Any of our IP's Ruger Mark 2 repairmen?

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  • 71Chevelle427

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 19, 2015
    3,298
    B'More County, Maryland
    Not necessarily in need of "repairs", but for some reason the mainspring housing will not come open after opening the mainspring housing latch. It feels like there is something still holding it latched, and I'd rather not ruin a 25 year old pistol if someone knows, or has an idea what's going on here....
     

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,818
    Not necessarily in need of "repairs", but for some reason the mainspring housing will not come open after opening the mainspring housing latch. It feels like there is something still holding it latched, and I'd rather not ruin a 25 year old pistol if someone knows, or has an idea what's going on here....

    Every time I take mine apart it takes me 2 hours to get it back together, and when I finally do, I have no idea how I did it. :shrug:
     

    71Chevelle427

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 19, 2015
    3,298
    B'More County, Maryland
    Every time I take mine apart it takes me 2 hours to get it back together, and when I finally do, I have no idea how I did it. :shrug:

    I can't even get to the RE-assembly part, lol.

    Do you still have the manual for it? If not...

    The Ruger MKI/II/III series are a PITA to disassemble/reassemble.

    Yes, although the manual is much more confusing than the videos I have seen. I can easily get the "latch" open, but as I said, the mainspring housing itself (the part inside of the grip handle), will not budge. I can push the "slide pin" a bit, and also move the mainspring housing a little, so it's not stuck in between the grips...it is as if it is still latched closed? I tried prying the housing out with a small screwdriver, and also tried pulling on the latch itself with a pair of pliers. Something is not releasing, and even the diagrams don't really show what is supposed to hold the housing in, if the latch were closed. (if that makes sense?)

    Bob, here is a link to Ruger's videos on how to dissassemble and reassemble the Ruger Mark series pistols. I used it when cleaning my MKIII and it was still a pain in the ass, but now I think I've got it down.

    http://www.ruger.com/products/markIIITarget/extras.html

    The one video I have watched over and over, the guy opens the latch with a paper clip, and the mainspring housing literally falls open...not mine. :sad20:
     

    gwchem

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 18, 2014
    3,434
    SoMD
    Can you give the latch a downward tap with a rubber mallet? Last time I took down my Mark I it was completely stuck in two places (it had been a LOOONG time between cleanings). I had trouble getting the mainspring housing to rotate backwards, and the bolt pin was almost welded into the frame. Both easily released with a few hard taps of the mallet.

    Is the mainspring housing rotating at all? There's not much behind it to catch on, at least lower in the frame.

    Here's a good set of instructions. The last steps (point straight down, then point straight up) are critical in my experience: http://www.instructables.com/id/Ruger-Mark-III-Pistol-Take-Down-and-Assembly/?ALLSTEPS
     

    gwchem

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 18, 2014
    3,434
    SoMD
    And one more question, but you've probably tried all ways by now. Have you put the safety into the "F" position, and pulled the trigger? Need to do so before disassembly. Make sure it's unloaded.
     

    ponypeddler87

    Active Member
    Feb 17, 2013
    183
    St. Marys
    And one more question, but you've probably tried all ways by now. Have you put the safety into the "F" position, and pulled the trigger? Need to do so before disassembly. Make sure it's unloaded.

    I hope you don't do it in that order or your old lady may get upset with bullet holes in the house. Just joking with ya
     

    71Chevelle427

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 19, 2015
    3,298
    B'More County, Maryland
    Can you give the latch a downward tap with a rubber mallet? Last time I took down my Mark I it was completely stuck in two places (it had been a LOOONG time between cleanings). I had trouble getting the mainspring housing to rotate backwards, and the bolt pin was almost welded into the frame. Both easily released with a few hard taps of the mallet.

    Is the mainspring housing rotating at all? There's not much behind it to catch on, at least lower in the frame.


