My father's first gun purchase was a Ruger 22 automatic mk1 standard series with one magazine. I still have that gun after his passing in August of 2020.
Sorry for your loss @razieldrakis.. I have no doubt that after 4 years it’s still painful. I lost my dad in April of this year, he was my best friend, we did everything together and I gave him a couple Ruger LC9s and a Savage B17, we really loved shooting PCP air guns though.. I know not everyone is as close with their parents as I’ve always been but, it’s definitely a blessing and a curse. The pain inside is deafening.
I was born in 1953 and my Dad bought a Ruger Standard sometime prior to me being aware of what a pistol was. He taught me to shoot pistols with it in the early 1960's and I shot it for the next decade+. Sometime after his death in 2004, it was lost to some scrounging friend or family member who absconded with it. I hope someone is still enjoying that gun.
I lost my father recently and out of everything he left me he and his father / grandfather firearms, wristwatches and also 2 motorbikes I know will last forever. With cars unless they are very old or easy to get spares they are too hard to keep for a long time but motorbikes aslong as you wash them you can get spares and such. With guns you can always get a barrel resleaved and spares for most, just clean them and keep them oiled. With watches if they have sentimental value and a movement that's no longer in production or that's expensive get it serviced every 6 or so years. The best family heirlooms that have actual use in my opinion are non-polymer firearms, even .22lr and 12g from the 1800s are still good and the barrel can be resleaved, steel and wood are the best. Then the other wristwatches especially steel or gold watches with a jeweled handwind or automatic shockproof movement (late 30s+)
I received a stainless MKII with a bull barrel for Christmas back in the 1980's. I was so happy with it and I took it to school to show my buddies. I asked the principle and he only said, be careful and don't load it, lol. Can you believe that?
I hear so many people say how GenX is when things went downhill but think of when all the bad stuff in schools really ratcheted up. It wasn't in the 80s, it was the 90s.
Chris, I have to say, your videos are always on point, interesting and on original topics. Whenever a new video of yours drops I always watch it. Keep up the good work.
Love the Ruger Mark series. I have all four standard versions. I inherited my Mark 1 and 2 from my grandpa and father respectfully. One of the first handguns that I purchased was a Mark 3 standard. I grabbed a Mark 4 a few years ago and love the new take down button. Turned the Mark 4 into a no recoil tack driver with a few aftermarket parts. This pistol goes to the range every time I go.
Chris - great video. My first handgun was a Ruger Mark I. I bought this around 1979. This target model is terrific, albeit somewhat hard to disassemble. My second handgun was a Colt 45 and my third was a S&W 586 which is the blued version of the model 686 357 magnum. My latest 22 firearm is a Taurus TX-22 which is a wonderful semi auto firearm. Many thanks again for a great video.
Strong video. Appreciate the history lesson. Through the years I've owned at least 5 of these in various models and still have 2 in my collection. Great pistols! I've never tried a different. 22 pistol enjoying these so much.
It's such a beautiful, timeless design. Class and simplicity. Even decked-out modern versions look super cool. Nothing beats dark wooden grips and stainless steel though.
My Mark III was the first 22 handgun I purchased. I love that pistol and still shoot it all the time. Awesome high quality video! Thanks for the entertaining history lesson on the Ruger Mark series!
Learned how to shoot on my dads MKII. My first handgun to call my own was a MKIII 22/45 target model that my father got for me on my 21st birthday. Still have it, still love it. Excellent pistol. It is the best .22 pistol I own.
I have a ruger mark 1 that belonged to my great grandfather. It’s serial number is in the 400s and it’s great to have a small piece of history in the family
I have a MkIV target in stainless finish. It’s been a joy to shoot, and the takedown button is the best improvement over the MkIII. Ruger has a knack for simple, usable and affordable guns that make this gunmaker so endearing. The MkIV is on the top of their line!!!
@@macriggland6526 Well, friend try clarifiing earlier. Still- that russian dohickey is undestructible. Ruger on the other hand is, at least for me, thing of a beauty- especially silenced one.
