Ugh. Big problem with my ruger mkiii

[woodentoe 14]

I was stripping my pistol and because you have to use the mag a bunch of times I got careless and put the mag in backwards. Well the mag disconnect caught the mag an it got stuck.

 

I got it loose but made the mistake of taking off both grips. When I released the mag a pin dropped out of the frame and this little metal bushings along with it. So help me I can't figure put how to get it back in. Ugh. The only gunsmith I know is at the guild in Rahway. And I won't be able to bring it until a week from Saturday. Fugg!!!!!!

[johnp 45]

Did you try looking at a parts schematic from Ruger's website? To see if that gave you any kind of clue?

 

http://www.ruger.com/products/_manuals/markIII.pdf

 

Pgs. 40-41

[woodentoe 14]

The pin that fell out is the sear pivot pin. What I called the bushing is actually the sear. The sear spring came out too but I never saw that so it is MIA. That spells gunsmith to me. Any recommendations?

[Soju 153]

Let me know how it turns out. I let someone shoot mine, and it never got shot, because he put the magazine in backwards. I had to take the entire thing apart. I thought I put it back together properly, but I guess not. Now, it will not fully cycle, and fails to return all the way to battery without a whack. Not sure what I did wrong. Too many little parts...

[woodentoe 14]

Great.

[Ian S 22]

If you've completely lost the spring, order a new one. But take some time to look for it first, it may still be where it landed.

 

Then there is at least one detailed take down video on the web. Brownell's was what I used. Search for "MK III trigger job" videos. The takedown and reassembly is all you really need. It really isn't hard if you have something to walk you through it.

 

This is a great time to fully clean it, especially the hard to reach and impossible areas that you've never seen before like around the trigger plunger and under the disconnector. So take it as a blessing in disguise.

[Pizza Bob 1,488]

Sounds like a good time to install a Volquartsen (or other) trigger kit. Just an observation.

[NJdiverTony 27]

Sounds like a good time to install a Volquartsen (or other) trigger kit. Just an observation.

 

+1 I agree... I did some Volquartsen upgrades on the Mark III Hunter I recently bought and the difference in the trigger and how the gun shoots is nothing short of amazing.

[woodentoe 14]

well, looking at the schematic, the only thing I'm missing is the sear spring. I can pick that up for a couple bucks from ruger. Is the trigger kit something I could do myself? or am I jsut asking for trouble?

[bry@n 195]

I agree with Pizza Bob but had a friend to the exact same thing.

 

He ended up sending it back to Ruger, who fixed it for free. They did say they wouldn't fix it again for free though. So all in all, your on the hook for shiping to Ruger.

 

Nothing wrong with a going to a gunsmith but on a new gun, why not send it back to Ruger? That is what I would do or, upgrade it and never look back.

[Ian S 22]

You should be able to do it. The volquartsen trigger is a drop in replacement. No fitting required and directions and tips for setting the adjustment screws are widely available. It is not something you'd need a smith for. It's really a great, relatively easy DIY project.

[Ian S 22]

As for the missing sear spring... It wouldn't have been under tension when the pin dropped out. It may just be hanging around inside the frame still.

[NJdiverTony 27]

well, looking at the schematic, the only thing I'm missing is the sear spring. I can pick that up for a couple bucks from ruger. Is the trigger kit something I could do myself? or am I jsut asking for trouble?

 

You can do it on your own... I did my own and it wasn't that difficult. If you're comfortable with taking things apart, tinkering and putting them back together, then you shouldn't have any issues. Just go slowly and pay attention to where each part goes and reference schematics and any videos on youtube or online that can help guide you. The upgrade is really worth it.

[NJdiverTony 27]

By the way... you don't HAVE to do the whole Volquartsen trigger kit (aka Volquartsen Accurizing Kit) if you don't want... You can just replace your stock sear with a Volquartsen sear and you'll still have some awesome results in the trigger pull of your Mark III. It's also much cheaper to do only the sear.

[woodentoe 14]

The whole kit only runs about $100 right? unless I was looking at the wrong thing.

 

Or I could accept it as is and just get a sear spring from ruger for $2.00

 

At least I would know how to put the new trigger in if I eveuntually get the kit.

[NJdiverTony 27]

The whole kit only runs about $100 right? unless I was looking at the wrong thing.

 

Or I could accept it as is and just get a sear spring from ruger for $2.00

 

At least I would know how to put the new trigger in if I eveuntually get the kit.

 

The whole accurizing kit is $115 whereas the Target Sear kit is $28 plus the $2.00 for your spring. Just the target Sear replacement alone will make a fantastic improvement in your trigger pull... I highly recommend it.

[woodentoe 14]

It's a little annoying that volkquartsen doesn't sell the sear spring outside of the kit. shopruger.com has the spring for $2 but then you have to pay $4 to ship it. gr.

[njplinker 8]

I installed the full accurizing kit in my 22/45 and it was pretty easy (the mkiii is very similar). There are lots of YouTube videos on how to install so if you follow along you shouldnt need a gunsmith. Get the mkii bushing and kit to eliminate the magazine disconnect.

