Ruger Mark III Instruction Manual

							11
OPERATION OF INTERNAL LOCK
Never rely upon any safety mechanism or mechanical device to justify unsafe or
careless handling of a firearm.  When securing your pistol or to prevent
unauthorized access, you should completely unload the pistol and store it in a
gun safe or use the key-operated external locking device supplied with your
pistol. (See Page 5.)  However, for added security, and to comply with certain
state and local laws, your RUGER
®MARK IIIpistol is also equipped with
an internal lock.  When actuated, this internal lock will secure the pistol’s
manual safety in the on or safe position.
Before activating the internal lock on your pistol, first visually inspect the
chamber and magazine to verify that they are empty and do not contain any
cartridges.
To activate the internal lock, place the manual safety in the on or safe
position.  (Note that the pistol must be cocked to engage the safety.) Next, place
the internal lock key (supplied with your pistol) into the internal lock keyway.
(See “Nomenclature,” p. 8.)  Rotate the key fully clockwise (about 1 3/4 of a
rotation from the fully unlocked position) until it stops. (See Figure 3.) Remove
the key and verify that the internal lock engaged by attempting to move the
safety to the off or fire position.  If the internal lock is engaged, you will not
be able to move the safety to the off or fire position.
To deactivate the internal lock, place the internal lock key into the internal lock
keyway (see “Nomenclature,” p. 8) and rotate the key counter-clockwise (about 1
3/4 turns from the fully locked position) until it stops. (See Figure 3.)  
Be sure to store the internal lock key in a secure location, away from children
and careless adults. Do not store your firearm with the key in the internal lock
keyway. Never lock a loaded gun – always unload the gun before locking.
OPERATION OF INTERNAL LOCK
Figure 3
Place Manual
Safety “On”
Before Locking   
						

							12
WARNING —AMMUNITION
IMPROPER AMMUNITION
DESTROYS GUNS
AMMUNITION (CARTRIDGES) NOTICE
WE SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DAMAGE
OR INJURY WHATSOEVER OCCURRING IN CONNECTION WITH, OR
AS THE RESULT OF, THE USE IN RUGER PISTOLS OF FAULTY, OR
NONSTANDARD, OR “REMANUFACTURED” OR HANDLOADED
(RELOADED) AMMUNITION, OR OF CARTRIDGES OTHER THAN
THOSE FOR WHICH THE FIREARM WAS ORIGINALLY CHAMBERED.
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 protection.
AMMUNITION
TheRUGER® MARK IIIpistol is chambered only for the .22 caliber Long
Rifle cartridge, standard velocity or high velocity, manufactured to U.S. Industry
Standards. Do not attempt to load .22 Long, .22 Short, or any other type .22
caliber cartridge into the magazine or in the chamber of the pistol. Use of .22
shot shells is not recommended. See “Warning - Malfunctions,” p. 19.
WARNING — LEAD EXPOSURE
Discharging firearms in poorly ventilated
areas, cleaning firearms, or handling
ammunition may result in exposure to
lead and other substances known to the
state of California to cause birth defects,
reproductive harm, and other serious
physical injury. Have adequate ventilation
at all times. Wash hands thoroughly after
exposure.
SHOOTING OR CLEANING GUNS
MAY EXPOSE YOU TO LEAD           
						

