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AR15.COM
11/5/2013 9:12:21 PM EDT
Having a major issue with my Mark III Target.  The bolt is stuck and stuck good.  It won't move but maybe 1/8".   I am able to disassemble everything fine and the bolt will slide in and out just fine until the mainspring housing is put in.  I have disassembled and reassembled at lease 20-30 times with the same results.  I follow the instructions in the manual and videos with no luck.

I don't think this is the normal hammer in the wrong position issue that some have when reassembling.  I have searched around the web and can't seem to come across a similar problem.  I hope I didn't break something during cleaning.

Anyone have any idea's on what could cause this issue or a fix?

TIA
11/5/2013 9:19:15 PM EDT
[#1]
The hammer strut is out of position.
Try turning the pistol upside down when fastening the latch.
With a Mk 3 YMMV
11/5/2013 9:55:28 PM EDT
[#2]
I've done that and still no luck.  I pretty sure it's in the right position (I hope).  I have had that issue before and this seems different.  When I have had the strut wrong I was able to move the bolt some where this time I can't move it almost at all.
11/5/2013 10:11:43 PM EDT
[#3]
The bolts in my Mk I and Mk II will only move a little bit with the hammer strut wrong.
With the Mk III the mag has to be in place for parts of the procedure.
I read that Ruger suggests leaving the hammer strut out of position to childproof the pistol - I bet that would work pretty well.
http://guntalk-online.com/fsprocedures.htm
http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-500807.html
11/6/2013 2:10:13 PM EDT
[#4]
Making baby steps here.  I checked out the link to the highroad and there were a few other suggestions like laying the gun on its side to keep the strut in the right place.  Well that worked....kind of.  I thought all was good, the bolt will move now but seems tighter than normal, and after racking the bolt a few times it will gradually get tighter and tighter until it wont move at all.  It makes me think that the strut is working itself loose from the assembly.  I can remove the assembly and re position the strut and it will do the same over and over.  Makes me think that maybe the strut has been loosened or moved through all my assemblies.

Thanks for the help, I'm very much out of ideas at this point.
11/6/2013 2:42:26 PM EDT
[#5]
Try this video.   Ruger Mark III disassembly and assembly

This is the best video I have found, better than the one Ruger puts out.

Whenever I have problems, I just play it back to the part that I need and do exactly as he says and all is good.
11/7/2013 3:49:21 AM EDT
[#6]
Well I think I may have success.  I followed the video and still was having the same problem.  So I tried loosening the top screw that holds the grips on and boom it seems to be working.  No good reason why I tried this, or for that matter why it works but beggars cant be choosers. I won't know for sure till I can get it out to the range, but I am able to rack the bolt and release it just fine now.  It does seem a little tighter than I remember, but I may be knit picking and looking for anything wrong at this point.  Thanks much for the help guys, hope this problem is behind me cause I really like shooting this gun.

11/19/2013 4:11:22 PM EDT
[#7]
Quote History
Quoted:
The hammer strut is out of position.
Try turning the pistol upside down when fastening the latch.
With a Mk 3 YMMV
View Quote


^^this^^  Please don't attempt to fire it until you get that little sucker correctly seated into the mainspring.