Ruger MK II

[JonB]

Yeah yeah, I know we've talked about these many times. Recently I considered gifting one of the two I have, to a relative and then changed my mind for the obvious reasons some of you shared with me.
ANYWAY, I brought one of them out to the range, during a mushroom hunt.
Gee I love shooting the Mark II.
I brought the older one with stock checkered plastic grips, I had picked it up 'used' at a gunshow 2 years ago, so it doesn't have the Mods I have on my newer competition gun.
Gee I love shooting it.
I brought a couple different flavors of CCI ammo and some recent made Fed Automatch bulk.
Gee I love shooting it.
BTW, that Fed automatch sure scattered the bullets all over the target. I recently had shoot the stock 10-22 and had issues with that Fed junk.
I can't wait until that all gets shot up...unless I save a box to remind myself not to buy anymore?
Gee I love shooting that Mark II.

 

[Winelover]

Every Mark has been an improvement, over the original design. I own a Mark II target model. Being a Southpaw, never cared for the right handed only safety.



With the recent introduction of the Mark IV, Ruger hit a homerun, IMO. Ambidextrous safety and super easy tilt barrel disassembly. As a result, I purchased the Lite version.

 

[MW65]

I love my mk3.... 6in, standard taper bbl which tags along with me outdoors. Has taught, and will continue to help teach folks how to shoot a pistol. I still am a bit hesitant with the mk4... the hinge up front doesn't look pleasing to my eye. Pic tonight...

 

[CZ93X62]

My Ruger 22 Pistol is a 22/45 variant that I've owned for a lot of years. It is quite accurate and dotes upon CCI Mini-Mags and SGB ammo. Alas, these great Ruger 22s and their 1911 clones are verboten in the People's Republic of Kalifornistan. What a place.

ETA--Correction--the Ruger Mk IV 22 autopistol has been added to the list.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

For me (YMMV) the MKII was the pinnacle of the Ruger .22 pistols but I’m right-handed. The heel mounted magazine release is fine for that type of pistol. I don’t need a loaded chamber indicator. I know how to disassemble/assemble the gun and that skill is like riding a bicycle, once you get it – it just “clicks”.

I’ve owned several and am down to one but it’s staying. They are accurate pistols to start with. Make a few modifications and they can be surprisingly accurate pistols.

The MKII is a marvelous combination of inexpensive construction and high quality; achieved by brilliant design.

The factory trigger is good but can be transformed into great with a steel trigger plus Volquartsen sear & hammer.

Target Hammer for MKII and MKIII | Volquartsen Firearms

volquartsen.com

Target Sear for MKII and MKIII | Volquartsen Firearms

volquartsen.com

Target Trigger for MKII, MKIII, and MK IV | Volquartsen Firearms

volquartsen.com

And a throw back to a prior thread:

The Great Ruger Mark II

I didn't want to hi-jack another thread so I'm going to sing the praises of the Ruger Standard/MKII pistols here. People often look at the Ruger .22 pistols and see a reliable and inexpensive pistol but fail to see the incredible engineering that went into that design. It really is a remarkable...

www.artfulbullet.com

 

[david s]

I'm a lefty but still think the MKII is the pinnacle. Once Ruger began adding the unnecessary safety compliant bits and pieces things took a downward turn. I do have a 1956 Standard and a 1960 6 7/8" MKI Target model also. The MKII's slide stop was a nice addition and a blatant copy of the AMT Lightning, Ruger clone. Add a Ranch Products magazine catch, Volquartsen wide paddle trigger and stone the sear and hammer, after that adjust the sight and begin plinking away.

 

[JonB]

For me (YMMV) the MKII was the pinnacle of the Ruger .22 pistols but I’m right-handed.

The factory trigger is good but can be transformed into great with a steel trigger plus Volquartsen sear & hammer.

Yep, I prefer the MK II as well, but I haven't played with a IV yet.
As to the trigger.
I've owned a bunch (maybe 9 or 10) of MK II's and a couple MK I's and one MK II 22/45. The factory trigger's vary. One of them had a crazy good trigger with less travel to click (is that called creep?) than any other and it had a nice crisp release with almost no over-travel...I liked it so much that I just swapped the frame assy (blued) from that gun with the one that came with my SS competition gun that I still have. So now it's a two tone. Back in 2015 at my gun auction, a couple people were fighting over the other two-tone MK II (5" bull barrel) that was assembled with the other parts...I think it went for $550, which was high in 2015, and not so much today.

 

[JonB]

Oh, the other little tidbit to do to a MK II (and maybe other models?) is to add a trigger shield ***sold by the now defunct "On Target". It keeps the junk (unburnt powder and burn lube) out of the trigger action area. Without it, the trigger gets kinda crunchy after 500 rds of cheap ammo.
There are a bunch of DIY instructions on the internet for a trigger shield...try googling blast shield and the model of your gun.
this link shows a DIY, plus a post about the "On-Target" brand trigger shield.

