We're diving into the history and evolution of the Ruger Mark Series, the legendary .22 that’s been dominating the rimfire pistol market for 75 years. Starting with its humble beginnings in 1949, we break down the key differences that distinguish each of the four generations of this pistol, and discuss why its still the gold standard of .22s today.
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I've got a Mark II Target with a 6 7/8" bull barrel that I bought back in 1985 or '86 and it's one of 3 handguns that I will keep until the day I die. It's that much of a pleasure to shoot.
The balance is fantastic and it's much more accurate than I'm capable of shooting. Matter of fact, it's so accurate that any time I shoot it I walk away impressed with my marksmanship until I remind myself that it's the gun, not me. I've pumped thousands and thousands of rounds through it over the years and I can't see any degradation in the gun's accuracy.
The kicker, though? I'm still using the same magazine it came with and it feeds just as well as it did when it was new. I did break down and ordered a new magazine a few years ago while they still made them. It's sitting in my safe still in the unopened packaging.
I did have a couple of minor complaints when I first got it, though. The one I ran into first was reassembling the damned thing. As soon as I got it home, I tore it completely down before I ever put a single round through it, and then couldn't get it back together. You have to tilt it up and get the tip of the hammer strut just right with the mainspring housing or you won't be able to pull the bolt all the way back. I fought and fought it until I finally gave up, then took the damned gun back the next day in pieces in a box. Gary, the owner of the gun shop, got a nice laugh at my expense and told me every single person he'd sold one to ran into the same issue.
The other issue was the target sights. They're outstanding provided you're shooting at a light colored paper target. If you're popping ground squirrels that are undermining your driveway, not so much. I cured that by painting the front of my front sight blade bright yellow. That took care of that shit.
Kenny- I had one like yours, it was very nice.
ReplyDeletePassed it along to my brother when I acquired a flawless High Standard Field King w/ 4" bull barrel.
I’ve been shooting a High Standard Sport King for 40+ years and decided to buy a Mark III a few years back. I do like the Ruger a lot, but I get tighter groups with the Sport King.
DeleteI have an original High Standard (Hamden) Victor I wouldn't trade for the world. Same grip angle as 1911 (unlike the Ruger), weight and balance are perfect, trigger break and reset are perfect.
DeleteIf you want to truly learn to manipulate a trigger, put 10 or 20,000 rounds through a great target .22, one handed. Your trigger finger learns to operate completely independently and in a straight line. Exactly what it's supposed to do. Shooting a .22 pistol one-handed will point out every single mistake you make.
Triggers are squeezed, they are not mashed, pulled or yanked. They can be squeezed very fast, but are nonetheless squeezed. They should be crisp and reset with very little movement. And this is why I own ZERO striker fired handguns. Bleahhh!
I like Ruger pistols. I especially like the older ones.
ReplyDeleteI have the same handgun and I always wrestle with putting it back together. I’ve probably spent more time swearing at it than firing it, but it is a very nice piece. Legio XIX
ReplyDeleteIt's such a pain in the ass that I'll go a thousand rounds without cleaning it just to avoid the reassembly.
DeleteI have the target model Mark II gave a lot of guys with model 41's fits at the 50 foot indoor shoots, once I did tear down and reassembly a couple of times it was a piece of cake upside down secret hand shake and presto.
DeleteI researched it and ended up passing on the Ruger because of the cleaning issue , I bought a S&W Model 41.
Delete"upside down secret hand shake and presto." That's the trick.
DeleteMy son has a Mark III and cleaning it is a nightmare.
DeleteI got the Mark.IV and it is trivial to clean. Same accuracy.
Bought mine in the early 90's. Same thing with the parts in a box and getting ready to go back to the store. The next morning I tried one more time, and it dropped into place! Sometimes I'd rather be lucky than good!
ReplyDeleteMy first beebee gun an old fella told me to put a dot of white paint on the front sight. Worked like a charm. I've done that on several rifles and pistols that I had a hard time with accuracy. It always worked.
ReplyDeleteI sold my MKIII for the same assembly reason. Otherwise a good shooter.
ReplyDeleteBought a used ruger markII at the pawn shop a few years ago, like everyone else I found assembly a royal pain. I didnt have it that long before I gave it to one of my kids who in turn got rid of it. The only other 22 ruger pistol I've had is a sp 101 revolver. The trigger is so hard I usually shoot it single action. Some of that has to do with my physical disabilities.
