Ruger P345 Instructions Manual

							Any autoloading pistol may occasionally
malfunction. If a cartridge hangs up, jams, or
binds when being chambered, do not attempt to
force it into the chamber by pushing or striking
the slide. Carefully remove it.
Most failures of a cartridge to feed or to chamber 
properly are caused by a damaged magazine,
incorrect gun handling, insufficient lubrication,
or improper ammunition.
Whatever the cause, the user of the pistol must,
above all, recognize that any cartridge jam can
result in the very potentially dangerous situation
of a cartridge discharging before it is properly
chambered. If this happens, the cartridge case
may rupture and its fragments fly out of the
ejection port of the pistol with sufficient force to
cause serious injury. Always wear shooting
glasses!
WARNING - MALFUNCTIONS
cartridge clear of the pistol. These failures usually are the result of the slide not
being pulled rearward vigorously. From the foregoing, it is clear that the gun
user must:
1.Always visually check the chamber and the br
eech-face after opening the slide
to eject a chambered cartridge.If the slide is not vigorously retracted when
being operated by hand, the extracted cartridge can be “ejected” into the
magazine-well of the grip frame or remain held to the breech-face by the
extractor.
2. Thor
oughly clean the chamber and the extractor as often as necessary.
If an empty magazine is in the pistol when the slide is being hand retracted to
extract a cartridge, the cartridge may drop on top of the magazine or remain
held to the breech-face by the extractor. Then when the slide goes forward, the
cartridge will be chambered again! Remember — always remove the magazine
befor
eclearing the chamber, and visually ensure that no cartridges remain in the
gun.
HITTING PRIMER
CAN BURST CARTRIDGE
21
TO CLEAR AMALFUNCTION ( JAM )
1.Be certain the muzzle is continually pointed in a safe direction and that the
safety lever is in the “safe” position (lever fully down and white dot exposed).
2. If possible, remove the magazine. It may be necessary to manually remove a
jammed cartridge that has only been partially stripped from the magazine. If
so, use extreme care. Lock the slide open with the slide stop before attempting    !   
						

							to clear the jam. Drawing the slide 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 the
cartridge will not be damaged or the primer ignited. A 3/16” wooden dowel
with a point on one end is useful.
3. Visually check to make sure that 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.
TO MINIMIZE MALFUNCTIONS ( JAMS )
1. If it appears that the jam was caused by the type of ammunition being used, try
another brand, type, or lot number. Remember — use only factory
ammunition of the correct caliber.
2. If changing ammunition does not at once eliminate malfunctions, then the
following steps should be taken:
a. Thoroughly clean the pistol, paying particular attention to the removal of
accumulated grease and dirt. Use a bristle brush and solvent to remove
grease and fouling from the breech-face, extractor, chamber, and feed ramp
area immediately behind the chamber.
b. Check to be sure that the magazine spring firmly returns the magazine
follower to the top of the magazine.
c. Check the magazine lips to be certain that they are free of nicks and burrs
and that they are not deformed or cracked.
d. Remove excess oil and solvent from all cleaned components, load the
magazine, and try the pistol again. Make sure you are following the correct
loading and firing sequence as described in this manual.
e. If none of the above steps is effective, try a different magazine of Ruger
manufacture. If a new magazine does not function correctly, return the
pistol and magazines to the Ruger Product Service Department. (See
“Shipping Firearms For Repair” on page 29.)
f.Alterations to the pistol or use of non-Ruger magazines and accessories
may cause malfunctions. See “Warning - Alterations” on page 8.
TO DISASSEMBLE
Be sure pistol is unloaded!
1.Keep pistol pointed in a safe direction and place safety lever in the “safe”
position(lever fully down and white dot exposed). Press down on the magazine
latch and withdraw magazine from butt of pistol.
2. Pull slide to rear and lock in open position by pressing upward on rear end of
slide stop. Again, be sure chamber is empty!
3. Keep upwar
d pressure on slide stop to prevent forward movement of slide.
Open slide is under strong spring tension and could injure fingers if allowed to
slam shut. Insert finger (or another non-metallic object such as the eraser end 
22 
						

