I know it's probably happened a billion times, but I've got problems.

Never done it before, but have it all apart for the first time.

Problem:
I can get everything back together, but when I try to pull back the slide it locks up on the hammer.

Don't know if it's a relationship with the sear/hammer, but the hammer catches the bold when I try to pull it back.

Also, is there supposed to be spring tension on the hammer in sear? It seems like the hammer just flops around irregardless of the trigger.

I'm at a loss, but not frustrated... yet.
Thanks for help in advance.

I hate those little bastards! I haven't shot mine in 5 years and I know I couldn't get it put back together if I took it apart to clean it.

I know this isn't any help, but when I heard the guys at the gun club bitching about the very problem you're having, I decided to buy a Browning Buckmark.
Someone should come along to help you.
Good luck,

Don

Flip the pistol upside down and slightly muzzle up while you have the mainspring unlatched. You have to allow the little metal extension from the hammer to seat in the cupped plunger in the mainspring housing before you flip the take down lever back in place to lock the mainspring housing down.

hope that helped.

Rick R,
If you're ever in minnesota give me a call, 218-753-3116. I'll buy you a drink and take you muskie fishing.


I went out drinking tonight thinking I would never get this thing back together... I even checked www.markIII.org. to no avail...

Field stripped it down to the bone...
and guess what?

I got it together, drunk at quarter to 5 in the morn, 1 minute after reading your email.

Thanks for all your help, that mainspring and the hammer arm were the key!
--mark...
PS: Here's to 1,000 more rounds before I strip down the ornery bitch again! (although now I think I know the nature of the beast)

I love the pistol, but all I can say is get a stainless one if it's your first. I sweat bullets hoping I would't scratch the blue on this thing taking it down.

Thanks again times 10,
Mark.

I have 2 of them, Why take it apart?? I take a can of Gun Scrubber and just hose the thing down, maybe once a year, a little lite lube and off we go for another year. I have shot thousands of rounds through one of them and rarely have a misfire.

I have had several of these apart- and back. I sure don't see a need to do it every 1000 rounds, more like 10000 for a .22. Hit it with brakeclean, let it dry, oil and shoot.

I think everyone who has taken a Ruger .22 pistol apart has know real despair until they got it back together. You just gotta do it once.

I've had mine (Mark 1)since I was 17, 30+ years with no problems and minimal upkeep. To tell the truth I can't remember the last time I cleaned it.

I learned that trick when I used it for bullseye shooting in an Explorer program. The guys who ran the program used High Stardard target pistols and admitted the Ruger would give them run for the money. I then used it for Metallic Silhouette shooting in spite of having the 5.5" barrel version and knocked down quite few steel critters. Then in the 80's I drove the other shooters nutz at the indoor ranges in Houston TX by clipping an empty fifty round paper .22lr box to the target holder, running it out to 25 yards and trying to put the bullets back in it from a two handed stance. I usually ended up with a box riddled with holes.

Enjoy your Ruger, you can't wear it out.

PS You're welcome, I'll have a beer tonite to celebrate your success!