Mark lll 22-45 sear spring question

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Biggjimm
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Mark lll 22-45 sear spring question

Post by Biggjimm » Tue Jun 05, 2012 8:20 pm

Is the long leg of the sear spring "the end that sticks straight up" supposed to ride in the groove on the hammer pin? It looks like it should & that it would also help hold the pin in place. Mine appears to maybe be bent a little if that's the case. Or maybe I put it together wrong because it seems to be holding tension towards the front but its on the front side of the pin. Is it supposed to be to the rear of the pin? Seems like it would tension against the pin & stay in the groove that way instead of tensioning against the rear end of the bolt release as it currently is. I looked thru the stickies but didn't see anything covering this. It is a mark lll 22-45 by the way. I broke it down to do the pre travel delta mod & noticed the spring looked funny. Thanks in advance. Biggjimm.
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Bullseye
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Post by Bullseye » Tue Jun 05, 2012 10:36 pm

The long spring leg must be on the back side of the hammer pivot pin to lock into the groove properly. This means when you start out the long leg is on the front side of the sear pivot pin and against the frame wall. When the long spring is placed behind the hammer pivot pin the long leg tightens into the sear pivot pin's groove from the front and also the hammer pivot pin's groove from the rear locking both pins in place and preventing any drift out of the frame. The new style 22/45 Mark III hammer pivot pin, the one with the head, can only move to the left and the long leg of the spring prevents it from moving at all. The old style hammer pivot pin could move in either direction and this allowed the pin to drift far enough to the right to slip out of the frame under tension and destroy the polymer frame material. The new pins cannot do this at all, unless of course the pins are not locked in place and then it can drift left and damage the right side pin boss in the frame.

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Biggjimm
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Post by Biggjimm » Wed Jun 06, 2012 2:24 am

Thanks Bullseye, I thought after looking at it for a few that the long leg of the sear spring must go behind the hammer pin to lock it in place. I'm glad I caught that as my pin is apparently the old style with no head on it & it will go to the left or right. I don't know if it would move enough to be able to slip out of either side because it looks like the grip panel would keep it centered but I don't want to find out the hard way & wreck my frame in the process. I thought the sear felt just a little bit sloppy in there but when it goes back together this time it will be in the right position. I'm also gonna redo my mag disconnect bushing set up. The washers are a bit loose & I would rather tighten the side clearance of the hammer up a bit. Im gonna fabricate a solid bushing instead of the stacked washer set up. I can see where the hammer has been rubbing on the inside of the bolt & I know I can get that to fit better with a solid bushing. This is really kinda fun tinkering with this gun thanks to the excellent detailed how to's you guys have posted on this sight. Very good & useful information. Keep up the good work. I know it's appreciated by many & it's saved my hide a few times already. Biggjimm.
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Post by Bullseye » Wed Jun 06, 2012 6:32 am

If you give Ruger customer service a call and tell them you have the old style 22/45 hammer pin they will send you a new one with the head on it. Pin walking was a huge problem for the first Mark III 22/45 models and several frames were damaged in the pin boss area by this event. They may ask you for your serial number just to confirm which hammer pin configuration that your pistol left the factory.

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