I went and did it now.

Big Smoke · #1 03-04-2012, 10:05 AM

Just bought a Ruger 22/45 mkIII. Took it to the range yesterday for the first time, and sighted in my red dot sight. Got it hitting pretty much spot on.
Took it home and started to disassemble it to clean it. This is the first time I've ever taken one of these down, so like I always do with an unfamiliar gun, I bought an AGI video Armorers' course for it. Well, apparently, it just wan't my day. I made sure the hammer was down, like the video said. I started to pull the hammer strut down with a pocket screwdriver, and it was tight/stuck. Then I realized the magazine was still in, and I released it. Then the hammer strut moved freely. But it wouldn't pull down and out of the gun. It wouldn't budge. So I pushed it back up all the way in, and replaced the hammer strut. I attempted to cock the gun and dry fire it, but the bolt was sticking. I pulled a little harder, and it came back, but had to be forced to go into battery. Not too much force, just a nudge from the palm of my hand. But now it won't dry fire. So now I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. I don't know if the hammer is up or down, why the bolt is sticking, and the video said if you forget to put the hammer down and try to remove the hammer strut, it will stick and you won't get it out, or back in. I have it in, but not sure what's going on, and I'm afraid to mess it up.
So I guess it's off to a qualified gunsmith for this brand new gun.

Sometimes I feel so stupid.

Grouse · #2 03-04-2012, 10:35 AM

send me a couple of photos of where you are at. These are rock hard to take a part. I had to use a brass hammer and punch set to drive the pin down and back in. I have put 10k through mine.

sdmc530 · #3 03-04-2012, 11:12 AM

they can be a tough one to deal with but after you do it once properly it will be second nature, post a pic, we will get you set up!

Big Smoke · #4 03-04-2012, 12:40 PM

This first pic shows the hammer strut wanting to come out after I pulled the release lever. At this point, it is very tight to come any further.

This picture shows the bolt pulled out. It is not locked, but will close with a smack of your hand. Not good.

Here is a close up of the open bolt.

Another view of the open bolt.

And here you see the safety is on, indicating the gun is cocked, and the hammer is up. The Armorer's video warns not to attempt to remove the hammer spring with the hammer up, or you will damage the strut, and not be able to remove it, or put it back. But when I pull the trigger, nothing. So I assume it is not going into full battery, or something is binding at bolt and hammer.

Big Smoke · #5 03-04-2012, 12:55 PM

Upon closer inspection, I notice the bolt not closing all the way, keeping it from going into battery, and not being able to lower the hammer. These next two pics indicate this.

douglas_knott · #6 03-04-2012, 02:52 PM

Sorry I was chuckling within the second sentence. I knew what happened. Xiao I first got mine and done The same thing it took me forever to get it back together. After several hours of messing with and when I finally got it functioning properly I had the pistol sold very quickly.

Big Smoke · #7 03-04-2012, 02:56 PM

How did you fix it?

GoldenVolt · #8 03-04-2012, 03:23 PM

It sounds like your hammer strut missed the opening of the main spring. It takes a couple times to get the hang of it.....

IF YOU HAVE DIFFICULTY REASSEMBLING THE PISTOL,
HERE ARE SOME HELPFUL TIPS!
If the hammer strut does not contact the plunger inside the mainspring
housing as it is swung shut, it will either be impossible to close the housing, or
the housing will close but the bolt cannot be fully opened without binding.
Make sure strut is free, hammer is uncocked, and repeat steps 6-11, above.
If the mainspring housing pulls out of the gun when swung in, the barrel/
receiver assembly is not fully rearward on the frame. Repeat step 3, above.
Remember that it is essential that the hammer must be in its vertical,
uncocked, position as the mainspring housing is swung shut. If the housing is
excessively difficult to close, the hammer is probably cocked. Repeat steps 7-12,
above.
The foregoing may give the impression that reassembly is difficult, but it is

quickly and easily done once properly learned.

I don't have one anymore, but I remember having the same issues. I doubt you hurt anything.

Good luck.

Greg

Grouse · #9 03-04-2012, 03:26 PM

simple fix

pul out the back of the handle,
turn it upside down setting it on a table.

shine a light inside.

the thick wedge shaped thing needs to pull up towards you.

this can be achieved by setting the gun upright and pulling it down with a dental pick.

shine a light into that area. you will see a thin rod / stamped piece of spring steel. That was up into the bolt area. It needs to come down to allow the wedge to go all the way up.

that spring steel will also come down with the dental pick. if not go ahead and drive out the pin till it falls down.

If needed re insert the pin, making sure to hold that spring steel piece from going up.

push wedge upward into the bolt area

reinsert the back of handle making sure the spring steel piece fits into the springed detent on the back of handle lever.

if needed use leather mallet to drive pin all the way up. then insert back of handle

close back of handle latch.

belive it or not mkII was so much easier. this mkiii is a pain in the boooot

Grouse · #10 03-04-2012, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoldenVolt

It sounds like your hammer strut missed the opening of the main spring. It takes a couple times to get the hang of it.....

IF YOU HAVE DIFFICULTY REASSEMBLING THE PISTOL,
HERE ARE SOME HELPFUL TIPS!
If the hammer strut does not contact the plunger inside the mainspring
housing as it is swung shut, it will either be impossible to close the housing, or
the housing will close but the bolt cannot be fully opened without binding.
Make sure strut is free, hammer is uncocked, and repeat steps 6-11, above.
If the mainspring housing pulls out of the gun when swung in, the barrel/
receiver assembly is not fully rearward on the frame. Repeat step 3, above.
Remember that it is essential that the hammer must be in its vertical,
uncocked, position as the mainspring housing is swung shut. If the housing is
excessively difficult to close, the hammer is probably cocked. Repeat steps 7-12,
above.
The foregoing may give the impression that reassembly is difficult, but it is

quickly and easily done once properly learned.

I don't have one anymore, but I remember having the same issues. I doubt you hurt anything.

Good luck.

Greg

exactly it sounds like he has it caught up in the slide.