← Ruger SR22 reference page · This work order as JSON ·
Work order — Ruger SR22
Taking the firearm apart for a job such as refinishing, and putting it back together to specification. Generated from the Pew-Takedown entry last updated 2026-10-29. Confidence: high.
| Work order # | |
|---|---|
| Customer | |
| Model on the bench | |
| Serial number | |
| Finish / colour | |
| Received | |
| Technician |
- Sturm, Ruger & Co. safety notice — SR22 Pistol Product Safety Bulletin (2022): Any SR22 pistol not previously retrofitted with serial number 369-89043 or lower (including "SS"-prefix serials), if it has ever exhibited a slack single-action trigger or discharged upon decocking. Range expanded in the March 2024 update; serials 369-89044 and above are not affected. If a slack trigger occurs, keep the muzzle safe, do not engage the safety, remove the magazine, lock the slide back and verify empty before decocking. Stop using the pistol and sign up for the free Safety Retrofit (serial lookup, RMA and prepaid label) for evaluation and repair.
- Sturm, Ruger & Co. limits owner disassembly: Field strip: slide, recoil spring and guide rod off the frame; the manual also covers removing the fixed barrel from the frame for change-out.
- No torque values are recorded for this firearm. Get them from the manufacturer or a gunsmith; do not estimate.
Shop difficulty: Tier 2 of 3
69 parts: a two-piece frame insert with hammer, single-action sear, decocking hammer stop, magazine disconnect and a three-detent takedown/safety system, plus an adjustable rear sight with its own springs. Ruger says anything past the field strip is factory work. 69 parts (SR22 parts list, complete pistol incl. magazine (manual p. 40-41).). Pew-Takedown's rating, not the manufacturer's.
Bench time: strip ~25 min, rebuild ~40 min (estimate). Actual: strip ______ rebuild ______
Special tools:
- hex keys — Frame insert socket cap screws
- dovetail sight pusher (or brass drift and padded vise) — Removing and refitting dovetailed sights for coating
Watch for:
- Ruger restricts slide and frame disassembly past the field strip to the factory. (both; Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.)
1. Clear and make safe
- Point the muzzle in a safe direction and keep your finger off the trigger.
- Press the magazine release and remove the magazine.
- Retract the slide fully to eject any chambered round and lock it open.
- Visually inspect the chamber and magazine well, then physically feel the chamber to confirm it is empty.
Warning: Look and feel. Both, every time. - Use a light. Rimfire cases are small and dull-coloured.
- Remove all live ammunition from the work area.
2. Disassemble
Manufacturer's video: Ruger® SR22® Tech Tips (RugerFirearms)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuUPT5VGtno
Ruger® SR22® Tech Tip (RugerFirearms)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Hm5TCM9B4o
Ruger® SR22® Threaded Barrel Kit (RugerFirearms)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKbM5qOwne8
Field Strip
- Complete the Clear and Make Safe procedure and put the safety lever in the SAFE position — lever fully down, red area covered.
- Lock the slide open by pressing up on the slide stop and visually check the chamber is empty.
- Close the slide: grip the rear of the slide with thumb and index finger, pull it rearward and release it.
Tip: The slide must be forward for takedown, not locked back. - Rotate the takedown lever down until it is fully dropped.
- Grasp the rearward portion of the slide, pull it all the way to the rear, and lift it upward.
- Holding the rear of the slide upward, move the slide forward and off the front end of the barrel.
- Remove the guide rod and recoil spring from the slide.
Warning: Spring under tension — keep control of it. - Stop here. Ruger states this completes field stripping, and that further disassembly of the slide or frame should only be undertaken by the factory.
3. Refinish
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.
| Component separated | Out | Coated | Back in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slide | |||
| Guide rod | |||
| Recoil spring |
| Component | Material | Factory finish | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slide Model 3600 (3.50 in) | Aluminum | Black Anodize | [3] |
| Slide Model 3600 | aerospace-grade aluminum | — | [3] |
| Barrel Model 3600 | stainless steel | Stainless | [3] |
| Frame Model 3600 | Black Polymer | — | [3] |
The manufacturer's full parts list (69 parts) is on the reference page.
