Best Mags and Ammo for Ruger Mark IV?

[Panzerschwein]

I just bought a Ruger Mark IV target model and am wondering a bit about them. First off, do they run bulk ammo? What is the least expensive ammo that will still run in the gun? Also, are there any differences in the Mark IV magazines vs the Mark III magazines? Thanks!

 

[ColtPythonElite]

My buddy's ran on everything we put in it from bulk 36 gr hollow point to 40 gr standard velocity. We probably tried half a dozen different kinds. I don't recall a single misfeed.

 

[Panzerschwein]

My buddy's ran on everything we put in it from bulk 36 gr hollow point to 40 gr standard velocity. We probably tried half a dozen different kinds. I don't recall a single misfeed.

Good to hear!

 

[valor1]

Just stay away from Winchester M22 bulk ammo. Worst bulk ammo I've used even on my Ruger 1022. My MK IV target loves the Federal target grade bulk ammo. Best mag to use is the one manufactured by Ruger. You can smoothen out the rough edges on the mag to make it function flawlessly.

 

[Panzerschwein]

Just stay away from Winchester M22 bulk ammo. Worst bulk ammo I've used even on my Ruger 1022. My MK IV target loves the Federal target grade bulk ammo. Best mag to use is the one manufactured by Ruger. You can smoothen out the rough edges on the mag to make it function flawlessly.

Thanks I will be sure to avoid that ammo!

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I wouldnt avoid any ammo based on other's experience. I would try it for myself. Winchester M22 was one of the ammos we tested in my buddy's MK IV... I know because I gave it to him. His gun ran fine on it.

 

[Eugen]

The mags for the MKIII and MKIV are the same according to what I hear, but I have not personally verified this.

Just use OEM Ruger mags. I bought three MEC-GAR mags, and while they look to be almost identical to my OEMs they just do not work well. I get constant jams FTF, etc.

I have MEC-GAR mags for other guns and they work very well, but not in my Ruger.

 

[Panzerschwein]

The mags for the MKIII and MKIV are the same according to what I hear, but I have not personally verified this.

Just use OEM Ruger mags. I bought three MEC-GAR mags, and while they look to be almost identical to my OEMs they just do not work well. I get constant jams FTF, etc.

I have MEC-GAR mags for other guns and they work very well, but not in my Ruger.

Sounds good, thank you.

If all goes well my dealer should have the gun next week. I can't wait!

 

[Sistema1927]

Used the MKIV today for familiarization with 11 new shooters. The guy I was with had an assortment of odd lot .22 ammo, and all of it functioned without a hiccup.

 

[Panzerschwein]

Used the MKIV today for familiarization with 11 new shooters. The guy I was with had an assortment of odd lot .22 ammo, and all of it functioned without a hiccup.

Good to hear!!

PS: I love you Winnie Pooh with Martini Henry!!

 

[straitR]

I've shot Ruger MK series pistols for many years. Nothing beats OEM magazines, and I generally shoot only jacketed ammo through all my rimfire guns except bolt actions. I really don't think you can own a better general purpose rimfire pistol than a Ruger MK anything. Enjoy.

 

[Panzerschwein]

I've shot Ruger MK series pistols for many years. Nothing beats OEM magazines, and I generally shoot only jacketed ammo through all my rimfire guns except bolt actions. I really don't think you can own a better general purpose rimfire pistol than a Ruger MK anything. Enjoy.

Are exposed lead bullets okay? I've got a lot of Federal auto match I was planning to shoot.

Also, forgive me but I have never owned a .22LR pistol before (other than an NAA revolver) so I am wondering how often to clean the bore and the rest of the gun?

 

[ColtPythonElite]

Plain lead is fine. The copper colored ones aren't jacketed. It is just a copper wash or plating.

I don't clean a MK until it starts to misfeed, which will be a pile of rounds if you don't oil the gun. Oil will do nothing but trap the fouling and make a gritty mess. I use a dry lube like Hornady One Shot case lube or Eezoxx on my MK guns. I do nothing more than put a little bit in the bolt.

 

[Panzerschwein]

Plain lead is fine. The copper colored ones aren't jacketed. It is just a copper wash or plating.

I don't clean a MK until it starts to misfeed, which will be a pile of rounds if you don't oil the gun. Oil will do nothing but trap the fouling and make a gritty mess. I use a dry lube like Hornady One Shot case lube or Eezoxx in my MK guns. I do nothing more than put a little bit in the bolt.

Wow, really? No oil? That goes against my nature but like I said I am new to semi-auto .22 pistols. I have some Remington Dry Lube spray, would that be good to use?

 

[ColtPythonElite]

Oil if you like, but I think you will find you get malfunctions sooner.

Remington Dry Lube should work just fine.

