receiver (where the bolt was) should release the barrel/receiver.

Reassembly
  1. unload it.
  2. safety must be in F position
  3. keep finger off trigger and place hammer in horizontal (cocked)
    postion. (Hammer is retangular object inside the grip frame near the rear)
    If you hammer cannot be placed in horizontal position, hammer strut may be trapped behind the crosspin (refer to Fig. 7 in manual, not applicable to 22/45). If so, lift hammer to free strut then move hammer back to horizontal. If hammer has rotated too far forward and is difficult to move backwards, insert mag and this will allow the hammer to rotate backwards into horizontal position. Once hammer is horizontal, remove magazine.
  4. Check that loaded chamber indicator is in place
  5. Place barrel receiver on top of frame such that the square lug engages the square recess on the underside of the receiver. (see fig 8A in manual). Push barrel rearward until it stops (rear end of the receiver slightly overhangs the rear end of the grip frame, see Fig 8B). Check to see if bolt stop pin can be inserted smoothly. If not, placed the gun muzzle down on a padded bench and strike the rear of the frame, right below the receiver, with a plastic or wooden mallet. Small taps should do it, be gentle. Remove stop pin if necessary.
  6. Insert empty magazine
  7. Point muzzle up and pull trigger.

    Gravity should cause the hammer to return to cocked position if dislodged when mounting receiver. If not, reach in and push the hammer down (horizontal).
  8. Remove magazine
  9. Slide bolt into the receiver with recoil spring upwards.
  10. Insert magazine.
  11. Point muzzle down towards the ground.
  12. Hold mainspring housing and insert bolt stop pin into it's
    position. A thin coating of oil on the stop pin helps as does a light tap from a plastic mallet. Don't close mainspring housing yet.
  13. Invert pistol so muzzle points up.
  14. Make sure hammer strut is pointing more or less down. Strut should go into oval shaped cut inside the mainspring housing.
  15. Depress trigger with thumb. (see Fig 12. in manual).
  16. (for non 22/45 models) Move mainspring housing into closed position.
  17. (for 22/45 models) While holding pistol muzzle up and depressing the trigger with your thumb, close mainspring housing as far as possible without excessive pressure.
  18. (for 22/45 models While holding mainspring housing closed, release trigger and remove magazine. Once magazine is removed, the housing will close the rest of the way.
  19. Close mainspring housing latch.
  20. Insert magazine, open bolt, use bolt release to close bolt and dry fire to test.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
Yeah, I have had this pistol since I was 16. I'm pretty sure I stopped taking it apart sometime in my late 20's. At 42, the gun runs perfect. I shoot nothing but bulk pack Remington jacketed ammo through it and now that Scrivener turned me on to brake cleaner, it's even easier to clean. Stripping this gun down is no biggie, (though I understand the III's are different?) - I just don't see the need.
 
MassMark said:
Yeah, I have had this pistol since I was 16. I'm pretty sure I stopped taking it apart sometime in my late 20's. At 42, the gun runs perfect. I shoot nothing but bulk pack Remington jacketed ammo through it and now that Scrivener turned me on to brake cleaner, it's even easier to clean. Stripping this gun down is no biggie, (though I understand the III's are different?) - I just don't see the need.
Click to expand...

So you just spray brake cleaner in the breach?

I've only had my 22/45 Hunter for a few weeks but I have no problem getting the bolt in and out. I'd like to find a copper brush, that I could use to clean the inside of the receiver though.

In any event, I don't find reassembly to be that difficult now that I know how but I thought the directions really sucked.
 
PaulD said:
So you just spray brake cleaner in the breach?

I've only had my 22/45 Hunter for a few weeks but I have no problem getting the bolt in and out. I'd like to find a copper brush, that I could use to clean the inside of the receiver though.

In any event, I don't find reassembly to be that difficult now that I know how but I thought the directions really sucked.
Click to expand...

It's great that you posted them as it makes people mental. I've told the story before, but when I was 16 I got my Ruger for my Birthday and many times tossed it in my paper bag and rode it down to Williams Gun Shop to have him help me put it back together, (try that now). I can't remember the brand, but I bought some non-chlor brake cleaner and use it to spray out the gun. Last weekend, I took the grips off and gave it a quick blast, ran a brush and patch like normal and it was as clean as a whistle. Used a cloth to wipe it down and hit it with a gun and reel cloth, (silicone)...Thing looks purdy... [wink]
 
I took mine apart once when I first got it. I think I may take it apart again in maybe 5 years or 5000 rounds.
 