Nice summary. As someone who grew up with these pistols from the 1980s + (The first pistol I bought was a Mark II), I think you should have mentioned that its design is based on the WW II Japanese Nambu which Bill Ruger had duplicated in his garage then modified and improved, keeping the Nambu’s rear cocking device, but giving his pistol a more Luger P08-like silhouette. Another significant innovation was the introduction of the "bull barrel" with the Mark II. It was quite an innovation, both aesthetically and from a balance and accuracy standpoint. It's such a nice, enjoyable, and effortless pistol to shoot.
I have the Mark IV 22/45 Lite and LOVE IT! ❣ 💯 👍 It's so versatile and customizable. I made my own hand carved rosewood target grips. Shots like a dream. So easy to clean, take it apart, and reassemble.
The Ruger Mark II was the first semi-auto pistol I shot. I liked it so much I got myself a ruger mark iv. It was everything I needed in a gun fun to shoot, accurate and affordable That being said, I think the Ruger Mark series is losing its place as an affordable plinker and is becoming a niche, target pistol. The Mark IV I got for 375 now costs 600. As you mentioned in the video, buyers have many more options like the TX22 which are accurate, affordable and offer better factory triggers and higher magazine capacities. If Ruger wants to remain competitive, I think they need to develop a higher capacity magazine and a grip module that is backwards compatible with existing uppers. That way current Mark series owners can buy the lower/mags and convert their existing Mark series pistol in a high cap plinker. This works well for the Mark series as the upper is considered the serialized firearm, so the lower can be sold directly to customers without going through an FFL. This also enables Ruger to monetize the existing base of Mark series owners, which is quite large given the pistol's popularity. Also, I wonder if Ruger can make a more budget friendly model. They could use a steel reinforced polymer upper and only include a pic/optic rail in lieu of the target sights to keep costs and weight low.
I bought a stainless MKII forty or so years ago. Its round count is at least 80K by now. It has a Volquartsen trigger kit and extractor, and it's had a whole new set of springs recently. I run it basically dry and never clean it. Runs perfectly.
My dad bought me my 1st pistol when i was 12 in 1991,it was a ruger mark 2. Loved that pistol! Shot thousands and thousands and thousands of rounds threw it flawlessly(mechanics wise) over several seasons on my great grandparents farm deep in the Appalachians😊!! Came in a grey hard case with 2 magazines! Great guns!!! 😊💯💯💯💯💯💯🤘💜☮️
This is the best handgun design ever IMO. No other gun has the reliability, price point AND fit and finish. Almost anyone can afford it, and right out of the box it is what most people need. With very little custom work it's good enough for serious target shooting, even for ISSF disciplines. One of the coolest parts is the magazine that uses a coil spring, which is much easier to source anywhere in the World! Bill Ruger was a true genius!
that low thud you hear is me kicking myself. I had a Ruger .22 (the one with the bull barrel....and I had had the one with the Luger barrel). My nephew wanted to do some target practice so I loaned it to him. This was about 30+ years ago. He ended up getting into some issues with the local LEOs and they took it from him and I will never get it back. My nephew was a corrections officer, he was in his late 20's. (not a kid....which is what it sounds like I guess when someone says "nephew")
My first Ruger was the 50th Anniversary Edition in the red case and has the red Ruger emblem on the grips. After Sturm passed away, Ruger changed the emblem color to black in memory of his partner. I now have several Ruger firearms but that little 22 Auto is the funnest to shoot.
One of the few guns I lost in my divorce was a “red label” Ruger standard auto in factory box with 1950 parts price list. Great design, which outlived William Batterman Ruger.
When I went shopping for my first .22 pistol, the Ruger Mk3 was the first I held, but didn't like it. Next I tried the Browning Buckmark. That was the one for me. I have since bought a Ruger LCP II in .22 LR. and also a M&P 22 which I like the best as it is the same size of my 9mm.
