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What would it take for you to buy a Ruger MkIII instead of a MkIV these days...


lfine

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...or would you even consider it?  Saw a nice 22/45 but the more I thought about taking it apart the less I wanted to consider it almost any price - unless it was ridiculously low, and I haven't seen anyone doing that yet.  Any thoughts from other MkIII - or MkII and MkI owners past and present?  I think if any of us could grab a great piece of history at a good price we would but I have some friends who would never consider them again because of the MkIV, as well as the other alternatives out there.  

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I've had my Mk1 5.5" bull barrel Ruger since 1981 or 82.  Only pistol I've ever had that thought it was a rifle.

 

As to taking it apart and putting it together?  I do remember having an issue with it that first time.  Then I figured out what was wrong and just how to "tip" the barrel up and look in the back to see when the hammer strut was in the right place to push the lever shut/into the back of the grip.  After that it's been easy.

 

Got my youngest son a similar (but older Mk1) several years ago.  He spend an afternoon up above the old garden shooting butterflies off stick weed flowers at 25 to 35 yds. and fell in love with it, like I did mine 30 years before.

 

If I was going to buy another Ruger these days the model/series/Mk wouldn't make a difference to me, as long as it was a 5.5" bull barrel.

 

Sort of like an M1 Garand.  You can put the follower in two ways.  One way doesn't work well.  You only do it once.  After that it sticks with you.

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@lfine I dont shoot my only .22 handgun much. It’s a mk3 22/45.  It probably gets cleaned once a year with all of 300 rounds through it

 

Each time I just find a guy on youtube that shows the trick to get it back together; there are lots of videos like that.

 

If I shot it more, I’d remember. This is a non-issue.

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...or would you even consider it?  Saw a nice 22/45 but the more I thought about taking it apart the less I wanted to consider it almost any price - unless it was ridiculously low, and I haven't seen anyone doing that yet.  Any thoughts from other MkIII - or MkII and MkI owners past and present?  I think if any of us could grab a great piece of history at a good price we would but I have some friends who would never consider them again because of the MkIV, as well as the other alternatives out there.  

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I have a Mark II COMPETITION with a Volquartsen Trigger. Great gun... I bought a Tandemkross disassembly tool to take mine apart. But I also use a rubber mallet to remove the barrel from the grip. It takes about twice as long to take it apart.

The Mark IV is so easy to take apart. Mine has an integral Suppressor. I’ve done about 1200 rounds through it so far. The trigger is about 4 pounds right now. I did replace the spring so I can shoot “subsonic” rounds but the 22 is already subsonic in a pistol. I also replaced the extractor. I did not mess with the sear and trigger since mine are fine.

I think the Mark III was the worst of the bunch. There’s a sequence to field strip it where the magazine is needed to do one part. I don’t have a Mark III. When they installed that drop magazine safety I was turned off and skipped that version. I don’t care how cheap the Mark III is, I wouldn’t buy it.



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I have, and am very happy with, a MkIV Stainless Target with a VQ trigger/action kit.   I might consider a reasonably priced MkII but never a MkIII unless it as almost free.   The mag disconnect, unsightly LCI and complex takedown/reassembly would be show stopper.  And, yes, I've owned a MkI and 22/45 MK II in the past.

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Get the majestic arms easy disassemble kit and the MKIII ain't so bad. 

Not as easy as the MKIV, granted, but still easier than the weird sequence you have to go through normally.  

I wouldn't hesitate buying another MKIII if the price was significantly less than a similar MKIV. 

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23 hours ago, Matt1911 said:

Get the majestic arms easy disassemble kit and the MKIII ain't so bad. 

The Majestic kit only allows you to clean the barrel from the breach and clean off the bolt.  You still have to go through the intricate disassembly/reassembly process to do anything with the grip/action assembly. 

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37 minutes ago, SteelCityShooter said:

The Majestic kit only allows you to clean the barrel from the breach and clean off the bolt.  You still have to go through the intricate disassembly/reassembly process to do anything with the grip/action assembly. 

