Help! Field striped my Ruger 22/45 Mark III and now it won't fire.

[Marksman]

Please help. I field striped my newly acquired 22/45 Mark III Target to clean. My first mistake but the previous owner had it for about 3 years and it was filthy.

Stripped it down and cleaned it real well and was able to put it back together after a few hours and many expletives after figuring out how the main spring tang seats.

Now will not fire. Pull the trigger and nothing. Mags feel very tight as well.

What did I do wrong?

 

[ihriec]

It took me a while to really get the hang of taking down and putting back together my Ruger 22/45. I suggest you take it apart again and make sure you follow the instructions in the Ruger manual very closely.

 

[hvymax]

You took it apart. Youtube is your friend. Or you could do like half of the people and take it in a bag to a gunsmith.

 

[anil]

So many things can go wrong with reassembly. You probably didn't get that strut in the grip area to mate with the hammerspring.

 

[Marksman]

So many things can go wrong with reassembly. You probably didn't get that strut in the grip area to mate with the hammerspring.

No, I was able to figure the main spring out. I believe the problem lies somewhere in the hammer or trigger (although I did not touch the trigger mechanism). After I got the bolt in, I pushed it back up into position just like the youtube vid said.

This has got to be one of the most complicated designs in firearm history.

 

[Marksman]

It took me a while to really get the hang of taking down and putting back together my Ruger 22/45. I suggest you take it apart again and make sure you follow the instructions in the Ruger manual very closely.

I'm going to try and tackle it again tonight. I hope you're correct.

 

[HoCoShooter]

I found the manual to be more helpful than Google was when I took mine apart. Other than having to beat the crap out the barrel to get it off the frame it wasn't too bad - like anil said it was probably the strut step.

 

[ihriec]

I found the instructions in the manual to be more precise. Many of the YouTube videos I watched didn't have all the right steps and I had to refer back to the manual to get it right.

 

[SRD]

As an owner of a few MK series,I feel your pain.

 

[anil]

As an owner of a few MK series,I feel your pain.

Lol.

I've come to the conclusion that I should only boresnake my 22/45 until it stops functioning. Even after a dozen disassembles it is still a pain.

With that strut in the grip:. Mainspring will close if the strut is up or down. On my phone now so can't easily look up docs nor can I really recall which is correct.

I think it needs be pointed up. I remember having to hold the gun at an angle when closing the mainspring. Or maybe I'm remembering one of the times I did it wrong. *sigh*

 

[aquashooter]

After 10 TRIES, I gave up and took my 22/45 down to Sil Spr Atl Guns. I said "Preety Please" and he whipped it right back together. I bought 2 Majestic Arms bolt removal adapters, but I have not tried to install them yet.

 

[Boom Boom]

Sounds like you managed to close the latch with the hammer strut not seated in the pocket at the top of the latch. It's easy to tell if that's the case when you're closing the latch because there will be no spring resistance. Where are you located?

 

[CroftonBilly]

I posted some links in this thread which you may find helpful. You'll get it figured out.
http://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?p=1752192

 

[Marksman]

I've literally had this thing apart and back together again at least about a hundred times in the last 4 day - I have mastered aligning the hammer strut into the main spring.

I have narrowed it down to something binding up the safety. Trigger group functions flawlessly without barrel installed. Once the barrel is installed and pounded on (barrel hangs over the 'beaver tail' about 1/16 of an inch), it will not come off of the fire position. Look inside before inserting the bolt and see nothing binding the safety but it will not move. Finish reassembly and pull bolt back (sometimes sticks) and no pew.

 

[Boom Boom]

During reassembly, before you close the latch, are you following these steps:
1) hold gun upside down with thumb resting on the trigger
2) inserting empty magazine
3) release magazine so sticking out slightly
4) press and release trigger a few times with your thumb
5) press and hold trigger with your thumb
6) while holding trigger, tilt gun up so hammer strut slips into latch pocket and then close latch
7) release trigger

There's a good video here:
http://www.ruger.com/resources/videos.html
Click on "Ruger Tech Tips" avatar on lower left. Then click on "Reassembly" for 22/45.

 

[Marksman]

Success!! Pew, pew, pew!

It was the magazine safety disconnector spring!

The pretentious little prima donna had fallen off of its little pedastal and needed to be raised back up again. Little SOB.

 

[Boom Boom]

Ugh. Did you remove the hammer pin a few days ago?

Do yourself a favor and get rid of the mag disconnect by replacing with a TandemKross hammer bushing.
http://www.tandemkross.com/Steel-Ruger-Mark-III-2245-Magazine-Disconnect-Bushing_p_9.html
http://www.tandemkross.com/Mark-III-and-2245-Basic-Upgrade-Kit-Combo_p_34.html

 

[Marksman]

Ugh. Did you remove the hammer pin a few days ago?

No, just a simple field strip - that's why I don't understand how it got released from the top of the mag disconnect.

Do yourself a favor and get rid of the mag disconnect by replacing with a TandemKross hammer bushing.
http://www.tandemkross.com/Steel-Ruger-Mark-III-2245-Magazine-Disconnect-Bushing_p_9.html
http://www.tandemkross.com/Mark-III-and-2245-Basic-Upgrade-Kit-Combo_p_34.html

Thanks for the link, I will order one in short order.

 

[freddie]

Success!! Pew, pew, pew!

It was the magazine safety disconnector spring!

The pretentious little prima donna had fallen off of its little pedastal and needed to be raised back up again. Little SOB.

Yep - that little sucker did the same thing to me once on my Target Mark III - after 8 hours I found it as well - I share your pain.

If you get the majestic I don't recommend the trigger upgrade - others love it - I had to deal with that same dang spring again and I choose not to never ever to again.

 

[Jmurman]

I replaced my mag disconnect and went with the Majestic speed strip and bushing. I also added a VQ sear and trigger. Talk about being nervous!

Once you break your Ruger down and put it back together a few times, its real familiar.