The Recession Ruger
Assembly Guide
Version 2.1 - 2022-10-14
Development and Documentation By:
UberClay @ Deterrence Dispensed Kukitan @ Deterrence Dispensed
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CONTENTS
Section I: Introduction ............................................................................................ 3
Section II: Tools and Shopping List ........................................................................ 4
Section III: Parts Kit Checklist ............................................................................... 5
Upper Parts.......................................................................................................... 5
Lower Parts ......................................................................................................... 6
Rails ..................................................................................................................... 6
Magazines and Accessories .................................................................................. 6
Section IV: Printing the Ra R Frame and Rails ......................................................... 7
Section V: Assembly ................................................................................................ 8
Safety First .......................................................................................................... 8
Preperation .......................................................................................................... 9
Step By Step Assembly ....................................................................................... 11
Function Check .................................................................................................. 19
Section VI: Troubleshooting ................................................................................. 20
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SECTION I: INTRODUCTION
The Ruger P series is a line of centerfire semi-automatic pistols made by Sturm,
Ruger & Company produced from 1985 to 2013. The P -series pistols were designed
for military, police, civilian and recreational use. The designs are largely based on
the Browning action found in the M1911 pistol, but with minor variations,
generally related to the safety mechanism and the barrel -camblock interface.
Reviews have considered them rugged, reliable, and strong, though this strength
comes at the price of bulk and a blocky appearance. [ 1 ]
This build carries forward the design principal of the 3011. It uses primarily a P89
9mm top end, and combines it with an AR fire control group, and supports Glock
magazines.
Although the original beta was for the P89, this frame also supports the P85, P91,
and P95 (with some adaptations). There is a dedicated P90 .45acp frame. It
utilizes printed replaceable rails (Replace a Rail – RaR), but all of our testing
indicates that if printed properly, the printed rails will hold up for hundreds of
rounds and beyon d.
This opens up thousands of cheap part kits that will enable a new, untapped
resource, for a DIY PDW in the caliber of your choice.
- UberClay
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SECTION II: TOOLS AND SHOPPING LIST
To assemble this firearm, you will need the following tools:
- Gunsmithing Punch Set
- 1/8” Drill Bit – Make sure it’s a hardened steel or carbide
- Stick File
- Narrow, but not needle nose, pliers
- Allen Wrench set
- Cordless Drill
The following tools may help, but are not required :
- Flathead screwdriver
- Sandpaper
You will need the following Hardware:
• 1) 1/8” roll pin 1.25” long
• (If using a P95 substitute 8 -32 machine screw for 1/8” roll pin)
• 2) M3 10mm screws
• 1) or 2) M3 30mm screws (one is mandatory, two is optional)
• 4) M3 nuts
• 4) M3 washers
You can check out a recommended shopping list of tools Vinh keeps at his desk at
[Link] .
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SECTION III: PARTS KIT CHECKLIST
UPPER PARTS
A complete slide parts kit, or a complete slide assembly should compose of the
following:
o Ruger P Series Slide
o Ruger P Series Barrel
o Ruger P Series Guide Rod and Recoil Spring
o Ruger P Series Ejector *
o Ruger P Series Slide Stop
*Ejector can be same as kit except when using a P85. Buy a P89 ejector to use
with this: [Link]
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LOWER PARTS
A complete lower parts kit should compose of the following :
o AR Fire Control Group
o Safety Selector, Detent Spring and Detent Pin
o Glock Magazine Catch Spring
o AR-15 Grip, Grip Screw and Washer
RAILS
o Rails are printed - PRINT RAILS STANDING UP ON END
MAGAZINES AND ACCESSORIES
Don’t forget you will also need:
o Any Glock 19 Magazine or Larger
▪ Note that magazine compatibility may vary. Testing has found some
mags work better than others but most if not all will work wi th some
troubleshooting and tweaking.
