How to remove the loaded chamber indicator (LCI)

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How to remove the loaded chamber indicator (LCI)

Post by Bullseye » Sun May 27, 2007 7:39 am

The little pin underneath is the part that holds the LCI in place. To remove it you have to remove the receiver, then press slightly on the LCI lever with one hand and either tap the receiver on a padded surface or tap the underside of the receiver, at the front lug well, with a rubber mallet. Once you get the pin out you can remove the LCI for cleaning. The return spring of the LCI lever keeps the pivot pin held in place.

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Hope this helps.

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Last edited by Bullseye on Sat Dec 12, 2009 3:01 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by Bullseye » Sun Feb 15, 2009 2:39 pm

If tapping with a mallet doesn't get the pin to come out, you can also use a strong magnet to hold the pin and pull it from the receiver.

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Post by Bullseye » Mon Feb 16, 2009 8:29 am

Many folks also ask me, "How do I disable the LCI?" The easiest answer is to remove the metal tab off of it.

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The metal tab is the part that actually touches the cartridge rim. By doing this, the plastic lever remains in the receiver slot but will not function as an indicator because there is nothing to force it outward when a cartridge is loaded in the chamber. You will have to remove the LCI then pull of the metal tab and re install it. This can be especially helpful if the device is suspected of interfering with the pistol's extraction and ejection sequence. Removal can help isolate the loaded chamber indicator from the extractor or the ejector.

Hope this helps.

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Post by sealark » Wed Apr 15, 2009 11:09 am

Bullseye My first post here and I find your sight Sooo helpful. I just got my second 22/45 Mk3 and did the LCI removal. I say second gun because the first gun I purchased 5 weeks ago was a lemon it would jam the bullets on the ramp and jam spent cartridges 30% of the time. Then after 200 or so rounds it just quit working, it wouldn't cock or snap when the trigger was pulled. I called Ruger and they sent me a postpaid return overnight mailer and told me the gun would be replaced with a new one. Got the new one and I wish I would have measured the old gun ramp as it sure looked to me that this new one was a little longer. In any case a completely different gun. Not one ramp hangup and only about 5 spent cartridge jams after 400 firings. I did have a problem reassembling the pin into the rear of the gun. It kept hanging up on the top part of the hole in the barrel. I took a small jewelers file and rounded the BIG burrs from where the hole was drilled and the pin fit perfectly after that. The reason I am ranting on about this is if anyone else has a problem with a fairly new 22/45 Mk3 have them call Ruger and complain. Ruger was really great and handled my problem super fast. Just tell them to call back often to check up on progress if you know what I mean.

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Post by Bullseye » Wed Apr 15, 2009 11:14 am

Welcome to the forum Sealark!

Thanks for the info.

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Post by bigfatdave » Sun Jun 21, 2009 1:15 am

Bullseye, does the LCI really need to be re-installed?
I suspect mine of hampering proper ejection, (and the corners it creates behind the chamber always collect powder/lube residue) and have been considering removing it as I do other upgrades.
It seems wrong for the pistol to only appear to have a LCI, although I can't imagine anyone I would allow to handle my firearms solely relying on the LCI to verify a gun clear.

Is there a problem with simply leaving the open slot?

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Post by bearandoldman » Sun Jun 21, 2009 7:22 am

bigfatdave wrote:Bullseye, does the LCI really need to be re-installed? I can't imagine anyone I would allow to handle my firearms solely relying on the LCI to verify a gun clear.

Is there a problem with simply leaving the open slot?
My personal opinion and what I would do if I have one, is take it out and leave it out, there is a large hole in the other side pf the receiver called the ejection port. All my Ruger pistols are Mark II 22/45's. When I pick up a gun or hand it to anyone or if someone hand one to me, I open the gun and look in the chamber. That is my own LCI.
You have great day and shoot straight and may the Good Lord smile on you.
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Post by Bullseye » Sun Jun 21, 2009 9:15 am

Dave,

There's nothing wrong with leaving out the LCI. It will leave a open slot in your pistol but if you don't mind it, then there's no problem. Some folks don't like the open slot so removing the metal tab on the LCI disengages it and the plastic lever still fills the open slot.

