{ "apiVersion": 1, "kind": "work-order", "purpose": "Taking the firearm apart for a job such as refinishing, and putting it back together to specification.", "firearm": { "slug": "ruger-mark-iv", "name": "Ruger Mark IV", "manufacturer": { "id": "ruger", "name": "Sturm, Ruger & Co." }, "category": "rimfire-pistol", "action": "blowback", "calibers": [ ".22 Long Rifle" ], "alsoKnownAs": [ "Mark IV Target", "Mark IV 22/45", "Mark IV Hunter" ], "coversAlso": [ "Ruger Mark IV Target", "Mark IV Hunter", "Mark IV 22/45", "Mark IV 22/45 Lite" ], "page": "firearms/ruger-mark-iv.html", "bundle": "api/v1/firearms/ruger-mark-iv.json", "lastUpdated": "2026-10-29" }, "notices": [ "Sturm, Ruger & Co. safety notice — Mark IV Pistol Product Safety Warning and Recall Notice (2017): All Mark IV pistols (including 22/45 models) manufactured prior to June 1, 2017: Mark IV Target, Hunter, Competition, 22/45, 22/45 Lite and 22/45 Tactical, with serial numbers beginning \"401\" (2017) or \"WBR\" (2016). Pistols with serials beginning \"5\" are not affected; retrofitted pistols show an \"S\" in the white safety dot. Mark I, II and III are not affected. Do not use the pistol until it is retrofitted or verified not subject to the recall. Enter the serial number on Ruger's recall page; Ruger ships a box and prepaid label, retrofits the grip frame assembly with an updated safety mechanism free of charge and returns it.", "This work order is written for the Ruger Mark IV. It is reported to cover Ruger Mark IV Target; Mark IV Hunter; Mark IV 22/45; Mark IV 22/45 Lite — if the firearm on the bench is one of those, check the torque notes: values do not always carry over.", "No torque values are recorded for this firearm. Get them from the manufacturer or a gunsmith; do not estimate." ], "disclaimer": { "headline": "Read this before you use anything here.", "points": [ "This is a guide, not an authority. Entries are compiled from manufacturer manuals, technical manuals, published references, and community knowledge. Some of it comes from sources that are not authoritative, and some of it may simply be wrong.", "Always consult the manufacturer's manual for your specific firearm and serial-number range. Manufacturers change designs mid-production without renaming the model. The manual that shipped with your firearm outranks anything on this site.", "Consult a licensed gunsmith for anything beyond routine field stripping and cleaning, for any firearm you are unsure about, and for any procedure marked as gunsmith-recommended here.", "Treat every firearm as loaded. Verify it is unloaded, with the magazine removed and the chamber physically and visually checked, before any procedure in this database. Point it in a safe direction the entire time.", "Disassembly can damage a firearm or injure you. Springs are under tension, parts can launch, and reassembling a firearm incorrectly can make it unsafe to fire in a way that is not obvious from the outside. If a reassembled firearm does not pass a function check, stop and see a gunsmith.", "Torque values are shown in two groups. Values from the manufacturer or the issuing military are shown as such, with the document they came from. Values reported by anyone else — parts makers, gunsmithing publishers, articles, forums — are shown separately with who said them, how reliable that source is, and their exact words. Those are not specifications. Confirm any torque value with the manufacturer or a licensed gunsmith before relying on it.", "Nothing here is legal advice. Firearms law varies by country, state, and city, and some modifications or configurations are regulated or prohibited. You are responsible for knowing and following the law where you are.", "No warranty of any kind. Contributors and maintainers accept no liability for damage, injury, or loss arising from use of this material." ], "page": "disclaimer.html", "legal": { "summary": "Legal notice: this material is third-party information compiled from sources of varying reliability and is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not gunsmithing, technical, safety or legal advice, it is not verified or endorsed by any manufacturer, and it must not be taken as fact. Any work on a firearm beyond the routine field stripping described in its own owner's manual should be performed only by a licensed and insured gunsmith. You use this material entirely at your own risk. Fundamental Build LLC and the project's contributors make no warranty of any kind and accept no liability for death, injury, damage or loss arising from its use. Full