							of a pencil) through top of slide and push ejector downward and forward (see
Figure 7, below) until it locks in its lower position. This will permit forward
movement of slide. Further disassembly is impossible unless this is done.
23
FIGURE  7
Press slide stop up. Depress ejector.FIGURE 8
Index marks aligned.
FIGURE 9
Slide stop in disassembly position.
4. Remove fingers from ejection port. Grasp slide tightly. Now press down on
slide stop and allow slide to move slowly
forward until the vertical
disassembly line on the frame is aligned with the vertical disassembly line on
the slide. (See Figure 8, above.) Press in on right-hand end of slide stop and
pull slide stop out of frame to the left until it is withdrawn completely out of
the frame. (See Figure 9, above.)
5. Push slide forward and remove entire slide assembly to the front.
6. With slide held upside down, lift rear end of camblock/recoil spring assembly
to disengage it from its seat against the barrel lug. Withdraw the
camblock/recoil spring assembly to the rear of the slide.SAFETY ON1REMOVE
MAGAZINE2PULL SLIDE
TO REAR3DEPRESS
EJECTOR4  PULL OUT
SLIDE STOP6  ALIGN
INDEX MARKS5   
						

							TO REASSEMBLE
1.Be certain chamber and magazine are empty.
2. With slide held upside down, replace barrel and push it rearward into its
locked position.
3. Replace camblock and recoil spring assembly into position. Rear end of
camblock seats against barrel lug. Make sure that the large end of the recoil
spring goes into the slide.
4. Be certain that ejector is locked in its lower (forward) position and that
hammer is in its fired (uncocked) position.
5. Replace slide onto frame far enough to see completely through the slide stop
hole. Par
tiallyinsert slide stop into frame.
6. Pull slide back until disassembly line on frame is aligned with disassembly
line on slide stop. Now push slide stop all the way through the frame to the
right.
7. Allow slide to move fully forward.
8. Replace empty magazine in frame through butt of pistol. This action returns
the ejector to its working position. This pistol will not function normally
unless the ejector is in its upward (rearward) position.
MAGAZINE INSPECTION AND CARE
Check the magazine frequently. The magazine follower must move freely and
have adequate tension so that each cartridge is quickly raised to the feeding
position. The magazine lips should be clean and free of cracks, dents, or nicks, so
that cartridges are held in their proper feeding position.
If the magazine becomes dirty, it should be disassembled and thoroughly
cleaned. All RUGER
®.45 Auto (.45 ACP) magazines are manufactured with a
snap-on base. The following disassembly instructions apply:
24
Always unload a firearm
before cleaning, lubrication,
disassembly or assembly.
UNLOAD BEFORE DISASSEMBLY
WARNING - DISASSEMBLY
7. Pull barrel upward out of slide slightly and withdraw to the rear.
8. This completes normal fieldstripping for routine cleaning and lubrication
purposes. Further disassembly of slide or frame components is not
recommended and should only be undertaken by the factory.!  3
2 14SAFETY “ON”   
						