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Post by bigfatdave » Sun Jun 21, 2009 2:40 pm

bearandoldman, that was what had me thinking I could get away with just leaving it out. It isn't like the LCI seals in the first place, so why not have another hole in the receiver opposite the ejection port?

Bullseye, to tell you the truth, the big hole idea does bother me, but I'd rather remove an alleged "safety device" than disable it leaving it apparently functional. If the hole annoys me, I can always shave the plastic down to remove the lettering or something. I suspect I won't notice the hole while shooting, I never have worried about what a pistol looks like from the side, feel in the hand and natural pointing are much more important.

I'm wondering if I'll end up with a "visible brass" slot out of the bargain ... I do use those and protruding ejectors on centerfire pistols, more as a "confirm loaded" than "confirm clear". Checking a gun clear has always meant checking with the action locked open for; clear chamber, clear breech face, and clear feed system, plus cycling a few times for good measure.

I'll pull the LCI next time I have an upper off, if this continues I'll end up needing another container in the safe for Ruger mkIII parts.

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Post by bigfatdave » Mon Jun 22, 2009 1:10 am

I got bored and popped the top off a mkIII (On a side note, I am getting ridiculously proficient at doing that) to pull the LCI.
Before I started bonking on the receiver, I figured I'd try the magnet method. (I keep some rare earth magnets handy, they are surprisingly cheap and useful ... I use them for a lot of fine manipulations I can't accomplish with sausage fingers and no fingernails)
I lined a stack of them up with the pin, set them on, and while wondering exactly how to go about taking tension off, and how this was supposed to work if the magnets were stuck to the receiver and pin ... the magnets and pin fell right off with zero effort! After a few moments staring at it on the floor flabbergasted, I pulled the upper off the other mkIII so I could show MrsBFD how simple it was, as we'd been annoyed by the LCI from day one with pistol one. The second one popped out as easily as the first.

Anyone who wants the LCI gone, take heed, it comes out nice and easy so long as you have the upper off, if you have some strong magnets with a small face handy, the pin pulls and the lever comes out with no fuss.
There is a small bit of brass visible with a round chambered, but not enough to be obvious or useful, so I suppose safe gun handling will have to continue as normal.

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Post by glockeyed » Mon Mar 08, 2010 5:16 pm

i lucked out. With my left hand, barrel pointing right, i stuck my thumb in the ejection port and pressed on the LCI. Then i wiggled my thumb up and down, and the pin fell right out.

i was happy, because the only magnet i had was a bottle opener on the fridge. lol

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Post by rshook » Wed Dec 22, 2010 4:00 pm

Bullseye, words can't express how grateful an idiot like me has someone like you to tell how to work on my ruger. You even give close-up pictures to boot. You are "The Man". Thanks!

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Post by Bullseye » Wed Dec 22, 2010 4:29 pm

No problem at all, and Welcome to Guntalk-Online!

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Post by gmsoapy » Thu Aug 30, 2012 12:57 pm

rshook wrote:Bullseye, words can't express how grateful an idiot like me has someone like you to tell how to work on my ruger. You even give close-up pictures to boot. You are "The Man". Thanks!
+1 to that. thanks Bullseye. I wish you had printed copies of all your helps in book form. I'd be the first online to buy one and I'm sure so would many other MK owners you're the best source of MK info out there. I love were you had to show Ruger the flaw in the LCI. They should have given you something other then just a thank you letter. Thanks again Bullseye
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Post by Bullseye » Sat Sep 01, 2012 8:19 am

Thanks, and welcome to Guntalk-Online!

I'm sure some of them wanted to give me "something" but it wasn't just a letter, they weren't real happy with me at the time. Pointing out to the emperor that "he's got no clothes on", philosophically speaking, is not a real popular thing. They were adamant that their brand new product was thoroughly tested to prevent that very thing from happening. Some very senior folks quietly retired shortly after that whole incident. I'm satisfied with the letter. I wasn't seeking recognition or trying embarrass them, my original goal was just to help them out.

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