terms: LEGAL.md.", "page": "legal.html", "notice": "https://github.com/Fundamental-build-LLC/Pew-Takedown/blob/main/LEGAL.md" } }, "sourcing": { "confidence": "high", "verification": "manufacturer-manual-verified" }, "manufacturerDisassembly": { "status": "published", "limit": null, "statement": "Ruger gives a tool-free owner takedown (barrel/receiver lifted off the grip frame, grips off, bolt out) and separate ambidextrous-safety removal; it says no further disassembly is necessary but does not forbid it. Threaded models: do not remove the barrel nut.", "source": { "title": "Instruction Manual for Ruger Mark IV Pistols", "publisher": "Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.", "reliability": "primary", "url": "https://ruger-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/_manuals/Mark-IV-Pc4tS28s.pdf", "page": "22", "pdfPage": 22, "pageUrl": "https://ruger-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/_manuals/Mark-IV-Pc4tS28s.pdf#page=22", "quote": "Pull straight back on the bolt ears to remove the bolt from the receiver (see Figures 11). No further disassembly is necessary." } }, "recalls": [ { "title": "Mark IV Pistol Product Safety Warning and Recall Notice", "issued": "2017", "affected": "All Mark IV pistols (including 22/45 models) manufactured prior to June 1, 2017: Mark IV Target, Hunter, Competition, 22/45, 22/45 Lite and 22/45 Tactical, with serial numbers beginning \"401\" (2017) or \"WBR\" (2016). Pistols with serials beginning \"5\" are not affected; retrofitted pistols show an \"S\" in the white safety dot. Mark I, II and III are not affected.", "hazard": "If the trigger is pulled while the safety lever is midway between \"safe\" and \"fire\", the pistol may not fire; if the trigger is then released and the safety moved to \"fire\", the pistol may fire at that time (unintentional discharge).", "action": "Do not use the pistol until it is retrofitted or verified not subject to the recall. Enter the serial number on Ruger's recall page; Ruger ships a box and prepaid label, retrofits the grip frame assembly with an updated safety mechanism free of charge and returns it.", "status": "check-serial", "source": { "title": "Ruger — Mark IV Recall", "publisher": "Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.", "reliability": "primary", "url": "https://ruger.com/dataProcess/markIVRecall/index.php", "page": null, "pdfPage": null, "pageUrl": null, "quote": "All Mark IV™ pistols produced prior to June 1, 2017 are potentially affected and therefore are being recalled. This includes Mark IV™ Target, Hunter, Competition, 22/45™, 22/45™ Lite and 22/45™ Tactical models." } } ], "shopTier": { "tier": 2, "group": "pistol", "rating": "Pew-Takedown editorial rating (1 easy – 3 hardest), not the manufacturer's", "reason": "Ruger fixed the old Mark-series takedown with a button, but the full job is 67 pieces (49 keys): grip frame with hammer, sear and sear spring, bolt stop, magazine disconnector, safety detent and several spring-loaded plungers; the magazine ejector springs out when the right grip comes off, and reassembly only works with the safety on.", "confidence": "medium", "partCount": { "value": 65, "kind": "line-items", "covers": "Mark IV pistol parts list incl. barrel/receiver sub-assembly and magazine (manual pp. 35-37); 65 rows, 49 keys. 22/45 Lite list omitted.", "basis": "manufacturer-parts-list", "source": { "title": "Instruction Manual for Ruger Mark IV Pistols", "publisher": "Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.", "reliability": "primary", "url": "https://ruger-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/_manuals/Mark-IV-Pc4tS28s.pdf", "page": "35–36", "pdfPage": 35, "pageUrl": "https://ruger-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/_manuals/Mark-IV-Pc4tS28s.pdf#page=35", "quote": "16 Ejector Rivet" } }, "painPoints": [ { "issue": "Taking the right grip panel off frees the spring-loaded magazine ejector, which is lost if not covered.", "during": "disassembly", "source": { "title": "Instruction Manual for Ruger Mark IV Pistols", "publisher": "Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.", "reliability": "primary", "url": "https://ruger-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/_manuals/Mark-IV-Pc4tS28s.pdf", "page": null, "pdfPage": null, "pageUrl": null, "quote": "The magazine ejector is under spring tension and should be covered with your hand when removing the grip panel to prevent it from being dislodged." } }, { "issue": "Reassembly only works with the safety on (white dot