Is that not the same with the MKIV?

 

I'm asking honestly as I don't own a MKIV 

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Is that not the same with the MKIV?
 
I'm asking honestly as I don't own a MKIV 

Yeah.

I don’t mess with the receiver. I’ll use gun scrubber or put it into the ultrasonic.

I have both. But it takes much longer for the Mark II to remove the barrel.


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3 hours ago, Matt1911 said:

Is that not the same with the MKIV?

 

I'm asking honestly as I don't own a MKIV 

No, not at all.  The MkIV receiver/barrel/bolt assembly comes completely off the grip assembly with just the push of the takedown button.  You have complete access for cleaning, etc. with no other fiddling around and reassembly is trivially easy.

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  • 1 month later...
  • 4 months later...

I have two of the 22/45’s. If you installed the MKII hammer bushing and remove the magazine disconnect, they are just as simple as a MKII to take apart and clean(and reassemble) 

 

that being said, I hope my dad sells me his MKIV target soon. That’s a sweet pistol!

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I have the Mark III and 2 Mark IVs.  I hardly shoot the Mark III anymore.  Just too hard to take apart and clean after every range session in comparison to the Mark IVs.  ON a good day it only takes 10 minutes but then there are those bad days when I want to throw it across the room.

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2  MKll one recent acquired They're easy to take down and re assemble.

1 MklV obviously a push button is even easier, but it is not as reliable as the other two.

When I had a Mklll it was a pita until I put the mag disconnect in.

 

So I would buy a MKlll if the price was right or a model I liked.

Otherwise I'd go Mkll because in my area they are usually cheap by comparison and shoot as well or better than the lll or lV

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I'll second approval of the MKIV. I have owned a MK1, still own a MKII... but I shoot my MKIV (A Class RFPO, B Class RFPI, SCSA). Volquartsen trigger & grips, HIVIZ front sight for RFPI and Burris FFIII for RFPO). It is Soooo simple to strip & clean! And... CLEAN is the key to reliability with any rimfire. When I figure travel time, gas, match fees for three/four matches a month.... I'd rather buy another MKIV than shoot a FREE MKII or MKIII.

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I have both a Mark II Competition and a Mark III Hunter, and they are both great pistols!  I had a great Mark I Target as well, but I sold it, like a dummy...  

 

I was using my Mark II Competition in steel matches, and while the accuracy and the trigger is top shelf, the bottom magazine latch KILLED my times during reloads.  So, I found a decent deal on a Mark III Hunter, and I bought it.  It is ALMOST as accurate as my Mark II, and I got a good deal on it because it was replaced by the Mark IV on the shelves...  

 

Granted, I bought it with the intentions of installing some aftermarket Volquartsen and Tandemkross parts, but the finished product is much better for steel matches than my Mark II.  It was easy to install a Tandemkross hammer bushing to eliminate the magazine disconnect, a Volquartsen sear, and a Tandemkross extended mag catch.  

 

I wouldn't consider buying either a Mark III or a Mark IV without at LEAST eliminating the hammer bushing to get rid of the magazine disconnect.  Worst ingenious solution to a non-existent problem ever!  

 

I have to laugh a little when I hear complaints about the take-down procedure for the Mark I, II, and III pistols.  Yeah, the Mark IV IS easier, but come ON!  It is NOT that hard to take down the first three versions...   

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get some electrical contact cleaner and a bore snake,,, never take it apart.. But  really I cant see, got nerve damage in hands with no feeling in finger tips, but first time out had no problem with my older 22/45. 

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  • 3 months later...
  • 3 weeks later...

The Mk IV takedown is certainly an improvement but I'm fine with the takedown of the older ones too.  If I could save more than $50 on the gun I'd go with a Mk III (or even better a Mk II) over a MK IV.

 

A Majestic Arms Speed strip kit will speed up cleaning if it bothers you.  Not quite as easy as a Mk IV but still pretty quick.

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