Ruger 10/22 Carbine - bolt removal

J

Jeff Thomas

New member
I wanted to give my rifle a complete cleaning, including bolt removal.

The manual states:
"7. To remove the bolt:
a. Position the rifle upside down so the bolt is fully accessible.
b. Drift out the bolt stop pin, located at the rear of the receiver.
c. Pull the bolt handle fully to the rear of the receiver with the left hand, and while it is in that position, using the right hand, lift up the front of the bolt until it is disengaged from the bolt handle.
d. Remove the bolt handle assembly through the ejection port.
e. Lift bolt out of receiver. If it does not come out readily, turn the rifle over and the bolt will drop out of the receiver."

I'm fine up until c. The front of the bolt will not come up, and seems to be stopped by a rail on the left side. I don't see any way to lift it, and the bolt handle doesn't loosen at all. What am I doing wrong? This rifle is a good 20 years old, and was my first rifle. Can anyone give me any ideas?

Thanks. Regards from AZ
 
Jeff,
I have found the only way to get the bolt out easily is to use a small powerful magnet to lift the bolt straight up. If it is tilted in the slightest it doesn't seem to want to come out. I use one of the strong rare-earth magnets from an old disk drive autopsy - works like a charm.

Once you get it out and finish the cleaning, the real fun starts when you try to get the bolt back in over the bolt handle. :)

If anybody has any other good tricks-of-the-trade, like you, I'm all ears.
 
I can get it out with my fingers just fine. I find that a little jiggling (of the bolt, of course :)) helps.

Mal,

Whoever rigged up the bolt to go back in the way it does is EVIL!!!

[This message has been edited by Bulldog (edited November 16, 1999).]
 
Maybe I'm just lucky, but I've never had any trouble getting the bolt in or out of my 10-22. If it's 20 yrs. old, it's movement is probably hindered by hardened carbon, etc., from lack of previous cleaning.
 
George - Please send me a copy of those instructions also. Thanks.

Mine is a 10/22T. Don't know if that is any different, but it is tight and the least bit of tilt and it won't come out.
 
George, I've sent an email to you - thanks.

Mal, I'll definitely try the magnet idea - I have a friend who can probably spare one of those hard drives. I know I've contributed a couple of dead ones myself. ;) But, if the magnet is that strong, how do you get it out of the tool box ... ;)

Bulldog, maybe you're on to something. I'll ask my wife to jiggle, and see if that helps ... can't hurt. ;)

Walter, I think you may be right. Wouldn't surprise me that carbon and other debris are the source of much of the problem. Not to mention possibly contributing to the undependable performance of the rifle lately.

Thanks for all the help. As you can imagine, I was really 'talking' to that bolt last night. ;)



[This message has been edited by Jeff Thomas (edited November 16, 1999).]
 
Jeff, actually your question about how do you get the magnet out of the tool box is not that far off base. I keep it half on and half off one of those multi-drawer parts bins. If I forget and put it on all the way, it is the devil to get off or it scratches whatever its on when you slide it off. They're phenomenally strong.
 
Bulldog, I agree about the bolt going back in. This is the must time consuming and curse flinging portion of the process.

- Ron V.

------------------
 
Now you guys have me really worried! I can't get the bolt out, and you tell me it's even harder to get it back in ... I don't know if I know enough curse words to get me through the entire process ... ;)

Thanks again.
 
Jeff, just practice on the words you do know as you remove the bolt. But you may need to get a slang dictionary to add to your vocabulary in short order.

Actually, it's not all that hard. You just have to keep the bolt handle in place with one hand, replace the bolt with another hand, and keep the handle square to the bolt with another hand. Oops, that's 3 hands, isn't it? On second thought, it's a real bitch.
 
I use a flat-blade screwdriver to replace the bolt, but I don't remember how.

[This message has been edited by WalterGAII (edited November 17, 1999).]
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top