Your experience with the Ruger Mark II Semi-auto .22 handgun?

[frkelly74]

I really like mine, It has never caused a problem and I can take it apart and put it back together and it still works. I took it to the CPL class and they all looked at me like I was an old crazy guy. But I hit all the targets while they were all learning to run brand, un broken in, new 9mm whiz guns . I was pretty happy and as far as I am concerned there is not a gun that is more fun to shoot.

[Tatume]

Here's a video showing how to disassemble and reassemble the Mk II pistol. The portion of the procedure that hangs people up is described beginning at time 4:32. This isn't the best demonstration, it's just the first one I found.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vh5eylgiNcI

[35remington]

The records I can find indicate the MK 2 was introduced in 1982. I bought a blued and stainless 5.5 inch heavy barrel pair in around 1990. The stainless got a red dot and the blued remained stock.

Good guns that are decent out of the box, reliable for a 22, and very acceptably accurate. Open the mainspring latch with a loop of twine or fishing line to avoid marring it. Once you learn to let the “dingus dangle” as a reassembly tip you will find they are not hard to take down and put back together.

Since the “upper” is a driven friction fit on the frame I find no good reason to separate it from the grip frame frequently as loosening of the fit could eventually occur depending upon how often you did it.... which means don’t do it often.

Most of what needs cleaning frequently can be accomplished by removing the bolt and spring and going after the interior with a toothbrush and solvent, leaving the grip frame attached.

[Gofaaast]

My MKll slab side is just as accurate as the person behind it. It needs a trigger upgrade to be any better. I had a SS MKll 5.5 bull a friend loaned me years ago for the summer that stove-piped an empty one time out of a few thousand rounds. It was deadly accurate as well and the reason I bought the one I have now. It barely gets shot unless something close on or around the farm needs dispatched or my kids want to shoot it. It’s the only ruger I own and the only ruger I desire to own.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

Those MK II are ubiquitous like an 870 or a Marlin 30 - 30. If you get an accurate one it is worth up grading the stock trigger. I had a couple of 2245s that were good pistols and accurate.

[Bigslug]

Fantastic guns!

The key to disassembly/reassembly is understanding what the parts do - - specifically, that the little dangly thing inside the frame is the hammer strut, and it needs to come to rest on top of the mainspring cap that lives inside the assembly you're installing in the back of the grip. Once you grasp that, figuring out the angle at which to hold things is easy.

The only negative I've ever seen is that NASA will never adopt them because you need gravity to put them back together.

The MKI didn't have a last round hold open. You can manually lock them open by engaging the safety while holding the bolt back.

The 22/45 was introduced as part of the MKII platform, but added a thumb button mag release and the grip angle of a 1911.

The MKIII added a magazine disconnect and a rather obnoxious loaded chamber indicator. It also added a thumb button mag release to the original contour, metal framed Luger/Nambu grip angle.

The MKIV's claim to fame is simplified disassembly. I believe the loaded chamber indicator is gone, but the mag disconnect safety is still there.

[dverna]

One Mk II and two MK III's....very good gun for the money. You cannot go wrong.

[contender1]

As you can see, by the MANY positive posts about the MKII Ruger semi's as well as the Mark series in general, you can't go wrong with one. Yes, the very rare, occasional "bad" one can escape,, as it will do in ANY manufactured item. But Bill's design is solid, and dependable. Ingenious in design, capable of being built with less expense than competitors, caused Bill to be able to build a large company.
Of the 4 main MK series guns, many people prefer the MKII over the I, or III. The MKIV is still new enough that it hasn't developed the full reputation as the other ones yet. But it's proving itself daily.

The original gun was just a "Standard Auto." Not even a Mark series. the Standard model was a 4", tapered barrel, fixed sighted gun. later, when the target models arrived, they were given the Mark designation. But the 4" & 6" fixed sighted guns were still called "Standard" models.
A redesign in the early 1980's allowed the model to be improved a bit, and was named the MKII. It lasted until 2004, when the MKIII was introduced. And as noted, the main differences were the addition of the loaded chamber indicator, and the mag disconnect safety feature.
The MKIV is an improvement over the MKIII in one big way to most, with it being the easy take down & re-assembly.

But the MKII is still regarded by many as THE main Ruger .22 semi to own.
The (2) models you inquired about are different, in that the big difference is the adjustable sights & barrel lengths.
Both are excellent, but I'd give the edge to the adjustable sight models because you can refine your accuracy with whatever ammo you choose.

[tja6435]

I have 6 7/8” Govt Target model and a 10”, both bone stock. The 6 7/8” has taught more people than I can recall how to shoot a handgun. The 6 7/8” was the first gun my wife ever shot in 2006, she now claims it as hers as it is easy to shoot it accurately.

I bought the 6 7/8” pistol brand new in 2000 for $350. That gun wouldn’t run much more than 400 rounds before it would have constant failure to fires. Once it was broken down and cleaned, it was good for another 400 rounds or so. At some point I ordered a new firing pin and every spring for it from Ruger and replaced them all. That gun will now run 3+ bricks of ammo with zero problems.

[dtknowles]

I have two and think they are great for all the reasons others have stated.

Tim

[Capt.Red.44]

IMHO, the ruger Mark II is one of the absolute best training firearms ever made. I own three of them all heavy target models. And one thats mostly Valquartzen now. The Ar or 10/22 of the pistol world for modification potential. I have taught many freinds and family members how to shoot accurately with them. Only drawback is dissassembly, but once you learn the tilt trick its very simple. Check out Utube for a wonderful video for cleaning and reassembly.

