Ruger Mark IV worth the upgrade?

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  • TomisinMd

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 11, 2013
    1,728
    Elkton, Md
    Get the Mk IV Hunter! Love that thing, and its crazy accurate too.
     

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    jr88

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Mar 7, 2011
    3,159
    Free?? State
    Get the Mk IV Hunter! Love that thing, and its crazy accurate too.

    Those are very pretty. Really like the revolvers !
    One thing I guess I'm in the minority on, I notice everyone with the 6 7/8 barrels. I find those to not balance very well and prefer the 5.5 HB or 6" lightweight barrels. My favorite is a MKII Stainless in 5.5 HB Target Config with the Volquartsen (sp) trigger....rivals a SW 41 IMO.
     

    Alan3413

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 4, 2013
    16,929
    ECI? If you're talking about the loaded chamber indicator thing, they took that out of the MK IV.

    Good riddance. A gun's always loaded. Don't need the LCI to tell me that.

    Mag disconnect you can remove it yourself at home in about ten minutes by replacing it with a washer.

    Better to get a gun that doesn't have one in the first place.
     

    TomisinMd

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 11, 2013
    1,728
    Elkton, Md
    Those are very pretty. Really like the revolvers !
    One thing I guess I'm in the minority on, I notice everyone with the 6 7/8 barrels. I find those to not balance very well and prefer the 5.5 HB or 6" lightweight barrels. My favorite is a MKII Stainless in 5.5 HB Target Config with the Volquartsen (sp) trigger....rivals a SW 41 IMO.

    Thanks. Love em all. The longer barrel on the hunter actually balances very well. The fluted barrel and thicker machine lower has a great balance to it. Not nose heavy at all.
     

    Mr. Ed

    This IS my Happy Face
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 8, 2009
    7,899
    Edgewater
    After reading all the comments, just for fun I took my Mark IV out of the safe last night and field striped it. To the OP's question, is it worth it? My answer is Hell Yes. :thumbsup:
     

    Magnumite

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 17, 2007
    6,564
    Harford County, Maryland
    I have a MK II 5.5" bull barrel I can't estimate the number of rounds shot through it. Owned it since 1982 or '83, IIRC. As accurate now as the day I bought it new.
    Takedown isn't bad, just need to watch what I do and make sure I don't get cavalier about it. The barrel/receiver loosened up on the grip frame
    way back. A little judicious peening with a hammer eliminated that looseness. If I could change just one thing on that pistol it would be relocating the mag catch to where it is on the MK IV's.
     
    Last edited:

    Cold Steel

    Active Member
    Sep 26, 2006
    801
    Bethesda, MD
    Am I going to regret trading for the Mark IV? The fiber optic sights and the easy takedown are loudly calling my name. Don't have the option of keeping the Mark II, I plan to sell the Mark II and a Buckmark Contour to fund the Mark IV purchase, so it's a commitment. I think I am ready, am I making a mistake?
    Sigh.

    In my view you're making a mistake. They no longer make the Mark II, so when you sell it, it's gone. If your Mark II works. If it's accurate and you know how to take it down and put it back together, and if it's reliable, don't sell it!

    You will have to get rid of your Mark II and sell your Buckmark and get what? A gun that's a little easier to break down and clean? The Mark II is a great gun, and once you get rid of it, you'll never get it back. Your new gun may work fine, but what if it doesn't? You have to do the paperwork, pay the taxes on the new gun and you have to take a loss on your Mark II. And you lose your Buckmark Contour! I just don't see how you come out on top in this deal. As someone who has love and lost on guns, I learned early on that that line from STAR TREK is absolutely true.

    "Having is not as great a thing as wanting!" It is great wisdom.

    You may want the Mark IV, and if it offers you some great benefits you haven't said, maybe it will be worth it. But if you just want to have something new to put in your safe, I sure wouldn't do it. (The paperwork alone, not to mention the $$$, alone would give me pause.) And what if you don't like the new gun as much as you think you will? What if there's a problem and you have to send it back? You already have a gun you like. You know it works and it doesn't have a lock in it. Some people but the Mark II just for that!

    As someone who has a Ruger stainless 6 7/8, it's a fine gun. Why trade it for a gun that's an unknown, and lose two guns in the process? Heck, the tax loss on your Ruger would be close to $30. Then you'd have to add another $30+ for the new gun for a loss of about $65 just in taxes!