    Here's a good set of instructions. The last steps (point straight down, then point straight up) are critical in my experience: http://www.instructables.com/id/Ruger-Mark-III-Pistol-Take-Down-and-Assembly/?ALLSTEPS

    I just watched the Ruger site video, which also shows the mainspring housing literally falling out when the latch is opened. :mad54:

    The bolt pin, I can slightly move easily, with just my thumb.
    The mainspring housing, I can very slightly "rock" at either the very bottom (near mag well), or at the top (near the bolt pin). So, it "appears" that it isn't actually frozen in the grip itself, but feels like it's still latched, with latch fully opened. With latch open, I can push the housing in and out, and hear/feel it bump something solid when released, like it would sound like if still latched...

    I need to figure out what's still keeping it latched.

    The only reason I even want to disassemble it is because the bolt itself, seems a little "gritty" when pulled backwards, and shows some wear on the left side, as looking from the rear. I just wanted to remove the bolt and polish it, and where the bolt slides inside. :sad20:

    And one more question, but you've probably tried all ways by now. Have you put the safety into the "F" position, and pulled the trigger? Need to do so before disassembly. Make sure it's unloaded.

    Yes, that's how I have been doing it.
     

    71Chevelle427

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 19, 2015
    3,298
    B'More County, Maryland
    Here's a good set of instructions. The last steps (point straight down, then point straight up) are critical in my experience: http://www.instructables.com/id/Ruger-Mark-III-Pistol-Take-Down-and-Assembly/?ALLSTEPS

    At STEP 5, mine's all done, and won't move...referring to the mainspring housing itself that the red arrow is pointing towards...latch opens fine, but also feels "gritty", for lack of a better word.

    FGCHHREGCJ0ZL3V.MEDIUM.jpg
     

    71Chevelle427

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 19, 2015
    3,298
    B'More County, Maryland
    It sounds like it's not uncocking properly, or that hammer pin is still stuck. It tends to travel off to the side and get stuck in my very dirty gun. Try whacking the muzzle and/or bolt pin with a mallet, and re-cock and dry fire.

    Some good advice here, echoing this idea: http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=75914

    http://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=5&f=50&t=89129

    Thanks for the links!

    Will check them out when I get caught up here at work.

    I am looking at this exploded view, and wonder if the "mainspring housing latch pin" may be slightly out of the hole, preventing the housing from coming out?

    Part #34

    ruger_mark_2.gif
     

    gwchem

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 18, 2014
    3,434
    SoMD
    Chevelle, did you get it open? I can take a look inside mine this weekend to see if there's anything that pin might catch on, and I know from experience you should be able to see the hammer pin position through the frame if that's your problem. Some of the forums suggest sliding a metal strip in there (at the bottom of the mainspring housing) to make sure it's not protruding.
     

    71Chevelle427

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 19, 2015
    3,298
    B'More County, Maryland
    Chevelle, did you get it open? I can take a look inside mine this weekend to see if there's anything that pin might catch on, and I know from experience you should be able to see the hammer pin position through the frame if that's your problem. Some of the forums suggest sliding a metal strip in there (at the bottom of the mainspring housing) to make sure it's not protruding.

    No, I did not. I'm not 100% sure where the hammer pin "should" be, so I need to do some more picture searching, I guess.

    I suppose a gap gauge would work for checking around the mainspring housing.

    I was also told by Dr. Bob at Freestate, and read somewhere to try sharply hitting the muzzle against a 2x4 to ensure the hammer was in proper position, but that did not work.

    On the brightside, the bolt on Ruger Mark2 they had at Freestate feels exactly like mine, so at least there's no problem like I thought, but now it's a mission to get the darn thing open.

    I appreciate the help, for sure. :thumbsup:
     

    rico903

    Ultimate Member
    May 2, 2011
    8,802
    Like my Rugers but what a shit design compared to my Buckmarks. Only reason I want to take mine apart is to put a Tac Sol upper on it.
     

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