Anybody on here have experience with Ruger Number 3 rifles?

[crosstimbers]

A 1/16 hole is a .063 pin gauge, the set I have begins at .061" or .002 of an inch smaller than what you're looking for. The set goes .061, .062, .063, .064 .065 on up to a quarter inch diameter. Thats the range you're looking for. Pin gauge sets use to be pretty common now there are cell phone apps that measure stuff like this, I've never used one of these apps, but could that work for you?

I don't know, but given that my son calls me "Amish man" for my lack of technological skills, I might doubt it. I don't know how to do most of the apps that are supposed to be on my phone. It might be that I could locate some pins or pin material that had an assortment of sizes in that range, and perhaps one would fit. Otherwise once I get a response from Ruger, I'll have better confidence in what to order.

[crosstimbers]

A 1/16 hole is a .063 pin gauge, the set I have begins at .061" or .002 of an inch smaller than what you're looking for. The set goes .061, .062, .063, .064 .065 on up to a quarter inch diameter. Thats the range you're looking for. Pin gauge sets use to be pretty common now there are cell phone apps that measure stuff like this, I've never used one of these apps, but could that work for you?

You got me to thinking. I went back out and measured the one drill bit that will "kinda" fit with my calipers...incidentally it only fits on the drill end- not the shank. It showed about .0625. Keep in mind this is Frankford Arsenal product, which works fine for my tasks but may not be the most accurate compared to other makes. I also took a decapping pin from one of my die sets and saw that it was slightly too large, I believe they are around .062. Now I'm wondering if a decapping pin from a small primer-sized dies might work. May try tomorrow.

[david s]

Sounds like your Frankford Arsenal calipers were right on. One half inch is .5", a quarter would be .25" and 1/8" is .125" the 1/16" is .0625" then, basically everything gets divided by two. The pin gauges only go by .001's though so the 1/16" is right at halfway between the .062" and the .063" pins. Could you get by with a 1/16-inch roll pin? If all it has to do is retain a spring-loaded plunger there shouldn't be that much shear force on it. And a roll pin is somewhat self-adjusting as to its actual diameter when it's driven into a hole. Also is it possible there is still some corrosion inside the pin hole making for a tight spot within the hole?

[crosstimbers]

Maybe and maybe. I am not even sure (yet) whether or not the original pin was a roll pin or not. The schematic on the online manual is hard to tell. Presumably, whenever Ruger cs contacts me, they should know both the size and type pin. It is possible that there is still some corrosion in the pin hole, though I have worked to clean it out. It's a very small area and hard to see. I had thought that the reason the shank end of the drill bit wouldn't go in was due to tiny burrs on the bit, but it could in fact be something along the same lines in the hole. I've been soaking it and cleaning it over and over but it's hard to tell how much good I'm doing.

I have located some roll pins online, probably would need to cut them down provided the diameter is right.

[crosstimbers]

Well, the saga goes on.

I had emailed Ruger cs rather than calling them because I could envision waiting on terminal hold like with so many other CS outfits. So yesterday afternoon they responded, saying they didn't have the dimensions of the pin, but that I could call the next day and order one from them. Even went so far as to tell me what options to select after dialing the number, confirmed the part number for me and told me to have the rifle's serial number handy when I called. Cool beans, I thought.

So this morning I called, and got some whiskey-voiced gal with an accent I couldn't identify that made her hard to understand. Once she learned what model rifle was involved she said they had NO parts whatsoever for a Number 3. I explained that CS had told me to call, seemingly thinking the part was available...."Nah-na-Nah we doan ha nanadat"...she suggested a gun parts place in South Dakota. So after waiting for them to open, I called them, and unfortunately they do not have the pin either.

So, now I have some 3/8-1/16 roll pins ordered, hopefully they will work. If not, back to my own "engineering". 

[rdcinhou]

Nobody told you to try Numrich?

https://www.gunpartscorp.com/gun-manufacturer/ruger/rifles-ruger/no3-carbine

[crosstimbers]

Nobody told you to try Numrich?

https://www.gunpartscorp.com/gun-manufacturer/ruger/rifles-ruger/no3-carbine

It was the first place I looked, scroll down to the part in question (#31) and click...it's out of stock.

[david s]

Worst case scenario. Put your Number 3 action lever and retainer plunger assembly together and use the drill bit that fits the hole in place to hold everything together. Then try turning the plunger side to side and see how much play there is with the plunger. Then ask yourself based on what you've observed " if I drill thru this hole with this drill bit is their enough tolerance with the plunger to still allow it to travel forward and back against the spring" if you answer yourself yes, go ahead and drill thru the hole and make a pin out of the drill bits solid shank. The Ruger Number 1's is easier the action lever is held in place by a piece that snaps into the nonmoving trigger guard. Good luck, but I would be willing to bet that a 1/16th roll pin of the correct length simply tapped into place would work just as well. There's no real reason for Ruger to use some proprietary hole size for a simple plunger retainer. They simply used 1/16 drill bits and pins because that's what's pretty much universally available for manufacturing from everyone. I could of course be wrong here.

[crosstimbers]

No I think you're right. The issue for me has been A. determining size pin needed- I'm 90% sure I've done that now and B. what type pin is required- I am leaning towards the answer being "whatever works". I'll have to shorten the pin a bit I think, but thats okay.

You know it's funny, you can still find parts for lot's of rifles that have been discontinued. Not sure why some are unobtainium and others not, unless the number produced has something to do with it.

[crosstimbers]

Just for the sake of anyone in the future who might be doing a search for this particular issue, I'll leave an update.

Got it fixed (I think) and hope I'm not jinxing myself by saying so. The 1/16 x 1/4 roll pins worked just fine- with a 1-16 starter punch, I'd have never got the pin in without that thanks to my big fat fingers. Mangled one pin in the process but since I had 99 more, only problem was getting the ruined pin out. In the end it seems fixed.

I didn't forget about a local Mecca for gun parts (Lee's in Irving, Tx.) I had just been under the impression they were no longer in operation. When I learned they were still open I called and got more help in 15 minutes than in all the time I spent on the phone with Ruger or the parts source they recommended. I never did get a response on the Ruger forum.

So- knock wood- No 3 is back in operation. I need some pork to make my sausage, hawg huntin' time is here.

[Tanners Owner]

Congrats.  I know how satisfying it is to repair a gun yourself.  Thanks for the follow up

[crosstimbers]

The reason I wanted to leave a follow-up, is that I was astonished by how little info was available online- and how unresponsive various Ruger forums were. Considering the widespread following for the No.1 rifles, one would think that even though the No.3 rifles were a less-produced step-child, that info would flow like the spring flood. Not the case to say the least.

Considering the eventual truth that any 1/16 roll pin would do the job, it is inconceivable that Ruger afficiandos wouldn't know that this would be the case. In any event, I got more help, more quickly, on here and from a small mom and pop gun supply place than from Ruger or anyone they recommended...or from Ruger forums. So, if posting it here helps anybody down the road, I feel good about that.

I love the rifle. A nice, quality falling block at a price that didn't require selling a child.....in a caliber I already had investment in....win-win!