PRINT SETTINGS
Some recommended settings
o 220C extruder temp
o 60C bed temp
o 6 (or more) walls
o 99%-100% infill
o Good baseline Cura profile: [Link] -slicer-
profiles -for-cura
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SECTION IV: PRINTING THE RAR FRAME AND RAILS
This frame is too long to be printed on an Ender 3 without some creativity. There
are some things that will help you print this frame successfully.
This print will take up the entirety of the print bed on an Ender 3. Turn brim off
completely. (Note: If you have an Ender 3, you will need to change your machine
settings in Cura to reflect that of an Ender 3 Pro in order to make use of the
whole print surface.)
Rotate the nose up at least 15 degrees or more ( 28 degrees and up is confirmed to work
on unmodified Ender 3 build volume ), and then rotate the body 45 degrees. Position
the nose as close to the origin (the XYZ symbol on the corner of the bed) as
possible.
Both rails should be printed
in standing orientation for
optimal strength and
durability.
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SECTION V: ASSEMBLY
In this section, we will cover the settings you should print your frame and
assembling it.
SAFETY FIRST
Putting a gun together is no joke. Firearms are dangerous tools that must be
treated with care and respect. You are responsible for your safety, and those
surrounding you when you work with or operate firearms. Fellow developers or
engineers cannot be re sponsible or liable for what you do or don’t do.
As a general reminder, here are some rules to keep in mind :
1. Always treat a gun as if it is loaded. Remove the magazine and check the
chamber yourself to verify the gun is unloaded.
2. Keep your firearm always pointed in a safe direction. Never point your
gun at anything you don’t intend to destroy.
3. Be aware of what is in front and behind of your target.
But specifically, for working on your firearm, you should remember the following
too:
1. Keep live ammo away. Use snap caps or dummy rounds to verify function
of your firearm. Never keep live ammo around your workspace, and
certainly never mix th em with your dummy ammo.
2. A clean gun is a safe gun. Never leave your firearms uncared for to foul or
dirty up. Debris can cause malfunctions, which can be dangerous.
3. Always read and follow directions . Don’t ignore a warning or follow
instructions out of or der.
4. Use prudent judgement. If something doesn’t add up - use common sense.
Stop, inspect, and re -evaluate your previous actions and procedures.
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PREPERATION
Remove the
internal firing pin
block.
All P Series slide s
have a Firing Pin
Block that must be
removed first
before building.
• Locate the set screw in the top of the
rear sight
• Remove this screw and set it aside
somewhere safe
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o Drive the rear sight partially out to expose the firing pin block
▪ Flip the Slide Safety down
▪ Gently pull the block straight up and out
▪ Drive the rear sight back into place
▪ Reinstall the set screw
Filing the Slide Catch down
The Ruger OEM mags have a slot in them that the slide lock sits in. Glock
mags do not have this, so you will need to file your slide lock down. The slide will
not lock open after the last round. Take a file and remove approx. 1/8” of the
end of the slide lock. If magazine interference still occurs, remove until clear.
(See troubleshootin g section for picture of magazine and slide lock position)
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STEP BY STEP ASSEMBLY
o Print your frame and 1) front rail and 1) rear rail and 1) mag catch
▪ Remove supports and clean
o Test fit rails into frame. Pay attention to the hole alignments. Sand
or file if necessary to get a good fit into frame.
▪ Rails should fit into frame snug but not too tight
o Install front rail using 2) M3x10 screws with washers and nuts.
