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Ruger 22/45 lite assembly problems

timelinex

Gunny Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
  • May 7, 2011
    1,381
    31
    Scottsdale,Az
    So I just bought this gun today and had fun shooting it today. It shot great. When I came home to try and disassemble it and out it back together, I spent hours trying to figure it iut and it just won't work.

    First off, I had to use excessive force (light hammering as the Manuel suggests) to take the pin out and to take the barrel off. Then after a ton of time trying to get everything back together I was finally able to hammer everything back into place. However when I try to rack the barrel back, it won't let me. Inserting the magazine is very tough as well.

    What gives? I'm mechanically inclined and I do have experience with other weapons. This Is not supposed to be this hard.

    Any suggestions. Whenever I watch a YouTube video of someone doing this, everything goes in and out almost like butter.
     
    Ruger 22/45 lite assembly problems

    Welcome to the wonderful world of the mark series...

    I have had a couple and found that light sanding on the front of the frame where the barrel catches helps.

    I have also heard of people reaming the lock pin hole. Makes it easier to fit without perfect alignment.

    Fit should break in (loosen) the more you take it down and put back.

    Good luck, they can be frustrating!!!!

    Btw the mag disco mod should make it a little easier well quicker at least.
     
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    The MK III requires a little different rain dance than the MK II due to the mag disconnect. noBuzzkillin on YouTube has a good example and step by step for the MK III.
     
    The MK III requires a little different rain dance than the MK II due to the mag disconnect. noBuzzkillin on YouTube has a good example and step by step for the MK III.

    I'll check out the YouTube video, however I already followed all specific directions. That's not the issue.

    The issue is that nothing is fitting together. I'm literally hotting these parts to get them together. Then when it's all together something isn't letting me rack the barrel back
     
    Your hammer strut is likely not in the right position, just make sure it's in the notch in the mainspring housing. I hold the pistol pointing up and the strut will hang down and you can catch it in the right position.

    I also removed the loaded chamber indicator (I have the replacement insert but just left it out) and magazine disconnect, installed this bushing Ruger Mark III and 22/45 Magazine Disconnect Removal Bushing Makes taking the gun apart and putting back together easier.
     
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    Your hammer strut is likely not in the right position, just make sure it's in the notch in the mainspring housing. I hold the pistol pointing up and the strut will hang down and you can catch it in the right position.

    I also removed the loaded chamber indicator (I have the replacement insert but just left it out) and magazine disconnect, installed this bushing Ruger Mark III and 22/45 Magazine Disconnect Removal Bushing Makes taking the gun apart and putting back together easier.

    The hammer strut is your problem, and I also recommend the Tandemkross bushing, the LCI I can live with, some can't.
     
    Yeah I got so shit full of the amount of time and being a pain in the ass to take apart and re assemble that I sold my 22/45 Lite MK3. I'll stick with the MK2s.
     
    Just watch the video and tilt it when he says to tilt it and insert / remove mag when he tells you too. I don't take mine apart very often but when I do, the video is pretty much the only way I am able to get it back together.
     
    Just got it. That video was awesome. Thank you for that. My issue was resetting the hammer strut and not using a mallet. Now that I know what I'm doing, I can do it 'relatively' fast with a mallet.

    Thats so crazy how hard they make it. I wonder if its to keep tolerances to a minimum for accuracy...

    BTW, anyone else dislike how flimsy and crappy the magazines are....
     
    You have officially discovered my only two complaints with the 22/45. The disassembly/assembly can be a real PITA and the magazines get annoyingly dirty. Get used to cleaning them after trip if you are running the can, they can get really gritty.

    Oh, I did forget a third problem with the 22/45, myself and others cannot seem to put the thing down when the can is on it. Go figure.
     
    it took me a while to learn the old MK1 , years later i pick up a 22/45 - ? how the hell did Ruger make it even more of a pain ???
     
    My biggest complaint about the 22/45 is the difficulty of seating a loaded mag. Unless the bolt is open its a pain in the ass. It is a blast with the sparrow hanging off the end though. Do yourself a favor and get rid of the mag disconnect, fiber optic front sight and a set of hogue grips. Made a big difference then of course the volquartsen goodies add up to a brick of ammo demolisher.
    20130705_221200_zpse31de57a.jpg
     
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    How come everyone's looks different than mine. My barrel has horizontal lines not vertical ones like you guys.

    I will look into all the mods. For sure a new front site
     
    The gold ones like mine are the original design of the lite line, mine is one of 3000 talo editions that are exactly like the gold except black obviously. The new lite design has the longitudinal lines like yours.
     
    Dissassembly practice is good. But I stayed away for a month or two and was back to some frustations when I couldn't remember the sequence of assembly. More practice.

    The mods make the MkIII and 22/45 a bit more friendly. I've used both the TK and the Majestic Arms bushings. Both make the pistols more friendly. I'll get a MA speed strip 3.2 kit sometime to try it out.

