If You Think Field Stripping a Ruger MK I - II is a Pain...

[pinzgauer]

Guys, Mk 1 & 2s are just not that hard.

Look in an instruction manual, watch a YouTube video or even one of the diagrams on the internet.

The trick that gets everyone is you have to tilt the pistol when you reassemble the mainspring assembly.

I'll agree that maybe it's a little bit non intuitive, but it's not hard and it's not really any slower than many other weapons once you know how.

https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/...-ruger-mk-iii/

[Wildcat]

I have found that a spent 22 shell can help pull the takedown lever out of its recess.
You may have to bend the mouth of the shell slightly to make it easier to slip over the point of the lever but it will cam it out without harming the finish (assuming you are in a 'hammer down' condition).

[kerplode]

I never found the MKI through MKIII series to be all that difficult to field strip or put back together. There's kind of a feel for it, I guess, but it never posed me much trouble. I use one of the loop ends of a paperclip to pull the latch open for disassembly.

I did run into trouble with installing a VQ sear in one of my MKIII 22/45s, though. No matter what I did, it wouldn't go back correctly. Finally, I sent pictures to VQ and explained that it wouldn't go together. They responded "Oh yeah, no wonder...That sear is for a MKIV. Must have been mis-packaged." GRRR, but also LOL! They sent a replacement right a way and it went back together easy-peasy with the right part.