Ruger Mark III Instruction Manual

INSTRUCTION
MANUAL
FOR
RUGER®MARK III
TM
AUTOLOADING PISTOLS
STANDARD, TARGET, GOVERNMENT TARGET,
COMPETITION AND 22/45 MODELS
For Product Service on This Model Please Call:
(928) 778-6555 (See p. 30)
STURM, RUGER & Company, Inc.
Southport, Connecticut 06890 U.S.A.
THIS INSTRUCTION MANUAL SHOULD ALWAYS ACCOMPANY THIS FIREARM AND BE
TRANSFERRED WITH IT UPON CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP, OR WHEN THE FIREARM IS LOANED
OR PRESENTED TO ANOTHER PERSON
AP & KAP 5/04 C
READ THE INSTRUCTIONS AND
WARNINGS IN THIS MANUAL...

2
WARNING
“Children are attracted to and
can operate firearms that can
cause severe injuries or death.
Prevent child access by always
keeping guns locked away and
unloaded when not in use. If you
keep a loaded firearm where a
child obtains and improperly uses
it, you may be fined or sent to
prison.”
ADVERTENCIA
State-By-State Warnings
Certain states require by law that their own specified warning
notices in larger-than-normal type be conspicuously included by
the manufacturer, distributor, or retail...

Maine:
“ENDANGERING THE WELFARE OF A CHILD IS A
CRIME.  IF YOU  LEAVE A FIREARM AND AMMUNITION
WITHIN EASY ACCESS OF A CHILD, YOU MAY BE
SUBJECT TO FINE, IMPRISONMENT OR BOTH. KEEP
FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION  SEPARATE.  KEEP
FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION LOCKED UP. USE
TRIGGER LOCKS.”
Maryland:
“WARNING: Children can operate firearms which may cause
death or serious injury. It is a crime
to store or leave a loaded
firearm in any location where an individual knew or should
have known that an unsupervised minor...

New Jersey:
“IT IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE TO  LEAVE A LOADED
FIREARM WITHIN EASY ACCESS OF A MINOR.”
New York City:
“THE USE OF A LOCKING DEVICE OR SAFETY LOCK IS
ONLY ONE ASPECT OF RESPONSIBLE FIREARMS
STORAGE. FIREARMS SHOULD BE STORED UNLOADED
AND LOCKED IN A LOCATION THAT IS BOTH SEPARATE
FROM THEIR AMMUNITION AND  INACCESSIBLE TO
CHILDREN AND OTHER UNAUTHORIZED PERSONS.”
North Carolina:
“IT IS UNLAWFUL TO STORE OR LEAVE A FIREARM
THAT CAN BE DISCHARGED IN A MANNER THAT A
REASONABLE PERSON SHOULD KNOW IS...

WHY ARE WE INCLUDING A FIRED CARTRIDGE CASE
WITH EVERY RUGER PISTOL AND REVOLVER?
Certain states and jurisdictions now require that all newly manufactured pistols
and revolvers must be accompanied by a cartridge case, which has been test fired
from that gun at the factory. The case must be placed in a sealed container
bearing certain information concerning this test cartridge.
At the time of retail sale in those jurisdictions, firearms dealers must forward
such test cartridge to a designated destination...

6
FIREARMS SAFETY-YOUR RESPONSIBILITY
SAFETY MUST BE THE FIRST AND CONSTANT
CONSIDERATION OF EVERY PERSON WHO HANDLES
FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION.
This Instruction Manual is designed to assist you in learning how to use and care
for your RUGER® MARK IIITMpistol properly. Please contact us if you have
any questions about it.
Only when you are certain you fully understand the Manual and can properly
carry out its instructions should you practice loading, unloading, etc. with live
ammunition. If you have any...

Locking Devices 5 Loaded Chamber Indicator 16
Alterations 7 Malfunctions 19
Manual Safety 10 Disassembly 21
Ammunition 12 Lubrication 27
Lead Exposure 12 Storage 28
Firing 14 Shipping 30
Handling 15 Parts Purchasers 31
OTHER CAUTIONS AND WARNINGS APPEAR
THROUGHOUT THE MANUAL.
WARNING—ALTERATIONS
This product was designed to
function properly in its original
condition. Alterations can make it
unsafe. Do not alter any part or add
or substitute parts or accessories
not made by Sturm, Ruger & Co. Inc.
DO NOT...

(22/45 Mark III s (P4GC shown below))
8
Bolt
Magazine
BottomMagazine
Release
ButtonBolt Stop
Safety
(shown ON )Loaded Chamber
Indicator Rear Sight
Bolt Stop PinFront Sight
Muzzle Barrel
Extractor
Grip Frame Receiver
Mainspring
HousingBarrel-Receiver
Assembly
Trigger
Guard Bolt Ears
NOMENCLATURE
(All Mark III s other than 22/45 Mark III Models)
Bolt Stop PinRear Sight
BoltBarrel-Receiver
Assembly
Front Sight
Trigger
Guard
Trigger
TriggerMagazine
Release
ButtonInternal
Lock
Keyway
Internal
Lock
Keyway Bolt...

9
The RUGER®COMPETITION MODEL MARK IIIhas a slab-sided,
heavyweight barrel with target grips and a scope base supplied with optical sight
mounting rings.
The RUGER
® 22/45 MARK IIIhas a grip frame assembly made of molded
synthetic polymer, with a grip shape and angle generally similar to “1911”-style
.45 caliber pistols.
All RUGER
® MARK III pistols have the same basic operating mechanism
and include the following features with which the gun user should be thoroughly
familiar:
Bolt Stop:
When the last...

OPERATION OF MANUAL SAFETY
Putting the safety between “S” and “F” can
result in the pistol firing when the trigger
is pulled. Always move the safety fully to its
intended position and check
it. The safety
is not “on” unless it is completely “on.”
Never depend on a safety mechanism or
any other mechanical device to justify
careless handling or permitting the pistol
to point in an unsafe direction. The only
“safe” pistol is one in which the bolt is
open, the chamber is empty and there is no
magazine in the...