Ruger Mark I & II

Mark II has a last shot, bolt hold open feature. Standard, and Mark I doesnt.

The bolt-hold open latch on the left, top side of the frame

Less obvious is that the Mark II magazine holds ten rounds and has the follower button on the left side, while the Standard and Mark I magazine holds nine rounds and has the follower button on the right.

The Standard safety up ("on") locks the bolt, and clearing the chamber requires moving the safety down ("off") to open the bolt, while the Mark II safety does not lock the bolt, and the chamber may be cleared with the safety left up ("on").

Without reading the generation number or lack of on the side you can easily spot a MK I by the lack of the flats machined on the rear of the receiver next to where the bolt ears rest.

Also, the Ruger MK II will actually say "MK II" on the receiver.

The other to consider is mkI vs. Standard. MkI is as above, heavy barrel, target sights, target grips. The Standard has taper barrel, straight grip panels, fixed sights. Many folks confuse the two.

There is no ser # range. It depends is a target version (mkI) or a standaerd version (Standard).

If the barrel tapers and has fixed sights, it is a Standard.

The Standard came first, then mkI but that is kind of the nature calling it "mark I, II, or III"

Me, I like the Standards, classic lines, original design, weighs less, mine is a 1969 6 inch. 25 yards at soda cans all day. Can be pissy with cheap ammo but I live with an occasional FTF knowing how cheap the ammo was. Put mini mags in it and it runs like a dream.

So, mine is a Mark-II Standard, right? That's what I've been calling it. It's a tapered-barrel, fixed sighted, Mark-II, purchased new in 1987.

MedWheeler said:

So, mine is a Mark-II Standard, right? That's what I've been calling it. It's a tapered-barrel, fixed sighted, Mark-II, purchased new in 1987.

Click to expand...

Since Ruger calls the latest version a "Mark III Standard" I would say yes.

http://www.ruger.com/products/markIIIStandard/models.html

That be a nice Ruger Standard. $$? if you don't mind us asking. Give her. Good bath and go shoot.

The only thing I will suggest otherwise is the new gen mags with the Ruger emblem seem to work better than chrome-bottomed original ones. There are 10 rounders and 9 rounders although I am not sure why. Both work in your old Ruger you may just have to swap which side the nub for the follower is on depending on when in '71 yours was built.

+1 to post #9. I bought new grips for my old 'standard' because I read some reviews for Mk II grips that said they would also fir the Mk I. Not the same thing, they didn't fit.

I have houge target mk2 grips on my 76 standard. Mine shoots pretty much anything that fits in the mag. Watch a youtube video to reassemble the gun. your headache will be much smaller.

Don't sweat the horror stories some people tell about the reassembly of MK pistols. They really are a simple design. Most peoples trouble comes from failing to properly orient the hammer strut when putting in the mainspring assembly...once you learn the angle of the dangle, you have it licked.

People that can't strip and assemble the Ruger pistol probably shouldn't have one. Just kidding......but seriously, it isn't that hard.

Are the mags. interchangeble amongst the mk1 & 2?

the earliest mk guns had the thumb stud on the right side of the mag. The mk2's and some of the 1's have it on the left side. Left and right side mags are not interchangable. The frame's are different.