Mk III disassembly - just how hard is this?

[Kenneth L. Walters]

One of the local gun stores recommends not buying a Ruger, even though they sell them, because they are just too hard to take apart to clean.

I've watched the videos on You Tube. Doesn't seem that difficult. Maybe the problem isn't the complexity of taking it apart but rather that it is just physically hard to get the parts apart. I don't know.

I do know that I finally decided to order a stainless steel 4 inch Mark III. So just how hard is this thing going to be to disassemble?

I typically shoot about 3000 per year per gun. How often am I going to need to clean this thing? And do I need to take the firing pin out?

 

[JFB]

I bought my first Mark recently. The MIII, with the magazine safety, makes it slightly more than just intuition to take it apart, but once I verbalize WHY each step is needed, then it is nothing more than any other.

Now on the dificulty......Mine was horrible...I really did need to take a hammer to to remove the barrel/reciver from the frame. However I was not going to go by "it gets better the more you do it". I found the problem, carefully filed and now it does not "fall together". It is not any more than any other

 

[rammerjammer]

I am not mechanically inclined. It was hard for me at first but as long as you follow the instructions it really isn't that hard.

Don't let the takedown and reassembly of the MKIII disuade you from getting one.

 

[Precision32]

It's like anything else; READ THE DIRECTIONS!!!!!

Remember, some people can screw up an anvil with a rubber hammer.

 

[hittman]

Many folks have thousands and thousands of trouble free rounds down range without ever taking one apart for cleaning.

If tinkering is your bag ...... tear into it. Mine? Never been apart.

Hoppes, CLP spray, compressed air, silicone cloth and you're done cleaning.

 

[GasGuzzler]

I tinker so I take all my stuff all the way apart. I take stuff apart and put it back together for a living so it's no big deal and it helps me learn how it works. I like the challenge of these. For the average person, there is no need to pull it all the way apart. The only reason to do so other than fixing the trigger is getting all the wheel bearing grease out of it they put in at the factory. Someone at the store that would scare you off of a sale on one of these would only do so because he himself isn't equipped enough upstairs to do it himself. Read the instructions, follow them to a tee, watch the you tube videos. It's not that tough AFTER you buy a good solid soft face hammer and get over the fear to smack the crap out of it a few times until it gets a little easier to break apart.

 

[jl39775]

One of the local gun stores recommends not buying a Ruger, even though they sell them, because they are just too hard to take apart to clean.

I've watched the videos on You Tube. Doesn't seem that difficult. Maybe the problem isn't the complexity of taking it apart but rather that it is just physically hard to get the parts apart. I don't know.

I do know that I finally decided to order a stainless steel 4 inch Mark III. So just how hard is this thing going to be to disassemble?

I typically shoot about 3000 per year per gun. How often am I going to need to clean this thing? And do I need to take the firing pin out?

Don't listen to the local gun store. I had the same concern but still bought the 22/45 Mark III. The first time will be hard to reassemble. I recommend pushing in and out the pin 5-6 time when you first reassemble. This will help breakin the pin. I can now disassemble and reassemble in less than 2 minutes. Here's a video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sb82IlfNzNg I made on my 5 attempt.

 

[redmond]

Not hard - but - you MUST follow the manual exactly. No improvising. I actually enjoy cleaning mine.

 

[Buckhorn150]

Yes it does get easier the more you do it.have had my 22/45 for about 3 years and after the fourth or fifth time the barrel comes right off with no hammer help. pin even comes out easy. Dont pass up a mark because of disassembly,reassembly that would be a mistake.

 

[Doc TH]

My experience has been that the MKII is actually quite easy to disassemble, although there are a number of steps. Disassembling the MKIII is much tougher the first time - e.g., I had to use a plastic hammer as an aid, something I never had to do with the MKII. (A MKI I was issued by the Navy in 1966 could be disassembled quite easily & rapidly.) The MKIII got easier over time. I would never consider not buying a Ruger semiauto 22 because of a little challenge in take down & reassembly; they are worth the effort.

 

[Firenailer]

Go to ruger.com and click the resource tab at the top of the page. They have really good videos to walk you through disassembly, cleaning and reassembly.

I think the hardest thing for most people to wrap their brain around is giving it a smack with a non marring hammer. The whole thing is not that hard, and the pistol is worth it!

I've had my Mark II for nearly 30 years and it is still my favorite handgun.

Go for it, you won't regret it. But watch the video!

 

[CajunBass]

I avoided taking mine apart because I didn't need to. I just sprayed it with gunscrubber and put some oil on it. But a few weeks ago, I decided to learn to do it just for grins and giggles. Once you stop and think logically WHY you're doing something, it's nothing to it. It took me about five minutes to learn to do it. I can now take my Mark III apart (field strip) and put it back together again, including seperating the upper and lower, in less than one minute.

(1) Follow the directions. To the letter...except...

(2) When the directions say to let the hammer fall forward, think PUSH. Use a screwdriver.

(3) Do not be afraid to hit it. A plastic hammer/ big screwdriver handle, or something like that. It won't hurt a thing.

I doubt your dealer tells people not to buy a Ruger because they're hard to strip down. That might be the excuse, but I'd bet he makes more profit off whatever else he sells instead.

 

[Iguanason]

When I bought mine (first gun) I asked the LGS guy to show me how it comes apart. He declined of course and told me it was difficult and recommended not to try it. He said people bring these back in a bag. But he did give me a can of spray gun cleaner, showed me how and said just use that, it will go forever.

