Ruger Mkll "Government model"?

[model 649]

Anyone know why the Ruger Mkll pistol with the 6 7/8 bull barrel in blue is called a "Government model"? I looked at a used one this evening, couldn't tell wether it had been fired.(Gotta think it was, though.) Bore was spotless, and the feed ramp was unmarked, as well the mag was still cleanly blue at the feed lips. Very few light marks on the gun Nice price, nice gun, and now its mine. (I can't be in my favorite gun shop unescorted for long ). Hopefully it's a good shooter. Were these used by some Gov. agency? (Dept. of varmint harassment?)
Josh

 

[CAnnoneer]

Pics, pics! Show us pics!

 

[Moonclip]

I think the US armed forces have acquired some as training pistols. I have the 5 1/2" SS version. I like the 22/45 grip angle better but I will not be selling my MK II anytime soon.

 

[Trebor]

The Govt Target Model is a variation designed for a military contract. I assume the military used them as training guns. The pistol is just different enough from their regular target models to be it's own catalog variation.

I have one and I really like it. I don't have a "regular" Ruger MK II target model to compare it with though.

 

[Sheldon]

Yes, it was used as a trainer for the military. They are fun guns. I have a MKII in stainless with the 5 1/2" bull barrel and my brother went with the Government model. His is a little front heavy compared to mine, but is a sweet shooter....and he got it for $175 or so back in the late 80's....I think that was when they first started to sell that model to the public??

 

[andrew17]

From what I remember, the Goverment models were different because during assembly, the barrels were aligned with a lazer. Friend of mine has one and it's a shooter!

 

[blfuller]

The government models were required to meet a certain specification for grouping. They come with a test target, at least mine did from the factory.

 

[Moonclip]

Yes, my book Ruger and His Guns mentioned the laser sighting in at the factory.

 

[model 649]

Cool! So, the sights were aligned with a laser? Hmm. I was thinking of replacing the front blade with a fiber optic unit. I also see there are lots of aftermarket goodies for these pistols. (Similar to my 1911 goodies.) I can see more money in motion!
Josh

 

[Seven High]

If I remember correctly the Ruger was used in Vietnam, with a silencer attached by special forces to take out sentrys and dogs.

 

[bakert]

Seven high, You're right. The MarkII govenment model was used by some Special forces for purposes like that. Remember one gun writer, a former Special Forces officer talking about its use.

 

[Trebor]

I believe the High Standard silenced .22's were the ones used in Vietnam. The military used silenced High Standards since WWII. I don't even think the Ruger Mk II Government Model, as a specific model, was developed until after Vietnam. (Earlier Ruger Mk II.s did exist, just not that model).

The silenced Smith & Wesson Model 39 was also used in Vietnam. I've heard it refered to as the "Hush Puppy."

 

[dmftoy1]

I've got one my buddy sold me 10 years ago for $100 . . he had put about 10k rounds through it and said it wasn't very accurate (said he 'shot it out'). (never cleaned it). I gave it a good through cleaning and now it shoots better than I can. I've probably put another 10k rounds through it in the last 10 years. (don't keep track)

Have a good one,
Dave

 

[1911 guy]

Silenced Mark II

The military did and does use the mark II on once in a while. If I can dig it up I've got a picture of a wall board we set up for a PR event showing some of our goodies. A Ruger .22 was there, as well as some Mo' Betta' stuff. The model is different than most Mark II's in that the barrel is not tapered.

 

[model 649]

Okay, I looked around a bit and found some good info here:
http://hunting.about.com/od/guns/l/aast50rugersa.htm
Its an article on the history of the Ruger .22's. According to this article, the "Government model" came out in 1986, and was indeed sold to the government as a target and training pistol. I'll post pix once I get this one "dolled up" a bit with parts I've got on order for it from Ruger, which, incidentally, had the best prices on sights and grips. The best mag price I've found is from Midway about $17.00 a copy. Man, there's a raft of goodies out there for these pistols .
Josh

 

[Graystar]

If I remember correctly, there were two things that made the government model different. First, as someone else noted, it was laser aligned and test fired at the factory to insure the gun was within the military's spec. Second, the barrel has a 1-15 twist rate. All the other versions have a 1-14 twist rate, except the Mark II Competition has a 1-16 twist rate and a machined crown.

 

[Sheldon]

Though I have not yet gone this route I have read that it is cheapest to get the magazines directly from Ruger, but in its separate parts. Comes to less than $10 a mag. The shipping is less than $4 no matter how many parts you get. Here is a thread about the subject with the part numbers.
http://www.markii.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=1588

 

[VG]

The "Hush Puppies" were not Rugers but High Standards as mentioned.

As an aside, the Ruger MKII .22 was absolutely the most popular pistol among Army officers back when I was in 1981-85. So many officers in our squadron owned one that I never bought one. On many Sunday afternoons we would go to the range on post and have impromptu shooting competitions. As I recall they were around $150 at the Rod & Gun Club. Almost everyone I know who is serious about pistol marksmanship owns a .22, often a Ruger.

I used a Colt GC Mk IV as we could buy surplus issue .45 ACP from the R&G Club for $5 per box. But I digress.

 

[Seven High]

Both the High Standard and the Ruger were used in Vietnam, in a silenced version to take out sentrys and sentry dogs. There were silenced submachine guns used as well. The Ruger had to be the Mark 1 version which was being produced during that time period.

 

[Moonclip]

Graystar, so do you think the 22/45 version of the comp model also has the same features of the MKII? Mine seems to have the special crown but I don't know about the rifling.

Got the 22/45 for $230 4 years ago as opposed to about $400 for the MKII version. Ruger manual basically told me though that while my 22/45 was drilled and tapped, don't expect them to include the scope rings at the price I paid for the gun!

 

[model 649]

Holy Moly! A Mark ll forum??? WOW I'm impressed (and I'll register, too ).
Josh

 

[Graystar]

Graystar, so do you think the 22/45 version of the comp model also has the same features of the MKII? Mine seems to have the special crown but I don't know about the rifling.

I don't know for sure, but it would seem reasonable that the rifling is the same.

 

[model 649]

Okay, got the grips and the sight today, so here's the dressed version of the new (to me) Mark 2 Government (as promised).
Josh

 

[Hummer70]

What would a new Government Model NIB be worth these days? I have had it for 20+ years and never shot it.

 

[rellascout]

Its worth what you can get someone to pay for it.