							DAMAGED, NON-STANDARD, OR IMPROPERLY
ASSEMBLED MAGAZINES SHOULD NOT BE USED.
THEY CAN CAUSE THE PISTOL TO MALFUNCTION.
Snap-On Base- Use a punch to press in on the magazine spring seat where it
protrudes into the hole in the magazine floorplate. Slide the magazine floorplate
toward the front of the magazine, taking care to prevent the forcible ejection of
the magazine spring seat and compressed magazine spring. Withdraw the
magazine spring seat and magazine spring from the magazine body. Turn
magazine upside down and remove magazine follower. Reassemble in reverse
order.
When cleaning is necessary, use a solvent that will not rust the metal
components or adversely affect the magazine body. After the magazine has been
soaked to loosen foreign matter, be certain to shake it vigorously (with the
loading opening away from you) to remove solvent or residue from within the
magazine. Penetrating oils and solvents inside a magazine can “kill” or weaken
cartridge primers which can result in failures to fire or other possibly dangerous
malfunctions, such as leaving a bullet in the bore!
After cleaning always check to be certain that the magazine follower movement
and tension are correct, and that no solvent or debris remain. Improper
reassembly of the magazine spring can cause a potentially dangerous
malfunction. If cleaning does not restore proper tension, or if you experience a
problem with the magazine, don’t use it. Get a new one.
25
CARE AND CLEANING
Make Sure Gun Is Unloaded!
BEFORE CLEANING, BE CERTAIN THE PISTOL AND ITS MAGAZINE CONTAIN
NO CARTRIDGES.(See “Warning - Unloading,” p. 18.)
At regular intervals, or whenever the pistol has been exposed to sand, dust,
extreme humidity, condensation, immersion in water, or other adverse
conditions, disassemble, clean, and oil it. Proper periodic maintenance is
essential to the reliable functioning of any firearm.
To clean the pistol, proceed as follows:
1. Disassemble (fieldstrip) the pistol to the extent described on pages 22 - 24.
2. Using a cleaning rod, run a solvent-wetted patch through the bore several
times. Then attach a solvent-wetted bristle brush to the rod and run it back
and forth the full length of the bore as many times as necessary to remove
grease and dirt from the bore and chamber. Clean bore with dry patches and
examine. Bore fouling can contribute to reduced accuracy, and grease
accumulation in the chamber can interfere with proper feeding of cartridges
from the magazine. 
						

							3. Using powder solvent on a clean patch or bristle brush, remove powder
residue from all components of the mechanism. After cleaning, run a dry
patch through the bore, then follow with a patch that is very lightly oiled.
Wipe all surfaces clean with cloth, then wipe all surfaces with a patch or cloth
that has been very lightly oiled.
4.NOTE:Only a light application of oil is needed to provide adequate
lubrication of moving parts and to prevent rust. Excess accumulations of oil
tend to attract particles of dust and dirt and may congeal in cold weather,
which can interfere with the safe and reliable function of the pistol.
5. Before firing, remove all oil and grease from the bore.
26
WARNING - LUBRICATION
IMPROPER LUBRICATION
DESTROYS GUNS
Firing a pistol with oil, grease, or any other material
even partially obstructing the bore may result in damage
to the pistol and serious injury to the shooter and those
nearby. Do not spray or apply lubricants directly on
ammunition. If the powder of a cartridge is affected by
the lubricant, it may not be ignited, but the primer
firing may push the bullet into the bore where it may be
lodged. Firing a subsequent bullet into the obstructed
bore may damage the pistol and cause serious injury or
death to the shooter and those nearby.Use lubricants
properly. You are responsible for the proper care and
maintenance of your firearms.
STORAGE
GUNS SHOULD NOT BE STORED LOADED!
Do notkeep the pistol stored in a leather holster or case. Leather attracts
moisture, even though the holster or case may appear to be perfectly dry.
PREFERRED METHOD OF STORAGE —
All RUGER®P345TMManual Safety Model Pistols are shipped with a
lock with a 5” shackle. It is very important to use the correct locking
device!
USE THE LOCKING DEVICE SUPPLIED WITH THE PISTOL FOR STORAGE.
(SEEPAGES5 & 6)
ALTERNATIVE METHOD I —
Your RUGER®P345TMpistol is also equipped with an internal lock. See page 27
for operation instructions.  !   
						