							13
4.Engage the safety by moving it fully upward so the “S” shows completely. (See
Figure 2, p. 10.)
5. Put ten (10) or fewer .22 caliber Long Rifle cartridges into the magazine. In
loading the magazine make sure that all of the cartridges lie parallel and
evenly in the magazine. The follower button on the left side of the magazine is
used to lower the follower so the cartridges can be readily inserted.
CAUTION: When using the follower button, have it under control.
When loading or handling the magazine, do not pull the button down
and then release it suddenly. The rim of the cartridge hitting the
magazine lips may set off a sensitive primer and cause the cartridge
case to discharge, burst violently, and result in injury.
6. Insert magazine into pistol, taking care that the magazine is fully inserted and
locked in place. Slamming the magazine into the grip frame is not necessary.
7.Don’t touch the trigger.Pull the bolt to the rear as far as it will go. (See Figure
4, above.) Release the bolt so that it will fly forward. (On 22/45 models, the
bolt stop must also be depressed to permit the bolt to fly forward.) This will
place a cartridge into the firing chamber. If the pistol is not to be fired
immediately, the safety button should remain “on” — with the “S” showing.
(See Figure 2, p. 10.)
Figure 4
TO LOAD AND FIRE
Practice this important aspect of gun handing (with an unloaded pistol) until you
can perform each of the steps — described below — with skill and confidence.
But before you do anything with the pistol, first read completely through this
manual.
1. Keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction. (See Rule 2, p. 39.)
2. Push the magazine release button and pull the magazine down out of the grip
frame by its foot.
3. Grasp the grooved ears of the bolt and pull the bolt to the rear as far as it will
go. (See Figure 4, below.) This cocks the hammer and must be done before the
safety can be put on.     
						

							14
WARNING —FIRING
9.Immediately following the firing of a shot, and if a subsequent shot is not to be
fired at once, put the safety in its “safe” position while the pistol is still
pointing in a safe direction down range. Never put a loaded pistol down with
the safety off!
BOLT OPENS FAST -
HOT BRASS EJECTED
The bolt automatically opens and shuts
quickly while firing. Keep face and
hands away from rear. Hot brass is
ejected quickly and can burn you. Always
wear shooting glasses and hearing
protectors.
KEEP SAFETY ON
8. The pistol is ready for instant use once the safety is disengaged. Firing will
automatically reload and recock the pistol. Note that every time the trigger is
pulled, if a cartridge is in the chamber and the safety is “off,” the pistol will
fire — be careful! Once the safety is pushed down so the “F” shows, the pistol will fire a cartridge
each time the trigger is pulled, until all of the cartridges in the magazine, and
the one in the chamber, have been fired.       
						

							15
WARNING  —  
   HANDLING
ANY GUN MAY FIRE IF DROPPED
10. When the last cartridge loaded into the pistol has been fired, the magaz\
ine
follower presses the slide stop upward to engage the slide automatically\
holding the action open.  If the slide is shut, the shooter should always
assume that there is a cartridge in the chamber!
Don’t rely on your memory to know if a gun or magazine is loaded. Visually
inspect the magazine and the chamber. If dropped or struck with the safety
“off,” the pistol may fire. Keep
chamber empty unless actually
firing! Keep safety “on” unless
actually firing!
OPERATION OF MAGAZINE DISCONNECT
Your 
RUGER® MARK III pistol is equipped with a magazine disconnect.  This
device prevents the trigger from being pulled if the magazine is removed\
 from the
pistol.  You will not be able to use your pistol as a single loader or to fire the\
 pistol
with the magazine removed.  
Remember that a r
ound may still be in the chamber and that the pistol may still be
loaded even if the magazine is removed.As always, you should not rely upon the
magazine disconnect or any other mechanical device or safety to justify \
careless or
unsafe handling of any firearm.
Don’t rely on your memory to know if a gun or magazine is loaded. Visually inspect
the magazine and the chamber.
OPERATION OF
LOADED CHAMBER INDICATOR
You should always treat every gun as though it is loaded and always keep \
the
muzzle pointed in a safe direction. Never rely upon any safety or mechan\
ical device
to justify unsafe or careless gun handling.  In order to assist you in d\
etermining
the presence of a cartridge in the chamber of your  RUGER
® MARK IIIpistol,
it is equipped with a loaded chamber indicator, the first such device on a .22 caliber
pistol.  The indicator appears on the left side of the receiver.  (See “Nomenclature,”
p. 8.) 
When the chamber is empty, the loaded chamber indicator should be flush with the
left side of the receiver.  (See Figure 5A, p. 16.)      
						

