Help ! Cant retract bolt on Mk.II comp. target pistol

:shock: I stored my Mk.II slabside competition target for a year, got it out today to clean and oil . I went to look to see if it was clear and the bolt will not come back....what is wrong ? help please, Harold

I have a very nice stainless slabside II like you. It once locked up on a fired round for some unknown reason. A swift and fairly hard retraction cleared it without damage to the gun. I would first, in your case, check the safety by attempting to engage it on and then off, also remove the magazine from the pistol. You should be able to retract the bolt after this.

Or incorrect reassembly .... That will sometimes case the bolt not to be able to be pulled back all the way.

REV

I agree. The strut is probably not in the right place. Its very easy to make this mistake during reassembly. It happens to me every now and then when I'm rushing and not paying attending. Just disassemble and reassembly and see what happens.

I can't believe that anyone would take apart a Mark pistol and not test the bolt a couple of times after putting it back together. Stranger things have happened I guess.

This happened to my old 678 slab stainless mk2. Found out the problem was one of the "doggie ears had broke off the RSA in the bolt and was lodged in a position to prevent the bolt from retracting. The first thing that came to my mind however was what Rev posted. It is THE #1 most common cause of your issue.

Yep, hammer strut is not seated in the mainspring cup and wedged between the mainspring housing and frame. Everyone that's taken apart a Ruger MK has likely done this at least once.

When engaging the mainspring housing, tilt the muzzle upward at an angle to allow the strut to find its center in the cup.

yep, the old adage, "when taking it apart, point it towards the floor, when reassembling,point it toward the sky..." its all about gravity taking over....

and yes, if any 'bad' lube, caked in and around the bolt, the bold just "may" be 'frozen" in place, a little kerosene, or kroil, will remedy that one...our bet is it's put back together "wrong", all too common.......

I can't imagine anyone taking one apart! I am mechanically challenged, and I have had mine apart twice in the 30 + years I have owned it. It gets cleaned about every 200 rounds, but not apart! Good luck. Taking cleaning rod and tapping it on the bolt face may loosen it up if it is only gummed from oil.
gramps