							27
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 rely first and foremost on the key-operated
locking device supplied with your pistol. (See Page 6.) However, for added security,
and to comply with certain state and local laws, your RUGER
®P345TMpistol
is also equipped with a manually operated internal lock.  When actuated, this
internal lock will secure the 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, first make sure that the pistol is pointed in a safe
direction and that the manual safety is in the on or safe position.  With your
safety in the “on” or “safe” position, the internal lock keyway is exposed through
the hole in the right safety lever. (See “Nomenclature,” p. 9.)  Inser
t the key into
the keyway and rotate the key fully clockwise (about 90º from the fully unlocked
position) until it stops. (See Figure 4.) Only after you have fully rotated the key
90º clockwise until it stops, you should then remove the key and verify that the
internal lock is 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. 9) and rotate the key counter-clockwise (about 90º
from the fully locked position) until it stops. (See Figure 4.)  
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
REMOVE KEY AFTER LOCKING OR UNLOCKING
Place Manual
Safety “On”
Before Locking
Lock “On”
Lock “Off”
90º
Always Rotate the Key
Fully Until it Stops!
Figure 4   
						

							28
ALTERNATIVE METHOD II —
TO RENDER THE PISTOL INOPERATIVE FOR SAFE STORAGE
With the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, remove the magazine, retract the
slide, and check the chamber to be sur
e the pistol is completely unloaded! Keep
the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, and press upward on the slide stop. Insert
a finger into the action and press the ejector assembly fully forward. Next, pull
the slide stop pin out the left side of the pistol frame until it is withdrawn
completely out of the frame. Now remove the slide and barrel assembly by sliding
it forward off the front of the frame. (See Disassembly instructions, pp. 22 - 24.)
Store the pistol’s frame and the barrel/slide assembly in different locations. When
disassembled in this manner, this pistol is inoperable. It is impossible to fire the
pistol until the barrel/slide assembly and frame have been correctly reassembled.
To reassemble the pistol for firing, carefully slide the barrel/slide assembly onto
the frame. Align the disassembly marks on the frame and slide, and then push
the slide stop pin fully into the receiver from the left. Either reinsert an empty
magazine or lock the slide open and push the ejector back upward and rearward
with a finger. The pistol is now reassembled and can be loaded and fired
normally.
While the pistol is less likely to be used by unauthorized persons when
disassembled in the above manner, it is always safest to store any firearm with
the supplied locking device correctly installed, or to store the firearm in a gun
safe or other secure location away from children and unauthorized adults.
Guns should always be stored securely, unloaded
and separate from their
ammunition.
Never place or store any firearm in
such a manner that it may be
dislodged. Firearms should always be
stored securely and unloaded, away
from children and careless adults. Use
the locking device originally supplied
with this firearm for storage.
The use of a locking device or safety
lock is only one aspect of responsible
firearms storage. For increased safety,
firearms should be stored unloaded and
locked in a location that is both
separate from their ammunition and
inaccessible to children and any other
unauthorized person.
STORE SECURELY & UNLOADED
WARNING —STORAGE!     
						