showing); with it off the barrel/receiver will not go back on.", "during": "reassembly", "source": { "title": "Instruction Manual for Ruger Mark IV Pistols", "publisher": "Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.", "reliability": "primary", "url": "https://ruger-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/_manuals/Mark-IV-Pc4tS28s.pdf", "page": null, "pdfPage": null, "pageUrl": null, "quote": "The safety must be in the \"on\" position with the white dot fully visible for reassembly" } }, { "issue": "Ruger stops owners at the bolt; the grip-frame fire control (hammer, sear, sear spring, disconnector) is not covered and carries the old Mark-series reputation.", "during": "both", "source": { "title": "Product Preview: Hammer Strut Support for Ruger Mark Series .22 Rimfire Pistols", "publisher": "American Rifleman (NRA)", "reliability": "secondary", "url": "https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/product-preview-hammer-strut-support-for-ruger-mark-series-22-rimfire-pistols", "page": null, "pdfPage": null, "pageUrl": null, "quote": "Owners of Ruger ’s Mark series .22 Long Rifle semi-automatic pistols have long dreaded cleaning them due to the onerous nature of the reassembly process, which could sometimes result in a non-functional pistol." } } ], "minutes": { "strip": 25, "rebuild": 40, "basis": "estimated", "note": "Bolt (firing pin, extractor), barrel/receiver (sights, ejector left riveted), grip frame (grips, mag ejector, safety, hammer, sear, bolt stop, disconnector, trigger, mainspring housing); rebuild longer for the sear spring and plungers.", "source": null }, "stripScope": [ { "assembly": "Barrel/receiver and bolt", "removes": [ "bolt", "firing pin and stop pin", "extractor, plunger and spring", "rear sight", "front sight" ], "tools": [ "pin punch" ] }, { "assembly": "Grip frame", "removes": [ "grip panels", "magazine ejector", "ambidextrous safety and detent", "hammer, strut and hammer spring/plunger", "sear and sear spring", "bolt stop and pins", "magazine disconnector", "trigger and pivot", "magazine latch" ], "tools": [ "3/32\" and 1/16\" hex wrenches", "pin punches" ] } ], "hardware": { "pins": 9, "springs": 13, "detents": 8, "basis": "counted from the manufacturer's parts list (one per key number unless a quantity is given)" }, "specialTools": [ { "tool": "3/32\" hex wrench", "usedFor": "Grip panel screws" }, { "tool": "1/16\" hex wrench", "usedFor": "Right-side safety lever" } ], "fitOnRebuild": [ { "check": "Sear spring orientation and preload", "why": "A mis-seated sear spring gives a hammer that will not stay cocked; standard Mark-series check (Brownells tip not reachable)", "source": null }, { "check": "Function check: trigger reset, sear/striker engagement, safeties", "why": "Standard post-reassembly check on any pistol whose fire-control parts were removed; a mis-seated spring shows up here, not on the bench", "source": null } ], "assessed": "2026-10-29" }, "videos": [ { "title": "Ruger® Mark IV™ Disassembly, Cleaning and Reassembly Tech Tip", "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loPw_seEcs8", "platform": "youtube", "embedUrl": null, "shows": [ "field-strip", "cleaning", "reassembly" ], "appliesTo": "Ruger Mark IV (the description does not name variants; Mark IV 22/45 has a different grip frame)", "published": "2021-11-19", "note": null, "channel": { "id": "UC9Ge9rpeTPQxnjlMH0VDwIA", "name": "RugerFirearms", "url": "https://www.youtube.com/@RugerFirearms", "owner": "Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc." }, "accessed": "2026-10-15" } ], "configurations": [], "tools": [], "phases": [ { "id": "clear", "title": "Clear and make safe", "steps": [ { "n": 1, "instruction": "Point the muzzle in a safe direction and keep your finger off the trigger." }, { "n": 2, "instruction": "Press the magazine release and remove the magazine.", "partsFreed": [ "Magazine" ] }, { "n": 3, "instruction": "Pull the bolt fully to the rear and lock it back with the bolt stop." }, { "n": 4, "instruction": "Inspect the chamber and magazine well with a light, then physically confirm the chamber is empty.", "warning": "A .22 case is small and dull. Look and feel." }, { "n": 5, "instruction": "Engage the manual safety and remove all ammunition from the work area." } ], "videos": [] }, { "id": "disassemble", "title": "Disassemble", "videos": [ { "title": "Ruger® Mark IV™ Disassembly, Cleaning and Reassembly Tech Tip", "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loPw_seEcs8", "platform": "youtube", "embedUrl": null, "shows": [ "field-strip", "cleaning", "reassembly" ], "appliesTo": "Ruger Mark IV (the description does not name variants; Mark IV 22/45 has a different grip frame)", "published": "2021-11-19", "note": null, "channel": { "id": "UC9Ge9rpeTPQxnjlMH0VDwIA", "name": "RugerFirearms", "url": "https://www.youtube.com/@RugerFirearms", "owner": "Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc." }, "accessed": "2026-10-15" } ], "procedures": [ { "procedure": "field-strip", "title": "Field Strip", "level": "field-strip", "configuration": false, "steps": [ { "n": 1, "instruction": "Complete the Clear and Make Safe procedure. Remove the magazine and empty it, draw the bolt fully rearward, confirm the chamber is empty, release the bolt, and put the safety ON so the white dot is visible.", "tip": "The Mark IV comes apart with no tools at all. If you are reaching for one, you are on the wrong procedure — that is the Mark III." }, { "n": 2, "instruction": "Hold the barrel in one hand and the grip frame assembly in the other, and depress the take-down button just below the rear of the bolt." }, { "n": 3, "instruction": "With the button pressed, tilt the BARREL downward so that it clears the bolt stop pin.", "tip": "Barrel down, not receiver up. Tilting the wrong way binds it on the bolt stop pin and no amount of force helps." }, { "n": 4, "instruction": "Lift the barrel and receiver assembly straight up off the grip frame assembly.", "partsFreed": [ "Barrel and receiver assembly" ] }, { "n": 5, "instruction": "Pull straight back on the bolt ears to draw the bolt out of the receiver.", "partsFreed": [ "Bolt" ] }, { "n": 6, "instruction": "Clean the bolt face, chamber, and receiver interior. Rimfire fouling accumulates fast here." }, { "n": 7, "instruction": "Stop here. Ruger states no further disassembly is necessary. The grips can come off with a 3/32 in hex wrench if you want them off." } ] } ] }, { "id": "refinish", "title": "Refinish", "components": [ { "name": "Barrel and receiver assembly", "procedure": "field-strip", "level": "field-strip", "step": 4 }, { "name": "Bolt", "procedure": "field-strip", "level": "field-strip", "step": 5 } ], "manufacturerPartsList": { "parts": 65, "scope": "Mark IV pistol; the manual's separate Mark IV 22/45 Lite list is not included. Exploded view on p. 37" }, "partsDiagrams": [], "materials": [ { "component": "Receiver", "material": "Alloy Steel", "finish": "Blued", "appliesTo": "Mark IV Standard, Model 40104 (4.75 in)", "note": null, "source": { "title": "Ruger Mark IV Standard Rimfire Pistol — Specifications (model 40104)", "publisher": "Sturm, Ruger & Co.", "reliability": "primary", "url": "https://ruger.com/products/markIV/specSheets/40104.html", "page": null, "pdfPage": null, "pageUrl": null, "quote": "Material Alloy Steel … Finish Blued" } }, { "component": "Frame", "material": "Aluminum", "finish": null, "appliesTo": "Model 40104", "note": null, "source": { "title": "Ruger Mark IV Standard Rimfire Pistol — Specifications (model 40104)", "publisher": "Sturm, Ruger & Co.", "reliability": "primary", "url": "https://ruger.com/products/markIV/specSheets/40104.html", "page": null, "pdfPage": null, "pageUrl": null, "quote": "Grip Frame Aluminum" } }, { "component": "Grips", "material": "Checkered Synthetic", "finish": null, "appliesTo": "Model 40104", "note": null, "source": { "title": "Ruger Mark IV Standard Rimfire Pistol — Specifications (model 40104)", "publisher": "Sturm, Ruger & Co.", "reliability": "primary", "url": "https://ruger.com/products/markIV/specSheets/40104.html", "page": null, "pdfPage": null, "pageUrl": null, "quote": "Grips Checkered Synthetic" } } ], "note": "The components the procedures above separate. Coating, masking and cure are outside this database; follow your coating system's instructions. A part the manufacturer marks \"factory fit\" should not be swapped or reworked." }, { "id": "reassemble", "title": "Reassemble", "videos": [ { "title": "Ruger® Mark IV™ Disassembly, Cleaning and Reassembly Tech Tip", "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loPw_seEcs8", "platform": "youtube", "embedUrl": null, "shows": [ "field-strip", "cleaning", "reassembly" ], "appliesTo": "Ruger Mark IV (the description does not name variants; Mark IV 22/45 has a different grip frame)", "published": "2021-11-19", "note": null, "channel": { "id": "UC9Ge9rpeTPQxnjlMH0VDwIA", "name": "RugerFirearms", "url": "https://www.youtube.com/@RugerFirearms", "owner": "Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc." }, "accessed": "2026-10-15" } ], "procedures": [ { "procedure": "reassembly", "title": "Reassembly", "configuration": false, "steps": [ { "n": 1, "instruction": "Confirm the pistol is free of cartridges and keep your finger out of the trigger guard. The safety must be ON, with the white dot fully visible, or it will not go back together.", "tip": "Safety off is the single most common reason a Mark IV refuses to reassemble." }, { "n": 2, "instruction": "Insert the bolt fully into the barrel and receiver assembly." }, { "n": 3, "instruction": "Place the barrel and receiver assembly on top of the frame so the notch in the receiver aligns with the pivot pin in the grip frame." }, { "n": 4, "instruction": "Rotate the barrel and receiver assembly down onto the bolt stop pin in the grip frame." }, { "n": 5, "instruction": "Gently squeeze the barrel/receiver and grip frame together until you hear a click, then check that they are firmly together and cannot be pulled apart." }, { "n": 6, "instruction": "Replace the empty magazine, point the pistol in a safe direction, move the safety off to expose the red dot, and pull the trigger to uncock it.", "warning": "Confirm the magazine is empty first.", "tip": "Ruger's own instruction: guns should not be stored loaded or cocked." }, { "n": 7, "instruction": "Perform the function check." } ], "instruction": null } ] }, { "id": "torque", "title": "Torque", "coverage": "none-recorded", "manufacturer": [], "reported": [], "notes": "The manufacturer's documents give no torque value. They say: \"This nut should never be loosened, removed or tampered with. This nut is epoxied and torqued in place at the factory.\" (Instruction Manual for Ruger Mark IV Pistols, PDF p. 32) \"After the degreased areas are dry, place a drop of blue LOCTITE® adhesive/sealant or equivalent to the scope base screws.\" (Instruction Manual for Ruger Mark IV Pistols, PDF p. 32)" }, { "id": "function-check", "title": "Function check", "checks": [ "Verify the pistol is unloaded with no magazine inserted before each step.", "Cycle the bolt by hand and confirm it returns fully into battery.", "Cock the action, engage the safety, and press the trigger. The hammer must not fall.", "Disengage the safety and press the trigger. The hammer should fall.", "Confirm the bolt stop holds the bolt open and releases cleanly.", "Confirm the magazine seats, locks, and drops free." ], "videos": [] } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "symptom": "The barrel and receiver will not lift off the grip frame.", "cause": "The barrel is being tilted the wrong way, so it binds on the bolt stop pin.", "fix": "Hold the barrel in one hand and the grip frame in the other, depress the take-down button, and tilt the BARREL downward so it clears the bolt stop pin. Then lift straight up." }, { "symptom": "The pistol will not go back together.", "cause": "The safety is off. The Mark IV reassembles only with the safety ON, white dot fully visible.", "fix": "Put the safety on so the white dot shows, then align the receiver notch with the frame pivot pin and rotate down until it clicks." } ], "sources": [ { "n": 1, "id": "ruger-mark-iv-manual", "title": "Instruction Manual for Ruger Mark IV Pistols", "publisher": "Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.", "reliability": "primary", "url": "https://ruger-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/_manuals/Mark-IV-Pc4tS28s.pdf", "accessed": "2026-09-14" }, { "n": 2, "id": "ruger-notice-fa4e99", "title": "Ruger — Mark IV Recall", "publisher": "Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.", "reliability": "primary", "url": "https://ruger.com/dataProcess/markIVRecall/index.php", "accessed": "2026-10-03" }, { "n": 3, "id": "ruger-specs-573f70", "title": "Ruger Mark IV Standard Rimfire Pistol — Specifications (model 40104)", "publisher": "Sturm, Ruger & Co.", "reliability": "primary", "url": "https://ruger.com/products/markIV/specSheets/40104.html", "accessed": "2026-10-03" }, { "n": 4, "id": "pat-sturm-ruger-co-inc-015c0e", "title": "Ruger Patents", "publisher": "Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.", "reliability": "primary", "url": "https://ruger.com/micros/Patents/index.html", "accessed": "2026-10-13" }, { "n": 5, "id": "tier-ca8cf048", "title": "Product Preview: Hammer Strut Support for Ruger Mark Series .22 Rimfire Pistols", "publisher": "American Rifleman (NRA)", "reliability": "secondary", "url": "https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/product-preview-hammer-strut-support-for-ruger-mark-series-22-rimfire-pistols", "accessed": "2026-10-29" } ] }