DIY- Ruger Trigger Blast Shield/Shim Spacer - GunTalk-Online.com

 

[popper]

Have a target bull MKIII I gave to GK, got tired of pinching finger on cocking. And he wanted to shoot 22lr pistol. Very accurate pistol.

 

[JWinAZ]

I have no problem with the re-assembly. I like the simplicity of the design, and the MKIV departs from that IMHO. I replaced the rear sight with a LPA TPU adjustable rear sight, very low profile. I made and installed a slightly higher front sight. Installed a Volquartsen hammer, sear, trigger. Very nice.

 

[JWFilips]

I bought a Low priced Mark II target pistol off Gun Broker years ago because no one bid on it.
I didn't expect much and I was correct It was Deplete of Finish and worse yet a damaged end of barrel & Crown.
My old friend who loved guns and was a precision machinist Fixed the bad piece of barrel without shortening the barrel


& The gun Finish looked like hell

I Then rust blued it


Upgraded the Trigger and a few internal parts!
It is now a great target pistol!
The muzzle work was a gift from my friend and My labor for the finishing way a labour of love!
So For $190 off GB I think I got a good dea!

 

[Petrol & Powder]

That is a good deal.
That's a nice pistol for not a lot of money.

 

[Thumbcocker]

Yeah yeah, I know we've talked about these many times. Recently I considered gifting one of the two I have, to a relative and then changed my mind for the obvious reasons some of you shared with me.
ANYWAY, I brought one of them out to the range, during a mushroom hunt.
Gee I love shooting the Mark II.
I brought the older one with stock checkered plastic grips, I had picked it up 'used' at a gunshow 2 years ago, so it doesn't have the Mods I have on my newer competition gun.
Gee I love shooting it.
I brought a couple different flavors of CCI ammo and some recent made Fed Automatch bulk.
Gee I love shooting it.
BTW, that Fed automatch sure scattered the bullets all over the target. I recently had shoot the stock 10-22 and had issues with that Fed junk.
I can't wait until that all gets shot up...unless I save a box to remind myself not to buy anymore?
Gee I love shooting that Mark II.
View attachment 36232

Great guns. I used to squirrel hunt with a Mark I target model in the 80's. How does your gun do on mushrooms?

 

[JonB]

Great guns. I used to squirrel hunt with a Mark I target model in the 80's. How does your gun do on mushrooms?

LOL.
I felt well protected with the MK II, but all the mushrooms I took, was hand to fungi combat.

 

[MW65]

LOL.
I felt well protected with the MK II, but all the mushrooms I took, was hand to fungi combat.

Hahah!! My knife has dispatched plenty of chanterelles... although a 22 between the gills takes care of the others pretty quick!!

 

[Missionary]

Got one years back and have to write our target model has never "offended" me in any way. Really shot well for the few rounds I put through it.
Have not took it out of storage for 20+ years. One day though when I get tired of pulling the handle on the blue machine, it will go back along the trails with me and begin the task of burning up the bricks of .22 we have stashed away since our last Ruger .22 left with our youngest son.

 

[L Ross]

Yeah yeah, I know we've talked about these many times. Recently I considered gifting one of the two I have, to a relative and then changed my mind for the obvious reasons some of you shared with me.
ANYWAY, I brought one of them out to the range, during a mushroom hunt.
Gee I love shooting the Mark II.
I brought the older one with stock checkered plastic grips, I had picked it up 'used' at a gunshow 2 years ago, so it doesn't have the Mods I have on my newer competition gun.
Gee I love shooting it.
I brought a couple different flavors of CCI ammo and some recent made Fed Automatch bulk.
Gee I love shooting it.
BTW, that Fed automatch sure scattered the bullets all over the target. I recently had shoot the stock 10-22 and had issues with that Fed junk.
I can't wait until that all gets shot up...unless I save a box to remind myself not to buy anymore?
Gee I love shooting that Mark II.
View attachment 36232

Auto Match shoots so well for me that I shoot it at 200 yards from my Bergara B-14 and Kidd 10-22.

 

[Bret4207]

I believe mine is a Mk III 22/45. One of the very few guns I've ever bought brand new. It's also the only 22 pistol I've used that approaches shooting as well as my FIL's Hi Standard Supermatic.

 

[Charles Graff]

I have two Mark II with a bull barrel. One is stock and the other is a race gun from Clark with a Douglas barrel, Clarks steel trigger and match chamber. I like them both but the Douglas barrel Clark will shot groups half the size of the Ruger barrel any time, any where with any amm0

 

[seagiant1]

Hi,
Have a Mk II with a Bull barrel.

Was not happy with the Trigger.

I have the Ron Powers I and 2 Jigs, but needed the adapter for the Series 1.

Called Powers Custom and actually got the Old Man on the line instead of the Son.

We talked, (well he talked and I listened!) for about 20 minutes on how he did a Ruger trigger job.

It is pretty much like a 1911, smoothing the face and then put in a break away angle on the Sear.

Trigger was greatly improved after the work and it's a tack driver with a Red Dot!