Ruger Mark IV?

[SGW Gunsmith]

I agree, no sense in learning how to properly disassemble and then reassemble a Ruger Mark II or III pistol, unless you actually own one.

 

[SGW Gunsmith]

Where many folks become "frazzled" involving the Ruger Mark pistols, especially the Mark III, and even the Mark IV, is when the grip frame parts get replaced with "aftermarket" parts, such as triggers and sears. Sears especially, due to the need to remove practically all the other parts, just to get at the sear.
VC does provide a very helpful video though, for installing their "parts kit" to enhance performance of the Mark IV. Ruger could have done much better involving the Mark IV trigger pull weight as these pistols arrive.

 

[CraigC]

The Mk IV is a joke compared to your classic Mk II.

The new guns aren’t made nearly as well. Keep your beautiful Mk II and forget the Mk IVs.

You aren’t missing anything.

Ha! The MKIV is the ultimate evolution of the design. Standard Auto, MKI and MKII, great if you like the grip angle and a heel mag release. Great if you don't want an optic, unless you get the GC model. Had both, don't miss them.

Unless you need an optic or feel the itch to detail-clean your gun, there is nothing the Mk IV will do that the Mk II won't. I have thousands and thousands of rounds through an old Mk II and have never taken it apart for cleaning. It still runs like a Swiss watch.

A friend had a Mk IV 22/45 with a pistol scope. The scope was fun, but the polymer frame and the steeper grip angle? I just couldn't warm up to them after shooting the Mk II for so long. It's like listening to a new band cover your favorite song.

Compatibility with optics is kinda important to some folks. As is the 1911 grip angle with replaceable panels. As is a threaded muzzle. And a side mag release. Some even want an underbarrel rail. Which is why I have two MKIII's and no MKI's or MKII's. I'll take MKIII's or MKIV's over anything previous any day of the week. To me, this is more like Disturbed covering The Sound of Silence, 1000x better than the original.

 

[Mosin Bubba]

To me, this is more like Disturbed covering The Sound of Silence, 1000x better than the original.

You like that Christmas music? Give me something off Indestructible any day.

 

[1976B.L.Johns.]

The Sound of Silence, 1000x better than the original.

Give me something off Indestructible any day.

Ahh yes, both great choices!

And in my opinion, all Marks have their place!

 

[Ignition Override]

My first brand-new (retail store) Mark IV, short, thin barrel Standard was bought brand-new about two years ago. Except for one or two minor hiccups over 2,000 (+) rds. of using only cheap, bulk supersonic ammo, it was perfect.
Sold it to a friend (regrets), wanting cash for a different type of gun.

Well, my next brand-new (same retail store) Mark IV Standard has fairly frequent double-feeds (1 in 10 or maybe 20), using a few brands of bulk ammo. I told Ruger Inc. about it, and they mailed me a tarnished guide rod and another spring (why?-unless it was known as a "weaker spring solution"). * Golden Bullet works generally well and Herters seems perfect.

My "Reduced Power Recoil Spring" from Volquartsen should arrive very soon. Hope this makes brands such as Federal 'blue box' and Automatch much more reliable.
Other than that it's a heck of a nice gun.

 

[doubleh]

Here is how I prefer my red dots on MK pistols. Remove all the excess stuff on top of the gun.



Disturbed has a good version of "The Sound Of Silence" but not better than the original version IMO, just different. The Ventures blow both versions away instrumentally.

 

[SGW Gunsmith]

With **NEW** Ruger Mark pistols, most often it will take from a couple of hundred to several hundred CCI Mini-Mags to exercise the springs until they reach their working "set" or length. After that, these pistols will accept and cycle all Standard and High Velocity .22 rimfire rounds.
The only exceptions I've found, are the CCI Quiet rounds at 710 FPS. Not one of my Ruger Mark pistols have been able to easily function with these rounds. Once I went to a bolt less than half the weight of the factory steel bolt, my Ruger Mark III 22/45 cycles the Quiet rounds perfectly.

I've recently wondered what would be involved with a "new and improved" Ruger Mark V, if that were to ever happen. A better trigger itself and then trigger pull weight can fairly easily be accomplished on the Mark IV, but what additional improvements could be involved?

 

[BreechFace]

With **NEW** Ruger Mark pistols, most often it will take from a couple of hundred to several hundred CCI Mini-Mags to exercise the springs until they reach their working "set" or length. After that, these pistols will accept and cycle all Standard and High Velocity .22 rimfire rounds.
The only exceptions I've found, are the CCI Quiet rounds at 710 FPS. Not one of my Ruger Mark pistols have been able to easily function with these rounds. Once I went to a bolt less than half the weight of the factory steel bolt, my Ruger Mark III 22/45 cycles the Quiet rounds perfectly.

I've recently wondered what would be involved with a "new and improved" Ruger Mark V, if that were to ever happen. A better trigger itself and then trigger pull weight can fairly easily be accomplished on the Mark IV, but what additional improvements could be involved?

1. Serial # on frame should have been the route to go on the MKIV's, with the ease of adding new uppers and not having to go through an FFL and pay fees.

