Classic score at the Tacticool Shop!

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Wandered into the local "plastic fantastic" and AR shop while waiting for my Chinese food order and found something, well......(mostly) not plastic for a no-brainer price.

6" 1985 Ruger MK2

Man, this thing was DIRTY. Now, I know this shop doesn't specialize in throwback stuff (Ive gotten great deals on old guns there before), but I think they mainly just didn't want to clean it.


I don't think the gun had ever been detail stripped, so after about 3 hours of degreasing and polishing, shes still not perfect, but not too shabby, and fits right in with my 4.75" 1959 Standard and '76 7" Mark 1-



Side-by-side. You can see the major differences between a later Mk1 and 2, namely the beveled upper at the bolt handle and the addition of a slide hold-open/ release lever.


Prior to the MK2, the slide would not lock open on an empty magazine, but applying the safety while holding the bolt open would lock it in place for cleaning.

So now, I guess I collect Ruger Marks, lol.
Not bad, I think for $187 OTD, (with 3 magazines!)

 

[Tallball]

Small world. I have a 4" Standard and a 6" Mark II. Ruger makes some nice 22 pistols.

You stole that Mark II. Good for you! It's so cool to get a nice pistol for super cheap that just needs some TLC. Congratulations!

 

[horsemen61]

I would’ve hurt myself reaching for my wallet at that price great buy OP

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Now I'm trying to decide if I even want a Mk3 (with all their issues) just to round out the collection Then, if course, Id need a Mk4. And a bull barrel. And a 22/45, oh, and the stainless versions of each......

If you really want to drill it down, Ruger Mark collecting could be a deeper rabbit hole than M1 Carbines.
Probably not as bad as cartridge collecting, though.

 

[doubleh]

I really never warmed up to the taper barreled MK guns but have mellowed with age and if I found one at that price and condition I would grab it now.

I have owned a MK III 22/45 Lite for several years. Upon on fixing the crappy trigger with Volquatson parts and adding rubber bumpers to the magazine bottoms to make them easy to seat it has given me not one problem. It still has the loaded chamber indicator that so many complain about. I can dis and reassemble it with no problem but have gone to a much simpler cleaning method. Gun scrubber sprayout followed by a high pressure air blowout and then spraying with dry lube. Wipe off the over spray and it is good to go. Bore cleaning is done with a short rod I made from 3/16" brazing rod. All the slick qualities of brass with much better strength, not that it is really needed for a handgun, but I had the rod.

Edited to add: Check out Stoner grips to see if they have replacements for those plastic grips. They make nice grips. Harbor Freight has a set of small picks that stand up well to cleaning out 22 rimfire crud from cracks and crannies if needed. Less than 5 bucks when I bought mine.

Now I'm trying to decide if I even want a Mk3 (with all their issues) just to round out the collection Then, if course, Id need a Mk4. And a bull barrel. And a 22/45, oh, and the stainless versions of each......

If you really want to drill it down, Ruger Mark collecting could be a deeper rabbit hole than M1 Carbines.
Probably not as bad as cartridge collecting, though.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

I really never warmed up to the taper barreled MK guns but have mellowed with age and if I found one at that price and condition I would grab it now.

I have owned a MK III 22/45 Lite for several years. Upon on fixing the crappy trigger with Volquatson parts and adding rubber bumpers to the magazine bottoms to make them easy to seat it has given me not one problem. It still has the loaded chamber indicator that so many complain about. I can dis and reassemble it with no problem but have gone to a much simpler cleaning method. Gun scrubber sprayout followed by a high pressure air blowout and then spraying with dry lube. Wipe off the over spray and it is good to go. Bore cleaning is done with a short rod I made from 3/16" brazing rod. All the slick qualities of brass with much better strength, not that it is really needed for a handgun, but I had the rod.

Edited to add: Check out Stoner grips to see if they have replacements for those plastic grips. They make nice grips. Harbor Freight has a set of small picks that stand up well to cleaning out 22 rimfire crud from cracks and crannies if needed. Less than 5 bucks when I bought mine.

I've had quite a few Marks over the years, but nothing newer than a Mk2 and always either light or heavy taper barrels, though my Dad has a nice Bull Barrel. I was young and stupid and sold them for various dumb reasons, but now appreciate how rare reliable .22 autos are.

I kinda like the factory grips, but might try to find some nice Ruger accessory walnut panels for this one. Dont care much for finger rests.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

Nice find and a great price. I have a 3 and 4 and a 22/45. I keep watching for my LGS to get a 2 and a 1 in. Here is mine and my single 6.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Nice find and a great price. I have a 3 and 4 and a 22/45. I keep watching for my LGS to get a 2 and a 1 in. Here is mine and my single 6.
View attachment 1171920

Nice!
I will say, between the Mk1 and 2, I kinda prefer the 1 since the hold-open mechanism adaption is pretty Rube-Golberg and makes disassembly even less fun, lol. I can only imagine the extra goofiness they must have added for the magazine and key lock safeties on the Mk3......

 

[Mark_Mark]

Small world. I have a 4" Standard and a 6" Mark II. Ruger makes some nice 22 pistols.

You stole that Mark II. Good for you! It's so cool to get a nice pistol for super cheap that just needs some TLC. Congratulations!

Very Small World !

I picked up a Standard MK1 for $200 95% blue still there, but gummy up like a old deep fryer! 3+ hours of cleaning! I should have just boiled it!

 

[greyling22]

I'm a huge Ruger fan, and I've had all those over the years. I'll pass on the very first gen with the different magazine, and Im not a fan of the mkiii lawyer parts, or the Mk4, well, everything. I love the mkii though. Have a stainless gov target model, and a stainless frame with a paclite upper as a suppressor host. Vq internals. They're great.

My 3rd favorite is the heavy taper mki with target sights.

My very favorite version, and the one I cannot find for a price I'm willing to pay, is the mkii stainless slab side competition.

 

[Pat Riot]

When I find deals like that they are always in the process of being bought by the guy that walked through the door a few minutes before I did.

Congratulations Night Lord. Definitely a good buy.

 

[Riomouse911]

Cool deal! That is a nice looking Mk II, congrats on being in the right place at the right time.

Two of my best ever gun steals were from a LE oriented gun store. You never know what is being consigned in one of those shops.

Stay safe.

 

[someguy2800]

What a steal

 

[Lefty38-55]

One can do wonders on the triggers of a Mk II!

I built a bull barrel one for my twin and he was 2nd in his State in indoor bullseye competition, using it against fancier S&W 41s and Pardinis et al! I also made 'slip over' [slotted to fit around the front sight] compensators for the bull barreled version that had an integral O-Ring to seal between the muzzle and the inside of the comp. Not so many years later Volquartsen came out with their line of comps ... Hey, they look IDENTICAL, haha! Damn I was ahead of my time ...

 

[nofendertom]

I had one of the Volquartson comps on a Mkll Government model used for plate shooting. I honestly don't know if the comp effect worked or it was just the comp weight
that kept the muzzle rise down. It worked to keep muzzle rise down.