 

[the_stranger 13]

Second that on the bushing. Makes a world of difference. I also did the sear in my 22/45 - much better trigger.

The Gun Talk site has some great detailed instructions.

 

http://www.guntalk-online.com/service.html

http://rugerforum.net/ruger-rimfires/37042-ruger-mark-iii-magazine-disconnect.html

http://bushing.webs.com/

[siderman 1,140]

Having taken my new 22/45 out of the box last week for a "quick" field strip /re-assembly, to the range and back and cleaning it my desire for a 22 revolver is now stronger! I got this 6 months ago to fill my want for a in-expensive plinker & wife friendly gun and it is a fun gun but has too many little annoying complexities but like everthing else will become routine over time. I will def do the bushing swap but thats it as anything else defeats the purpose of a cheap plinker. Way too complex for wifey so revolver is next. One thing I did notice was during the dis-assembly the bolt pin of course had to be banged out but the barrel came off very easy, no whacks to it, practically fell off, is that a concern? Gun has been taken apart a few times and doesnt seem comprimised at all.

[njplinker 8]

The 22/45 will run just fine when dirty, so disassembly/cleaning doesn't have to happen often. Eventually you'll get proficient with it and hopefully be able to take it down in under a minute. Dont worry about the barrel coming off easilly unless its loose or wobbly when its fully assembled .

 

Other than the quirky disassembly, and and the annoying mag disconnect that prevents smooth mag changes what do you find complicated about it? Operates pretty much like any 1911, is super reliable with almost any ammo parts are cheap and readily available and has a huge aftermarket if the bug bites you. Plus reloads are much quicker than a revolver and you can get the ultimate mag loader to make the mag reloads super quick and easy.

[woodentoe 14]

Update:

 

Went to the Rahway guild and picked up a new sear spring. I used the following URL for guidance: http://www.guntalk-online.com/detailstrip.htm

 

I took it down all the way and gave her a good scrubbing with Break Free CLP and put her back together.

 

On the first attempt, I didn't seat the mag disconnect properly and she wouldn't go into battery and dry fire. so I took the trigger assembly and the sear out and tried again.

 

 

She works, yes.

[siderman 1,140]

The 22/45 will run just fine when dirty, so disassembly/cleaning doesn't have to happen often. Eventually you'll get proficient with it and hopefully be able to take it down in under a minute. Dont worry about the barrel coming off easilly unless its loose or wobbly when its fully assembled .

 

Other than the quirky disassembly, and and the annoying mag disconnect that prevents smooth mag changes what do you find complicated about it? Operates pretty much like any 1911, is super reliable with almost any ammo parts are cheap and readily available and has a huge aftermarket if the bug bites you. Plus reloads are much quicker than a revolver and you can get the ultimate mag loader to make the mag reloads super quick and easy.

 

Quirky is right! quirky dis-assembly, re-assembly, sticky mag, having to man handle & beat the thing with a hammer/pin(sometimes) to work on and the inherant risk of trouble from slamming the mag in backwards which seems to happen unfortunatly. However it does seem to operate very nice and is accurate. I have no prob taking it down and back together its just another gun with its own charecter. It just isnt a good fit for my wife who can pull the trigger on it but wont be able to maintain it thus the need for a revolver which she will be able to clean easy enough. And I must admit i am guilty of making the 22/45 look harder to work on in front of her so she sees the wisdom of getting the 22 revolver

[njplinker 8]

Oh, your wife will be doing the maintenance too. Then I understand your position. Guess the thought of my wife cleaning our guns was so foreign to me that I didn't think that was on the table.

 

[woodentoe 14]

Personally, I love the pistol. Stripping and cleaning is made out to be worse than it has to be. If you're willing to slow down a little bit and follow the steps exactly, it comes right apart and goes right together. But, if you rush it before you know where everything goes, you'll lock it up and give yourself a headache. Does it strip as easily as my P95? hell no. But, it is equally as tough to disassemble my revolver as it is the Mkiii

 

As far as detail stripping, it has been proven to be the same thing. Slow down, and follow the steps. In the end, the gun wants to go pack together and it will.

 

I'm glad I didn't listen to the horror story hype about dis/assembly. It's a great and fun gun.

 

Jim

[NJdiverTony 27]

Personally, I love the pistol. Stripping and cleaning is made out to be worse than it has to be. If you're willing to slow down a little bit and follow the steps exactly, it comes right apart and goes right together. But, if you rush it before you know where everything goes, you'll lock it up and give yourself a headache. Does it strip as easily as my P95? hell no. But, it is equally as tough to disassemble my revolver as it is the Mkiii

 

As far as detail stripping, it has been proven to be the same thing. Slow down, and follow the steps. In the end, the gun wants to go pack together and it will.

 

I'm glad I didn't listen to the horror story hype about dis/assembly. It's a great and fun gun.

 

Jim

 

I hear ya... I was thinking the same thing recently when I bought my Mk III Hunter... All the comments I saw online about how hard they are to field strip and put back together had me worried at first. But it's not bad at all... It's just a matter of following the steps, like you said. Once you can follow the right steps, it's a piece of cake. And I agree... it's an AWESOME gun and crazy accurate!