Ruger Mark IV - Safety Design Issue

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Orion8472

Orion8472

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I am wanting to get a Ruger Mark IV, but what keeps me from getting one is the design of the safety. How I naturally hold a gun, when the safety is off, it hits me right in the thumb in a relatively uncomfortable way. When I am looking at one at a gunstore, I notice it and it is enough for me to be on the fence about getting it. I can't help but think that it would quickly become more than an annoyance if I owned one and took it to the range.

Does anyone else have this issue with the new redesign? My brother's natural hold works with the Mark IV, so I know this isn't an issue with everyone........and I will not buy a gun that I must adjust my natural hold.

So, if I got one, I was thinking about having the safety levers milled down to where they can still be used if needed, but the ledge not being nearly as pronounced.

Thoughts?

Oh, I'm wanting to get that Diamond Grey Light that uses the aluminum lower frame.
 
Don't buy one if the safety interferes with your natural hold. You are in the distinct minority, however. I haven't heard of this being a problem before.
 
The Safety on the Mark IV is not an issue with my natural hold. What a fun gun to shoot. The only complaint I have with the gun is I find the bolt release lever to be just a tad forward for easy release and I have to reposition my grip to actuate it. Not a big deal, just something I have to learn to deal with. Mine is a hybrid stainless bull barrel Target model with a black aluminum lower and it has the threaded barrel so I can use a suppressor if I choose to. It's very well balanced in my hand. A minor mod I made to the gun is I painted the vertical upright on the front sight bright orange and it is much easier to pick up the front sight in contrast to the black rear sight. $1.34 for the paint from Wallmart.
 
Orion8472:

There seems to be a very low-cost new type of safety for Ruger Mark IVs. I can't remember the company name, shape or anything else, but have read a few times that this new type is more comfy to shoot.
I'm a lefty and the left thumb rests on the safety, in order to avoid accidentally engaging it.

It is only a range gun (for me), as with the M&P .22. None of their features really matter, because my carry guns are DA/SA and have more surface area for thumbs: Sig P228, CZ 'PCR', a .380 Russian Makarov.
 
flashhole said:
A minor mod I made to the gun is I painted the vertical upright on the front sight bright orange and it is much easier to pick up the front sight in contrast to the black rear sight.
Click to expand...
I personally don't like the vertical upright surface on the front sight of the Marks III & IV. It's better than the original undercut front sights of the Marks I & II, but all of these are notorious "holster-rippers." These are OK if all you are doing is shooting at formal targets, but they are terrible for general use, plinking, and carrying. I have installed ramp front sights on all my Marks.

Years ago, there was an aftermarket "Sport Site" that was made for this purpose. That is long discontinued. Currently, the front sight from a Ruger Single Six revolver will work (the screw hole, the height, and the width are exactly correct). To get a perfect fit, you can grind the bottom of the sight with a Dremel grinding stone that's the same diameter as the pistol barrel. If done carefully, it's as if it came from the factory this way. (Only a small amount of grinding is necessary.)
 
You can also lap the sight with abrasive paper backed against the barrel to pick up the radius.
 
Safety kills the mk4 for me too. It falls right in an irritating spot on my thumb. I love the mkii, but if my option was a mk4 or a buckmark, I'm taking the buckmark. Or even the Smith victory(or was it liberty?)
 
flashhole said:
How well does the lapped sight stand out against the rear sight?
Click to expand...
The adapted Single Six ramp sight works just as well as the factory Mark IV sight. The rear (ramped) surface has serrations that eliminate reflections. This is the sight that Ruger should have made standard on the Mark IV.
 
Orion8472 said:
How I naturally hold a gun, when the safety is off, it hits me right in the thumb in a relatively uncomfortable way.
Click to expand...
greyling22 said:
Safety kills the mk4 for me too. It falls right in an irritating spot on my thumb.
Click to expand...
I'm having trouble visualizing this. When I grip the gun, my thumb is well below the safety. I don't see how there could be interference, unless you had a very high grip or very fleshy hands.
 
I heard people complaining about bumping the safety inadvertently with the base knuckle of the index finger. For that reason, Ruger sells a one-sided safety as a retrofit. But I never heard of bumping the safety with a thumb.
 
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