(Screws can NOT extend past the nuts on this rail. Use more washers
if your screws are too long)
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o Drill out the hole in the metal ejector to accommodate the 1 \8” roll
pin*(Unless P95)
▪ *P95 only* print ejector spacers and install ejector using 8 -
32x1.25” screw
▪ *All others* i nstall ejector using .125 x 1.25 pin
Before (Left) - After (Right)
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o Install the rear rail and ONLY do one of the following:
▪ Option 1 - Screw the rail in using (1) M3x30 screw, washer
and nut on only the rear most hole (closest to fcg)
• It has shown to hold up just fine and allows us to easily
field strip the slide from frame (Explained in option 2)
▪ Option 2 - If you decide to use (2) M3x30 screws, you must
install the slide first and then install the front screw with the
ejector in the “Up” position
• The front screw must be removed each time before
removing the slide as the ejector has a vertical tab that
hits the front screw which prevents it fro m “falling
down” when trying to remove the slide
Ejector “Down” (Left) – Ejector “Up” (Right)
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▪ Option 3 – Is the best of both options 1 and 2 but needs extra
modification to the ejector:
• Cutting the vertical tab by about 4 - 5 mm allows the
ejector to swing freely without hitting the front screw
• Then install like Option 2 with both screws
o Install the mag catch and the mag catch spring
▪ A bit tricky, this video has a decent visual
[Link] -HJUeSRSmo
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o Install the AR Fire Control Group and Safety Selector
▪ Note the frame is quite a bit wider than the standard hammer
and trigger pins so they do not sit flush with either face of the
frame
▪ Push the trigger pin into the frame until it’s captured by the
hammer spring and push the hammer pin until it is captured by
the “J” spring inside the hammer
• Making sure the pins are captured ensures they won’t
walk out on you during operation
o Usually, I test fit a magazine at this point. Mag catch will loosen
slightly with use, so starting out tight isn’t bad
HOW TO INSTALL AR-15 HAMMER AND TRIGGER
[Link] -co
(This is generic, but you can u se it as a guide if you have not done this before)
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o Assemble the P Series slide, barrel, guide rod, and recoil spring (if it
isn’t already)
▪ Note the recoil spring ends are 2 different diameters – Install
the larger diameter end into the recoil spring channel of the
slide (It will have a ti ght fit)
o Install P Series complete slide assembly and slide stop . Refrain from
drilling out the slide catch hole if possible. This will loosen up with
use and starting out a little tight is ideal.
▪ The Slide stop needs to go through the barrel locking link, so
you may need to pull the slide back slightly to align all holes
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Aligned holes with the barrel link
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o Manually cycle the slide several times with some WD40 until slide has
smooth travel. These rails will ‘break in’ with the first 50 rounds, but
the slide should travel smoothly and without much resistance.
Note: You can test to see if your slide stop works properly now. Mine does ☺
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FUNCTION CHECK
Verify your firearm works by evaluating each of the following functions .
BE SURE YOUR GUN IS STILL UNLOADED.
Check that your chamber is empty, and that there are no rounds in the
magazine.
- Trigger Break:
o With the slide in battery, pull on the trigger.
o The hammer should release.
- Trigger Reset:
o With the slide in battery, and the t rigger already fired, hold the trigger
down, and rack the slide. Gently rele ase the trigger.
o The trigger should have a tactile or audible reset. (This may vary with
aftermarket or competition triggers.)
When you have completed the function check, the assembly process is complete.
Be sure to remove your magazine and store your firearm in a secure and safe place.
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SECTION VI: TROUBLESHOOTING
• Can’t insert rails
o Be sure that the pockets are entirely free of debris. You may need to
sand the flat faces of the rails a bit for a good fit.
• Magazine won’t go far enough up to lock into place
o Check that the slide lock lever is filed down enough to not contact
the magazine . With the slide off but the lever installed, you should be able to
see if there is any contact between it and the magazine. (see image below)
• Slide will not go onto rails or is very tight/binding
o Make sure you install the rails straight and not at an angle. Make sure
there is no support or raft debris on the rails . Once you’re sure the rails
are clean, then consider lightly sanding the rails for a better fit.
• Reset is inconsistent or unattainable
o Some AR hammer springs are very strong and can absorb the recoil
without resetting the ha mmer. This is rare but can happen. You have
two choices:
▪ Buy a ‘Reduced Power’ AR hammer spring
[Link] -bird-industries -
reduced-power-hammer-spring/
▪ If you reverse the position of the hammer spring in the
hammer, it will operate at a reduced power
o Also check that your hammer and trigger pins are properly installed. This frame
is quite wide for normal FCG pins so ensure they are aligned in the frame and
are properly captured.
*Slide lock filed down and not touching the magazine
(P90 pictured)
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