ReplyDeleteMy Ruger Mk II 5 1/2" bull barrel is a tack driver as well. Almost feels like cheating. They are wonderful pistols. It wears a Leupold 2x handgun scope, which is both good and bad. Iron sights on dark target are harder to see - scope reticle is easier to see. But shooting offhand, the view of shake slows down my shooting. Which costs me some shots.
ReplyDeleteThat's the reason I took the scope off of mine and went back to the target sights.
DeleteI get it. I may decide to do the same, that is if my 61 year old eyes will let me do that. Sux getting old ...
DeleteI had a Mark II Target with the 6 7/8" bull barrel also. Like you I had to get somebody show me how to put it back together. Three times and then I sold it. I can pull a main shaft out of a teletype and put a new one in but the Mark II beat me.
ReplyDeleteASR-33 was a bitch.
DeleteI have the Ruger Mark IV 22/45. So I am lucky that I have no issues with reassembly. But it is also the best shooting gun that I in my limited experience have ever held.
ReplyDeleteSecond place was the M1911 by Tisas that I had.
An old joke went when sex is good it is wonderful, and when it is bad, it is still pretty good. The same can be said for the 1911 trigger. Some of them might not be as good as others, but they are still better than every striker fired trigger I have ever shot. I ended up selling my M911 because of having a hard time reaching the mag release, even with an extended release installed, and also so I could concentrate on only stocking one pistol caliber of ammo.
I have been considering from time to time going back to the gun in 9mm, because of the fact that it is so accurate, but I never have done so. My Ruger SR9c is just too good to want to replace it now.
I have one in stainless. For years, been meaning to get the Majestic Speed Strip kit.
ReplyDeletehttps://majesticarms.com/product-category/speedstripkits/
Never do seem to get around to ordering one.
- jed
the Mk3 and 4 are garbage,
ReplyDeleteI have a 3 and the loaded chamber indicator and the mag removal lockout are troublesome.
I learned you can insert the mag facing the wrong way and it will NOT come out, you have to have a special tool like a slim jim to slide up beside the mag to push the lockout tab out of the way. and I only disassembled it once, took me hours to get it back together right,
after that ,lesson, whenever it gets so dirty it wont function, it gets brake cleaner and some oil
but If I could only have one gun, i would choose the ruger mk2
my mk 3 has a 7 inch barrel and if I have something to rest it on, I can hit just as good as I can with a 10-22 rifle or my Henry .22 lever rifle.
They fixed that reassembly issue on the newer models. I've got a standard with 4" light barrel that has been on a lot of adventures with me and a Mark I Bull barrel with a red dot sight.
ReplyDeleteI have a MKIII 22/45 Lite with a dead air mask. As quiet as a Red Ryder bb gun and ultra reliable. My buddy has the MKIII in ss with 6-7/8 barrel. We added kits that make takedown a breeze. Factory magazines work best IMHO. Perfect rimfire pistol.
ReplyDeleteI bought my MkI from my First Sargent in Germany. It was my first handgun and is going to be with me for the duration. It's so fun to shoot. And it has a good backstory:
ReplyDeleteI barely got the paperwork done on time to bring it home. I had to hand carry it which was fine until I got to Fort Dix: From there the Army put me on Greyhounds through Philly and DC on my way home. In both those spots I was committing a 5-year crime carrying concealed. My bus rolled into DC at 0100hrs with a 7 hour wait for the bus to Fairfax. I called my dad anyway, and he rushed into town after I told him the situation.
I have one of the mark 4 models. Kind of takes down like an AR. Use clip to clean it. Need to put. Some more rounds through it.
ReplyDeleteSmall friggin' world. I just picked up a 1999 vintage Mk-II Standard yesterday. A 50th Anniversary issue with red-backed eagle on grips and red box. It's in parts down on my workbench. The crud was thick on the inside. Lord knows when it was last cleaned.
ReplyDeleteI've more Rugers than any other make. Mostly .22s.
I have the original, a Nambu Type 14.
ReplyDeleteThat's a tack driver.
At 20 yards I get a very tight group.
