Just bought a MKIII Standard, newb questions....

[JaPes]

After selling a POS Sig Mosquito, I told myself I was going to do it right the next time and buy a Ruger. After buying a few other handguns, I finally got around to purchasing a no-frills MKIII standard, 4.75" barrel.

The salesman tried to convince me to move up the MKIII model range, but the standard one called out to me. :D

I'm sitting through the IL mandatory 72-hour waiting period. I've performed Google and YouTube searches for any and all information about the gun. I've read the horror story posts regarding field stripping and disassembly. I consider myself to be moderately mechanically inclined, and am not worried about it.

Are there any kernels of wisdom, tips/tricks any of you would like to pass on about the MKIII? Is there anything a new MKIII owner should be aware of that wouldn't be considered common knowledge?

Thank you for your time, and I greatly appreciate any answers y'all are willing to provide.

 

[contender]

Sounds like you are on the right track. Clean it,, then shoot it,, and I bet a smile will appear. Then clean it and after the range session. Repeat often.

 

[Baldy]

About all I can say is if you can change the oil and filter in your car you should be able to field strip a MK pistol. Just take your time and pay attention to what you are doing. Don't be afraid to tap it some with a hard rubber hammer. Trust me it will not break. If you have a problem stop and ask sombody for help. This is a good site right here to get some help at. Good luck..

 

[Double Maduro]

While you are waiting,

Read the Manual,
then Read the Manual,
then Read the Manual.

When you tear it down, follow the steps in the manual. When you put it together, follow the steps in the manual.

You won't have a problem.

Welcome to the forum.
DM

 

[blume357]

I'm going to be the odd man out here and disagree with my buddies above... but you choose in the end.... either way I think you will be all right.

Don't clean the thing... just spray it good inside the bolt with some rem oil or cmp and put a couple hundred rounds through it before breaking it down... unless you have a problem with it more than every 30-50 rounds I would not worry about an initial cleaning. I have never 'first cleaned' a brand new Ruger of any type and never had a problem with this.

Now, I did break down my MK III before shooting it and it was a real pain to get back together... same after 500+ rounds... and I at least thought I was following the instructions in the manual to the letter... but they are so damn complicated it's hard to be sure..

Here is the secret with putting the pistol back together.... the "insert an empty mag and point the pistol (either down or up) and pull the trigger" is to get the internal hammer to fall in the right place so that the rear grip spring retaining part will close and latch. On most pistols, especially new ones, the internal hammer will not fall into the right position, you have to take some small thin tool and push the hammer into the right position.

That is the whole secret to getting everything back together as far as I can tell. Now to be honest, I figured this out the third time I cleaned mine... and that was around 3000-5000 rounds ago and I have not cleaned the pistol since... I just keep spraying CMP in it every couple hundred of rounds...

 

[lawabiding]

... Are there any kernels of wisdom, tips/tricks any of you would like to pass on about the MKIII? Is there anything a new MKIII owner should be aware of that wouldn't be considered common knowledge? ...

This is in the manual, but in my opinion it's not emphasized enough. Be sure when releasing the bolt to chamber a round that you DO NOT use the bolt release lever on the left side of the gun. For many guns this is not a problem, but if you read the Ruger manual carefully you will see that this technique is not recommended. In all cases release the bolt by pulling back on the bolt itself and letting it spring forward. The reason for this is that the bolt stop lever on the left is a relatively soft metal and eventually it will wear down, resulting in the bolt not locking open after firing the last round. I and many other folks learned this the hard way, having to replace this part.

 

[ranger1]

... Are there any kernels of wisdom, tips/tricks any of you would like to pass on about the MKIII? Is there anything a new MKIII owner should be aware of that wouldn't be considered common knowledge? ...

This is in the manual, but in my opinion it's not emphasized enough. Be sure when releasing the bolt to chamber a round that you DO NOT use the bolt release lever on the left side of the gun. For many guns this is not a problem, but if you read the Ruger manual carefully you will see that this technique is not recommended. In all cases release the bolt by pulling back on the bolt itself and letting it spring forward. The reason for this is that the bolt stop lever on the left is a relatively soft metal and eventually it will wear down, resulting in the bolt not locking open after firing the last round. I and many other folks learned this the hard way, having to replace this part.

+1

The sling-shot method!

