I have had my 678 since 1978 and had never cleaned it. I finally cleaned it like crazy, parkerized it and test-fired it today. I used your video for the re-assembly and I want to thank you from the bottom of my ammo can. It is the best Mark 1 video out there. Thank you again, and God bless.
I have one of these sitting on my work bench that is so dirty, that even after ultrasonic and pick cleaning I have to take it apart to do it correctly, and this video will be the god send I need to get it done a lot quicker than me fumbling around with it... Thanks so very much.
Thanks for the great walkthrough! I've been putting off replacing the trigger on my MK1 for years now, and today thanks to your video it took me less than 30 minutes.
Used your demo here to repair two old MK1's that were considered junk. Now I have two working Ruger Standards for half the price of one new MK4. Thanks !
That is awesome to hear. I have a feeling there are a number of the old Marks that found their way into a box, disassembled. Hopefully others will pull them back out and give them new life!
Excellent Video. Have field stripped before but never down to the frame. Picked up a very nice 1953 Mark1 and needed a full blown clean. Busted recoil spring tail replaced, no big deal. It was interesting to find the c-clip floating around in the trigger area. I think someone gave up trying to clip it and just left it in the housing. Nice trick with the wooden stick to grasp the c-clip. I used the backend of a wooden cleaning Q-Tip. Worked like a charm. Super video. Very concise and to the point. Thank You so much!
Perfect! Best pistols ever, just a bit tricky for some to put together. I can't remember if I mentioned this on the video but I had one early gun that just had a snip of sheet metal for the e-clip. It also was basically just sitting there when I took the gun apart. Glad it worked for you!
Thank You so much!. I have a well used MK 1 that has in the past been somewhat abused. I have learned how to take it apart now! I need a new sear spring and mine is so deformed that I had no idea what it should look like until I watched your video. My bolt has also been abused so that the front part of the recoil spring assembly needs to be forced into the bolt. As a machinist ( not a gunsmith ) I will be very careful fixing the fit. So again my sincere thanks for all the information. Duane
A very well detailed disassembly and reassembly of the standard Ruger from the Mark I era. No other video gets close to the information that TomD provides on the MKI. The major diifferance between the MkI and MkII is that the MKI has a c-clasp like device holding the trigger assembly in place which TomD explains how to remove and later install. The MK II has a curved thin cable holding the trigger assembly in place and this design seems much easier to work than the MKI design. Without TomD's video I would NOT have a chance on figuring out how to work on the MKI. Other videos promise to explain the details on the MKI but none other than TomD has delivered.
Hi @fleaflop, that’s a Ruger made muzzle brake. They sold it as an option on the early pistols (1950’s). Ruger made them to fit on the tapered barrels and mainly were sold with the early Target 6 7/8” Mark’s or you could buy the brake separately. They have value all by themselves. Plus it just makes the gun look cool. 😊
@@tomdgunnery8360 Hi Tom,... Yes they surely do make the gun look cool....it drove me right to the video. I got my mkI in 1978 and would love to have a brake on it.... Do you find it reduces flash, noise or recoil? How would you say it affects the pistol other than looks.... Thanks.
@@thefleaflop These guns are so stable to shoot anyway but that brake actually does help even more. Basically you stay almost perfectly on target shot after shot.
You didn't take the mainspring out/apart. Really nice video on this brain surgery otherwise. One of the better ones. :) I've had my MKII apart so many times and it's never gone together the same way twice. But it's gone together. I find that gooping up the safety detent spring, plunger and the frame side of the safety lever with Vaseline helps keep the safety in position against the frame and the detent plunger and spring from getting away from you in subsequent steps of reassembly. Same with the Trigger transfer bar spring and plunger. You can wipe any excess goop off later. Or not. Thanx.
You are correct. Actually, I've never taken a Mark mainspring apart. I think my first one had the pins staked and thus would not come apart. Since then, it's just a part that's low priority to clean. Glad you are enjoying your Mark II. They are incredible pistols. Cheers!
@@tomdgunnery8360 Me neither. Been eyeing mine. Pin is staked too. Hmmm. Installed Volks' trigger and sear. Trigger pull down to 1.5 lbs from 3. The VQ sear/hammer contact angle is different. I think that's their secret. Nice gun. Dime groups @ 50'. :)
funny that my spring assembly wont slip back in. It was a pain to remove, before parts started falling out. I replaced everything proper, but now Im stuck on the spring assembly. Could use a bit of help on it, maybe recommendations on what to do
@@tomdgunnery8360 Yea, if thats the group which holds the barrel in place and is the first to be removed via the rear of the handle/grip. A bit odd that now the safety's stuck on FIRE as well, though it used to move (without the barrel/receiver installed). Oh, plus in the few instances I DID get that spring in, the bolt got stuck as well, possibly due to the hammer. Strange, really. Ive followed along as best I can to your directions.
