Which Ruger Mk III would you buy?

[new_shooter]

I wouldn't buy either. My hands don't like how they feel. Same reason I'm not a fan of Glocks. The grip shapes leave me feeling like I'm holding a squared off piece of lumber.

 

[OrbitalEllipses]

And I just received three more new Mk 3 magazines and one of the bunch also exhibits the same ejection issues as one of the two that came with the gun. Interesting. Three of five drop free, two do not.

It would seem my frame/mags had some tolerance stacking between them: too small frame, too big mags, or something. Ended up slightly (few thou) sanding down the angled portion of the internal "guides" inside the grip frame/mag well . All five mags now drop free. Lightly polished the hammer, but I don't think that's going to make a difference. Need to grab a VQ trigger, sear, and bolt tune-up package.

Side note, anyone want my Winny hollowpoints? Super-X and probably some Wildcat.

 

[Magnumite]

Over torqueing the grip screws and compressing the wood will cause the grip screws to extend into the magwell and bind against the mags. Like wise a grip set with deep holes for the screws.

 

[OrbitalEllipses]

Rubber slim grips standard. Removed them to do the hammer bushing and when I put them back on I was sure not to overtorque them, as the warning printed into the grip frame warned me not to.

 

[Magnumite]

Remove the mag, clear the pistol, lock the bolt open. Look up in the mag well. If the screws are too long you'll see them peeking through.

 

[OrbitalEllipses]

Remove the mag, clear the pistol, lock the bolt open. Look up in the mag well. If the screws are too long you'll see them peeking through.

When I put it back together tonight (need to make a blast shield, the trigger got gritty ~200rds in) I will check to make sure the grip screws are not too long. I think it's unlikely - more likely would be the grips being over-tightened from Ruger and pressing the grip frame in, thus causing interference with the mags. None of the mags have any polished spots outside of just above the mag catch relief.

 

[Alphabrew]

Can not in jail.

 

[Magnumite]

Well, Oribital, I'll certainly keep your observations in mind. You seem observant, for sure.
Thanks!

 

[OrbitalEllipses]

Well, Oribital, I'll certainly keep your observations in mind. You seem observant, for sure.
Thanks!

The sticky mags also had a line of dull black in their bluing along the vertical 'rib' that is most forward. I deduced this to be part of the polymer of the grip frame rubbing off and then as I said, I very slightly clearanced the corresponding portions inside the grip frame. I do have reservations about permanently modifying frames, but since this isn't the serialized portion I wasn't too concerned. I did sand, check clearance, then sand again many times. I made the decision after reading on RimfireCentral that a guy had to send his 22/45 back to Ruger and the paperwork stated the tech modified the grip frame.

Alternatively, as I said there could have been some tolerance stacking, I simply did in ~30 minutes what would gradually occur over the life of the gun.

Image for clarity's sake: Orange vertical line is where I found evidence of rubbing on the grip frame, red is the polished area that I saw on all five mags.

 

[photoracer]

I still prefer the Buckmark even after owning a 22/45. Took $200 worth of VQ parts in the 22/45 to equal the DIY Heggis sear spring flip and optionally a factory overtravel trigger ($17) in the Buckmark. Ended up with the sweetest 1.8# trigger in the Browning anybody had ever felt. Had people asking me to will the gun to them when I died. By the way I won the 22/45 shooting the Browning. I have another competition friend who has 5 Brownings and 3 Rugers. All the Rugers were won shooting the Brownings. And like me none of the Browning were won shooting Rugers.

 

[OrbitalEllipses]

Remove the mag, clear the pistol, lock the bolt open. Look up in the mag well. If the screws are too long you'll see them peeking through.

Screws don't even clear the grip bushing. I do think that it was the guides inside of the frame that were causing the problem.

 

[Tracker]

MK III

I bought a MKIII target with 5.5 inch bull barrel, stainless back about 1998 to teach my daughter to shoot but it was just too heavy for her small frame. I loved to gun though so I kept and still have and shoot it

 

[photoracer]

If I was buying a Ruger today I would opt for one of the new alloy frame models of the Mk III but not the 22/45. I was talking to BJ Norris, who I have known for a few years, at this year's NSSF Rimfire World Championship. I noticed he had switched from his scandium framed S&W 1911 w/TacSol conversion to an alloy framed Mk III w/TacSol upper. He told me quite accidentally he found that the Luger grip angle of the Mk III actually made it point faster than other .22s he has used for years and he had improved his speed as a result.

 

[mcbruzdzinski]

I don't have a horse in the race but I can't help but be put off by how involved the Rugers are to take apart.

Taking apart is easy. The reassembly requires some skill or having the Mark II/III modified to use the SpeedStrip kit from Majestic Arms!

 

[Alan3413]

It's the only .22 that needs a mallet to separate the barrel from the receiver.

 

[BenL]

I got the Mark III 22/45 with the threaded barrel; I like that I could change the grips. Put in a Volquartsen trigger assembly, hammer nut (so the mags drop free), and toss the mag disconnect, and it's nearly perfect. If only the safety was ambi...

 

[Overboost44]

If I was buying a Ruger today I would opt for one of the new alloy frame models of the Mk III but not the 22/45. I was talking to BJ Norris, who I have known for a few years, at this year's NSSF Rimfire World Championship. I noticed he had switched from his scandium framed S&W 1911 w/TacSol conversion to an alloy framed Mk III w/TacSol upper. He told me quite accidentally he found that the Luger grip angle of the Mk III actually made it point faster than other .22s he has used for years and he had improved his speed as a result.

Thank you. I have been trying to explain that for a while. I am no professional, but the grip angles are why i can shoot a Glock or a Mk III, better than a 1911 style handgun. I can't shoot the 22/45 as well either. Anyone having trouble with accuracy should try a change in grip angles.

 

[54rndball]

I have a 22/45 with the ugly synthetic receiver frame made a few years ago. It has the heavy bull target barrel. I added one of those slip on Hogue grips and that makes it much better. But now I am thinking of a standard MkIII with 4 inch barrel and fixed sights for some fun shooting.