 

[MKII]

A Ruger .22 pistol will get easier to disassemble the more it is shot. A "seasoned" firearm in my experiences is often times just easier to take apart and put back together. While I don't own a MKIII, I do own SEVERAL Standards, MKI and II's. I never took any of them down prior to shooting them and if I cleaned them every 30-50 rounds I would never get any shooting done. My MKII's get shot the most...they are in fact shot and hunted with quite often. Not a week goes by they are not shot to some extent. It has been YEARS since I took any of them down to the point of a thorough cleaning. I have a 5-1/2" blue MKII slab barrel that has NEVER been taken down and has had thousands of rounds through it. The same can be said for my other MKII"s. If the bore is kept relatively clean, as well as the bolt face and magazine well...you'll be good to go. Most of the problems experienced with any of the Ruger .22 autos can be attributed to magazines anyway. .22 projectiles are nasty...always have a stiff bristle tooth brush handy when you plan to do a lot of shooting. Good luck.

 

[gunman42782]

I shoot my MK2 more than any gun I own. I usually field strip it every 1000 rounds, if I think of it. Now, I take a Q tip and clean it as much as possible every time I shoot it. Put a drop or two of oil on it, and put it back in the safe till next time. As far as field stripping it, after you do it a couple times it is a piece of cake. Although the MK3 is much more annoying than the MK2, MK1 or standard auto because of the MK3 mag disconnect.

 

[OpsMgr]

Be sure and at least clean the bore WELL before shooting your new pistol. ALL factory new pistols come with plenty of sticky, protective gunk in the bore and everyplace else for that matter.

Hoppes No. 9 and a Patchworm will serve you well for cleaning the bore. Here is a link for the Patchworm: http://patchworm.com. Break Free Powder Blast works great on the frame and receiver along with an old toothbrush.

Good luck and enjoy your new pistola.

 

[JaPes]

Thanks for the tips!

When the salesperson took the brand new pistol out of the case, it was wrapped in a plastic bag and coated in a thick oil. I'll have to bring it home and examine it in detail.

Also, thank you for clarification on the sling-shot method. I heard the term before, but had no idea what it meant.

 

[22bond]

Go watch Ruger company Tech Tip video on how to disassembly/reassembly.
Actually I just watch it again.
It shows some of the most common mistakes make by people reassembly. Pay attention to what he said about the firing pin stop pin in the bolt. Most older model has a roll pin that can fall out.

http://www.ruger.com/resources/videos.html


Or find more video on you tube.

 

[JaPes]

I got my new MKIII Standard home today. The spent test casing envelope is dated 8/16/2010. It was also packed in a plastic bag, and coated with oil. I decided to field strip it and clean it.

I read the manual. I watched the Ruger Tech Tip videos. I had my paperclip, non-marring rubber hammer, wood dowel, and Birchwood Casey synthetic safe gun scrubber ready to go.

Everything went like clockwork. I was hesitant with the removal and subsequent installation of the upper receiver. I didn't know how hard to impact the upper receiver. Stripping the pistol gave me an idea of how the individual parts interacted. Putting it back together was a breeze.

The MKIII Standard is definitely one sturdy handgun. It has the most comfortable grip angle of all the pistols I own. I can't wait to get to the range on Saturday and shoot it.

The bad thing is now I'm eyeballing the bull-barrel model. :o

 

[Milly]

I really like my Mark III 22/45. They are great shooting guns. I'm sure you'll be happy with your standard model once you shoot some rounds through it. One word of advice, my gun didn't like "wide mouth" hollow points until I removed the "loaded chamber" indicator lever. It would spit out solid point bullets all day long, as well as the "small mouth" hollow points. The "wide mouth" hollow points would catch on the lever and cause a malfunction.

 

[rooger]

"The bad thing is now I'm eyeballing the bull-barrel model."

Among the best tips you will find on this forum, is to acquire additional guns if you find some you like. For the time being anyway, it is still legal to own more than one gun. I sure enjoy my bull-barreled MKIII.

 

[blume357]

Since it was packed in plastic and oil, I guess I'll have to back off on my suggestion of not cleaning it first off.... my new MKIII was open in it's case .... I think maybe the dealer cleaned it to sell at the gun show I attended.

Go ahead and plan to buy a few more magazines for it.... that'll be what you want next... before one with a bull or different barrel.

 

[JaPes]

I just got back from the range. My best target, 31ft, slow fire, CCI Mini Mags:

I acclimated to the standard sights, and dialed myself in. I progressively pushed the target out farther until I got to my fail point. The MKIII Standard makes me look like a better shooter than I really am.

300 rounds of CCI Mini Mags, and no issues. I couldn't even make it 100 rounds with the Sig Mosquito without having a failure.

