Mk III Magazine disconnect question

[perrybucsdad]

I'm new to the forum, but have been shooting and carrying a long time. I recently purchased a Mk III Slabside pistol to work on my trigger control and to teach my daughter how to shoot a pistol. The one disappointment that I have had with the gun though is the disconnect.

The trouble began last week when I accidentally inserted the magazine backwards into the gun. Wow... did I feel like an idiot, but from what I read online, this is not that uncommon. Well, I learned how much a PITA this pistol is to disassemble in no short order.

Anyhow, while working on getting the magazine unstuck, and back together, I decided I wanted to prevent this from ever happening again. In doing my research, I see there is a method of using two 5mm SS washers and 1 #10 SAE washer and removing the magazine disconnector and the disconnector spring. Since I didn't have any of these sized washers at the time of initial reassembly, I just removed them and looked at the internals to see if this would work (and what would happen with the hammer assembly if it drifted side to side).

I reassembled the pistol, and figured after a few dry fires it would lock up or something, but nothing bad seemed to happen, and the pistol "seems" to work just fine.

So my question to all you who are way more familiar with this than I am, is, does one need to install the washers? I have them now, and it's not a big thing to do, but more just morbidly curious.

Also, does anyone know how to keep the Lock detent plunger (#55) and the lock detent plunger spring (#56) from popping out of the mainspring assembly? First time I took mine apart for cleaning I lost these two items and it took me quite some time to find them. Each time I disassemble, they come out and I know one of these days I will not find them. I've assembled the gun without them just to see if I can notice any difference with them out of the gun, but all seems fine. Any tips here would be most welcome.

Thanks,

John

 

[contender]

Welcome to the Forum John.
I would install the washers "just in case." While you may not have any problems initially, you could have them at a later date. Keeping the hammer aligned etc is a good way to insure you do not have any problems.
As for the mainspring lock detent plunger and spring issue. I've not heard of this issue. I'd call Ruger about it. They may replace the assy for you.

 

[perrybucsdad]

Thanks for the info Contender. I may just give Ruger a call like you suggest.

The strange thing is when I remove those two items, I don't notice ANY difference. Very strange.

John

 

[Fox Mike]

Also, does anyone know how to keep the Lock detent plunger (#55) and the lock detent plunger spring (#56) from popping out of the mainspring assembly? First time I took mine apart for cleaning I lost these two items and it took me quite some time to find them. Each time I disassemble, they come out and I know one of these days I will not find them. I've assembled the gun without them just to see if I can notice any difference with them out of the gun, but all seems fine. Any tips here would be most welcome.

Something I was told to do when disassembling the pistol was to place it in a large clear plastic bag and then disassemble it so when things go 'sprong!' they are trapped in the bag. At least you won't spend days looking for the 'whatever the hell just popped out?'.

 

[perrybucsdad]

Great tip Fox.

 

[perrybucsdad]

Just ordered the VQ Accurizing kit. It says it is a drop in system, but if I have a MkIII that means the Mag release is expected to be there, or can I remove it and use the three washers method?

 

[Chris]

Perry
You can always remove the washers and purchase a mark II bushing, there like 5 bucks

 

[afallen]

I have a mark iii slab side and replaced the hammer bush with a mark ii bush which allowed me to remove the magazine disconnect. Works like a dream. This way, you can install the mark ii accurizing kit. This gets rid of a lot problems including having a magazine stuck in backwards (cheaper too). Only problem though, is you don't have the safety that the magazine disconnect offers.

 

[perrybucsdad]

Rats... wish I would have realized that before I ordered the kit. I thought that there might be other differences in the MkII vs MkIII. Oh well, I'll just use the washers I guess.

As a side note, when I did the washer trick, the video and write up I saw said to use two 5mm washers and one #10 SAE washer. If I remove the spring and disconnect and replace with those three washers, the assembly is so tight, the hammer has travel issues. I took the #10 washer out and all work just fine.

Edit: If I want to get the MkII bushing, can anyone let me know where I can purchase one online (other than Ruger)?

 

[Chris]

Perry
Those are some of the problems you can have, basically because although the washers say 10mm 5 mm etc they can be out of spec by 1/1000 th and poof more aggravation.
You can get them here

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=31838/Product/RUGER-reg-MARK-II-HAMMER-BUSHING
l
et me know how you make out

Chris

 

[contender]

I just keep my eyes open for MKII bushings in parts bins at gun shows that have dealers in such things. cheaper to buy those than anything.

 

[mishtub]

This guy makes a hammer bushing for $10 that solves the problem. I have one in my Mk 3 with a VQ trigger & sear that got my trigger pull down to 2lb 1 oz. Good guy to deal with I got it in 9 days after I sent my $ during X-mas mail season.
Sam Lam's email: [email protected]

 

[SGW Gunsmith]

Yup, Sam Lam offers these bushings, NEW price $11.00, shipped right to your door. Better than the Mark II bushings as there is step built into his bushing that fills the gap from the mag disco parts. The Mark II bushing does not fill that gap and if the bushing needs to be pressed into the hammer the flange could flex a bit. Once Sam's bushing is installed your magazines will "click" into place much more positively and when empty and you hit the mag release, they literally "shoot" out of the grip frame. Best $11.00 you can spend and saves the time of "cobbling" up washers but still using the original Mark III hammer bushing which normally fits very loosely in the hammer. Sam's is a better, tighter fit, eliminating some (small amount) of creep.