Ruger Mk

[Carl N. Brown]

o Standard was the original Ruger .22
o MkI was the target version of the original Standard model.
Standard and MkI: Heel mag release; no last-shot hold-open; safety "on" locked bolt closed or open, you load/clear chamber with safety "off"; 9 shot mag with follower button on right side.
o MkII first Ruger improvment [strike]maybe "inspired" by AMT's copy[/strike]
MkII: Heel mag release; last-shot hold-open lever activated by magazine follower button; safety "on" does not lock bolt so you can load/clear chamber with safety "on"; 10 shot mag with follower button on left side.
o MkII 22/45 polymer lower duplicating grip of Colt/GI 1911; 1911 style mag release; 10 magazine with dimple for mag release and a duckbill floorplate to fill the bottom of the grip.
o MkIII like the MkII but with 1911 style mag release (good), loaded chamber indicator and magazine safety (debatable).

Personally I like my MkII but that is not to say that the Standard, MkI, 22/45, or MkIII are inferior. They are just different ideas from different generations.

Baseline: it appears they have made an effort to keep quality high generation to generation; some of the features, though seem to violate the Keep It Sweet and Simple rule.

Added Naming:
I do not see a big problem with treating the first generation as Mk I Standard and Mk I Target, but collectors will treat them as Standard and Mk I Target. Ruger changed their naming convention with the Mark II in Standard, Target and 22/45.

The gun editors at Wikipedia (and the Ruger factory manuals) divide the Rugers thus:
Ruger Standard includes the Standard and MK I Target
Ruger MK II includes MK II Standard, Target and 22/45
Ruger MK III includes Mark III Standard, Target and 22/45

The Ruger manuals show MARK or Mark spelled out, but abbrev.s MK and Mk are commonly used too, so poe-tay-toe toe-mah-toe time for lunch: soup anyone?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruger_Standard
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruger_MK_II
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruger_MK_III

 

[Kurt]

I’ve owned three MK 1’s and many MKII’s over the years. I’ve also shot many a friend’s MK III.
I’ve firmly settled on “generational” ownership of several MK II’s in stainless. My kids cut many of their formative skills on them.
For me, the MK 1 is a bit light on features while the MK III has some I don’t like.
The MK II is simply one of the all time classic handguns, everything you need, and nothing you don’t.
Our MK II’s are withstanding the test-of-time very well within my family.
From current-day use, to all the great memories of range days past, our Ruger stainless MK II’s have truly been a joy on all counts.

 

[rbernie]

You can use the late-production mags in a older Standard/Mk1 but they often hang up on the mag catch where the mag base meets the mag body - that's why the older mags had an extended smooth mag base. Be prepared to do some filing and filling if you want to use new production mags, unless you get really lucky and get one from the box that works without hanging up.

Also - the older Standards/MkIs use different grip than the later MkII/III units and it's getting really hard to find grips to fit the older models. Ruger moved the grip screw locations in the early 1970's as a running change that facilitated the introduction of the BHO on the MkII, and you cannot use newer grips on older (pre-1971) guns.

Barrels and most all other parts will interchange. I run PacLite barrels on two of my pre-1971 Ruger Mk1/Standards and they work great.

 

[WardenWolf]

The Mark I's didn't have the same tolerances and precision of the Mark II and beyond. There was more variation between parts. I learned this when having to respring my father's Mark I. The Mark III parts are technically the same part, but 40 years of parts tolerance differences meant that some fitting was necessary. I also could not get the new mainspring assembly's vertical strut to work properly; it always bound the bolt. I wound up putting the old strut on the new mainspring assembly.

There's nothing "wrong" with a Mark I, but the Mark II's and III's are unquestionably better guns.

 

[Jim K]

X-Rap wrote:

"Dry fire can eventually damage the face or the breech requiring the small Nick to be removed."

It takes a LOT of dry firing (or bad "gunsmithing") to do that, to the point that hard parts have to be distorted. Yes, it can happen, but I have had thousands of "clicks" of dry fire with Ruger pistols with no problem.

Jim

 

[WardenWolf]

X-Rap wrote:

"Dry fire can eventually damage the face or the breech requiring the small Nick to be removed."

It takes a LOT of dry firing (or bad "gunsmithing") to do that, to the point that hard parts have to be distorted. Yes, it can happen, but I have had thousands of "clicks" of dry fire with Ruger pistols with no problem.

Jim

The Mark I does have a firing pin stop; it's the exact same part that's found in all the later Ruger pistols. Theoretically this part could be worn down over time, but in practice, no. That's one part I didn't need to replace on my father's Mark I, even when all the springs were shot and I replaced the firing pin itself.