I brought along my PX4 Storm .40SW, and shot 60 rounds. I shot it better thanks to the MK III. I also felt that the MKIII allowed me to be more economical during my range session.

blume357, you're right. I'm searching the internet for more magazines for it, and a HKS magazine loading aide.

I haven't had this much fun on the range in a long time.

 

[ranger1]

Here's a couple of links for MK III magazines if your LGS doesn't have them!

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=386389

http://shopruger.com/Ruger-Mark-III-Blued-Magazine-10-Shot/productinfo/90231/

 

[OpsMgr]

I just got back from the range. My best target, 31ft, slow fire, CCI Mini Mags:

I acclimated to the standard sights, and dialed myself in. I progressively pushed the target out farther until I got to my fail point. The MKIII Standard makes me look like a better shooter than I really am.

300 rounds of CCI Mini Mags, and no issues. I couldn't even make it 100 rounds with the Sig Mosquito without having a failure.

I brought along my PX4 Storm .40SW, and shot 60 rounds. I shot it better thanks to the MK III. I also felt that the MKIII allowed me to be more economical during my range session.

blume357, you're right. I'm searching the internet for more magazines for it, and a HKS magazine loading aide.

I haven't had this much fun on the range in a long time.

And the fun will only increase! :D Are you shooting with the stock trigger?

I use the HKS speed loader for my 22/45 and Mk IIs - Model 22B and love it. Best $3 I ever spent. Not sure which one works with the Mk III as it is a different model than the Mk II, IIRC.

As an aside, a plastic cap from a bottle of water will work in a pinch - Not as handy as the HKS but sure beats a sore thumb... :D

 

[JaPes]

Yes, I'm shooting with a stock trigger. The pistol is completely stock. Thanks for the plastic bottle cap tip!

 

[OpsMgr]

Good for you. Best to learn your pistola before you start doing modifications, IMO. As you probably know, there are many things you can do to these pistolas.

Have you tried CCI Standard Velocity yet?

 

[JaPes]

I shoot what I can find at my local Wal-Mart. I figured I'd break in the MKIII with the CCI Mini-Mags then move onto Federal bulk pack.

 

[OpsMgr]

Understood. Mini Mags are a good HV ammo and great for breaking in your new pistola. The CCI Standard Velocity is a really economical and consistent round - Shoots very nice groups in all my Mk series pistolas and S&W M41. You should be able to find it at your LGS, Dicks Sporting Goods or Academy Sports & Outdoors so give it a try when you are ready - Think you would be pleased with the results...

 

[Bunk40]

How do you use a plastic water bottle cap as a magazine speed loader?

 

[OpsMgr]

How do you use a plastic water bottle cap as a magazine speed loader?

The metal nub/button on the mag will make you thumb sore if you load a bunch of mags without some assistance as you probably know. The bottle cap is used to hold the mag nub/button down so you can drop in the rounds - The bottle cap is larger than the nub/button so you get more gripping surface/leverage. Like I posted, it will work in a pinch but not as well as an inexpensive HKS loader. If you haven't gotten a sore thumb for loading mags, then you ain't shooing enough... :shock: :)

 

[carbonizer]

Try the Ultimate cliploader from Cheaper than dirt. It will load a 10 shot mag in about 3-4 seconds, I have one, they work very well.
Once you get one, you will need plenty of extra mags (10 here) and bring lots of rounds because you will be burning thru it like never before.

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/GNS127-1.html

 

[Athanasor]

I agree with Milly regarding the wide-mouth hollow-points, and simply stopped using them. My MkIII 22/45 with a 5.5" bull barrel is relatively new and shot dead-on right out of the box.

Had some problems putting it back together on first cleaning, but learned quickly and I really like this pistol. It's a true "fun-gun".

 

[firebirdude]

Try the Ultimate cliploader from Cheaper than dirt. It will load a 10 shot mag in about 3-4 seconds, I have one, they work very well.
Once you get one, you will need plenty of extra mags (10 here) and bring lots of rounds because you will be burning thru it like never before.

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/GNS127-1.html

Holy cow! Never seen that before...

 

[Just One Shot]

"The bad thing is now I'm eyeballing the bull-barrel model."

Among the best tips you will find on this forum, is to acquire additional guns if you find some you like. For the time being anyway, it is still legal to own more than one gun. I sure enjoy my bull-barreled MKIII.

I hear you. I just picked mine up last night and I can't wait to shoot it.