							When the chamber is loaded, the rearmost portion of the loaded chamber
indicator should protrude from the left side of the receiver, and a red dot also
should be visible on the forward top portion of the loaded chamber indicator.
(See Figure 5B, below.)
TO UNLOAD
NOTE: This sequence must be followed exactly as spelled out. Failure to do so can
result in the pistol’s chamber becoming unintentionally loaded with a cartridge.
1.The muzzle of the pistol must be pointing in a safe direction at all times, and
fingers must be outside the trigger guard. If the pistol is cocked, put the safety
“on” (S) by pushing safety button fully upward.
2. Remove the magazine from the pistol and place it where it will not get
damaged or collect dirt. (REMEMBER that even though the magazine has been
removed, a cartridge may still be in the chamber.)
3. Firmly hold pistol in right hand so that the right thumb is directly underneath
the bolt stop. Grasp bolt ears firmly between thumb and forefinger of left hand 
Figure 5B Figure 5A
16
OPERATION OF LOADED CHAMBER INDICATOR
Chamber Empty
Indicator
Flush
With Side
Indicator
Protrudes
From
Side -
Red Dot
and
Loaded
Visible
Cartridge in Chamber
NEVER RELY ON YOUR MEMORY OR ANY LOADED CHAMBER
INDICATOR TO KNOW IF A GUN IS LOADED. ANY MECHANICAL
DEVICE CAN FAIL. ALWAYS VISUALLY CHECK THE CHAMBER BY
RETRACTING THE BOLT AND EXAMINING THE CHAMBER TO BE SURE
WHETHER IT IS EMPTY OR LOADED.       
						

							and briskly retract the bolt to its rearmost position. As the bolt nears the end
of its retraction, the chambered cartridge should be extracted and ejected.
When the bolt is fully retracted, push upward on bolt stop with thumb, then
allow bolt to move forward slowly until it comes to rest against the bolt stop. 
Always visually double check the chamber and the interior area of the receiver
and the magazine-well to be certain there are no cartridges present. Gently
shake the pistol to dislodge any cartridge which may have been ejected into
the magazine-well when the bolt was retracted.
17
1
2
43
Safety ON
CORRECT UNLOADING SEQUENCE123   
						

							18
4. If desired, the bolt can be left in the open position, being held there by the bolt
stop. If it is desired to close the bolt, again look to be certain the chamber is
empty. Assuming that the magazine is not in the pistol and that the safety is
“on” (S), retract the bolt to its rearmost position, release it, and the bolt will
snap forward (on Mark III models). On 22/45 models the bolt stop button must
be depressed. Keep your fingers out of the receiver!
5.With the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, push the safety to the “off” (F)
position and pull the trigger to decock the pistol. The pistol can be dry fired as
long as the firing pin stop is in place (see NOTE in step 5 on page 23).
6. If the magazine contains cartridges, they can be removed by pressing down
slightly on the magazine button (to ease the spring tension) with the thumb,
and then sliding the cartridges forward and out of the magazine, one at a time
until emptied.
7. Push empty (unloaded) magazine into grip frame until the latch locks it in
place.
TO EXTRACT AND 
EJECT A CHAMBERED CARTRIDGE
When the pistol is fired, the same gas pressure that drives the bullet forward also
acts through the cartridge case to push the bolt to the rear. That action causes
extraction and ejection of the fired cartridge case. But, when the bolt is operated
by hand, there can be a failure to extract the cartridge from the chamber, or a
failure to eject the cartridge clear of the pistol. These failures usually are the
result of the bolt not being pulled rearward vigorously, coupled with an
accumulation of bullet lubricant in the chamber. From the foregoing it is clear
that the gun user must:
1.Always visually check the chamber after opening the bolt to eject a chambered
cartridge. If the bolt is not vigorously retracted when being operated by hand,
the extracted cartridge can be ‘ejected’ into the grip frame of the magazine-
well.
2. Thor
oughly clean the chamber and extractor as often as necessaryto prevent
the accumulation of grease and dirt.
3. If an empty magazine is in the pistol when the bolt is being hand retracted to
extract a cartridge, the cartridge may drop on top of the magazine. Then when
the bolt goes forward, the cartridge will be chambered again! Always remove
the magazine before clearing the chamber, and visually ensure that no
cartridges remain in the gun. 
						

