Ruger Mark II question?

[Guest Drewsett]

I recently recieved a 1980's Mark II. It had been stored in it's original cardboard box for a number of years. I took it into a gunsmith just to have it looked over before I took it out to the range. I had heard that they were a bit of a pain to strip, so I asked him to show me how to field strip it and he told me that alot of gunsmiths refuse to work on them and that he advocated just using a bore brush on the barrel and swabbing the slide and firing chamber with a couple of patches before and after firing. The gun looks a little grimy and I really really want to take it apart

Am I going to be up all night trying to figure out how to put it back together?

I have read up on several different forums and looked at schematics of course, but I am a relative babe when it comes to gun maintenance.

Should I just do what he says as far as the bore brush and quick swab job is concerned? It is a stainless Mark II so the rust isn't really a worry as much...but I don't know, I like to have my weapons very very clean.

[TripleDigitRide]

YouTube - ruger mark ii disassembly=

[Guest Drewsett]

YouTube - ruger mark ii disassembly=

I looked at a couple of those as well...

But there's this retired military, retired LEO 67 year old certified gunsmith who told me that I shouldn't even attempt it.

So...anyone have experience beyond what any normal person can find on the internet...hands on, personal experience?

[TripleDigitRide]

Those are the videos I used. No, the Ruger Mark II isn't as simple as most, but I didn't find it nearly as difficult as some made it sound.

[xd shooter]

If you have trouble putting it together go to Ruger website get the owners manual & follow it step by step & word for word.

It is best to even hold the gun at the same angles as shown.

OBTW you have to hold one foot off the ground, while spinning on the other, with one hand behind your back.

O I almost forgot you also have to whistle dixie while eating crackers.

After all that if you still don't have it:hyper: Holler at me & I will be glad to help you out.

[Armed Aviator]

I have a ruger mark II, I love shooting it.

[KahrMan]

Putting a MKII back together can be a pain in butt. You really don't need to disassemble to clean it. I have put thousands of rounds thru mine. I always clean the barrel with some CLP a brush and a patch. Then clean out the chamber area with a toothbrush and some patches the best I can.

Occasionally, if it is getting really dirty in the chamber and top of the trigger assembly, I will hold it over a trash can and spray it with Gun Scrubber. It blows out all the little crud you can't get at. If you use Gun Scrubber make sure you put a couple drops of oil back down into the trigger assembly because GS will clean off any lubricant you have in there.

[MacGyver]

Do yourself the favor of learning how to field strip your Mark III. You will have a much cleaner weapon, and will feel better about your skills in doing it. Be prepared to spend 45 minutes the first time you do it. After you figure it out, it's easy to repeat. There's nothing difficult, it's just a little tricky. The key to it all is the hammer strut must be in the correct position to get the mainspring housing to close. Follow the manual and you'll get it right.

I see that you are in Nashville, if you have any problems, PM me know and I'll be happy to show you how to do it.

http://ruger.com/products/_manuals/markII.pdf

[I_Like_Pie]

I looked at a couple of those as well...

But there's this retired military, retired LEO 67 year old certified gunsmith who told me that I shouldn't even attempt it.

So...anyone have experience beyond what any normal person can find on the internet...hands on, personal experience?

Yes...I am more than astute with the MK series guns and can say that the fears are way, way overstated with field stripping these guns. The reason why people have problems is that there is a "blind" (as in you can barely see it) part of re-assembly that causes problems unless one RTFM. it involves getting the hammer positioned in the "fired position" before inserting the mainsprings...there is a little stirrup that pivots on the hammer and nestles in the mainspring. You have to tilt the gun so that the stirrup falls properly into place before cocking the bolt. MKIII (3, not 2) guns are a little more complicated in that they have all that useless and stupid safety S#@t on it....MK II guns are the best ones-Lucky you.

The Youtube video illustrates this perfectly. There is some merit however to the gunsmith recommendation (however silly it is) in that there are some folks who never clean their guns with no problems whatsoever....Talking tens of thousands of rounds before having to only clean the bolt face with a Q-tip.

ON my forum there are several people who simply take off the grips and drop the whole thing into kerosene for a couple of days....whatever floats their boat.

Watch the video and give it a shot is my vote....If you can change the oil in your car you can do this.

Edited December 30, 2009 by I_Like_Pie

[xd shooter]

^^ He is the Ruger man read what he types! That's a good explanation.

[Guest jeliggett]

I have 2 marks one a mark 2 and the other is a mark3. Great guns. very accurate. I have done trigger and hammer jobs on both with muzzle breaks. Great Guns. Don't be afraid to disassemble.