I almost never clean my MKIII other than running a boresnake through it. I have probably 5K rounds through it without much cleaning and its been shooting better than ever. All i really ever use is federal bulkpack copper washed ammo.

I used to break it down alot and clean it, but later realized I never really "got" anything out of it other than knowing it was clean since I basically never have any issues with the gun whatsoever...it feeds every round, no jams, nothing.

That being said, disassembly and reassembly is as simple as studying how all the parts interact and understanding it. once you understand the "why" behind the steps posted above, those steps become much more intuitive.
 
I clean my MKIII after every use -- almost weekly. For me, the key is getting that hammer to "fall" -- it sometimes doesn't fall as easily as it needs to, if you're following Ruger's instructions. Remembering to insert the magazine to allow the trigger to release the hammer, and then having something handy to persuade the hammer into place, makes it a lot easier to deal with.
 
doobie said:
I took mine apart once when I first got it. I think I may take it apart again in maybe 5 years or 5000 rounds.
Click to expand...

For me at least, one of these is not like the other. I've had mine for 2 months and have over 1k rounds through it already. 5 years from now, it'll probably be 50k or more.
 
jar said:
For me at least, one of these is not like the other. I've had mine for 2 months and have over 1k rounds through it already. 5 years from now, it'll probably be 50k or more.
Click to expand...
Agreed. I would say that Ive put at least a brick every two weeks into mine for two years....thats 104 weeks, 250 rounds a week, or around 25,000 rounds. Might be a little more or less but its a LOT of rounds.
 
3a. and 6a. should read: "point gun in a safe direction"


Mine is very gunked up right now. Maybe it is the cold as well. Failure to feed, stovepiping, failure to eject, failure to hold open.

I see Wolff makes a spring and a spring kit for these. Would these help with reliability at all? Do these really help in anything at all?
 
Coyote33 said:
3a. and 6a. should read: "point gun in a safe direction"


Mine is very gunked up right now. Maybe it is the cold as well. Failure to feed, stovepiping, failure to eject, failure to hold open.

I see Wolff makes a spring and a spring kit for these. Would these help with reliability at all? Do these really help in anything at all?
Click to expand...

I tend to clean my guns fully loaded and pointed in unsafe directions - I find having a bullet in the chamber is a great stopping point for my cleaning rod.... [wink]

Sorry - feeling sarcastic this morning - I just figure that most reading these forums have safety tips in mind when they post and or read. I'm fairly certain PaulD assumed the same. In any case, I can't fathom spring kits for Ruger Mark pistols - just cant. I hate to make wild claims on round count, but suffice it to say my Mark II in 26 years has had a minimum of 1,000 rounds a year down the pipe - a minimum. It is now as it was the day I got it for my Birthday. I'm pretty sure I remember an FTF/FTE/FTF here and there, (most notably with some Wolf leads a few years ago), but other than that, nothing but reliability.

Has something changed with Ruger? What model do you have?
 
MassMark said:
I tend to clean my guns fully loaded and pointed in unsafe directions - I find having a bullet in the chamber is a great stopping point for my cleaning rod.... [wink]

Sorry - feeling sarcastic this morning - I just figure that most reading these forums have safety tips in mind when they post and or read...
Click to expand...

I figure it makes sense to include the safety at the same time while giving tips. It seems to have been pretty common on here other times...





MassMark said:
... In any case, I can't fathom spring kits for Ruger Mark pistols - just cant. I hate to make wild claims on round count, but suffice it to say my Mark II in 26 years has had a minimum of 1,000 rounds a year down the pipe - a minimum. It is now as it was the day I got it for my Birthday. I'm pretty sure I remember an FTF/FTE/FTF here and there, (most notably with some Wolf leads a few years ago), but other than that, nothing but reliability.

Has something changed with Ruger? What model do you have?
Click to expand...

Fathom no more, here is the link: http://www.gunsprings.com/SemiAuto/RugerNF.html#RugerMKII

I'd say I do about the same usage as you do. This was the first time this has happened. I've had a few failures here and there also, mostly I think due to bad ammo. The thing is this was just one after the other after the other, but it was cold out that day, plus it was probably not as clean as it should be. I might bring it in for an ultrasonic cleaning. Wondering if I should take off the grips (can they be taken off?). It is MkII Anniversary model.
 
Coyote33 said:
Wondering if I should take off the grips (can they be taken off?). It is MkII Anniversary model.
Click to expand...

Yeah, they come off with a simple screwdriver. I have the Anniversary Model as well and it's been great. I just wonder if Ruger changed things....I just never equate: FTF/FTE, spring kits and dirty gun stoppages with a Ruger Mark I or II
 

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