[kaiser]

I've owned a half dozen .22LR Ruger semi-autos of most all of the various models, but prefer the Mark II over all others because:
1) it does not have a magazine "disconnect" (a safety feature looking for a careless shooter IMO)
2) hold open feature that gives you visual firing confirmation
3) better balance with the standard grip and barrel configuration
4) 6" or better length barrel for optimum sighting radius that helps "my" accuracy
The worse design feature of all, but the Mark IV, is the "take down" of the firearm for cleaning. While Bill Ruger was a genius of many firearms designs; his "take down" design was not; thus, this design could be improved upon by other innovators. Such an innovator is a fellow who designed a small "stut" that keeps the "dangly" piece from getting wedged during reassembly. I've seen more Ruger MK I, II, and III's brought in to have a gunsmith reassemble them than for any other reason or brand; usually by a user who had been in the service where every firearm was disassembled on a regular basis. (BTW, the Mk IV came out after Bill Ruger's death.)
I personally believe the Ruger Standard to be one of the best functioning and accurate .22 pistols ever made and still own two. One in a 6" standard and the other in a 6 7/8" Target model.

[AZ Pete]

I have had Ruger MK and Standards since first buying a used Standard in 1968. Reliable as an anvil, and very accurate, with the right ammo. Learn the proper reassembly procedure and enjoy.

[LeonardC]

6 7/8" Government for me. Love shooting the thing. I have to look up how to get it back together, but it's not that big of deal.

There is a "fix" from HammerStrutSupport. I haven't tried it, nor do I know any one that has, but it looks like a quick way to get rid of an "Now how does that go together?" moment.

[rbuck351]

I have 3 MK I targets. one is a 5.5" and a MK II std 6". They all function flawless. The first was a used MK I that I got from a guy that was shooting on a navy pistol team. His father was a home gunsmith and had doctored the trigger and added a trigger stop. The trigger is as good as anything I have shot and it is very accurate. All are very accurate and will feed and shoot any ammo that is not damaged or defective. I recently bought the MK I T 5.5 at a gun show. The guy had taken it apart and couldn't get it back together so I bought it cheap, took it home and put it together.
I prefer the MK I over the II III or IV mostly because of the mag button being on the right side of the mag. My MK II does not hold open after the last shot. I find reassembly to be easy on them and I have done trigger jobs on several and found that to be fairly easy as well.
Anyway, in accuracy they will stand up well against anything within 2 or 3 times there cost with a trigger job and they are about as reliable as you can get. No, they are not in the same class as a Hammerli or Walthers true target pistol but they will shoot better than anyone I have ever shot with.

[FLINTNFIRE]

I have owned 7-8 of the Ruger mkll pistols , first was 6 7/8 barrel tapered target model what a tack driver it was then I went the 5.5 bull barrel it was good also , have owned the mkll 22/45 never warmed up to it , and the slab sided stainless which I really do not care for bright and shiny , Now its a pair of 6 7/8 bull barrels and 1 of the same length tapered .

Great guns and have shot them a lot , had one I bought at a pawn shop had a lead ring in chamber and some of the small parts and extractor had to be replaced , figured someone was shooting longs or shorts till it quit and sold it , a few parts from Ruger and a good cleaning and it was fine .

All of my experiences with them have been good , reliable and accurate , have had buckmarks and they would not run as long between cleanings with dirty cheap ammo , and I liked the buckmarks also , just like any blowback design they get dirty from residue so clean accordingly , the heel release for mag is not a issue to me , do like the last round hold open , now the sights could be a little finer and I do not care for the hook on the front , I like finer sights , but I do realize that they may be more prone to damage .

[45DUDE]

I bought a new MK 1 a year before the MK11's came out. I shoot the bull barrel MK 11 better off hand when target shooting.

[Walks]

Had a MKII Target since they came out in 1982.
Shot 200-300rds a week for the first 2 years I owned it. Only change I made was a set of Pachmayrs without the backstrap. Accurate as the day is long. Wife even likes it.
Cleaning is easy, reassembly is simple.
Just READ the Manual the 1st 100 times you do it.

[Minerat]

I have an 84 vantage MKII that has been shot and taken apart do much that the barrel now separates from the frame when ever you take it apart to clean. It also rattles around on the frame when being use but still shoots as good as I can make it. I decided to keep shooting it till it quits hitting what I aim at and then contact Ruger for repair.

I just got a MKI target with ""Made in the 200th year of liberty" stamped on the top of the barrel of $125. Looks like new but was shot. A MKIII slab side 22/45 and a MKIV stainless hunter with 6" barrel. I likes them all.

[PNW_Steve]

Fabulous gun, very reliable and plenty accurate for plinking and a bit more. Only common complaint is about the disassembly and reassembly, it takes some practice but isn’t hard.

The bull barrel looks better IMO, but I like the balance of the longer tapered barrel.

Mag release is in the heel which you may find unusual or inconvenient. It was relocated in the mkiii and mk iv.

i LOVE my MKII. It is one of my "forever" guns. I will be keeping it forever

Disassembly can be quite challenging but reassembling was not a problem. All I needed was a cardboard box, a credit card and a gunsmith....