    Do as you wish, but I vote a big fat NO on the purchase. Keep your guns.

    :cool: :thumbsup:
     

    steveh326

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 23, 2012
    1,598
    Mt. Airy
    thanks everyone. Lots of words of wisdom here to mull over. I am going to wait 30 days before doing anything to make sure it's not just a passing desire. I am going to pass my buckmark on to my son in law tho as I never shoot it any more and he needs a nice 22 target pistol.
     

    Alan3413

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 4, 2013
    16,929
    Sigh.

    In my view you're making a mistake.

    This. Don't get the mk 4 simply because it's easy to dissemble. None of the Mks are difficult to take apart. Once you understand the hammer spur fits into the cup of the mainspring, everything becomes obvious.
     

    MiddleRiverShootist

    Active Member
    Jan 18, 2015
    642
    Baltimore Co
    i have two MK IIs and love them,, worked alot of overtime and side jobs to get them both. to me,,, never sell always buy more,, just hustle and get what you want and keep what you like
     

    Art3

    Eqinsu Ocha
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 30, 2015
    13,267
    Harford County
    I bought my newest Mk pistol (III, I think) in 2013, and didn't plan on taking it apart until it was dirty enough to malfunction. The plan was to just periodically wipe the barrel and whatever crud I could get to around the edges, and keep the internals wet. That plan is still going, and I still haven't had to take it apart ;)

    But...if you don't like the Mk II, you should definitely sell it and buy a Mk IV. That will keep the economy going and let someone else enjoy not cleaning your old gun.

    Can I start the bidding at $100?:innocent0
     

    Cold Steel

    Active Member
    Sep 26, 2006
    801
    Bethesda, MD
    Was Your Gun STAINLESS?

    thanks everyone. Lots of words of wisdom here to mull over. I am going to wait 30 days before doing anything to make sure it's not just a passing desire. I am going to pass my buckmark on to my son in law tho as I never shoot it any more and he needs a nice 22 target pistol.
    One thing I forgot to ask is, is your gun stainless or blued? If it's blued, then yes, upgrading and getting a stainless gun is worth it. If the gun you have is stainless, just lock the bolt back and put it in the dishwasher.

    Buying guns these days are a pain. The last gun I bought they put it in a thick paper bag, stapled the thing shut and escorted me to the door. This is how they treat customers, even though I've never read of anyone loading their new gun and shooting someone at a gun store. I guess they just figured it was a brilliant solution to a problem that didn't exist.

    The paperwork alone would give me pause. Still, if your gun is blued, I'd take another option. Find the money and keep the Mark II. Then I'd get the Mark IV. Try to NEVER sell a gun. I've learned it's always a losing proposition.



    My Ruger Mark II Standard and my AMT Lightning. I ordered three
    of the AMTs before finding one that didn't jam. This gun is wonderful
    and had an adjustable trigger, Millett sights and rubber wrap-around
    grips. It's an amazing gun and with all the goodies was still a little
    cheaper than the Ruger.


    ..
     

    Tracker

    Active Member
    Aug 21, 2011
    587
    Anne Arundel County
    I have a 5.5 inch stainless bull barrel MK2 and would not sell it for anything. The MK4 looks great but my 2 shoots great looks great and has an awesome trigger. The only thing I changed was adding a fiber optic front site. In my opinion it's good to go just like that.
     

    steveh326

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 23, 2012
    1,598
    Mt. Airy
    I have a 5.5 inch stainless bull barrel MK2 and would not sell it for anything. The MK4 looks great but my 2 shoots great looks great and has an awesome trigger. The only thing I changed was adding a fiber optic front site. In my opinion it's good to go just like that.

    I was just able to pick up a Mark IV target from a member here on MDS in the classifieds. 5.5 bull barrel, I guess time will tell if I miss the extra barrel length or not... was able to keep my Mark II, but I did eliminate a buckmark 22 I never shot anyway and it went to a good home.

    I ordered rosewood grips for it to replace the plastic panels, and will add Williams fire sights once they are back in stock (OOS everywhere I checked). After putting firesights on a revolver, they are my new favorite go-to sights for my tired old eyes.

    I'll try to post a pic once my waiting period is up and my MSP masters say it's OK to pick it up.
     

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