Bolt won't release

cheryld · Post by **cheryld** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 9:37 am

This is the first time I am taking my Ruger mkIII Hunter apart to clean it without help. I am having a problem with the bolt releasing. The mainspring is out. A magazine is in the gun and the safety is on F. I am holding the muzzle upward and pulling the trigger back just as the manual states. The bolt comes out about an inch and then refuses to budge. Can someone please help me? Cheryl

blue68f100 · Post by **blue68f100** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 12:46 pm

Remove the mag it should not be in place when removing the bolt.

The bolt should cock the hammer when you remove it. You only have the hammer in the fired position when installing the main spring.

bigfatdave · Post by **bigfatdave** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 1:00 pm

You've probably figured it out by now, but if you took a break ...
(or for the next person stuck and searching)

It sounds like you have the hammer strut trapped behind a crosspin in the frame.
-1- Get a pencil/chopstick/dowel/cleaning rod/whatever
-2- Tilt the pistol forward and push the bolt back in
-3- Look in the rear, you will see the rear of the hammer and the strut probably sitting on a cross-pin in the frame
-4- Push the hammer forward, which should free the strut
-5- With the hammer held forward, tilt the muzzle up and make sure the strut dangles free
-6- Take a moment to rattle the gun around with that strut free, that clicking noise it makes is fairly distinctive, and should bring a smile to your face from now on ... having a free dangling strut in needed for re-assembly right before installing the MSH also
-7- With the strut free, assuming the bolt hasn't fallen out onto your toes, pull the bolt out ... it shouldn't take much effort, because all you're doing is drawing it out and pushing the hammer to the rearward "cocked" position (without a mainspring it isn't really cocked, but if the gun was together that's where the hammer sits before you release it with the trigger)
-8- Continue disassembly per the manual and Dr Bullseye's superb instructions
-9- Once you have the strut/hammer fully visible, flop them forward and back a few times and blow out the strut's hinge point with compressed/canned air next chance you get (if you lack a compressor, the stuff from the office store for cleaning keyboards out works fine, that's what I use) and lube by putting a drop of oil in there and blowing it through
-10- Now that you recognize the clicking sound of a free strut, you should be able to disassemble and rebuild with less peeking and poking

Other (less likely) possibilities would be:
seriously damaged ejector hanging up the bolt
over-inserted scope mount screw
damaged recoil spring hanging up

bigfatdave · Post by **bigfatdave** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 1:02 pm

blue68f100 wrote:Remove the mag it should not be in place when removing the bolt.
The bolt should cock the hammer when you remove it. You only have the hammer in the fired position when installing the main spring.

Oh, crap ... it could be that, too.
I've had my magazine interlock removed for so long I forgot that it matters ... when I'm tearing down my mkIIIs mags and ammo are in a seperate room like they should be.
(thanks Ruger ... I really wanted to be required to insert/remove magazines 6 times to clean my pistol, that's WAY safer than removing all magazines and ammo from the room!)

Post by **Bullseye** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 3:23 pm

Sounds like the hammer strut is caught behind the crosspin.

Image of stuck strut

Push the bolt inward and pull the strut from behind the pin.

R,
Bullseye

cheryld · Post by **cheryld** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 3:51 pm

Thanks everyone! The hammer strut was indeed stuck. I used a pencil as suggested and my gun has now been cleaned and put back together!! It only took me 6 hours!! But they say the first time is the worst. Thanks Bullseye for the great instructions with the pictures. Really helps a newbie. I tried to remove my LCI while having the gun apart, but the pin would not come out no matter what I did. That's for another day. Cheryl

perazzi · Post by **perazzi** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 6:52 pm

In 57 more tries, when you reached exalted disassembler status, it will take sub 2 minutes....

bigfatdave · Post by **bigfatdave** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 8:48 pm

cheryld, do you have any small strong magnets?
If so, the next time you have the upper off, stick the magnet to the LCI pin and wiggle the LCI, the pin should come out with minimal effort.

It gets easier every time, both from wear-in and because you know what to expect. Soon you'll be diagnosing the problems someone else posts.

perazzi, what's this two minutes? I think I can have mine down in ~30 seconds these days, assuming I don't have to hunt for the hammer.

blue68f100 · Post by **blue68f100** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 10:23 pm

Taking them apart is the easy part. It's putting it back that takes some time confirming every thing is in it's proper position. And if you have big hands your handy capped handling the small parts.

Like bigfatdave said a strong magnet. But you need to work/wiggle the LCI from the inside to get it to loosen up. The pin in mine drops down to the receiver so a good pair of needle nose can grab the 1/16" sticking out.

bigfatdave · Post by **bigfatdave** » Mon Mar 22, 2010 6:29 am

The magnets I keep in my toolbox are a lot like these:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000SJ ... d_i=507846

I also have an Altoids tin (with about 10 of them in the bottom) I use for the frequent times when I drop small parts on carpet, it covers a LOT more ground per sweep than a single magnet.

blue68f100, I have monster hands too. The magnets, tweezers, needle-nosed pliers and a vascular clamp are vital tools in the gun toolbox.
But I still don't have much trouble rebuilding a mkIII after a routine strip & clean ... how far do you take yours down for a basic cleaning?

cheryld · Post by **cheryld** » Mon Mar 22, 2010 9:27 am

Thanks Dave. I just ordered them on Amazon. I tried using a magnet that I had but it wasn't strong enough. I will try these next time I take my hunter apart. Thanks again everybody! Cheryl