							19
WARNING —MALFUNCTIONS
TO CLEAR AMALFUNCTION ( JAM )
1.Be certain the muzzle is pointed in a safe direction and the safety is “on” (S).
2. If possible, first remove the magazine. It may be necessary to manually
remove a jammed cartridge which has only partially been stripped from the
magazine. If so, use extreme care. Lock the bolt open with the bolt stop
before attempting to clear the jam. Drawing the bolt fully to the rear may
bring the jammed cartridge along. Keep your face away from the ejection
port during this operation.When attempting to clear a jam, use only wood
“tools” so that a cartridge will not be ignited if you strike a primer and so
that the chamber and magazine will not be damaged. A 3/16 wood dowel rod
with a point on one end is useful.
3. Visually check to make sure all cartridges have been removed from the pistol.
Safely dispose of any cartridges involved in a malfunction incident. Do not
use damaged ammunition in any firearm.
CRUSHING RIM CAN BURST AMMO
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 determined what is wrong. Most
failures of a cartridge to feed or to chamber are
caused by a damaged magazine, improper gun
handling, or defective ammunition. Whatever
the cause, rimfire cartridge jams can result in
the potentially dangerous situation of a
cartridge discharging before it is chambered. If
this occurs, the cartridge case will rupture and
its fragments will fly out of the gun with
sufficient force to cause injury. Always wear
shooting glasses and hearing protectors!Keep
face away from chamber!
TO MINIMIZE MALFUNCTIONS ( JAMS )
1. If it appears that the gun and magazine are not at fault and that the jam was
caused by the type of cartridge being used, then try another type.
2. If changing to another type or brand of cartridges does not at once eliminate
malfunctions, then the following steps should be taken:       
						

							20
a.Make certain the gun and the magazine are unloaded and that the
safety is “on” (S). Remember, the magazine should be removed first,
then check the chamber and be certain it and the magazine-well are
clear of cartridges.
b. Thoroughly clean the magazine and bolt mechanism, paying
particular attention to removing accumulated grease. Use a bristle brush
and solvent to remove grease and fouling from the bolt face, the
extractor, the chamber, and the feed ramp. (See the “Care and Cleaning”
section of this manual for detailed cleaning instructions.)
c. Check to see that the magazine spring tension is adequate.
d. Check the magazine lips to be certain they are free of nicks and burrs
and are not deformed.
e. Remove excess oil and solvent from all cleaned components, load the
magazine, and try the firearm again. As always, proceed slowly. Be
certain bystanders are not close and that you are wearing eye and
hearing protection and that your face is a safe distance from the pistol so
that any discharge resulting from a jammed cartridge will not injure
anyone.
If the above procedures do not result in a smooth and reliably functioning firearm,
don’t use the gun. The pistol can be returned directly to our Prescott Product
Service Department for repair. See the Service and Parts Policy section of this
manual for packing and shipping information.
Another precaution:when using any firearm chambered for rimfire cartridges,
form the habit of examining fired cartridge cases. If they have bulged heads or
frequently show splits on any part of the case, the rifle or pistol should be
returned to the factory for inspection.
DISASSEMBLY
Although MARK IIIpistols are designed to be disassembled and reassembled
without the use of tools, some “tools” may be useful in the process, particularly
when the pistols are new. Tools that may be useful include: (1) a soft rubber/plastic
mallet; (2) a paper clip; and (3) a wooden dowel (1/8” - 1/4” diameter).
1.Before beginning disassembly, be certain that the muzzle is pointed in a safe
direction and that the safety is on (S) if the pistol is cocked.  Remove the
magazine and carefully check it to verify that it is completely empty.  Draw
the bolt fully rearward and visually inspect the chamber to be certain that
there is no cartridge in it and then release the bolt.  Insert the empty
magazine into the magazine well until it clicks and is fully in place.
Disengage the internal lock, if necessary. (See p. 11.) Place the safety in the
off (F) position.  Point the pistol in a safe direction and pull the trigger to
be sure the hammer has fallen.  The hammer must be uncocked before the
pistol can be disassembled.  Remove the empty magazine.