Ruger MK3 question

[Jmurman]

I just bought a Ruger MK3 Hunter. This pistol comes with two magazines and I wiould like to purchase a couple more. I've doen a search at the usual places and can't seem to find any for the MK3.

My question is this, will the MK2 mags work on the MK3?

 

[Brian Williams]

Call the factory and find the parts for them and order the parts and put them together your self it is cheaper.
Look on Rimfirecentral someone had a thred about this.

 

[Bill B.]

They will not interchange due to the different mag. release positions. As new as the Mark III series is you may have to buy directly from Ruger. Some of the new Mark III's are still difficult to obtain.

 

[wally]

MkII mags are not even close to MkIII mags.

OTOH MkIII mags appear identical to 22/45 mags except the MkIII mags have an ~0.5" slot cut in the top right front of the mag body that shows the spring and bottom of the follower when empty.

MkIII and 22/45 mags lock in, lock the slide back and feed from slide lock when tried in the "wrong gun". I hope to get to the range tomorrow to actually verify the cross function, but its hard to see the purpose of the slot and why mags that do all the above wouldn't work.

See my thread about "Ruger MkIII vs 22/45 Magazines" where I'll post a followup as to the success of failure of the experiment.

--wally.

 

[Dr. J Frame]

Here's a forum dedicated to the MKI, MKII, & MKIII Rugers. Several folks there order all the magazine parts directly from Ruger and assemble them theirself. They are half=price this way. I enjoy ordering through them. They're always very friendly and the parts arrive in my mailbox 2 days later.

 

[kennh]

http://www.impactguns.com/store/736676902316.html

 

[Sheldon]

Here is the thread for getting the magazines as component parts from Ruger for about $9.

http://www.markii.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=1588

 

[Jmurman]

Here's a forum dedicated to the MKI, MKII, & MKIII Rugers. Several folks there order all the magazine parts directly from Ruger and assemble them theirself. They are half=price this way. I enjoy ordering through them. They're always very friendly and the parts arrive in my mailbox 2 days later

Who'd a thought there was a forum for the MK series pf pistols. Thanks for the post!

I went to Rugers website and printed a parts list, but It didn't occur to me to buy the magazine as parts. Excellent idea!

 

[wally]

FYI, just got back to the range and I can tell no difference when uisng a Ruger MkIII magazine in a Ruger 22/45 or when using a 22/45 mag in a Mark III pistol. Completely interchangable with perfect function as far as I can tell. Shot 50 rounds thru each gun using the "wrong mag" with zero problems and the slide always locked back. Ammo was Remignton Thunderbolt.

Mystery to my as to why Runger insists they are different -- there is a cutout on the MkIII mag that apparently does nothing but make them somehow different.

--wally.

 

[wally]

Followed the advice about buying parts instead of assembled mags and assembling them myself. Just got parts for five 22/45 mags for use in our MkIII and 22/45. Total $49.75 to my door. Took maybe ten minutes to put all five together.

Sure beats paying $17-21 for assembled mags!

--wally.

 

[wally]

Not all Mk IIIs are the same!

I need to clarify lest my comments/experience confuses people.

Ruger has *two* "Mark III" guns on the shelves at present. The steel framed MkII and the Plastic framed 22/45MkIII

Eveything I've said only referes to the 22/45, I'd never seen the "other" MarkIII untill yesterday so didn't apprrciate the chance for confusion.

Steel Frame MkI & MkII mags will not work in the steel frame MkIII as they lack the raised "nub" for the thumb actived mag catch. I guess you could replace the MkII bodies with MkIII bodies as it doesn't look like the nub interferes with inserting a 22/45 mag into my MkII, but it won't go in all the way so I can't be 100% sure, but I don't seeh anything in the mag well where the MkIII catch would be that'd interfere.

The issue of the 22/45 MkIII cutout to expose the spring remains a mystery to me, as the "old" 22/45 mags work fine in the 22/45 MkIII and vice-versa.

--wally.