Ok, that’s the mainspring. Some of them are a really tight fit and while trying to cram that thing up there parts can start moving around. I’d back up a few steps, you may even have to take the barrel back off. When assembling, the key is getting your hammer strut freed up so that it does does not get trapped when pushing the mainspring up through the gun. When you know it’s free and the post on the mainspring is starting up through the hole, you can push up on the mainspring with a wooden dowel or even the barrel of a screwdriver sliding up the back of the frame. Just keep gun pointed so that the strut does not get trapped. I have another assembly video on the Mark II Field Strip that may help more. I think that gun was tighter to put in. It’s basically the same for either Mark at that point. Hope that helps. Wish you were nearby, I’d do it for you.
@@tomdgunnery8360 Yea, Ill give it another go. Got the safety and bolt unstuck, triggers fine, spring is a bit odd. May consider taking it back to the gunshop, see if they can take a crack at it after I try your remedy, assuming it fails. Which I hope it doesn't.
Hi Gary. Funny you should ask. That thing was tricky. Not sure I said it in the video but when I tore the gun down I found a cut sliver of metal shaped like a c holding the trigger pin in place. I asked Ruger for a replacement (once I figured out it was called an e-clip) and they sent me a 1/4” one. Much too large for my pin. Ended up buying a 300 piece assortment from I think Harbor Freight and I believe mine took the 3/16” one. Then it was a tad too thick so I thinned it down by rubbing on some 2500 grip sandpaper. How’s that for a non-simple answer! :). Hope that size works on yours, if not, the assortment was under $10 and now I have 299 e-clips to use for ??? Fun stuff. All the best on yours!
I recently bought a 1971 Mark I and promptly broke it down for cleaning. Like many others I couldn’t get it reassembled; the bolt stop pin refused to be inserted through the bolt and the frame, despite using a plastic hammer to encourage it. Out of fear of doing damage I took the gun to my gunsmith. 10 days and $20 later the gun was returned fully assembled. The smith wasn’t available to show me what he’d done. But having watched several videos (many times each) I was emboldened to disassemble the gun for cleaning. But can’t get it back together. Same problem with fully insetting the bolt stop pin. On my gun the bolt stop pin shows a bit of wear and roughness that is preventing the pin from being inserted smoothly, so I ordered a new one from Numrich. And I’m going to make a better wood mallet for persuasion purposes. I hate to go back to the gunsmith but I refuse to be defeated by this. The gun cost $350 including shipping and FFL fees but I’m close to scrapping it out of frustration.
@@tomdgunnery8360 Glad I read the comments on this to get your info. 1950 Standard. I broke the e-clip trying to get it out and figured I'd never be able to find another. The Harbor Freight assortment was $7 and well worth the price for that one clip I needed. Needless to say, I don't plan on pulling that trigger out again.
I have a mark III that I cannot get back together. I consider this gun a piece of junk and plan on throwing it into a river. I have not even shot the gun.
I hope you did not give up @Chevy Preps. It IS possible. Just step back and take it one part at a time. The mainspring is the main pain. Just have to make sure the hammer strut is free and dangles back when closing the mainspring. That strut loves to hang up on the sear spring stop pin down the frame.
I have had my 678 since 1978 and had never cleaned it. I finally cleaned it like crazy, parkerized it and test-fired it today. I used your video for the re-assembly and I want to thank you from the bottom of my ammo can. It is the best Mark 1 video out there. Thank you again, and God bless.
So glad it helped! Goal met! God bless.
I have one of these sitting on my work bench that is so dirty, that even after ultrasonic and pick cleaning I have to take it apart to do it correctly, and this video will be the god send I need to get it done a lot quicker than me fumbling around with it... Thanks so very much.
Thanks for the great walkthrough! I've been putting off replacing the trigger on my MK1 for years now, and today thanks to your video it took me less than 30 minutes.
So glad to hear! Thanks for the feedback.
OMGosh! Incredibly excellent video! Your patience and clear commentary is commended by every Ruger owner. THANKS!
Used your demo here to repair two old MK1's that were considered junk. Now I have two working Ruger Standards for half the price of one new MK4. Thanks !
That is awesome to hear. I have a feeling there are a number of the old Marks that found their way into a box, disassembled. Hopefully others will pull them back out and give them new life!
Thanks for making this video! Helped a ton putting mine back together.