Buffalo Arms has the ammo
I was at the range some years ago. We were shooting WWI and WWII vintage rifles, but I had my Ruger MK II Standard on my hip. We had shot for a while and had gotten to the last few trips down range to set up targets. I wedged a coke can endwise in a hole in one of the 100-yard target boards and loudly announced that I'd by a six pack for whoever tagged it. Once we got back up on the line, I drew the Ruger, casually raised it one-handed...and popped the can. Absolute pure luck, but I calmly reholstered and said, "That's how it's done, fellers." I didn't shoot another round that day, just like I pocket my winnings and walk out of the casino if I win a big pot.
ReplyDeleteDesign was heavily influenced by the Japanese Nambu WWII pistol.
ReplyDeleteI've had one for so long I forgot when I bought it. I had a problem with the assembly bit but after a few dozen times taking it apart to clean and putting it back together it's old hat. Some outfit now makes a part that they claim to make it easy to re-assemble. I've seen the ad in American Rifleman on occasion. I've shot so many rounds through it and I have three mags so I can keep plugging away and it is still the most accurate handgun I've ever owned.
ReplyDeleteHere is the simple solution to make reassembly of the Standard Mk 2 easy
ReplyDeletehttps://www.hammerstrutsupport.com/
detail here
https://youtu.be/Wafw33Pabd4
I have a Mk.II as well. Bought it from a coworker for a C note back in the late 80s , fun little pistol .
ReplyDeleteMy first pistol was a 5 1/2" bull barrel target model. I had the gun shop owner show me how to disassemble and reassemble it. He had the book and it still took a half hour to get it back together. Once you figure out the secret handshake it goes much faster. But it's still a pain in the ass. I don't clean it that often, so one time when I was cleaning it I looked up the chamber and thought I saw rust. So with scrubbing, soaking, and tight patches a ring of lead showed up on the patch. I shot a lot of Remington thunderbolt and Winchester x-pert through it. Lead with minimal lubrication is my best guess.
ReplyDeleteNailed it on the head, Wirecutter. The Mk II is a very sweet shooter that makes me look better than I am. I will absolutely let 1000 rounds go by in between cleanings just because I hate cleaning the damn thing.
ReplyDeleteRuger made a special target model Mark II around 1990 and I got one of those, these was some reference to some military shooting competition if I remember correctly. I haven't shot it in a while but it was the gun I used to start beginners on when I taught them to shoot. I don't remember it now but at the time there was info about a trick for putting it back together and it worked well.
ReplyDeleteThese days I just play around with adult leggos.
Yeah, I have a Model I bull barrel. My trick to assembling them is to turn the thing over, and it falls right into place.
ReplyDeleteGot one for my 18th birthday, way back in 1983. I asked for one of the bull barrel target models but apparently my Dad didn't listen or didn't care as he gave me the standard model with the 4" tapered barrel. After shooting it, I didn't care either as it is an absolute tack driver. Doesn't need the 6 inch bull barrel after all. The weight and balance are perfect. I still wrestle with cleaning - I can get it back together but takes me 4 or 5 tries. I'm tempted to buy the new version but if there's a magazine disconnect I'll pass. The original is plenty good enough.
ReplyDeletePicked up a used MkII 11" bull barrel in '86. Rifle level accuracy for a 22 rimfire out of that. Still have it. Only deep cleaned it once and got it back together by accident. Now it's take off the grips and a whole can of brake clean and clp makes her right.
ReplyDeleteSpin
I have an original Gen three 22/45 lite. Hated cleaning it. https://majesticarms.com/ has several ways to improve the takedown of your pistol. All I need is a hex wrench and it comes apart like the Gen 4. Also got rid of the chamber flag and the magazine lock out.
ReplyDeleteI've had about as many Mk. series as you can shake a stick at. Traded or sold them. The one I have now, a Mk.lll, 5.5" bull barrel, 22/45, shoots as good as any, not ammo sensitive. Had a cheap (but good) red dot on it for awhile, seemed like cheating, so painted my front sight orange and try harder now. Joo tube is your friend for re assembly.
ReplyDeleteAbout 1974 I was in the Marine Corps. A buddy had bought a Mk1. He brought it to me in a shoe box, disassembled, and asked if I could put it back together. I had never touched one before but I had a basic understanding of firearms so I could figure out which part was the hammer, etc. Took a bit of fumbling but I got it back together. No book, YouTube didn't exist. Yes, I am that good. Just mechanical sense. Great entertainment too on a boring day stuck in the barracks. That skill and $4 will get me a cup of coffee most places ;^)
ReplyDeleteI've got a Mk IV 22/45. The thing is amazingly accurate. Very fun.
ReplyDelete