TheotherMikeG
Member
Paper clip? I bought the ruger factory shoelace! 
Ruger MkII love - hate
- Thread starter Steve H
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Baphomet
Member
Ugh. Every time I read something like this (and I read it a LOT) about how the MK pistols are such a *PITA to reassemble, I cringe.
The manual for the MK pistol glosses over a little detail that is the cause of all this (totally unnecessary) frustration and outrage. When the manual instructs you tip the pistol and pull the trigger, it's to get the hammer to fall forward, which then causes the attached hammer-strut to fall behind the cross-pin in the mainspring housing (the 22/45 version is exempt since there is no cross-pin in it's polymer frame).
If that pin no fall behind said cross-pin, the bolt will be "locked" in place and you will have to start the reassembly process over from the beginning.
Here's what's missing in the manual: Tipping the pistol may NOT get the hammer to fall ALL the way forward as it absolutely needs to.
Solution: Nudge it.
Stick something in the slot in the frame where the mainspring assembly goes and just nudge the hammer forward - ALL the way forward. The hammer-strut will, as a result, naturally fall behind the cross-pin as it needs to and the rest of the reassembly is a cakewalk.
The pictures on this website illustrate exactly what I'm talking about (Step 11 under Reassembly, at the bottom of the page).
(* Pain In The Arse)
The manual for the MK pistol glosses over a little detail that is the cause of all this (totally unnecessary) frustration and outrage. When the manual instructs you tip the pistol and pull the trigger, it's to get the hammer to fall forward, which then causes the attached hammer-strut to fall behind the cross-pin in the mainspring housing (the 22/45 version is exempt since there is no cross-pin in it's polymer frame).
If that pin no fall behind said cross-pin, the bolt will be "locked" in place and you will have to start the reassembly process over from the beginning.
Here's what's missing in the manual: Tipping the pistol may NOT get the hammer to fall ALL the way forward as it absolutely needs to.
Solution: Nudge it.
Stick something in the slot in the frame where the mainspring assembly goes and just nudge the hammer forward - ALL the way forward. The hammer-strut will, as a result, naturally fall behind the cross-pin as it needs to and the rest of the reassembly is a cakewalk.
The pictures on this website illustrate exactly what I'm talking about (Step 11 under Reassembly, at the bottom of the page).
(* Pain In The Arse)
SAJohn
Member
Wolfgang, That was really funny.
glockgod
Member
I think I could place my first MK2 fieldstripped in a paper bag, shake the bag a few times, and dump out an assembled pistol. The second one had to be beaten into submission with a mallet to go together. The 2 I now own are about halfway between these 2 extremes. Love these pistols, but practice makes perfect when it comes to assembly.
JackOfAllTradesMasterAtNone
Member
I guess I have a couple more brain cells than those that post negative about MKII's.
Makes me feel good.
But, I will say that there is a bit of a learning curve to be repeatedly successful with MKII re-assembly.
Once a year lube-oil-filter? Gee, I pull my MKII apart nearly once a week.
NOW, COMPARE... Take your 1911 down just as far as you took that MKII. Including firing pin removal. -without shooting the firing pin spring past your ear and without putting a mark in the slide with the slide lock.
A paper clip is the key tool for initial/first stage MKII disassembly=YES.
A firing pin is the only tool required to completely disassemble a war time 1911.=YES.
So, would you be more accepting if you were expected to have a special tool?
-Steve
Makes me feel good.
But, I will say that there is a bit of a learning curve to be repeatedly successful with MKII re-assembly.
Once a year lube-oil-filter? Gee, I pull my MKII apart nearly once a week.
NOW, COMPARE... Take your 1911 down just as far as you took that MKII. Including firing pin removal. -without shooting the firing pin spring past your ear and without putting a mark in the slide with the slide lock.
A paper clip is the key tool for initial/first stage MKII disassembly=YES.
A firing pin is the only tool required to completely disassemble a war time 1911.=YES.
So, would you be more accepting if you were expected to have a special tool?
-Steve
I love my Mark II. Never had a reliability issue except with CCI Stingers, which are, technically, a different round (case is slightly longer). Everything else has been 100%. And it is ACCURATE.
I also had a very tough time pounding out the beavertail rear sight to accommodate the rail for a red dot scope.
Other than that, it's a fantastic pistol.
I also had a very tough time pounding out the beavertail rear sight to accommodate the rail for a red dot scope.
Other than that, it's a fantastic pistol.
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