							SHIPPING FIREARMS FOR REPAIR:
RUGER®P345TMpistols returned to the factory for services or repair should
be sent to: Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc., Product Service Department, 200
Ruger Road, Prescott, AZ 86301-6181. Telephone (928)778-6555.
Guns should be sent prepaid. W
e will not accept collect shipments.
The Federal Gun Control Act, as well as the laws of most States and localities, do
not prohibit an individual (who is not otherwise barred from purchasing or
possessing a firearm) from shipping a firearm directly to the manufacturer for
repair. However, before you ship your pistol to us, be certain that your State or
locality does not have a law or regulation which will prohibit you from receiving
the pistol from us after it has been repaired. If such receiving is prohibited, then
please have a Federally Licensed Firearms Dealer ship the gun to us. If your
pistol is sent to us by a dealer, it will be returned to him after being repaired. If a
handgun (pistol or revolver) is shipped by an individual who does not hold a
Federal Firearms License, it must be shipped via U.P.S. (Next Day Air.) Persons
who do not hold a Federal Firearms License are prohibited by Federal law from
shipping a handgun by Mail. Handguns mailed in violation of the law are
impounded by the Post Office.
Please do not include holster, custom grip panels, or accessories with a firearm
being shipped to the factory for service. DO NOT SEND GUN BOXES OR
LITERATURE THAT YOU CONSIDER TO BE COLLECTOR’S ITEMS – THESE
ARE INVARIABLY DAMAGED OR DESTROYED IN SHIPMENT. Always insure
your shipment.
29
WARNING BEFORE SHIPPING ANYFIREARM,
BE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN THAT IT AND ITS 
MAGAZINE ARE UNLOADED. DO NOT SHIP
CARTRIDGES WITH A FIREARM.
SERVICE AND PARTS POLICY
If you have any questions with regard to the performance of your RUGER®
P345TMpistol, please write or call (928-778-6555) our Product Service
Department in Prescott, Arizona, fully describing all circumstances and conditions
involved. If you should return your pistol to the factory for repair, or order parts
for it, please comply with the following suggestions for prompt service:
SIGHT ADJUSTMENT
The RUGER®P345TMPistols are equipped with a rear sight which is
adjustable for windage only. After the rear-sight lock screw has been loosened, the
rear sight can be drifted laterally in its dovetail on the top of the slide by tapping it
with a wooden- or plastic-headed hammer or similar implement. Move the rear
sight in the direction you want the shot to move on the target. After the rear sight
is adjusted, tighten the rear-sight lock screw. Both front and rear sights are
provided with white-dot inserts for rapid target acquisition and easy alignment of
the sights to obtain a correct sight picture.!   
						

							ORDERING PARTS
Please contact the Arizona Product Service Department for parts availability and
current prices. All parts orders for the RUGER®P345TMpistols should be
sent to: Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc., Parts Department, 200 Ruger Road,
Prescott AZ 86301-6181, (928) 778-6555. We cannot comply with open account
or C.O.D. requests. Payment in the form of a check, money order, Visa or
Mastercard must accompany your order. Credit Card orders must include the
account number, expiration date and whether it is a Visa or Mastercard account.
Minimum parts order is $1.00 plus a $3.50 shipping and handling charge. Order
parts by Part Number and Part Name, include the entire serial number of the
firearm for which the parts are being ordered. There is a minimum net labor
charge of $20.00 plus $20.00 shipping and handling charge if the parts are
factory fitted. All factory-fitted parts are fitted on an exchange basis only. We will
not return the replaced parts.
Because it is a serial numbered component, the RUGER
®P345TMframe is
defined as a “firearm” by Federal law and is not sold as a separate component.
*Parts designated by an asterisk must be factory fitted. These parts are fitted on
an exchange basis only. We will not return the replaced parts. We will not return
any part that is broken, malfunctioning, badly worn or has been modified. See
“Warning - Parts Purchasers,” above.
CAUTION:A gun containing modified, broken, malfunctioning, 
or badly worn parts should not be fired!
30
PARTS MUST FIT CORRECTLY
WARNING - PARTS PURCHASERS
Enclose a letter which includes your name, address, telephone number, and
serial number and model of the firearm. Describe in detail the trouble you have
experienced with your firearm, or the work you wish to have done. Merely stating
that the firearm “needs repair” is inadequate information. Please enclose copies
of any previous correspondence.
Work performed will bear a net minimum labor charge of $20.00 plus a $20.00
shipping and handling charge. The charge for metal refinishing the RUGER
®
P345TMpistol is $50.00, plus a $20.00 shipping and handling charge. Custom
gunsmithing service or nonstandard alterations are NOT AVAILABLE from Ruger
Product Service Departments.
It is the purchaser’s responsibility to be absolutely
certain that any parts ordered from the factory are
correctly fitted and installed. Firearms are
complicated mechanisms and IMPROPER FITTING
OF PARTS MAY RESULT IN A DANGEROUS
MALFUNCTION, DAMAGE TO THE FIREARM, AND
SERIOUS INJURY TO THE SHOOTER AND OTHER
PERSONS.The purchaser and installer of parts must
accept full responsibility for the correct adjustment
and functioning of the pistol after such installation. !    !