Ruger Mark IV

[Upperbay]

Looking to purchase 2 hard guns in near future one being a 22. I have always like to Ruger mark IV. Looking for any positive or negative reviews.

 

[U.S.SFC_RET]

Ruger mark IVs are a good pistol straight out of the box. Their triggers can be a bit on the hit and miss. You will find them to be very dependable and easy to take apart. I actually used a mark IV in competition Bullseye pistol shooting and won quite a few matches with it. I had to upgrade the trigger to a Volquartsen to do it. For the money you simply cannot go wrong with a Ruger mark IV.

 

[Jake4U]

So ... much easier to take down and clean than earlier models

 

[joppaj]

So ... much easier to take down and clean than earlier models

Is that a statement or a question? If it's a question, I had the same one.

 

[erwos]

MarkIVs are extremely easy to take down. Push a button, pop the slide off.

 

[Art3]

In fairness, TAKING DOWN wasn't the challenge with the old ones...

 

[Jake4U]

Is that a statement or a question? If it's a question, I had the same one.

Very easy to take down and way easier to put back together than the earlier models. Love mine.

 

[joppaj]

Very easy to take down and way easier to put back together than the earlier models. Love mine.

Got it, thank you.

 

[Hibs]

Pros:
Reliable
Huge aftermarket
Mark IV is super easy to disassemble for cleaning

Cons:
Only 10 rounds, in a field where it competes with TX22 (16 rounds) and SIG P322 (20 & 25 round factory magazines) only having 10 rounds is a huge let down. I have a Mark IV 22/45 LITE. After buying a SIG P322, my ruger has been collecting dust.

 

[Jake4U]

In fairness, TAKING DOWN wasn't the challenge with the old ones...

True. Getting that little lever bit to fall into place was often maddening. I've owned MKII and MKIII versions. Both pointed well, were very accurate, reliable. But I dreaded cleaning them when I got home. That push button slide removal is a game changer. I also like their new .22 single action.

 

[Boss94]

I have a few ruger mark 4s and to me I have found no cons. the 10 rds doesn't bother me . I have the sig 322 . but the feel and quality of gun the mark 4 shines !

 

[SkiPatrolDude]

What’s a “hard gun”?

 

[erwos]

I have a few ruger mark 4s and to me I have found no cons. the 10 rds doesn't bother me . I have the sig 322 . but the feel and quality of gun the mark 4 shines !

I've got a MarkIV 22/45, MarkIII 22/45, and a P322. The P322 is just a totally different animal in terms of what it's good for. The Mark guns have better triggers and I think work better for short-burn Steel Challenge and SASP stages. The P322 has a very acceptable trigger (3lbs, with zero takeup and over-travel using the AC trigger, albeit kind of a mushy long break) and shines in long-burn stages like at outlaw steel matches.

 

[Jake4U]

I've got a MarkIV 22/45, MarkIII 22/45, and a P322. The P322 is just a totally different animal in terms of what it's good for. The Mark guns have better triggers and I think work better for short-burn Steel Challenge and SASP stages. The P322 has a very acceptable trigger (3lbs, with zero takeup and over-travel using the AC trigger, albeit kind of a mushy long break) and shines in long-burn stages like at outlaw steel matches.

The Ruger is a superb pistol for new shooters too.

 

[dementlr]

I have a Mark IV 22/45 frame that I use with both a Lite and Target upper. Added a Volquartsen trigger. Reliable, fun to shoot.

 

[alucard0822]

IMO it's one of the best Rimfire target pistol designs made. Very accurate, reliable, a ton of aftermarket support, and a lot of models to choose from. The enclosed receiver tube makes then really quiet suppressed, and lots of options to mount optics on the non-reciprocating top. Personally I like the 22/45 grip a whole lot better than the standard, but not a huge fan of the safety placement, gets in the way a little for a high grip, but they do have gas pedal safeties available that add control. The upper/barrel is serialized, so you can swap lower/FCG assemblies, but need an FFL for a barrel swap. 10rds is basically standard in rimfire pistols, lots of new designs have more capacity, but not an issue for target work or rimfire competition that limits to 10. Probably the easiest pistol ever to strip for cleaning. The factory trigger is useable but heavy and gritty, I would factor a VQ trigger kit into ANY Ruger MK4, it is excellent, a night and day difference, and removes the goofy spring loaded mag disconnect, which makes mags easier to seat.

I have a LOT of 22 pistols, and can compare it to many others. The higher end Buckmark models are arguably better out of the box than the MK1-3, but harder to take apart compared to the 4. The "budget" Buckmark models with the finger grooves don't feel as good as the models with 2 peice grips. It has a better trigger out of the box, make second only to a full VQ trigger in a MK series by simply flipping a spring upside down. Problem is the trigger radius is small, good for kids, bad for adults with average to large hands.