I bought a 22/45 in the early 2000’s wanting something cheap and fun to shoot that i could get a ton of practice with and get better at shooting pistol. Strangely it is the only firearm i have had to wait for the background check, even tho i had bought a winchester 94 and a maverick 88 a few years earlier. I unfortunately didn’t get to shoot it enough until much later in life to become decent with a pistol, but it did help. One thing i thought was neat was rolling cans with it. 22 out of a rifle will often zip right through, but the slower speed out of that pistol imparts more energy and makes them move more when impacted. I still have it, would love to have one of the new lighter ones with the threaded barrel. I actually qualified for my license to carry with it in the middle of the pandemic as it was the only pistol i had left with ammo available for after my house was robbed. It really is a fine pistol, a true classic of brilliant simple design that im certain will serve many generations in my family well and faithfully.
Aw man, you really have it the bag when it comes to a beginner pistol. When I started shooting for the very first time months ago, I was just given the four basic rules, then straight away at the range I had to fire one of the 2011 pistols owned by one of the soldiers. I could not refuse nor back down as this shooting was a treat from my dad. Sure, the pistol great, but not exactly the best choice for a beginner. .45 ACP combined with someone who *never* fired a gun up until that point made for a poor combination. Even taking time between shots did not stop the target from looking worse than swiss cheese, with the tape that was supposed to be hit left untouched. That day didn't leave a good impression. I still have hope for the future though...
Don’t give it up, it’s a rewarding hobby. See if you can get yourself some trigger time behind one of the .22 pistols or even pick up a nice air pistol. I’ve been shooting my whole life but I just picked up a Diana airbug air pistol and it’s an absolute blast and dirt cheap to shoot
Browning Buckmark. We have a few Ruger Mark series in the family. But, ready to buy one, one of my many children did a lot of research and chose the Browning Buckmark. Even I chose the Browning .22 over the Ruger. Spread throughout my several children and I, we have several Rugers of various calibers and sizes. It seems the Browning won out in this model. Sic Semper Tyranus
I've always been interested in these little tube 22's. I have a 10/22 that new shooters absolutely love and these just look pretty neat for what they are. This would be another great option that's less intimidating than my 9mm, as far as handguns go. Thanks Chris for another great video.
Bought my Mark II Target 5in barrel, stainless in 1986. I have never made a modification, fired well over 10K rounds and it keeps going. This thing is more fun than a box of kittens....
Never owned one, but my university's pistol club had MkIIIs that used all the time and qualified with. The disassembly kept me from buying my own and, when the MkIV finally came out, I had other .22s and the current price range is a bit high for a role I already have covered. I do like that they have expanded the offerings, though.
I've had a mk ii for years, if you make a little blast shield with a bit of aluminum from a soda can it keeps grit out of the trigger and you can go longer between full cleanings.
Between me, my dad, and my kids; I have bought MKI, MKII, and MKIV Ruger .22LR pistols. All great shooters. Lord only knows how many rounds the MKI has shot.
I learned how to shoot with my father's MK I. He passed it to me and I use it to teach my kids. I would like to get the MKIV and put a suppressor on it. That one you showed in the beginning is what I am after.
I had a mark IV 22/45 lite. I got tired of having malfunctions during steel challenge matches. I bought a Buckmark and haven’t looked back. It just runs.
My grandfather in the late 80's bought a used Mk2 (edit, it did have 10 rnd magazines), finicky thing it was, quite the snappy pistol for my teenage hands. Loved going to the range with it when I was older. The challenge of takedown and reassemble was always fun for me, as I liked taking things apart.
Have never owned one myself, but they are great target pistols. When we go to the range my son often asks for a rental. And most of the time it's one of the Mark IVs. Now, if I could just get him to start paying for the ammo. I don't call him "Rapid-Fire Robbie" for nothing. : )
I inherited both a Ruger RST-6 and a Colt Automatic Pistol .22 (pre-Pre-Woodsman). That first cleaning gave me a new appreciation for my Mk IV when it comes to disassembly. It didn't help that both may have been unfired with the original oil, which had turned into a polymer glue after sitting in a box for decades.
