Got out with the Mark 2 today

bigpower491

bigpower491

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I'd been keen to get one of these Ruger Mark pistols for awhile now. But as is usually the case, something else would come up, or didn't have enough in the wallet when I'd come across one I'd like to add to the stable. I mentioned my interest in the Mark pistols to my local one time or another when I'd pop in, and he told me he had a Mark 3 coming in at some point. I reckon that never panned out, as never heard anything else about it.
So a week ago Thursday, I had to make an unscheduled trip to town and hit the market. My LGS is on the other side of the parking lot, figured hey, why not stop in, see if the guy that was interested in the Mosin Sniper I've got on consignment was gonna make a move. As soon as I walked in, my buddy behind the counter said those magic words...."Man I was just getting ready to call you". Are you still looking for a Mark pistol?
Wasn't the 3 he had talked about, but this Mark 2 Target. My number on it was reasonable, so home(well after my usual delay) it came.
Finally got it out today, and it ain't hard to figure out why these are such a well loved pistol. This thing is a total blast. Triggers nice, and it's a hell of alot more accurate than I am. Shot some Thunderbolts out of it today, and it didn't miss a lick.
I'm rather pleased with it, shoulda bought one yrs ago, and I'm looking forward to many fun sessions with it. I should probably think about buying a pallet of 22lr, as my last 3 handgun purchases have been 22s.
20240324_155147.jpg 20240324_155120.jpg 20240324_114740.jpg
 
Very very nice. Love those, and that barrel length is one of the better looking ones.


by the way I find it interesting that people call them “Ruger Mark pistols”, which makes sense because Bill didn’t really give them a name other than the Standard .22 which isn’t very sexy or marketable. Then the Mark I, II, etc which were improvements or updates of the original. It’s a British way of designating the generations or features of things but I guess Bill will be Bill.

It’s like calling Glocks the Generation or Gen pistols. Have you tried one of the Glock Gen pistols yet?
/hijack
 
1KPerDay said:
Very very nice. Love those, and that barrel length is one of the better looking ones.


by the way I find it interesting that people call them “Ruger Mark pistols”, which makes sense because Bill didn’t really give them a name other than the Standard .22 which isn’t very sexy or marketable. Then the Mark I, II, etc which were improvements or updates of the original. It’s a British way of designating the generations or features of things but I guess Bill will be Bill.

It’s like calling Glocks the Generation or Gen pistols. Have you tried one of the Glock Gen pistols yet?
/hijack
Click to expand...
If they were introduced today, the gun would need to have a catchy acronym like RRP (Ruger Rimfire Pistol) or RSAP (Ruger Semi-Automatic Pistol).

I would vote for RNKO (Ruger Nambu Knock-Off), but Marketing would probably object.....🤪
 
NIGHTLORD40K said:
Ooooh, ahhhhhh.....me likey!

I need a stainless for my Mark kennel-
View attachment 1201317

You did good- the Mk3s are yucky anyway. 😁
Click to expand...
Yes a stainless would go right nicely right there. Cheers man. I seen that gem you grabbed a few weeks back and it reminded me I should keep an eye out for one. I reckon was a good thing I forgot the onions in the city that morning, but the I'd have gotten a call from him at some point that day or the next.
 
NIGHTLORD40K said:
Ooooh, ahhhhhh.....me likey!

I need a stainless for my Mark kennel-
View attachment 1201317

You did good- the Mk3s are yucky anyway. 😁
Click to expand...
This would look good put in between those blued ones Mark 2 Target Bull barrel I have turned down a lot of money for it . My father in law gave it to me before he passed away, I will never sell it. The gun is so accurate it’s scary. IMG_2027.jpeg IMG_2026.jpeg
 