 

[Slamfire]

The MkII was the best of the bunch, the MKIII the worst.

 

[FL-NC]

OP- as I said before, my standard is pretty old but not abused, and it works fine. Same for my 22-45 suppressed. My standard lives in my truck, my suppressed 22-45 lives in the safe when not being used for obvious reasons. When I got my standard, I chose it because I wanted a plinker and it was a used gun at a fair price. If it had been a later model I would have still bought it. If you're just looking for something to put holes in cans with, who cares as long as the thing fires?

 

[ColtPythonElite]

The MkII was the best of the bunch, the MKIII the worst.

I don't own a MKIII, so my feelings aren't hurt...With that said, even if the MKIII is the worst, it is still good. I don't think the finish is quite as good on a III as the II.

 

[SwampWolf]

QUOTE: "...I like my MK II better than my MK I mainly because the MK I doesn't have a bolt hold open. You have to count rounds fired so you don't slam the firing pin against the empty chamber which can't be good..."

Back in the day, there was an after-market, extended follower made for Ruger MK I magazines, offering a partial solution to Ruger's lack of a last round, bolt hold-open device. I say "partial" because, although the extended follower did keep the bolt from going forward after the last shot, it was necessary to retract the bolt slightly in order to ease the pressure on the magazine so that it could be retracted.

 

[murf]

just had the mk I out yesterday. it is still more accurate than i will ever be.

murf

 

[WardenWolf]

The MkII was the best of the bunch, the MKIII the worst.

Far from it. My father has a Mark I, and I have a Mark III. That Mark I has been nothing but trouble. I finally fixed it (most of the parts in the upper tube are now new Mark III parts), but it's always been a temperamental gun. My Mark III, on the other hand, just runs. While I can't say if the III is better than the II, I definitely can say it's better than the I. The quality of the materials and workmanship are better, and it's much more reliable.

 

[X-Rap]

It takes a LOT of dry firing (or bad "gunsmithing") to do that, to the point that hard parts have to be distorted. Yes, it can happen, but I have had thousands of "clicks" of dry fire with Ruger pistols with no problem.

JimK you are correct and your post jogged my memory, the gun in question did require a new stop pin in addition to the refacing of the breech. As I said, that particular gun was bought used for a good price because the PO didn't have the ability or wish to diagnose the problem. I have no idea what it took to break the pin but I would agree with your statement that the configuration is quite robust since I have also clicked my original MKI Target many times over the years, just pointing out what I have seen on others.

 

[Confederate]

I even saved the $90 to buy one at montgomery ward's but dad said no.

Okay, why did he say no and what did you do with the money? ��

The Mark II is the greatest in my view and they command a small premium over the IIIs, I think. I've always wondered why no one made a 12-shot magazine for these things.

I also have an AMT Lightning with a 6+-inch barrel which is outstanding. It's stainless steel, has a recessed muzzle, Clarke custom trigger, Millett sights and wrap-around rubber grips. When I got it, I test fired it to ensure it worked without jamming (some did), then I cleaned it thoroughly and put it in the safe and there it's been ever since. I have a slight hand tremor and this is clearly a target model. The short barrel Ruger is my favorite and these guns are fantastic. I sure envy the person who gets them after I'm dead.

Aw, what the hell! Maybe I'll just be buried with them.

 

[bannockburn]

I have had many Ruger Mk.I and Mk.II pistols over the years but my all time favorite is still the 5 1/2 bull barrel model Mk.II. Balance and handling are perfect for me and I just like the way it looks (and shoots), most of all.

 

[Ironicaintit]

Geez you guys have nice stuff.

I have a tapered barrel standard that my dad gave to me when I was a teenager in the late '80s. She has pretty high mileage, but is still more accurate and consistent than I am.

 

[rbernie]

It probably needs to be stated that the older guns won't run reliably on hollow point rounds; they were designed in an era where solids were most common. The later guns have a different feed ramp and work better in that regard.

I have a PacLite upper on two of my pre-'71 Standards, and they have been 100% reliable in feeding anything.

 

[double bogey]

IMHO, if you buy a MKIII, do it with the intention of doing away with the LCI, pickup and install a bushing and a target sear, and get a VQ trigger with the reset and overtravel adjustments. I know it adds $100 or so to he cost, but it is like shooting a completely different pistol. Mine is a MKIII stainless hunter, with the 6 7/8" fluted barrel. Recently added a Leupold scope I came across, and glad I have some .22 ammo, cause since back surgery, looks like .22's are going to be all I can shoot for a while. Sure hope I can do shotguns before dove season, but that's another post.