Biggfoot44
Ultimate Member
- Aug 2, 2009
- 33,278
No such thing as an *Old* Ruger , the company didn't start until circa 1949.
Life span of old Ruger?
- Thread starter cb51
- Start date
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Bisleyfan44
Ultimate Member
Rugers are built to last multiple lifetimes, not one.
Your great, great, great, great, great grandkids will still be shooting that gun decades from now.
Assuming they are still allowed to have it, of course....
Your great, great, great, great, great grandkids will still be shooting that gun decades from now.
Assuming they are still allowed to have it, of course....
dreadpirate
Ultimate Member
I would think it would take a hell of a lot of rounds of 22 rim fire to wear out a barrel. It's not like a 30-06 or a 220 Swift. My Ruger Mark I from 1980 is still going strong.
dist1646
Ultimate Member
I have one made in 1967 and it is still running strong!
dreadpirate
Ultimate Member
Unless you see rounds keyholing or some catastrophic loss of accuracy - I would not worry about it.
Magnumite
Ultimate Member
I have a Mk II bull barrel which is basically an upgraded MK I. It had probably in excess of 20k rounds through it when I stopped shooting it steady about 10 years ago (a 1911 Ceiner replaced it as a practice pistol). The firing pin broke. I replaced it and was back up and running. Still as accurate as when I bought new in 1982.
Go to Rimfirecentral and ask what breaks on an old Mark I. The board fanatics will school you. I think there is a refurbishment service offered by Ruger - but again ask on RFC. they will know.
http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=212
http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=212
johnnyb2
Ultimate Member
photoracer
Competition Shooter
10-20,000 rounds? Heck I have one Browning Buckmark that has around 50,000 rounds thru it just since 2009.
DO NOT SHOOT IT ANY MORE, I'm on my way to properly dispose of this hazardous Ruger for you....
I've had this gun since 1972, and it's literally been all over the country with me. Living n Colorado and jeeping in the mountains, Canoe camping all up and down the Potomac river, and every road trip across the country. It even saved me and a girl friend from a wacko in a remote place. I can't begin to calculate how many thousands of rounds have been through it. It used to get shot every Saturday boring for about 15 years on the range. Then just plinking trips.
I've had other guns, and they all came and went. Just didn't bond with them. I even sold off my Smith and Wesson 617, it just didn't have the comfortable feel of the old Ruger.
But, am I deceiving myself and doing something a bit dangerous by continuing to use a gun over 40 years old?
It functions flawlessly, and shoots right to point of aim at 25 yards. I can actually shoot it better than the Ruger MK2 I bought in 1991 and kept for about 10 years before sending it down the road. Had to thick a front sight. The old standard has a nice thin front sight for a finer bead on odd targets like soda cans and tennis balls.
Retire or keep on shooting?
Wow, great story!
The gun is most likely fine, I'll be happy to give it a quick look, I have some experience with this sort of thing.
I recommend you keep it, sounds like you know exactly what you are doing and just wanted a friendly discussion - we're doing that now, and thanks.
I've had the good fortune to be able to shoot many Lugers over the years. Great stuff, and if you really are considering selling this, send me a PM.
cb51
Active Member
Naa, I wouldn't ever get rid of this gun. I've went through Colt, Browning, Smith and Wesson, and others, but now ofd them ever felt like "IT." For some odd reason, this Ruger has felt perfect, and if I retired it, I'd just make sure someone in my family inherited it. I'd replace it with a new Ruger as close to this one as possible. I'm just wondering if anyone else has kept and used the same gun pretty continuously for 43 years?
I've sold off most of my guns in recent years, and actually enjoy owning less guns. Heck, I still have the same old Marlin lever action 39 I got about the same time as the Ruger. I'm finding as I get older, I don't want a lot of possessions weighing me down. I enjoy having the same old standbys that I know well and can count on.
