Cleaning 22/45 Lite

Hi! Have a new 22/45. Only shoot around 50 rounds per outing. Always clean barrel w/ solvent, then light oil. Works great! Have had a couple Fte's. Understand that is not unusual! How often do I need to take the gun down and do a deeper cleaning?
Thanks, Grigler2 a newbie :?:

Welcome to the forum. If i shoot a box or more of ammo, i will clean the gun and most of the time i will take it apart. It is easier to clean when taken down also. I am not as picky as i used to be about making the gun spotless, but it will be pretty clean when i am finished. I hope you are familiar with the take down/assembly procedure of the 22/45. The Mk series pistols can be boogers. Just a little advice, this should be in the rimfire section. Hope this helps.

Hi! Thanks for your reply! I have watched videos of take down! One of these days I am going to get brave and take it down. I am 74 and not a real handy Andy, but I am steady and I am sure I would be ok. It is just all the stories that psyche you out!
Grigler2

Grigler....welcome to the club. YouTube is your friend on field stripping the 22/45. Once you master the secret handshake, reassembly really isn't that hard.

Hey Bearcat!
Thanks for your reply! I agree, You Tube has several take down videos. I will give it a whirl after my next time at the range!
Grigler2

Hi I'ma newbie here my self. The ruger video, videos from the pulldown is great. But the part whwhe he taps the grip frame lightly & it comes off is BS. You can either really whack the rear of the receiver hard or whale on the front of the grip frame with a plastic hammer. I had a failure to eject the first time I fired then two more in 50 rounds. I had cl eanrd the bore but after complete cleaning no more problems. Not difficult and will help you understand how the pistol works.

One thing I should mention that helps tremendously with reassembly of the Mark III and 22/45 pistols is installing a bushing to remove the mag disconnect. I put a Tandemkross in mine - they have a superb instructional video on their site - but the bushing is available from others as well. https://www.tandemkross.com/Steel-Hammer-Bushing-for-Mark-III-and-2245-Pistols_p_9.html

Without the bushing, I had to pull the empty mags out and reassembling the pistol requires reinserting the mag at one point along with the secret handshake.

With the bushing, the mags drop cleanly of their own weight and reassembling does not require inserting the mag at any point because you can release the hammer without it.

Installing the bushing is really a simple process. The part is inexpensive and the benefit is substantial. Watch the video several times before you start and just be careful. Takes about 15 minutes.

I think my 22/45 is my favorite pistol just for the sheer pleasure of plinking cans or paper. It's accurate to the point of being a tack driver, reliable as the day is long and way too much fun.