MKII Mainspring Housing

[CharlieBee]

I took my MKII with it's new VQ disconnector and sighted it in at 25yds from the bench. After two mags, the trigger would not release the hammer. Like the trigger did not re-set, yet the hammer was in the cocked position. Sigh. Tried to pull out the mainspring housing and it was no go. Gun has to be uncocked first and the mainspring was all compressed by the hammer strut.

When I got home I Tore the grips and scope off the MKII and again tried to get the mainspring housing out. No go. It'll come out from the bottom just enough for me to see the pin that holds the little flipper/lever on. I called a friend and he said most likely I had to get the spring pressure off the hammer, so knock out that little pin. I did and the little lever came off as well as the ball bearing, spring, and plunger. Knocked out the hammer pin and smacked the gun a bit to loosen up the internals. Got it all apart.

My brand new fancy VQ disconnector was detached from the stud that fits into the trigger. It came apart!!!! So the trigger moves, just does nothing. I put the old disconnector back into it and buttoned up the lower end.

Now... how the heck do you get the mainspring housing back together. There must be a jig or something to hold this stuff. I have searched and searched and cannot find any instructions, except the advise not to take it apart. They sell mainsprings so there has to be a way to compress the spring and plunger and ball bearing while the little pin is put back???? It's like you need seven hands.

[blue68f100]

There is a special jig for the main spring. I think Midway or Brownells sell it. Not sure if it cost effective though. Some one made a jig using screws and wood. It's been a while may be someone else will recall where it is.

[Bullseye]

Here's a picture of a commercial jig for the mainspring housing.



This can be found here. http://www.marvelcustomguns.com/ruger_m ... g_tool.htm

I too remember one of our members making a home version. I'll look for it and post the pic when I find it.

R,
Bullseye

[CharlieBee]

Thanks guys.

[MtStream]

Here's a picture of a commercial jig for the mainspring housing.



I too remember one of our members making a home version. I'll look for it and post the pic when I find it.

R,
Bullseye

I remember the Poorman's version by 'onebohemian' - I don't remember the exact how-to use it. Not my pic , but I snagged it at RFC. It should give you an idea or two

[Bullseye]

That's the picture I remembered. I thought for some reason he posted one here too. I guess I got the two websites mixed up. Thanks for posting that picture.

R,
Bullseye

[MtStream]

That's the picture I remembered. I thought for some reason he posted one here too. I guess I got the two websites mixed up. Thanks for posting that picture.

R,
Bullseye

I could swear it was posted here also but I couldn't find it either. When you forum hop as much as most gunnuts do, it's easy to forget where you find stuff.

[HEADKNOCKER]

Great Thread..
I did one years ago & swore I'd never do one again..
I was able to compress the lever & ball with a small vise & get a slave pin in & then drove the retaining pin In & then staked the pin on both sides with a punch & anvil..

I likes the looks of the home made tool from a 2x4 & nails.Sweet!!
Gary

[ruger22]

This is after the housing is disassembled and the spring is out:

You drill a very small hole through the housing, through the "tunnel" the spring is in, about a third of the way from the bottom. Slide a nail or whatever through the hole. Now you can "screw" the spring into the housing with needle nosed pliers. Assemble the ball, latch, and pin; then pull the nail out. Viola! You don't even need a jig.

No, I'm not that smart. This is in the book on Ruger .22 pistols by Duncan Long. It's the most useful thing said in the whole book.

[blue68f100]

Good tip,

[ronn]

I spent way too much time trying to reassemble a mainspring housing so I called Ruger and got a new one assembled for $31 I believe. Several people in the club tried (some succeeded) in reassembling them, but all said just order a new one. I could not find them assembled from Brownells or other suppliers, just Ruger.

[greener]

I took the mainspring housing from the MKII 22/45 and tried it in the MKIII. It worked perfectly. I decided to disassemble the MKIII mainspring housing and managed to do so without any 3-wall ricochets. I cleaned the remainder of the rust out of the housing and then started reassembly. After quite a bit of fiddling around my reassembly "jig" was simple.
-the latch pin in one side of the housing and a pin punch in the other side of the housing.
-depress the mainspring with a pin punch small enough to slide down the opening.
-have your trusty assistant drop the ball down the mainspring housing, inset the latch and push the slave pin punch through the latch holes.
-then drive the pin punch out with the latch pin.

After all that, it still would not pop out as it should when the latch is opened and had to be pried out.

HOWEVER

it worked perfectly in the MKII 22/45 so I swapped mainspring housings. I may have something dragging in the housing that suddenly happened with the MKIII housing.

Now all I have to do is go shooting.

BTW. Shot the MKII 22/45 yesterday. It did a great job of making me look like I knew what I was doing. I don't shoot it enough.

[Bullseye]

The solution is simple - go shoot it more often. Glad everything is working for you.

R,
Bullseye

[greener]

I'll have to tell my wife that the Doctor prescribed more shooting.

[blue68f100]

Good to hear you got it cleaned up and back together. Did you stake the pin to keep if from moving or was it very tight going in? The reason I ask is that you do not want it to drift out to the sides or you will have problems get the MS housing back out again.

Go shoot. It's what the Dr. prescribed.