Excellent Video. Have field stripped before but never down to the frame. Picked up a very nice 1953 Mark1 and needed a full blown clean. Busted recoil spring tail replaced, no big deal. It was interesting to find the c-clip floating around in the trigger area. I think someone gave up trying to clip it and just left it in the housing. Nice trick with the wooden stick to grasp the c-clip. I used the backend of a wooden cleaning Q-Tip. Worked like a charm. Super video. Very concise and to the point. Thank You so much!
Perfect! Best pistols ever, just a bit tricky for some to put together. I can't remember if I mentioned this on the video but I had one early gun that just had a snip of sheet metal for the e-clip. It also was basically just sitting there when I took the gun apart. Glad it worked for you!
Very comprehensive, easy to follow, Tom knows all the tricks!
Thank you Mr. Tom. Very concise well done and clear as can be. Mike C.
Best video I have seen on this process.
Many thanks!
You are crazy! If a non-pro did all this, good luck getting it back together again!
Haha! Just takes patience. These guns are so robust and will last for generations. Well worth understanding them.
Video was perfect for my needs. Thank you.
Thanks TomD . This made it so much easier for me to get mine back together.
Awesome! Glad to hear it. Thanks. Great guns.
You sure make it look easy, thanks for sharing.
Great video, you make it look so easy!
Saved in Favorites. Thank you.
Thank You so much!. I have a well used MK 1 that has in the past been somewhat abused. I have learned how to take it apart now! I need a new sear spring and mine is so deformed that I had no idea what it should look like until I watched your video. My bolt has also been abused so that the front part of the recoil spring assembly needs to be forced into the bolt. As a machinist ( not a gunsmith ) I will be very careful fixing the fit. So again my sincere thanks for all the information. Duane
So glad it helped! If you need a spring or small part I’ve found Ruger to be quite helpful. Their customer service has been amazing.
Well done!!
This video is fantastic. Took alot of mystique out of the whole process. Thanks
A very well detailed disassembly and reassembly of the standard Ruger from the Mark I era. No other video gets close to the information that TomD provides on the MKI. The major diifferance between the MkI and MkII is that the MKI has a c-clasp like device holding the trigger assembly in place which TomD explains how to remove and later install. The MK II has a curved thin cable holding the trigger assembly in place and this design seems much easier to work than the MKI design. Without TomD's video I would NOT have a chance on figuring out how to work on the MKI. Other videos promise to explain the details on the MKI but none other than TomD has delivered.
Many thanks Ron! So glad it was useful.
That pin at the end is a pain in the butt it’s kind of like getting lucky when u finally get it put together 🤦🏻♂️ thanks ruger!
Great video. Thank you. Cheers.
I love my ruger mk 2. I have a couple remington 513T rifle and the American rifleman magazine with its article
Great vid
Amazing job sir just purchased a 198 1 Mark 1 bull barrel it's in 95% shape I think it needs a good cleaning a lot of oil turn to wax
Such a great gun. Taken care of it will last forever. Enjoy and happy cleaning!
Gracias por compartir desde los Estados Unidos Mexicanos, Ciudad de México.
Hi,... Would you mind commenting on the muzzle addition on that pistol... I've never seen one like it on a mark series ruger...Thanks.
Hi @fleaflop, that’s a Ruger made muzzle brake. They sold it as an option on the early pistols (1950’s). Ruger made them to fit on the tapered barrels and mainly were sold with the early Target 6 7/8” Mark’s or you could buy the brake separately. They have value all by themselves. Plus it just makes the gun look cool. 😊
@@tomdgunnery8360 Hi Tom,... Yes they surely do make the gun look cool....it drove me right to the video. I got my mkI in 1978 and would love to have a brake on it.... Do you find it reduces flash, noise or recoil? How would you say it affects the pistol other than looks.... Thanks.
@@thefleaflop These guns are so stable to shoot anyway but that brake actually does help even more. Basically you stay almost perfectly on target shot after shot.
You didn't take the mainspring out/apart. Really nice video on this brain surgery otherwise. One of the better ones. :)
I've had my MKII apart so many times and it's never gone together the same way twice. But it's gone together.
I find that gooping up the safety detent spring, plunger and the frame side of the safety lever with Vaseline helps keep the safety in position against the frame and the detent plunger and spring from getting away from you in subsequent steps of reassembly. Same with the Trigger transfer bar spring and plunger. You can wipe any excess goop off later. Or not.
Thanx.
You are correct. Actually, I've never taken a Mark mainspring apart. I think my first one had the pins staked and thus would not come apart. Since then, it's just a part that's low priority to clean. Glad you are enjoying your Mark II. They are incredible pistols. Cheers!
