Not another trainer! Ruger MKI US military

The #1 community for Gun Owners of the Northeast

Member Benefits:

  • No ad networks!
  • Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership
  • Discuss anti-gun legislation
  • Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section
  • Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses
  • Discover free outdoor shooting areas
  • View up to date on firearm-related events
  • Share photos & video with other members
  • ...and so much more!
  • mawkie

    C&R Whisperer
    Sep 28, 2007
    4,337
    Catonsville
    -My affinity for military training arms isn't a secret around here. So while doing research on a Ruger Red Eagle MKI I ran across the fact that Ruger sold MKI target pistols to the US Military from the mid 50s to the late 60s. MKIIs picked up from there, ending their run in the mid 80s. That got the search going about a year ago.
    -What pop'd up first was a very tired example at Redding. The auction staff hadn't a clue and I was jazzed that maybe it could be had for something reasonable. But as the lot came up the phone bidders dialed in and the auctioneer mentioned that they were made aware that this was a rare US military trainer. Well Katie bar the door, they were off and running and didn't stop until the hammer dropped on $1100. Yikes! I was born, just not yesterday. Pristine examples might get to this level but not that 40-50 point specimen.
    -It took a full year of gazing at multitudes of MKIs before I ran across a lonely listing on GB for a proper example that had a zinc parkerized finish. I've seen a handful of these from Rock Island Arsenal and other facilities so while not as prized as an original blued finish it work just fine for me. In the end I was the only bidder and got it for under half what the two crazies at Redding bid up to.
    -The SN on this Model T678 puts it in the first batch, numbered around 4,600 in all, sold to the US government in 1956. There were follow up batches but this was the largest and in total there were approx. 5K T678s sold to the government, ending in 1967. There were MKIIs sold in extremely small numbers, much rarer and they do get crazy numbers when sold.
    -I pulled the arsenal made replacement grips on this one, hoping to find some clues and was rewarded with a stamped "FT Smith" on both. There is a FT Smith AR with the Army base Ft Chaffee and the ANG facility based out of the Ft Smith municipal airport. Could have been issued at either one.
    -The Micro brand adjustable target sight is correct for a MKI of this time period. You can find arsenal reworked MKIs with the later Ruger adjustable sight retrofitted.
    -Even managed to dig up an original operation/maintenance manual from Dec. 1956. This is the exact manual that would have been issued for this pistol.
     

    Attachments

    • IMGP8831.JPG
      IMGP8831.JPG
      62.8 KB · Views: 569
    • IMGP8832.JPG
      IMGP8832.JPG
      53.1 KB · Views: 553
    • IMGP8833.JPG
      IMGP8833.JPG
      61.3 KB · Views: 559
    • IMGP8834.JPG
      IMGP8834.JPG
      60.8 KB · Views: 568
    • IMGP8830.JPG
      IMGP8830.JPG
      79.7 KB · Views: 555
    • IMGP8835.JPG
      IMGP8835.JPG
      36.7 KB · Views: 568
    • IMGP8836.JPG
      IMGP8836.JPG
      35.1 KB · Views: 556
    • IMGP8838.JPG
      IMGP8838.JPG
      42.9 KB · Views: 556
    • IMGP8839.JPG
      IMGP8839.JPG
      52.1 KB · Views: 559

    mawkie

    C&R Whisperer
    Sep 28, 2007
    4,337
    Catonsville
    What was the role this played in .mil operations?

    The vast majority of these Rugers were strictly used for training. However, there were a tiny number of Ruger-built suppressor equipped versions built for field OPs in places like Vietnam. No US markings, some in stainless steel. Lots more suppressed versions converted by government contractors like Gemtech and AWC.
    It's such a popular platform that there are probably far more legal civilian-owned suppressed examples vs those fielded by the US military.
     

    easy

    Member
    Nov 25, 2011
    81
    SEOK
    Your 'Ft. Smith' is most likely Ft Chaffee. Same place Elvis went to Basic training and home to the 5th Armored Div. (only about 45 mi down the road from here)
     

    offthepaper

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 7, 2007
    2,637
    Harford County
    Sweet!
    I have Ruger's MK I and MK II, both with tapered barrels. They are likely the most fun handgun one can have. Very accurate, dead reliable, and that cool profile. I always take one of them to the range on any trip, no matter what else I'm taking.
    Maybe destined to become an heirloom. :cool:
     

    Users who are viewing this thread

    Latest posts

    Forum statistics

    Threads
    274,922
    Messages
    7,259,148
    Members
    33,349
    Latest member
    christian04

    Latest threads

    Top Bottom