bigpower491 said:
I'd been keen to get one of these Ruger Mark pistols for awhile now. But as is usually the case, something else would come up, or didn't have enough in the wallet when I'd come across one I'd like to add to the stable. I mentioned my interest in the Mark pistols to my local one time or another when I'd pop in, and he told me he had a Mark 3 coming in at some point. I reckon that never panned out, as never heard anything else about it.
So a week ago Thursday, I had to make an unscheduled trip to town and hit the market. My LGS is on the other side of the parking lot, figured hey, why not stop in, see if the guy that was interested in the Mosin Sniper I've got on consignment was gonna make a move. As soon as I walked in, my buddy behind the counter said those magic words...."Man I was just getting ready to call you". Are you still looking for a Mark pistol?
Wasn't the 3 he had talked about, but this Mark 2 Target. My number on it was reasonable, so home(well after my usual delay) it came.
Finally got it out today, and it ain't hard to figure out why these are such a well loved pistol. This thing is a total blast. Triggers nice, and it's a hell of alot more accurate than I am. Shot some Thunderbolts out of it today, and it didn't miss a lick.
I'm rather pleased with it, shoulda bought one yrs ago, and I'm looking forward to many fun sessions with it. I should probably think about buying a pallet of 22lr, as my last 3 handgun purchases have been 22s.
View attachment 1201312View attachment 1201313View attachment 1201314
Click to expand...
 
Here's mine...a late in life addition to the .22 herd; a Mk ll with Hogue stocks. I'm not a fan of Ruger triggers as a general rule but this one is downright usable....somewhere around 4.5 lbs. I'd estimate. And the gun has the accuracy that a good trigger enhances.

I had a Standard short bbl. way back, bought it new in '67 for $37.50 while still in college out Colorado way (long before that beautiful state was California).

When I returned after a year in Vietnam, I gave to a cousin that'd kept my guns for me. But it's long gone now, traded off when he wanted a .222 for local woodchucks. Alas...Best regards, Rod

Ruger-22-Stndrd.jpg ​
 
I only have two 22LR’s one my Ruger Mark 2 and a Ruger 10/22 rifle both came from my father in law before he passed away.

I have a question about the Mark 2’s and it is this; why are the Mark 2’s so popular and in so much demand? Were they that much better than the Mark 1&3 models? I am just curious as I am not well versed on 22’s but have thought about getting the new Ruger Mark 4 Competition model. A friend of mine told me to get the S&W Victory don’t know much about them.
 
If memory serves this one has a Bowen rear sight and a lot of rounds through it. Trigger broke in quite nicely, and extractor replaced.
 

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My take on the Mk ll popularity is that they lock back when the magazine is empty....too, in my case and that of two other Mk ll's that I've handled, their triggers, out of the box were better than some of the others....could be I just had two good examples, but there it is. On the other hand, they're still a royal PITA to disassemble and put back together...Best regards, Rod
 
Well, I like the sight picture as they are from the factory, but do wish the rear was adjustable....Rod
 
LV Gun said:
I only have two 22LR’s one my Ruger Mark 2 and a Ruger 10/22 rifle both came from my father in law before he passed away.

I have a question about the Mark 2’s and it is this; why are the Mark 2’s so popular and in so much demand? Were they that much better than the Mark 1&3 models? I am just curious as I am not well versed on 22’s but have thought about getting the new Ruger Mark 4 Competition model. A friend of mine told me to get the S&W Victory don’t know much about them.
Click to expand...
This video may be helpful (below).
the Standard (later termed the MKI) has a 9 round magazine, no slide stop other than the bolt lock/safety, and no receiver cutouts at the rear. The MKII got a separate slide stop lever that locks back when empty, 10-round mags, and cutouts at the rear to ease access to the bolt ears.
The MKIII got a thumb magazine release, magazine disconnect (which sucks), loaded chamber indicator (which sucks), and angled bolt ears. On the MKIII as standard you also can't slingshot the bolt. You have to pull the bolt to the rear AND push down the slide stop button/lever (or I think you can just push down the button/lever but I can't remember now). I removed the spring and detent on my MKIII so I can slingshot the bolt and the slide stop releases by gravity like the MKII's. I also removed the LCI and the disconnect guts and replaced the hammer bushing with a MKII one from Clark.

