Ruger 96 Instruction Manual

12
To Operate Lever for Magazine Insertion or Removal: Note that the lever must be
opened at least 1/2” for either insertion or removal of the magazine. This can be
done either by manually operating the lever to an open position or by pushing up
firmly on the magazine latch (located on the underside of the stock), which will open
the lever slightly to the point where the magazine can be inserted or removed (see
“To Load and Fire With Magazine”, pp. 14 - 17). 
AMMUNITION
The RUGER®MODEL NINETY-SIXrifles...

13
!WARNING – AMMUNITION
Death, serious injury, and damage can
result from the use of wrong
ammunition, bore obstructions,
powder overloads, or incorrect
cartridge components. .22 cases are
very thin and sometimes split when
fired. Always
wear shooting glasses
and hearing protectors.
IMPROPER AMMUNITION
DESTROYS GUNS
WARNING:DO NOT ATTEMPT TO LOAD .22 SHORT, .22 LONG, 
.22 SHOT OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF .22 CALIBER CARTRIDGE 
(OTHER THAN THE .22 LONG RIFLE) INTO THE MAGAZINE 
OF THE 96/22RIFLE. THE USE OF...

14
TO LOAD AND FIRE (WITH MAGAZINE)
Practice this important aspect of gun handling (with an unloaded rifle) until you
can perform each of the steps described below with skill and confidence. But
before you do anything with the rifle, please first read completely through this
manual.
1.Keep the muzzle is pointed in a safe direction. (See Rule 2, p. 39).
2.Put the safety “on” (fully protruding from the right side of the lever housing
assembly).(See Figure 1, p. 9).
3. Open the lever. Check the chamber to...

15
6. With lever open, insert magazine into the firearm, with bullet end of the
cartridges toward the muzzle. (Magazine cannot be seated if reversed, or if
lever is not at least 1/2” open). Do not strike magazine if it does not insert
readily. Just be sure the lever is open, or firmly push the magazine latch,
which will open the lever sufficiently to allow full insertion of the magazine.
7. Load a cartridge into the chamber by fully closing the lever. It is not necessary
to “slam” the lever shut. Do not...

Be sure that bystanders are well clear of
the shooter and standing a safe distance
to the rear. Empty cartridge cases are
hot and are normally ejected from the
rifle to the right. They could cause
injury to any person who is standing too
closely alongside the shooter. Shooters
who fire right-hand rifles from the left
shoulder should be particularly cautious
concerning ejected cartridge cases.
Always wear shooting glasses and
hearing protectors.
EJECTED BRASS IS HOT
16
!WARNING – HANDLING
9.Immediately...

17
!WARNING – UNLOADING
TO UNLOAD
NOTE:This sequence must be followed exactly as spelled out. Failure to do so
can result in the rifle’s chamber becoming unintentionally loaded with a
cartridge!
1.Keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction at all times and keep the fingers
outside the trigger guard. If the rifle is cocked, move the safety to the “on”
position.
2. Remove the magazine by firmly pressing the magazine latch. This is done
more easily if the lever is slightly open, but firmly pressing the...

18
5.Do notunload by cycling cartridges from the magazine into and out of the
chamber by repeatedly operating the lever. This is unnecessary and increases
the possibility of firing if you pull the trigger when the bolt is closed (and if
you have failed to put the safety “on” prior to unloading). First remove the
magazine, then operate the lever to unload the chamber.
6. Cartridges can be removed from the magazine by simply pushing them lightly
downward and forward with the thumb, forefinger, or the...

19
1.Always visually check the chamberafter opening the bolt to eject a chambered
cartridge.If the lever is not vigorously retracted when opening the bolt, the
extracted cartridge can be ‘ejected’ into the magazine area, instead of outside
the rifle.
2. Thor
oughly clean the chamber and the extractor as often as necessaryto
prevent the accumulation of grease and dirt.
3. If an empty magazine is in the rifle when the lever is being operated to extract
a cartridge, the cartridge may drop on top of the...

20
!WARNING – MALFUNCTIONS
The .22 Long Rifle rimfire cartridge fires when the
firing pin impacts the relatively soft cartridge case
rim, and also can be “discharged” before it is
chambered if its rim receives a sharp blow. If a
cartridge hangs up, jams, or binds when being
chambered or when being fed from the magazine
into the chamber, do not attempt to force it into
the chamber by pushing or striking the bolt.Any
jam or feeding problem is a signal to immediately
stop  using the gun until it can be...

21
TO DISASSEMBLE
1.With the rifle pointing in a safe
direction, remove the magazine.
Fully open the lever and bolt to
make certain there is not a
cartridge in the chamber.The
rear sight leaf should be down,
and the internal hammer should
be cocked. Keep the lever open
and the safety “on”.
2. Loosen the barrel band screw
(B-69) and remove the barrel
band (L06801).
3. Loosen the take-down screw
(L04701) completely, but note
that it will not
come out of the
stock. 
!WARNING – DISASSEMBLY
3
2
4
1
Always...