I used to charge $10 to put them back together. That was like making over $100 an hour.
I stripped down a MkIII today and cleaned it for a friend at work. They were surprised at how easy it was to break down. After I finished cleaning it they were amazed at how easily I put it back together. That had always been told that they were a pain to get back together.
Just think if you had never seen a doorknob and was told to open a door, you might hav a little trouble. With the Ruger, you just need to find the doorknob.
Here are some simple instructions that will make you a pro at putting one back together. You will need a paper clip and a soft mallet.
First de-cock the gun. Use the paper clip to catch the takedown lever on the back of the grip. Pull it down to unlock the backstrap. With the backstrap out pull it down to remove the pin from the frame.
Now stop for a second and look at the backstrap. It is actually the main spring housing. There is a little cup on the top kind of like on a 1911. When putting the gun back together the hammer strut needs to rest in that cup. Well get back to it later.
To remove the bolt. This is where some start to have trouble. You remember that doorknob? Now is time to stop and get a flashlight to have a look at the doorknob. Shine into the back of the grip and you will see a pin that goes across the inter frame. It looks like it’s there for nothing, but it the sear spring retaining pin. Look to the far right side of the pin and you will see the tail of the sear spring. That is your doorknob. But let’s call it a fence for right now. Look above it and you should see the hammer strut. Let’s call the strut a chicken. If your chicken is sitting on top of the fence, the hammer will not move and you will not be able to pull the bolt out. Hold the gun like your going to shoot it with one hand and grab the back of the bolt with the other. Point the gun up and back a little and shake and pull the bolt out . Now take the soft mallet, or a piece of wood, and tap the back of the frame where the bolt was. This will remove the barrel and upper frame from the lower frame. Now you’re ready to clean your gun.
Ok you have it all clean and ready to put it back together. At the front of the upper frame there is a notch. The front of the lower frame has a hook. Lay the upper on the lower and push the upper back. Most likely you will need the soft mallet to tap the front of the barrel to get it in place. Be sure that the back of the upper frame is just a little pass the lower frame at the rear. If not you will not be able to put the rear pin back in.
Know we’re back at that doorknob, or chicken and fence. Make sure the chicken is not sitting on top of the fence. Look into the back where the bolt goes in, you should not see the hammer sticking up. If it is, tilt the barrel up and push it down . Once the hammer is down the bolt will slide in.
Now here is where most people have trouble, curse a lot, then go to a Gunsmith. Your Gunsmith will take your gun to the back room, saying to himself “what an idiot “, then come back after working his dark magic and charge you a small fee.
Here is how to avoid the Gunsmith. Point the gun down so that the hammer strut, the chicken, with be by the fence. Now insert the frame pin and push it up. This will be stif on a new gun. Once you have it in place turn the gun over in your left hand, in your right if your left handed, and put your thumb in the trigger guard. Now this is very important. The gun is now upside down in your hand with your thumb in the trigger guard barrel pointing away from you. Pull the trigger with your thumb a tilt the gun back. The chicken, or hammer strut if you want to call it that, will fall back to you. With the trigger pulled close the backstrap and lock the lever. Grab the bolt and pull it to the rear. Your done.
If you’re the type that needs pictures I will have to dig one of the Rugers out of the safe and take pics tomorrow.