I prefer the MKIII mag release but otherwise the MKII is the superior design IMO.

I won't even get started on the MKIVs... :barf:


youtu.be

Ruger Mark I vs Mark II vs Mark III. What are the differences?

There are some differences between the various Ruger Mark pistols. This video compares the Ruger Mark I, Mark II and Mark III and explains the differences b...
youtu.be youtu.be
 
I can't remember a time when I didn't have a Ruger Mk. something in the collection. I do recall going to a gunshow many years ago, on the hunt for a .22 revolver or semi-auto geared more towards target shooting rather than just plinking. Came across a table which had both: a Ruger Single Six Bisley with a blued frame and barrel and a polished stainless steel grip frame. It was the cat's pajamas, but it was just a windage ajustable rear sight and was only a six-shooter. One of a limited edition made by Ruger for some distributor. And where there was a revolver, a semi-auto was close by.

There on the table was another limited edition: a Mk.II with the nicely blued upper receiver to go with the highly polished stainless grip frame. It also helped that it had my favorite barrel length and type: a 5.5" bull barrel. It had a fully adjustable rear sight and used a 10 round magazine. It didn't help matters any that they were both the same price and I only had cash for one of them. Thought about it a bit and decided deep down what I really wanted was a target .22. so I went with the Mk.II. Very glad I did too as this Mk.II is the proverbial tack driver that I had always wanted!
7GMvgW3.jpg

8oubloU.jpg
 
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bigpower491 said:
I'd been keen to get one of these Ruger Mark pistols for awhile now. But as is usually the case, something else would come up, or didn't have enough in the wallet when I'd come across one I'd like to add to the stable. I mentioned my interest in the Mark pistols to my local one time or another when I'd pop in, and he told me he had a Mark 3 coming in at some point. I reckon that never panned out, as never heard anything else about it.
So a week ago Thursday, I had to make an unscheduled trip to town and hit the market. My LGS is on the other side of the parking lot, figured hey, why not stop in, see if the guy that was interested in the Mosin Sniper I've got on consignment was gonna make a move. As soon as I walked in, my buddy behind the counter said those magic words...."Man I was just getting ready to call you". Are you still looking for a Mark pistol?
Wasn't the 3 he had talked about, but this Mark 2 Target. My number on it was reasonable, so home(well after my usual delay) it came.
Finally got it out today, and it ain't hard to figure out why these are such a well loved pistol. This thing is a total blast. Triggers nice, and it's a hell of alot more accurate than I am. Shot some Thunderbolts out of it today, and it didn't miss a lick.
I'm rather pleased with it, shoulda bought one yrs ago, and I'm looking forward to many fun sessions with it. I should probably think about buying a pallet of 22lr, as my last 3 handgun purchases have been 22s.
View attachment 1201312View attachment 1201313View attachment 1201314
Click to expand...

Nice find. I know nothing about them except what I read about how difficult they were to take apart and then put back together. I do know they are held in high regard on RFC and that is saying something for them right there as there are a lot of picky old 22 shooters there that love to point out any 22's shortcomings. I might be one of them.

I'm going to disagree with NightLord about the MK III as I have owned one for a number of years and found nothing yucky about it at all. I am rather fond of it. I think all the hard to take apart and put together thing until the MK IV showed up is the the tendency of men to ignore the instruction manual when dealing with almost any mechanical devise. 😃
 
Would the Ruger experts go for a nice used Mark II over a NIB Mark IV? Have several Ruger wheel guns that I like very much but no autos. Have a Buckmark, Woodsman, and a couple of Hi-Standards. Should get a Ruger too, just don't know which is the right one.
 
James K2020 said:
Would the Ruger experts go for a nice used Mark II over a NIB Mark IV?
Click to expand...
I would go with the Mark IV because of the thumb magazine release, easy takedown, and a few other improvements, plus the fact that it's years newer. You can remove the objectionable features (mainly the magazine disconnect).
 
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