NOTE: this would require them to make changes so that MKV uppers couldn't be put on MKIV lowers though. Otherwise, one has the potential of having an "unserialized firearm", which is why this change should have been made with the MKIV series (DUH Ruger )​

2. Offer some slab top uppers rear of the ejection port, milled to the lowest height allowable for function and match the width for these new micro RDS.
3. Better trigger, or at least options from Ruger.

The takedown was the glaring improvement that was accomplished, the other glaring needed improvement in my mind is #1 above.

 

[BreechFace]

An integrally suppressed upper will be a nice offering from Ruger.

 

[doubleh]

With **NEW** Ruger Mark pistols, most often it will take from a couple of hundred to several hundred CCI Mini-Mags to exercise the springs until they reach their working "set" or length. After that, these pistols will accept and cycle all Standard and High Velocity .22 rimfire rounds.
The only exceptions I've found, are the CCI Quiet rounds at 710 FPS. Not one of my Ruger Mark pistols have been able to easily function with these rounds. Once I went to a bolt less than half the weight of the factory steel bolt, my Ruger Mark III 22/45 cycles the Quiet rounds perfectly.

I've recently wondered what would be involved with a "new and improved" Ruger Mark V, if that were to ever happen. A better trigger itself and then trigger pull weight can fairly easily be accomplished on the Mark IV, but what additional improvements could be involved?

I bought 4 boxes of the CCI Quites when they came on the market. I found them so inaccurate in my rifles that I set them on a shelf and there they remain to this day. I thought they would be good for my two oldest great grand daughters to shoot but I'm not going to give them somethng to shoot where scoring a hit is an accident.

My oldest gg daughter thinks Tandenkross's halo ring is a great addition to the MK pistols as she can rack the slide now. She just wasn't strong enough using the factory "ears". Tell ya' what, Grandpa has found he kind of likes them too.

 

[BreechFace]

I bought 4 boxes of the CCI Quites when they came on the market. I found them so inaccurate in my rifles that I set them on a shelf and there they remain to this day. I thought they would be good for my two oldest great grand daughters to shoot but I'm not going to give them somethng to shoot where scoring a hit is an accident.

I had the same experience with them a few years ago. Odd because I always have good luck with CCI offerings. Too bad I bought a brick of them and they are still sitting on my shelf.

 

[Omaha-BeenGlockin]

2 MkIII's here-----they have been "fixed" by removing all the offensive parts----sort of wished I kept a couple of MkII's I've had over the years but these do just fine and are very accurate.

 

[MikeJackmin]

I think I took my MkII apart twice, once for the initial clean and inspection, and the second time to replace the bent firing pin stop.

After that, i'd just hose it out with aerosol rem oil when it got dirty. Ran great. Every so often I'd run a brush through the chamber from the muzzle side.

 

[SW351C]

My original MKIV purchase was a 10” Target Model and very accurate gun. But turned out to be tiring for off hand shooting. I really like the new aluminum frame and didn’t want to give it up. I sold the barrel and bought a Tactical Solutions 6” PacLite barrel. The new PacLite barrels are great and have a steel breech face insert unlike the earlier models that have a aluminum breech face. In its original state the guns weight was 46.3 ounces but with the new barrel it now has a weight of 27.5 ounces. I wish a 10” PacLite barrel was offered but it’s not. The PacLite barrel now wears a front sight with a orange serrated insert done by SGW. I had him do a couple of them for me a little ways back and he did a nice job.

 

[jahwarrior]

The 22/45 MkIV is my first Ruger .22 pistol. I bought it last spring, in the search for a .22 plinker, and my LGS had a killer deal on the Tactical model. I've put a few bricks of various ammo through it, I had one dead round, and one FTE with a Sellier & Beloit subsonic round, after a few hundred rounds.

Shooting .22 Colibri rounds is weird and fun, LOL, as they don't require hearing protection, but do require manual cycling of the action.

It may be the most accurate .22 pistol I've ever shot, and definitely the most reliable.

As far as disassembly, I've never dealt with the Mark 1 - 3, so I can't comment in their difficulty. The Mark IV may be the easiest gun I've ever taken apart.

 

[SGW Gunsmith]

Something to consider. Every now and again, Volquartsen Custom (VC) will offer unfired Ruger Mark IV upper take-offs. They're after the grip frames for their "Mamba" pistols and then offer the uppers up for sale at very reasonable prices.
When I initially contacted them about another parts order, I found out that they had these stripped, no sights, Ruger Mark IV uppers, blued with 5½ inch bull barrels for $25.00 each, plus $15.00 shipping, so I ordered two:

Both fit my Ruger Mark IV Competition Target grip frame perfectly. Then a bit later, they were offering a Mark IV upper, but this time with sights and a Ruger pistol case for $45.00 plus shipping:

This upper has the new style Ruger, rear adjustable sight. They call it the "Black-Out", and this type of sight will fit all of the Ruger Mark pistol rear dovetails, except for the very early ¼-inch size:

If anyone would be inclined to order an upper they are selling, it would then be a good time to get the barrel threaded for a comp, or suppressor. They offer that service, and are very good at it.