:2cents:

4 cents worth

[Guest Drewsett]

Well, I just got my MKII back together. It was EVERY bit of the hard time I was told it would be...until I finally figured it out after 30 minutes of trying to get the mainspring housing back into place.

I am glad that I got it apart as it was pretty crummy inside, all kinds of particulate and fouled lube. Got it cleaned up and am taking it to the range on Sunday and I guess that's when I'll know I truly did it right. Thanks for all the tips on doing it (the videos were much less helpful than I thought initially...he doesn't make very good use of a flashlight when reinserting the mainspring housing) and for prodding me to actually do it. I am pretty confident I could do it again relatively quickly. I'll probably find that out on Sunday too.

[frankmako]

they are not hard to break down. once you do it you will find that you can do it fast and easy. look at the u-tube videos, they help some. but the best is the owners manual. just follow it and you will find it to be easy. i shoot my offen, all most weekly, clean it little. so it get a heavy build up of crap and it keeps on working.

[FUJIMO]

hey jubil,

I was given the same "never clean it, take it to a smitty" line when I bought my first one. Lucky for me there are places like TGO and youtube that can be a tremendous help. It's also a help if you have the breakdown schematic for your gun. I downloaded mine sometime back. I also found a manual on how to field strip (manual is better than YT video) .

They are great pieces ! Congrats !

[xd shooter]

I'm sure he is just like me & most of the other people on this site. Got to take it apart at least once to see how it is made!

Where is that man in all of yall! We have to take it all apart! Right ??

I still take mine apart just to do so. I still like to see how it is made.

[TripleDigitRide]

Glad to hear you were able to get the job done. Congrats!

[Guest Drewsett]

I'm sure he is just like me & most of the other people on this site. Got to take it apart at least once to see how it is made!

Where is that man in all of yall! We have to take it all apart! Right ??

I still take mine apart just to do so. I still like to see how it is made.

This is exactly right. I have been taking things apart since a very young age, I once took apart a water fountain as a four year old. I took a pair of slip joint pliers with me to preschool and had the thing nearly dissasembeled in a few minutes when I had ostensibly gone to the bathroom. Took a plumber to fix it.

I always have been pretty good about figuring out how to get things apart..it's putting 'em back together again that proves a little trickier!

[I_Like_Pie]

Congrats...after 1 or 2 times is becomes very, very easy to do.

=====================================

Here is the one thing that you want to watch - Everyone who owns one of these should take note.

Upon putting the bolt back in you want to make sure the firing pin crossbolt doesn't fall out accidentally. It is the 1/8" thick pin that goes through the side of the bolt (the only one there). Most have somewhat of an interference fit in that it won't fall out of the bolt, but you need to visually inspect before pulling the trigger. Once the gun is put together you should be able to see it at the rear edge of the ejection port. It has been known to fall out while assembling and tilting the gun back and forth.

This bolt is what makes the gun 100% safe to dry fire in that it stops the firing pin from reaming the chamber. If it is missing it can hit the chamber and ding it enough to cause feeding problem. If this happens don't worry...you just have to buy a $20 tool to swage it back.

[MacGyver]

If this happens don't worry...you just have to buy a $20 tool to swage it back.

That sounds like experience talking. I am always paranoid about this happening, as mine almost always comes part of the way out. I probably check it 5 times before I get it all back together.

[Garufa]

I have a Mark II Target model bought about 15 or so years ago. Have only disassembled twice. There was much cussing involved both times.

I figure about every 500 rounds is a good time for the frustration. In the meantime I just blast it with some aerosol cleaner.

[cflatt]

detailstrip

Lots of good help on this site. I ended up having to take mine all the way down. Going to add a VQ extractor to it as soon as it gets in.

Sounds like you were over at ABC talking to Tony. He hates working on them.

[eapking]

FWTIW...some MK3 instructions here. Not sure how close they are to the 2. I've done the 3 myself. Once you've got the trick down near the end of reassembly you'll do it better the next time.

Good vids on YouTube and Ruger itself.

Also...Mark III Fieldstripping Procedures

[eapking]

Oh yeah...get yourself some brass punches and a nylon/hard rubber hammer. No kidding on the hammer.

[Guest rickis38]

I have a Mark II and III and as far as ease goes....the Mark II is much much easier to take apart and reassemble just due to the tight fitting parts on the III. They dis/assemble basically the same way but the fit is soooooo much tighter on the III that it has to be "just right" to get it back together. Also the II will come apart without the rubber hammer...the III has to be beat apart.

[Guest Dan762]

Use the small end of a paper clip to help pull down the lever on the main spring housing for disassembly. You won't scratch the frame with the paper clip and it makes pulling down the lever easy.