    [TANDEMKROSS] - Making Good Guns Great
    Speed Strip Kit

    Photos of your pistola?
     
    Just got it. That video was awesome. Thank you for that. My issue was resetting the hammer strut and not using a mallet. Now that I know what I'm doing, I can do it 'relatively' fast with a mallet.

    Thats so crazy how hard they make it. I wonder if its to keep tolerances to a minimum for accuracy...

    BTW, anyone else dislike how flimsy and crappy the magazines are....

    It's a Ruger, not a Chevy !!! Put the GM magic wand ( mallet ) away. If it doesn't go back together fairly easily, then it isn't "right".


    .
     
    My biggest complaint about the 22/45 is the difficulty of seating a loaded mag. Unless the bolt is open its a pain in the ass. It is a blast with the sparrow hanging off the end though. Do yourself a favor and get rid of the mag disconnect, fiber optic front sight and a set of hogue grips. Made a big difference then of course the volquartsen goodies add up to a brick of ammo demolisher.
    20130705_221200_zpse31de57a.jpg

    What brand of front sight is that? Dawson?
     
    My biggest complaint about the 22/45 is the difficulty of seating a loaded mag. Unless the bolt is open its a pain in the ass.

    Try inserting the mag fully then pushing the base of it forward, towards the front strap. I noticed mine do the same, and just a nudge foward and they will seat.
     
    I had the same problem when I first got mine cause who reads directions right Im a man, Im mechanically incline, lol. But once I figured out how it needs to go back together its very simple. The hammer strut hinges on the back of the hammer and if you don't get the tip of the hammer struck into the cup of the mainspring housing when you reassemble the gun then the hammer comes back to far and doesn't allow enough room for the hook of the mainspring housing to unlatch or unswing which in turn will make you unable to remove the mainspring housing to correct the problem. If this happens you need to somehow need to get the hammer to swing back into the forward position. For me to do that I had to insert a mag and pull the trigger and while pointing the muzzle down rack the slide numerous times. Once the hammer is flipped forward you will be able to remove the mainspring housing and reassemble the gun the correct way. There is two things to remember while assembling the gun. If the pin of the mainspring housing keeps pulling down while assembling then the hammer needs pushed forward a little bit to allow the hook of the mainspring to swing into position, this can be achieved by using a little screw driver or allen wrench to push the hammer forward, after that point the gun upward to make sure the hammer strut is going to fall into the cup of the mainspring housing (which will be visible) for the final stage of the assembly. Something else that might make it easy to understand what is happening is to practice installing the mainspring housing into the grip without the barrel installed, that way you can see everything that is happening thus understanding what you cant see.
     
    lol...this gun is so fun to shoot, especially with a can.......but such a pain in the ass to take apart. first time I tried and couldn't get it I had to result to youtube before I got it to work. I only take it apart now if absolutely necessary.
     
    Once you de-lawyer the Mark III, it is a great gun. The magazine disconnect is the biggest problem as it causes problems with assembly/disassembly, magazine extraction and trigger pull. Fortunately it is quite easy to remedy with the Tandemcross bushing. This also allows you to run either Mark II or III magazines.

    Here's a good overview of how to de-lawyer the Mark III: Mark III 22/45 mag seating solutions (Disabling the MKIII lawyer features Pt 1).

    Tandemcross bushing: Ruger Mark III and 22/45 Magazine Disconnect Removal Bushing
     
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    Dissassembly practice is good. But I stayed away for a month or two and was back to some frustations when I couldn't remember the sequence of assembly. More practice.

    The mods make the MkIII and 22/45 a bit more friendly. I've used both the TK and the Majestic Arms bushings. Both make the pistols more friendly. I'll get a MA speed strip 3.2 kit sometime to try it out.

    [TANDEMKROSS] - Making Good Guns Great
    Speed Strip Kit

    Photos of your pistola?


    Great link, looks like I'll be doing some mods on mine next week when my parts come in.....




    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free
     
    Once you do it a few times, it is easy. I can strip and reassemble it as fast as my Glock now. What I can't do is get that damn pin out of the loaded chamber indicator. I'm wondering if Ruger loctited it in or something. I've tried a magnet, needle nose, needle nose vise grips that I ground down to make them even smaller so I can grip the pin. I can't budge it or even rotate it!!! I have a 22/45 Lite that I purchased in February of 2013. Has anyone else had trouble removing the LCI pin?
     
    Getting the LCI out was completely ridiculous!

    Okay, I tried the magnet, pliers, vice grips, torch, drilling (I'm not kidding) to get the LCI pin out nothing worked! So finally, I ripped out the plastic spacer and that gave me enough room to cut the pin with a Dremel cutting disk. Getting it out was beyond ridiculous though! I still never got the pin completely out. In retrospect, I wish I had left it be. Time will tell if it made a difference.

    I got mine out with a strong magnet.