Of course one of the first things I did, after shooting it a few times, was to take it apart and put it back together. Watch some videos, read the manual, it's not that hard. Get a rubber mallet and a small wooden dowel.

 

[Fox Mike]

I have thousands of rounds through both of mine and other than when I took them apart to install a new trigger assy in each of them I never strip them. I 'spritz' them with a little brake cleaner if they are REALLY dirt and use a soft brush on the bolt face and extractor. I am of the old school motto of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

 

[Pal Val]

Is it hard to take down and put back together? Yes. The instructions hep a lot. There are videos on the net that will help, too. You can get the hang of it and then it will be OK...

...but... never... NEVER... NEVER... put in a magazine the wrong way.

You will end up saying words that will put tears in your mama's eyes. Guaranteed!

 

[DUNTOV]

I am not mechanically inclined. It was hard for me at first but as long as you follow the instructions it really isn't that hard.

Don't let the takedown and reassembly of the MKIII disuade you from getting one.

I agree, not at all difficult if you follow the instructions, and way easier if you remove the mag safety with a bushing, not to mention that the mags will eject so much better.

 

[jl39775]

I've had my 22/45 Mark III for about 2 months and I think it easier to disassemble and reassemble than my Glock. I only say this because I know how to completely take it apart and put it back together. I added the Mark II hammer bushing and it's 1 step easier. Only advice I have is practice. I heard about how hard it was to disassemble before I bought it and I was determined to master it.

 

[SweetWilliam]

I just bought my mark 3 target Tuesday & have had it apart twice.
Instruction wise it's easy but ergonomics wise it's tough.
On mine the main spring assembly pin is a S.O.B. Super tight.
The bbl. was kinda tight all so.
For now I'm gonna shoot it & hope it loosens up.
Next time I take it apart its gonna be to do a trigger job.

 

[russ69]

I have a half dozen or so Mark IIs and IIIs. But I got to tell you that last one I bought was a bear. I can take one apart in my sleep but that last one was really tight. It must have taken me 45 minutes to get it apart. I had to put it down a few times so I didn't do something stupid. Anyway, they get easier after you have shot them and had it apart a few times.

 

[Firenailer]

Go to Ruger.com watch the video. Problem solved!

 

[SweetWilliam]

Doesn't solve the problem if the main spring & bbl. are super tight. Like I said the instruction part is simple.

 

[gig]

I don't have a MKlll but do have a MKll and so far as I know they are not much different other than that pesky mag disconnect.
Just be sure that the hammer is in the fired position when you start to close the main pin catch.

Another small piece of advice concerning the MKll and I suppose the MKlll is the same.
The plunger and associated spring for the bolt hold open lever and the extractor are the same size; but NOT the same length.
Do not get them mixed up when reassembling!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

gig

 

[blume357]

The instructions are complicated and at least for me it is difficult but I would not trade in my MKIII for any other semi auto 22lr.....

 

[9638]

Disassembly for me is MUCH easier than reassembly. Making sure that the receiver is fully engaged in the frame is the key. A plastic hammer is still necessary for me.

 

[GasGuzzler]

My barrel now goes on and off the frame without a hammer (I press it against the floor).

 

[jl39775]

I've had my 22/45 Mark III for about 2 months and I think it easier to disassemble and reassemble than my Glock. I only say this because I know how to completely take it apart and put it back together. I added the Mark II hammer bushing and it's 1 step easier. Only advice I have is practice. I heard about how hard it was to disassemble before I bought it and I was determined to master it.

After taking the pin, upper and lower apart 5 times everything will be easy. You will be able to do this with only your hands. That's how many times it took my 22/45 Mark III to loosen up.

 

[Firenailer]

I've been cleaning my Mark II for 28 years now and I still have to tap with the non marking hammer to get it apart and back together. I used to need a wooden dowel to tap out that mainspring pin, but that goes in and out by hand now.

For some reason every now and then it still doesn't go perfectly and I just have to walk away from the bench and take a breath, get a glass of water, go watch the video again and then sit down and put it back together.

I can't figure it out, 99 times out of 100 it goes along just fine, but every now and then.... :evil: - but It's still the only firearm I own that I'd never sell.

 

[gig]

Here are a couple of sites where you can get a kit that includes a bolt pin that is separate from the hammer spring housing.
Once installed it would permit you to remove the bolt for cleaning the barrel and bolt without having to remove the upper from the lower on the MK line of pistols.

http://majesticarms.com/index.html

http://www.rimfiresports.com/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=RSC&Category_Code=VC2

 

[Chris]

The tolerances are extremely tight, at least on mine. I had my MKIII for years and it still takes a friendly rap from a plastic mallet to disengage the barrel from the frame. Thats after completed stripping it down maybe 3 dozen times maybe more, 25K plus rounds through it and never a problem. Even called Ruger once, and the nice woman said if it bothers you, we will send you a prepaid shipper and take a look at it, if it is out of spec, we will fix it and send it back to you.
For me it wasn't a big deal thanked her and declined her offer, mainly because of all the custom work I did internally and we all KNOW that ruger will take out all non factory parts and replace them with factory originals.
The disassembly and reassembly gets easier each time you do it, let face it, they are built like tanks.
On the reassembly it's generally the hammer strut gets stuck behind the cross pin and gives people the willys

chris

 

[langenc]

In response to the original post--Very easy.

On the other hand some fellows have some trouble w/ the reassembly. Watch the video, follow the directions, esp last couple steps (pulling the trigger) and you will master it after about 3 or 4 dis/reassembles.