Decent deal, I think

[MCgunner]

Gun show in a near by town, today. Amongst the ridiculously priced firearms, I found what I think was a decent deal and something I've been wanting, a Ruger Mk 2. Now, this one has a cheap BSA scope on it and scope base. The guy was not a dealer, private individual. No paperwork. I always prefer it that way even though I don't have to do the background check thing with my carry permit. Got it for $275. It has a nicer trigger on it than I remember on other Ruger Mk1 and 2s I've shot in the past, light and very crisp though with some take up and over-travel. Not sure if he worked the trigger. He called it his grackle gun and said he wasn't even sure why he was selling it. I've put a mag of Federal through it just feeding it and ejecting, not firing. It fed fine so should function okay. I'll get to the range, maybe this afternoon. I don't have a quality .22 auto pistol, so this will fit in my collection of junk. My best are a nice little stainless rossi M511 revolver and an NAA mini which don't fit this gun's uses. I have a POS Ramline Exactor I bought when they came out and the Zine's were hyping them, sorta junk, but it is relatively accurate and reliable with CCI. It don't cap Federal worth a toot, though. The Ruger is MILES better than that thing for accuracy and range work. I have a scoped 10" contender barrel in .22 that has taken a few squirrel. I guess you could include that as a quality .22, but it's not an auto.

I'd wanted to look at a P3AT or perhaps a Ruger .22. They had a P32 there for 290... I'd thought I'd look at shotguns, maybe find an old M37 Ithaca to pick up. There was one old gun there, 750 bucks. JESUS! Well, I just couldn't leave that Ruger there for 275 scoped as it is. Hell, the mount is probably 30 bucks new.

 

[BigGunsMoreFun]

Looks like a fair deal to me

I don't own one of these pistols but I have shot several of them that my friends and family members own. In my opinion they are good little plinkers that seem to hold up well. I've not seen one malfunction yet.

With the scope and mount, etc. I think $275 was a fair price. Bud's Gun Shop in Kentucky had them NIB for around $300 a few months ago without the scope and mounting hardware. I haven't looked lately but I am sure the NIB ones have gone up in price like all guns have lately.

Have fun and enjoy your new plinker. Give us a range report once you've gotten used to it and put a couple hundred rounds down range.

Molon Labe,
Joe

 

[robmkivseries70]

Those can be good little plinker's. I had one in 6 inch as my first .22.
Best,
Rob

 

[MCgunner]

Yeah, they had a few NIB for around 320-330. One was an anniversary model with nicely configured half checkered walnut stocks. I kinda liked the stocks on that one. I figured 300-320 was a normal NIB price on 'em and this one is real clean and in good shape, little wear at all on the finish.

But, with the scope and all, heck, even if I don't wanna keep the scope on it, it's a nice option or I could sell scope and mount later if I decide I don't need it. But, you can never have too many pistol scopes around. I've got other guns/Contender barrels I could scope, too. I'm not sure about the durability of a BSA scope, they're kinda cheap, okay on a .22, but I have this 7mm TCU barrel for my Contender I'd thought some about scoping. I could try it on that if I take it off the Ruger. It's got an IHMSA rear click graduated dial adjustable sight on that barrel, but I haven't shot IHMSA in some years now, just something a friend got me into.

I never got to the range today, weather's a little blah and I BBQed some pork. But, tomorrow I'll shoot it. Gotta go down to my place and check my hog trap. I won't get to bench it for accuracy until I get to the range, though.

 

[Walkalong]

Still wish I had never traded my HB Ruger years ago.

 

[MCgunner]

WOW! Well, I have a new favorite .22 now. Made a range trip despite the weather. Hardest part of that was getting my gold wing down that rutted muddy road, bout dumped it once. Anyway, I just HAD to try it out, tired of waiting.

At 25 yards, I put Federal Lightening bulk pack into 1/2" for five shots. Same for CCI Minimag, but stinger was a one hole group! Didn't take any other ammo to try, though I do have some RWS Target somewhere. At 50, still dead on, so must be an apogee between 25 and 50 due to scope height. Stinger shot sub 2" off the bench with no bags for support, just hand held over the bench as in the field if I were shooting at a squirrel. My Contender is a little more accurate, but this thing is way accurate enough for squirrel hunting and super fun to shoot. We have these 6" falling plates at 25. With my Rossi, I can hit 6 of 6 off hand if I concentrate. With the Ruger, it's not a matter of hitting the plate, it's of fast you can get on each one and mow 'em down. WOW, what fun! I'm keepin' the scope on it, will just shoot the Rossi when I want irons, LOL. I also noticed with the Rossi, I had to aim for the top of the plate to take it down. The ruger gets more velocity, I reckon, though I didn't take my chronograph today. With Stingers in the Ruger, it don't matter WHERE I hit the plate, it's goin' down. But, lightening brought 'em down more reliably with a good hit than from the Rossi.

I had two failures to fire of the Federal, and one in the Rossi. It's the ammo, stuff sometimes fails to cap. I have a couple of guns that just flat refuse to fire that stuff and get lots of failures. My 10/22 doesn't particularly like it and my Exactor hates it. My NAA mini doesn't complain with it, guess it's got a wider firing pin or something.

Anyway, no failures to feed or eject. First one off the top of the magazine, can't just hit the slide release, have to pull the bolt back all the way and release it for the round to go in, but it goes and never stops feeding til the bolt locks back.

I fired several hundred rounds just havin' a blast, shooting groups, plinking, shooting off my shooting sticks as if squirrel hunting, etc and 50 through my .45 Colt, but a customer called and wanted to bring an ATV by for me, so I had to head home before I was tired of shooting.

I haven't tried to strip this thing. I'm going to have to google that when it comes time, heard it's a PITA. But, I'll just clean it assembled for now.