 

[Panzerschwein]

Oil if you like, but I think you will find you get malfunctions sooner.

Remington Dry Lube should work just fine.

Thank you I will not oil it. How many rounds to you get before it starts to have problems and you clean it?

 

[ColtPythonElite]

Upwards of 1k....maybe more. I don't really get many misfeeds with any of my MK guns. I know it's dirty when I get a shell or two that misfires. It seems that is caused buy a little fouling where the case rim rests against the chamber. I guess the fouling acts like a cushion and causes light strikes. I usually take a plastic pick and scrape off the fouling in the chamber area and go back to shooting.

 

[Panzerschwein]

Upwards of 1k....maybe more. I don't really get many misfeeds with any of my MK guns. I know it's dirty when I get a shell or two that misfires. It seems that is caused buy a little fouling where the case rim rests against the chamber. I guess the fouling acts like a cushion and causes light strikes. I usually take a plastic pick and scrape off the fouling in the chamber area and go back to shooting.

Very cool. I have been looking for a .22 pistol for some time. I plan to use it for informal paper target shooting and just fun plinking, recreation. I doubt I'll soup it up or modify it much at all. Just wanting it to run and be relatively low maintenance and durable. I am more excited to get it than any gun in a long time. The last Ruger mark I remember shooting was at least a decade ago, my uncle's mark II. Can't believe I've been into shooting for longer than that and haven't gotten a rimfire auto pistol till now!

 

[Bo]

FYI, I own both, Mark III and Mark IV and yes, the magazines ARE interchangeable.

 

[valor1]

I wouldnt avoid any ammo based on other's experience. I would try it for myself. Winchester M22 was one of the ammos we tested in my buddy's MK IV... I know because I gave it to him. His gun ran fine on it.

He's asking for our opinions so I gave him my experience so he doesn't need to go through all the aggravation. I own the new Rugers and have extensive range time with them. The Winchester must be the most bad in quality control and fouls up the barrel so bad that it would take you forever to scrape the fouling. If you have time for forever then do it then. You can even check the other forum (rimfirecentral.com) and most of the members will advise you to stay away from the Winchester M22.

One of our favorites is the CCI in whatever variant it is.

Yup. You gave away your Winchester M22s to your buddy the same thing I gave mine for free at the range just to dispose of it. You must have had trouble free shooting before the 30th round. Good luck with the 31st and so on. Even the S&W 617 had the problem of inserting the round on the cylinder. That's also base on experience at the range with the rest of the other shooters. Lol.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

Valor,

I wasn't knocking your post. I was just advising the OP to try it for himself...You had a problem with M22. I didn't. Based on that survey, the OP has a 50/50 shot it will work just fine for him.

I have shot far more than 30 rounds of M22. I would guess about 2k. I haven't had any trouble out of any of my 7 MK guns. It's not my favorite ammo. It is just something I picked up at Dicks during the drought.

 

[AlexanderA]

The mags for the MKIII and MKIV are the same according to what I hear, but I have not personally verified this.

No, the Mark IV magazines have an additional notch near the top, to engage a nub on the trigger that (supposedly) raises the magazine into positive engagement as the trigger is pulled. Mark IV magazines can be used in Mark III guns with no problem, but not necessarily the other way around. I've modified my Mark IV (by replacing the trigger, etc.) so this isn't a problem for me.

Edited to add: The Mark IV magazine bodies (with the additional notch) were introduced during Mark III pistol production, so you may not see a difference if you compare the magazines that came with the guns. The notch serves absolutely no purpose in a Mark III. Check the baseplates. The Ruger emblem on the Mark IV baseplate is entirely black, while the emblem on the Mark III is silver on a red background.

 

[AlexanderA]

FYI, I own both, Mark III and Mark IV and yes, the magazines ARE interchangeable.

Look closely at the magazines. You will see a difference. That difference may or may not be important in practice.

ETA: See my post above. Late-production Mark III's sometimes used Mark IV magazine bodies. (Ruger phased them in early.) In any case, magazines that came with Mark III guns had silver/red emblems on the baseplates, while Mark IV baseplate emblems are all-black. These are little differences that a collector would notice. (Another small difference is the orientation of the Ruger emblem on the grips.)

 

[bgw45]

I just bought several Ruger magazines. The package states, " compatible with MK III & MK IV pistols. So, if you buy now they will work in both. Bar code "36676 90231".

 

[AlexanderA]

I just bought several Ruger magazines. The package states, " compatible with MK III & MK IV pistols. So, if you buy now they will work in both. Bar code "36676 90231".

Yes, exactly. These are the Mark IV magazines. They will actually work with all the Mark pistols, including the early Mark I's (if you switch the follower button to the opposite side).