4. Reassemble
Manufacturer's video: Ruger® SR22® Tech Tips (RugerFirearms)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuUPT5VGtno
Ruger® SR22® Tech Tip (RugerFirearms)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Hm5TCM9B4o
Ruger® SR22® Threaded Barrel Kit (RugerFirearms)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKbM5qOwne8
Reassembly
- Confirm the chamber is empty and the magazine is out.
- Check the takedown lever is still rotated fully downward.
Tip: It stays down for reassembly. Returning it to its locked position first is the usual reason the slide will not go back on. - Disengage the safety by pushing the lever up so the red area is exposed, then cock the hammer with your thumb.
Warning: The pistol is off safe from here. Muzzle in a safe direction, finger clear.
Tip: Ruger requires both. A hammer left down blocks the slide. - Fit the recoil spring onto the guide rod small-diameter end first, then insert the guide rod and spring assembly into the hole in the frame insert.
Tip: Small end first. The spring is not symmetrical. - Line the recoil spring up with the hole in the chin of the slide.
- Keeping the rear of the slide pointed upward, move the slide completely rearward and down onto the frame.
Tip: Light downward pressure is needed to depress the hammer slightly so the slide can engage the frame rails. - Guide the slide forward on the frame rails until it seats, return the takedown lever up to its locked position, then perform the function check.
5. Torque
No manufacturer torque values are recorded for this firearm.
Notes: The manufacturer's documents give no torque value. They say: "While holding the barrel in place, turn the barrel screw until you feel it make contact with the barrel. From this point, rotate the Allen wrench another 45 - 90 degrees to fully tighten the barrel screw." (Instruction Manual for Ruger SR22 Pistols, PDF p. 27) "use the supplied adapter/cap wrench to hand-tighten the adapter firmly in place by turning it counter-clockwise" (Instruction Manual for Ruger SR22 Pistols, PDF p. 34)
Fit or check on rebuild
- Ejector is factory fit — Ruger marks the ejector (16) as factory fit
- Function check: trigger reset, sear/striker engagement, safeties — Standard post-reassembly check on any pistol whose fire-control parts were removed; a mis-seated spring shows up here, not on the bench
6. Function check
- Verify the pistol is unloaded with no magazine inserted before each check.
- Rack the slide and press the trigger. The striker should release cleanly.
- Hold the trigger to the rear, rack the slide, then release slowly and confirm the reset.
- Press the trigger again to confirm the striker releases.
- Confirm the slide locks open on an empty magazine and the magazine drops free.
If any check fails, the firearm is not safe to fire. Stop and see a licensed gunsmith.
If it won't go back together
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The slide will not go back onto the frame. | The takedown lever has been returned to its locked position too early, or the hammer is down. | Leave the takedown lever fully DOWN, push the safety lever up to expose the red dot, and cock the hammer with your thumb. Then fit the slide and lock the lever afterwards. |
| The recoil spring assembly will not seat. | The spring is on the guide rod backwards, or the assembly is going into the slide rather than the frame insert. | The recoil spring fits onto the guide rod small-diameter end first, and the assembly goes into the hole in the FRAME INSERT, not the slide. |
Sources
- Instruction Manual for Ruger SR22 Pistols — Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. primary
https://ruger-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/_manuals/sr22Pistol.pdf - Ruger — SR22 Pistol Product Safety Bulletin — Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. primary
https://ruger.com/dataProcess/sr22retrofit/?r=announcements - Ruger SR22 Rimfire Pistol — Specifications (model 3600) [archived copy of ruger.com, Jan 2025] — Sturm, Ruger & Co. primary
https://web.archive.org/web/20250117101558/https://ruger.com/products/sr22Pistol/specSheets/3600.html - Ruger Patents — Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. primary
https://ruger.com/micros/Patents/index.html
| Reassembled and function-checked by | Date |
|---|
Educational guide only. Some information comes from non-authoritative sources. Always consult your manufacturer's manual and a licensed gunsmith. Verify your firearm is unloaded before every procedure. Full disclaimer: https://github.com/Fundamental-build-LLC/Pew-Takedown
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.