The comparative complication of the Ruger Mk I - III disassembly is WELL PUBLICISED and universally accepted (it is not whining), and a valid concern for a new shooter, in this case the OP's GF. You may be an adept qualified gunsmith or mechanical wiz, however, not all individuals are or will ever be. This is Why Ruger made the Mk IV an easy to disassemble pistol. Complicated maintenance for new shooter = maintenance not done = stoppages/failure to feed/failure to fire = discouraged new shooter getting rid of pistol = one less firearms owner = one less voice and vote for firearms ownership issues. Just looking at it from the big picture perspective.