Kenneth L. Walters
Single-Sixer
How hard are the various versions of the Ruger 22 to take apart for routine cleaning? And are there any disadvantages to the polymer frame versions?
22 pistols
- Thread starter Kenneth L. Walters
- Start date
In my opinion, the MkIII is easy to disassemble and reassemble. The only hard part is taking out the bolt stop pin and putting it back in, and that is only because it is new. I have to use a plastic dead-blow hammer to move the pin. If you can follow instructions and have some basic mechanical knowledge of firearms then you should have no problems. I have the stainless Hunter model, and wold recommend it. I have no experience with the 22/45's.
My opinion it it is a pain in the yazoo... but the real problem is they made it so complicated and you have to follow the instructions to the letter and there are about 25 moves to put the dern thing back together... with the MKIII they added the magazine disconect feature which means you can not pull the trigger and 'drop' the hammer unless you have a magazine in the gun...
with all that said, I love my MKIII and would not trade it. I really have no experience with the polymer one... I like the all metal better... grip just felt better to me.
with all that said, I love my MKIII and would not trade it. I really have no experience with the polymer one... I like the all metal better... grip just felt better to me.
Once you know "the trick," it's not that difficult to field-strip for "routine cleaning," which doesn't really need to be done all that often anyway.Kenneth L. Walters said:
Detail-strip of the lower receiver, on the other hand, can be a PITA, but you don't EVER have to do that if you don't want to. I've owned a MKII for about 25 years and have never had the lower apart, and can't imagine any reason for ever taking it apart.
Richbaker
Blackhawk
No disadvantages to the 22/45 Polymer-framed pistol, in fact, if you have 1911s, it's an advantage..... same grip angle and controls locations.
snake is right... I ran well over 5000 rounds through mine and finally decided to break it down and clean it even though it was still performing perfectly... I thought I could get it back together with out the instructions... but finally had to go get them.
gunman42782
Hunter
The mk3 is a PITA because of the mag disconnect. You have to put the mag in, take it out, put it in, take it out. The mk2 and mk1 where much easier to field strip, IMHO.
Donaldjr1969
Blackhawk
I do not consider reassembling my 22/45 MkIII to be difficult, per sé. Rather it is finicky. As others have noted and as I have experienced myself, you have to follow the reassembly instructions to the letter. And that basically applies mostly to reinserting the mainspring housing. Anymore, I just keep my instruction manual with me on the bench when I reassemble. It saves me a lot of hassle. And since there are two different procedures for inserting the mainspring depending on if one has the standard MkIII or the 22/45 MkIII, it may be a good idea to take a highlighter marker or circle the paragraphs that deal with your specific pistol.
One note about the mainspring housing with the bolt stop pin. When one goes to reinsert it, make darn sure it is lined up to go behind the recoil spring's cutout and through the hole in the top of the receiver. Verify that visually before you fully insert the bolt stop pin. One time, I somehow managed to get the bolt stop pin canted forward a bit. It went underneath the hammer and was wedged in quite tightly! Took a couple hours, a little banging, and a LOT of profanity until it came out.
In a thread in the rimfire section, I posted about wanting the VQ kit. Well, I would be satisfied with a MkII hammer bushing so I did not have to fuss around with that flipping magazine during disassembly and reassembly!
That said, I do not do a field strip every time I clean the pistol. I will carefully clean the bore from the muzzle end and clean what I can with the bolt held open. But a field strip to me is necessary after 500 rounds or so just to get all that gunk from the ammo out of the grip frame.
One note about the mainspring housing with the bolt stop pin. When one goes to reinsert it, make darn sure it is lined up to go behind the recoil spring's cutout and through the hole in the top of the receiver. Verify that visually before you fully insert the bolt stop pin. One time, I somehow managed to get the bolt stop pin canted forward a bit. It went underneath the hammer and was wedged in quite tightly! Took a couple hours, a little banging, and a LOT of profanity until it came out.
In a thread in the rimfire section, I posted about wanting the VQ kit. Well, I would be satisfied with a MkII hammer bushing so I did not have to fuss around with that flipping magazine during disassembly and reassembly!
That said, I do not do a field strip every time I clean the pistol. I will carefully clean the bore from the muzzle end and clean what I can with the bolt held open. But a field strip to me is necessary after 500 rounds or so just to get all that gunk from the ammo out of the grip frame.
cahillc134
Bearcat
I love the 22/45 and with this link you can learn to take the whole darn thing apart.
http://www.guntalk-online.com/2245detailstripping.htm#ssmod
http://www.guntalk-online.com/2245detailstripping.htm#ssmod
A
Anonymous
gunman42782 said:
I replaced my mag safety with a Volquartsen Mark II hammer bushing. The magazine is no longer needed to disassemble or reassemble the gun.
I don't think the Mark III is hard to field strip. After you've done it two or three times, no big deal. The main thing is keeping the little hammer strut free to move; most problems come from it getting caught under the nearby cross pin.
I detail stripped mine to install the VQ Mark II accurizing kit, and had it ready to shoot in less than two hours.
WIL TERRY
Buckeye
Kenneth L. Walters said:
HEY KEN, long time no see in the GunMags.
To answer your question; if you can read [ or red ] Dr Suess and understood it in your youth, you can field strip a Ruger 22 automatic pistol in your sleep after reading the instructions the FIRST time. YOU can also put it back together the first time IF YOU READ THE INSTRUCTIONS. IT IS NO BIG DEAL NO MATTER WHAT ALL THE INTERNET WHINERS SAY !!!
Donaldjr1969
Blackhawk
Amen to that! When I tried to put it back together and ignore the instructions, then things got a little testy!WIL TERRY said:
gatorhugger
Blackhawk
Its super easy if you know the trick to it.
Remove mag, open slide, spray brake fluid in chamber until it runs out clear down magazine well. Then give it a squirt of light oil in there.
Done!!
Remove mag, open slide, spray brake fluid in chamber until it runs out clear down magazine well. Then give it a squirt of light oil in there.
Done!!
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Anonymous
gatorhugger said:
Slide? You mean bolt?
Fluid? or Brake cleaner? Just what everyone wants, a gun dripping brake cleaner and oil? I guess that's to make sure every inch gets clean and lubed?
I care more than that about taking good care of my guns. I can field strip my Mark III, clean it neatly, and oil the points that need it, in under an hour.
