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I have a Mark III Target Stainless and have fired about 3,000 rounds through it with only an occasional FTE or FTF 1% or less. I detail strip and clean the gun after each trip to the range (200 to 300 rounds). Today, the gun started to FTE/FTF/stovepipe nearly every round after 200 rounds. I brought it home and detail stripped and cleaned and Cleaned and CLEANED.

After I cleaned the first time, I was looking for possible problems in the action and noticed that if you don't slingshot the bolt, but slowly guide it back to firing postion, it will hang up about 1/4" before completely closing into firing position. It also catches and is not smooth when pulling the bolt back from firing position for the first 1/4". Am I just noticing this unsmooth action because of the problem I had or is there another problem?

My Ruger Standard Signature Edition Stainless' action is smooth as silk and does not exhibit these issues (no LCI). I believe the unsmooth action is being caused by the LCI because the last 1/4" of bolt action is where the LCI contact happens. So I cleaned and cleaned some more and the Mark III still exhibits this roughness and will hang with the bolt 1/4" out if not slingshot. Does your Mark III action hang on the LCI when you slowly slide the bolt in?

What you may be feeling is the extractor hitting the breech face slot. When this does, it must push the plunger in the bolt rearward. Since the plunger is spring loaded, it will feel as if the bolt is catching on something.

R,
Bullseye

What I am feeling is quite significant. The bolt often sticks to the point that it will not pull out and your fingers slip off the ears. My standard without the LCI is competely smooth.

Have you tried removing the LCI from your receiver and seeing if the drag is still there?

R,
Bullseye

No, I looked at the LCI removal instructions on the sight, but don't like removing spring loaded parts. I went to a gun show yesterday and felt the action on several Mark III's and mine definately has a serious problem. The ones at the show were smooth like my standard.

Will look at the LCI removal again, but may send it back to Ruger. I manipulated the LCI by hand and it is freely operating. All moving pieces individually are freely operating, but when put together, something is out of alignment and causing the drag.

Ok, so I removed the LCI. It was not the problem. I think the problem the extractor? The solid metal piece the positions the bolt at the bottom on the barrel. I took the firing pin out, by accident as I removed the pin thinking it could be binding and the firing pin assembly also came out. Again I hate spring loaded assemblies.

I now have a couple of problems. The silver spring from the LCI is nowhere to be found. I know I can run the gun without the LCI. So I put the gun back together without it.

My second problem is that I want to be sure I put the firing pin assembly back in correctly. There is a little metal tab, a spring, the firing pin, and the pin that holds it all in. I put the end of the spring into the little metal tab and put the metal tab into a little slot with the bend in the tab curving over the bolt, put the firing pin in the slot, pushed the pin holding it all in back and everything appears to be fine with the firing pin.
Can someone point me to some pictures to make sure I have the firing pin installed correctly?

I did correct the initial stickiness problem. The bolt operates smoothly now with no notchiness and will not hang open when closed slowly. I just need to figure out if I did the firing pin correctly and I'm good to go!

Ok, I found the exploded parts diagram in the manual and know that I put it back together correctly! Now off to the range to test fire.

Here's one of my help pages for bolt reassembly http://www.guntalk-online.com/detailstrip.htm#bolt

Each of the thumbnail pictures is a hot link that can be enlarged.

R,
Bullseye

Thanks Bullseye for the link and help. I was looking for those pictures as I had read through them a while ago.

I took the gun to the range and fired 50 rounds and had one stovepipe out of 50 rounds. Not too bad, I usually get one every 100 rounds or so. Therefore, I think it is within tolerance.

Bolt action is still smooth. I didn't have time to run hundreds of rounds its Talledega NASCAR day!

I'm getting to be a pretty good gunsmith thanks to your help Bullseye. Knowing you have my back gives me the courage (with a little prodding) to attempt things that are outside of my comfort zone.

PS, I found the LCI spring and installed it before the range test!

Thank you again Bullseye, you have saved me from two return shippings to Ruger in the couple of months I've owned the gun!

You may want to consider getting an Exact Edge extractor from VQ. Whenever someone has extraction problems I install one of those and it typically solves the problem.

R,
Bullseye

I'm not saying this is your problem but have seen this cause drag on a MKII before..
The barrel when removed from the frame can turn slightly one way or the other even though there's the pin of the mainspring going threw it..
You can take a small dowel etc & turn the barrel slightly & maybe free up the binding your feeling in the bolts action while the mainspring is removed..
Give it a try It can't hurt anything trying it..

My MKIII is sensitive to alignment that headknocker suggested. But I install my bolt before putting the barrel/receiver on to the lower. This helps to get it align right. The LCI if not clean can and will cause stove pipes. The only way to clean it is by removing it. Just spray and pray does not work, it just gums it up more. Now is your disconnector bent. I had one that had a curve in it that caused binding with the bolt. It contacts the bolt just before closed to engage the sear so you can shoot. Was easy to straighten out with a hammer and anvil.

The VQ Exact Edge Extractor is the way to go, it holds the empty very well. Also check to make sure the empty is not hitting the next round in the magazine.

Then there is the magazine mod which make the bullet release earlier so it feeds straighter.

Gunshine.. As you can see, there are some really great resources at your disposal here. All are ready to offer their experiences and insights.

More importantly, it is good to hear that you are gaining knowledge and confidence with the internals of your pistol. These are among the most satisfying learning experiences for a gun owner. Good for you!.. and stay in touch.

Thank you everyone for your comments and support. The fix I did was to work the bolt in and out of the barrel with the bolt completely stripped down. When slightly turning the bolt, as Headknocker said, it would bind. I just forced the bolt through the binding/roughness several times until it freed up and then put it back together.

Last night my wife fired 200-300 rounds of Federal Bulk without any problems. The bolt is still smooth as silk and will not hang anywhere. The bolt appearantly needed a little more room to move freely. By working the bolt through the bind, it probably wore off a burr or reformed the guide bar slightly giving it a bit of additional tolerance. The gun is working great now.

Thanks again everyone.

Gunshine wrote:Thank you everyone for your comments and support. The fix I did was to work the bolt in and out of the barrel with the bolt completely stripped down. When slightly turning the bolt, as Headknocker said, it would bind. I just forced the bolt through the binding/roughness several times until it freed up and then put it back together.

Last night my wife fired 200-300 rounds of Federal Bulk without any problems. The bolt is still smooth as silk and will not hang anywhere. The bolt appearantly needed a little more room to move freely. By working the bolt through the bind, it probably wore off a burr or reformed the guide bar slightly giving it a bit of additional tolerance. The gun is working great now.

Thanks again everyone.

Must have been a slight burr somewhere and you wore it off, glad to hear you solved the problem.