@@tomdgunnery8360 Me neither. Been eyeing mine. Pin is staked too. Hmmm.
Installed Volks' trigger and sear. Trigger pull down to 1.5 lbs from 3. The VQ sear/hammer contact angle is different. I think that's their secret.
Nice gun. Dime groups @ 50'. :)
funny that my spring assembly wont slip back in. It was a pain to remove, before parts started falling out. I replaced everything proper, but now Im stuck on the spring assembly. Could use a bit of help on it, maybe recommendations on what to do
Hi Marty. Do you mean the main spring? There are a number of springs on these things.
@@tomdgunnery8360 Yea, if thats the group which holds the barrel in place and is the first to be removed via the rear of the handle/grip.
A bit odd that now the safety's stuck on FIRE as well, though it used to move (without the barrel/receiver installed). Oh, plus in the few instances I DID get that spring in, the bolt got stuck as well, possibly due to the hammer. Strange, really. Ive followed along as best I can to your directions.
Ok, that’s the mainspring. Some of them are a really tight fit and while trying to cram that thing up there parts can start moving around. I’d back up a few steps, you may even have to take the barrel back off. When assembling, the key is getting your hammer strut freed up so that it does does not get trapped when pushing the mainspring up through the gun. When you know it’s free and the post on the mainspring is starting up through the hole, you can push up on the mainspring with a wooden dowel or even the barrel of a screwdriver sliding up the back of the frame. Just keep gun pointed so that the strut does not get trapped. I have another assembly video on the Mark II Field Strip that may help more. I think that gun was tighter to put in. It’s basically the same for either Mark at that point. Hope that helps. Wish you were nearby, I’d do it for you.
@@tomdgunnery8360 Yea, Ill give it another go. Got the safety and bolt unstuck, triggers fine, spring is a bit odd. May consider taking it back to the gunshop, see if they can take a crack at it after I try your remedy, assuming it fails. Which I hope it doesn't.
Is it possible to change recoil spring?
do you know the size of the e ring used to retain the trigger pin?
Hi Gary. Funny you should ask. That thing was tricky. Not sure I said it in the video but when I tore the gun down I found a cut sliver of metal shaped like a c holding the trigger pin in place. I asked Ruger for a replacement (once I figured out it was called an e-clip) and they sent me a 1/4” one. Much too large for my pin. Ended up buying a 300 piece assortment from I think Harbor Freight and I believe mine took the 3/16” one. Then it was a tad too thick so I thinned it down by rubbing on some 2500 grip sandpaper. How’s that for a non-simple answer! :). Hope that size works on yours, if not, the assortment was under $10 and now I have 299 e-clips to use for ??? Fun stuff. All the best on yours!
I recently bought a 1971 Mark I and promptly broke it down for cleaning. Like many others I couldn’t get it reassembled; the bolt stop pin refused to be inserted through the bolt and the frame, despite using a plastic hammer to encourage it. Out of fear of doing damage I took the gun to my gunsmith. 10 days and $20 later the gun was returned fully assembled. The smith wasn’t available to show me what he’d done. But having watched several videos (many times each) I was emboldened to disassemble the gun for cleaning. But can’t get it back together. Same problem with fully insetting the bolt stop pin. On my gun the bolt stop pin shows a bit of wear and roughness that is preventing the pin from being inserted smoothly, so I ordered a new one from Numrich. And I’m going to make a better wood mallet for persuasion purposes. I hate to go back to the gunsmith but I refuse to be defeated by this. The gun cost $350 including shipping and FFL fees but I’m close to scrapping it out of frustration.
@@tomdgunnery8360 Glad I read the comments on this to get your info. 1950 Standard. I broke the e-clip trying to get it out and figured I'd never be able to find another. The Harbor Freight assortment was $7 and well worth the price for that one clip I needed. Needless to say, I don't plan on pulling that trigger out again.
Safety 🔐 bolt on mark one.
I have a mark III that I cannot get back together. I consider this gun a piece of junk and plan on throwing it into a river. I have not even shot the gun.
I hope you did not give up @Chevy Preps. It IS possible. Just step back and take it one part at a time. The mainspring is the main pain. Just have to make sure the hammer strut is free and dangles back when closing the mainspring. That strut loves to hang up on the sear spring stop pin down the frame.
You talk way too damn fast! slow down! 😡 do better making a video! you have to describe your process in better detail.
LLO nesecitopart de la RUGER, M k ll. 224.cibende el sistema de disparo elsil elespri $$. Otodos los pin...plees