I messed up and I need some help.

Help Support Ruger Forum:

Dennis

Single-Sixer
Joined
Nov 9, 2009
Messages
117
Location
Dakotas/Minnesota
Two things:

1. I have a new, never been disassembled, 22/45 slab sided pistol.
2. I am mechanically challenged.

I didn't do a full field strip my pistol I just wanted to get as far as pulling out the mainspring/pin - as a matter of fact I've never field stripped a pistol before. I figured I'd learn by doing one step at a time and trying to become gradually proficient.

The mainspring/pin assembly didn't want to come out unless I tapped the top of the pin. I decided I didn't want to go to the garage and get a hammer (lazy) so I thought I'd just put it back together.

Bad idea.

I don't know what I did but I can't get the mainspring to seat all the way, but I also can't get it all the way out anymore either. I can rack the slide but pulling on the trigger does not release the hammer.

How screwed am I? Can anyone talk me through this embarrassing moment?

Thanks.
 

contender

Ruger Guru
Joined
Sep 18, 2002
Messages
25,138
Location
Lake Lure NC USA
MKII, MKIII?????
And you aren't screwed.
Basically, the hammer strut isn't getting into the slot in the take down lever.
Go back to your manuel,, review how to reassembe this,, and slowly follow the instructions. You do have a manuel don't you?
 

Dennis

Single-Sixer
Joined
Nov 9, 2009
Messages
117
Location
Dakotas/Minnesota
It is a new MKIII. Yes I do have the manual but the pistol has not been taken apart - except for the mainspring not wanting to go fully in or out. At first the mainspring would fully open but I messed up something trying to close it back in. Now it's in this half-ass limbo not being being able to go in or out.
 

Dennis

Single-Sixer
Joined
Nov 9, 2009
Messages
117
Location
Dakotas/Minnesota
contender and Ski,

Thanks for the encouragement! I got it back to proper operating form - whoohoo!!!

Man, talk about a learning experience. I shall try this again - tomorrow - but slower and more carefully.

Thanks again.
 

1gunsnotenough

Buckeye
Joined
Nov 30, 2008
Messages
1,873
Location
Athens ,Ga.
I remember the first Ruger Auto I bought. It was an MKI. Took it apart to clean and a week later I was about ready to take it back to the gun store for re-assembly. But pride got in the way and I finally got it back together. Not that hard after a few times
 
Joined
Nov 15, 2005
Messages
10,429
Location
Greenville, SC: USA
Keep in mind the crazy directions about pointing the barrel of the pistol down and pulling the trigger and pointing it up and doing the same is supposedly to get the hammer to fall in the correct place. Which in my experience it never does... you have to push it back to the right position reguardless of which way the gun is pointing...at least with mine... that is the secret to these critters.
 

Ski

Bearcat
Joined
Dec 26, 2007
Messages
69
Location
Minnesota
Like blume357, the hammer on my Mark III doesn't fall to the cocked position either. So, I also need to help it along. The main thing is that darn hammer strut. Make sure you get that thing in the right place at the right time and everything else is as Double Maduro said a "piece of cake"!!!
 

2fast4u

Single-Sixer
Joined
Sep 11, 2009
Messages
184
blume357":3txzugs0 said:
Keep in mind the crazy directions about pointing the barrel of the pistol down and pulling the trigger and pointing it up and doing the same is supposedly to get the hammer to fall in the correct place. Which in my experience it never does... you have to push it back to the right position reguardless of which way the gun is pointing...at least with mine... that is the secret to these critters.

i have to do the exact same thing with my MarkIII target
 

mljones1947

Bearcat
Joined
Oct 28, 2009
Messages
19
Location
Missouri
blume357":gehur32p said:
Keep in mind the crazy directions about pointing the barrel of the pistol down and pulling the trigger and pointing it up and doing the same is supposedly to get the hammer to fall in the correct place. Which in my experience it never does... you have to push it back to the right position reguardless of which way the gun is pointing...at least with mine... that is the secret to these critters.

Okay, help out a poor revolver guy who will one day buy a semi-auto. It might not be hard after you get the hang of it, but this seems like poor design. I saw a video where a guy was showing how to reassemble a Mark something, and I swore that I'd never buy one.

Is this just a Ruger Mark series thing, or are all semi-autos this complicated? I'll grant you that if I tried to reassemble a revolver that I'd also start swearing, but I doubt that I'll ever have to, at least to clean one.
 

rooger

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jul 9, 2009
Messages
144
Location
Auburn, CA
I only have two Ruger pistols: a MK III and a P95. The P95 is very simple to take apart, clean and put back together. The MK III is more complicated but the videos on YouTube helped me until I got he hang of it. I wonder why Ruger doesn't make a .22 semi-auto that is a downsized version of the P95? But the MK III is sure fun to shoot!
 

Geezer

Single-Sixer
Joined
Mar 13, 2009
Messages
249
Location
Conway, SC
Good design, bad design? It doesn't matter because that's they way they are. These things are not that hard to disassemble/assemble. I think a lot of people read these things and are intimidated before they begin. Just take your time and follow the directions step by step.
 

bullockdgmanor

Bearcat
Joined
Nov 8, 2009
Messages
33
Location
Georgia
I agree with the encouraging comments on this thread, and would only add not to be afraid to use some force when necessary. I always need a rubber hammer to get my receiver off my Mark III frame, and I use a piece of 1/4" dowel and a hammer to get my bolt stop pin out.

I'm actually thankful the gun is so tight - I'd rather work harder than have a loose one.

Other than that, as has been said, it's just a matter of carefully following ALL the steps in the manual...took me a long time the first time; now, after only 6 or 8 disassemblies, I get it back together in about 5 minutes.

One key thing is to make sure all the holes are aligned for putting the bolt stop pin back in. I stick the pin in from the top to check alignment first...

Dan
 

mljones1947

Bearcat
Joined
Oct 28, 2009
Messages
19
Location
Missouri
Geezer":15pdq2df said:
Good design, bad design? It doesn't matter because that's they way they are. These things are not that hard to disassemble/assemble. I think a lot of people read these things and are intimidated before they begin. Just take your time and follow the directions step by step.

Granted that things are the way that they are. Thanks for all of the responses. I think that I'm hijacking the thread and have started a new one.
 

Latest posts

Top