The "mini service pistols" are in a different category entirely, Sig P322, Walther P22, M&P22 and some older models like the Mosquito can be reliable or jam. Might have some cool things like sig's 20rd flush mags, but they are not quite as good as a target pistol IMO, and better for training or action shooting. Primarily from the larger reciprocating slide, optics can cause jams, and unlike the MK4 that can run subsonic ammo all day, some of the pistols in this category need a bit hotter ammo, and jam up quicker when dirty.

There are some others, the S&W Victory, it's just a step down from the Ruger. The grip is kinda like the standard MK series "Luger" grip, but controls are placed weird. It's reliable and accurate, but not as many parts or models as the Ruger. The 41 is awesome, but expensive, and in the territory of IMO better VQ Ruger based models like the Mamba. Then there are the "toys", braced/pistol models of SMGs and rifles like the HK 416 and MP5. The CP33 also kinda fits here, love mine, supresses well, rail on top for optics, and I have a collapsible brace, makes it fun as hell to shoot, but not exactly reliable, and not legal for many competitions, and kinda big and awkward to run handgun courses with it.

 

[erwos]

The Ruger is a superb pistol for new shooters too.

Maybe after you throw a VQ kit in there. I really hate the factory trigger, it's not very good. I also don't particularly love the magazines, which tend to have a ton of sharp edges.

 

[Hibs]

The "mini service pistols" are in a different category entirely, Sig P322, Walther P22, M&P22 and some older models like the Mosquito can be reliable or jam. Might have some cool things like sig's 20rd flush mags, but they are not quite as good as a target pistol IMO, and better for training or action shooting. Primarily from the larger reciprocating slide, optics can cause jams, and unlike the MK4 that can run subsonic ammo all day, some of the pistols in this category need a bit hotter ammo, and jam up quicker when dirty.

Do you own a P322 that jams, or are you just lumping it in with all these other "service" pistols and making generalities?

I ask, because I own a P322, with an optic mounted (Holosun 407K), I've put close to 2k rounds through it to include plenty suppressed with CCI SV and I've never had this jamming that you are talking about.

 

[alucard0822]

Do you own a P322 that jams, or are you just lumping it in with all these other "service" pistols and making generalities?

I ask, because I own a P322, with an optic mounted (Holosun 407K), I've put close to 2k rounds through it to include plenty suppressed with CCI SV and I've never had this jamming that you are talking about.

Have one, the P322 is reliable as in "can be reliable OR jam", the old Mosquito and Sig 22 conversion kits were jam-o matic. It is fun as hell, love the 20rd mags and happy they included a suppressor adapter. It isn't as accurate as my target pistols, smaller controls, little if any aftermarket parts, slower balance, lighter top, trigger isn't as good or as fast as a target pistol out of the box, mediocre sights without replacements on the market yet. It isn't as easy to clean as the MK4, can't take the slide off with the thread adapter, and gets dirty faster when shooting suppressed. Even so IMO it is the BEST "mini service pistol" available, and the 20rd mags are awesome, very well designed. Not entirely fair to compare an awesome, high cap, brand new $400 pistol designed to be very versatile vs a more expensive purpose built target pistol with decades worth of competition and aftermarket support.

 

[Hibs]

Have one, the P322 is reliable as in "can be reliable OR jam", the old Mosquito and Sig 22 conversion kits were jam-o matic. It is fun as hell, love the 20rd mags and happy they included a suppressor adapter. It isn't as accurate as my target pistols, smaller controls, little if any aftermarket parts, slower balance, lighter top, trigger isn't as good or as fast as a target pistol out of the box, mediocre sights without replacements on the market yet. It isn't as easy to clean as the MK4, can't take the slide off with the thread adapter, and gets dirty faster when shooting suppressed. Even so IMO it is the BEST "mini service pistol" available, and the 20rd mags are awesome, very well designed. Not entirely fair to compare an awesome, high cap, brand new $400 pistol designed to be very versatile vs a more expensive purpose built target pistol with decades worth of competition and aftermarket support.

So again you're lumping the P322 with other irrelevant guns (Mosquito, conversion kits).

I will say, that if you are not paying attention to how you load the magazines, you can have malfunctions. Once you "learn" the proper way of loading it though, all the issues go away.

I agree with some of your points but not all. I will say that yes it's the best "mini service pistol" available. I have the new SIG 25 round magazines for mine which make it even more fun at the range. With a 6 MOA Holosun red dot the accuracy is just as good as my Ruger Mark IV 22/45 LITE wearing a Holosun with ACSS reticle. I see absolutely no difference when comparing the shooting ability of either. Now sure, Ruger has a ton more models, heavy barrel 5" guns etc. so you're right it's not fair to directly compare one model of SIG to all of those that Ruger has to offer.