Nice finds. A couple of unfired classic pistols. I’ve had a couple of unissued “mummified” unissued military surplus rifles and, yes, the initial disassembly and cleaning was a chore.
Thank you for the nice and interesting historical perspective. Some day I may get an early Mk I to go alongside my Mk II Gov't model bought new in 1988 and my 10" Mk IV Target bought a few years ago. I can't understand the reason for the charging ring accessory: it is not hard at all to pull back the bolt.
Great guns. I have a Ruger Standard Model from the 60s with 4-3/4" tapered barrel and fixed sights. And a MKII Target 5-1/2" Bull barrel from the 80s, on which I mounted a Leupold 2x EER scope on (I had to have a gunsmith drill and tap the receiver) and used it for rimfire handgun metallic silhouette competition. My wife has a MKIV Target. I never had a problem with the takedown, if you do it right, it's no problem. That said...the MKIV is a LOT easier to take down, clean and reassemble.
I sorta wished I'd not been so green in regards to guns when I got my 22/45 target model, only because although not a bad gun, it would be nice to have a steel frame to be able to put on grips that I want. I guess I could probably paint the polymer to resemble wood grips, but I probably won't. Now that I own an actually 1911 Tisas in 9mm I can see myself using this pistol more to save money on ammo. Same reason I got a Kadet slide for my P07 CZ. Getting ammo that doesn't jam up either was a learning experience. (mini-mag seems to work the best for me.) Maybe at some point I'll invest in a Mark IV. Thanks for posting this video. I learned a lot.
I've had my Ruger Standard (MK1) for more than 40 years with the original 9-shot magazine. Accurate, reliable--I've replaced some springs, and I have MK2 magazines, but this pistol has been very good to me over thousands of rounds. I practice out to 100 yards and as long as I use a big target and an adjusted aiming point. I can keep all shots on paper. Except when I use rat shot any brand of.22LR functions without flaw--not something other .22 semiautomatic pistols can claim. I'm a Matt Helm fan and research tells me that the Ruger Standard with the 4-3/4" barrel is in the same class as the "short barrel" (4-1/2") Colt Woodsman Helm carried in WW2 or the sport model High Standard used in a pre-Helm Donald Hamilton novel ""Assassins Have Starry Eyes." Same size, same weight, I cannot tell which is more accurate, but the Ruger is more durable. The primary difference was 9-shot magazines against the two older pistols' 10-shot magazines, I don't know how much of a practical difference that extra shot made, but I obtained sufficient MK2 ten-shot magazines so that I can load up 50 rounds at home and use range time for shooting instead of loading magazines--swap the button to the other side (the MK2 magazine button activated a slide stop and the MK1 frame is slotted on the other side for the magazine loading button). The takedown is annoying, and reassembly requires finesse. There are smaller and lighter .22 pistols. There are more accurate .22 pistols (with match ammo, of course). I have used this as a training pistol due to low-cost ammunition and light recoil--and with hearing protection the muzzle blast is tolerable. Doing something right the first time makes improvement difficult--yet Ruger has improved its .22 semiautomatic pistol. It just hasn't been worthwhile for me to upgrade. Though I practice to 100 yards, my sure kill distance on small game is 50 feet maximum under hunting field conditions.
Again, such a great job on the history portion of these videos. Awesome overview. But didn't end with the lightning fast shipping comment...should we be concerned? lol
I am always baffled by people who show up to the range without a 22LR pistol. Shooting even relatively cheap 9mm/5.56mm for 2 hours per week would bankrupt me. I was so skeptical about Ruger because it has no military/LE contracts (AFIK) like Sig, Glock, S&W etc... but boy was I wrong. They have the best value guns and the best customer service.
Need a dis/re assembly video on each generation. I have no problems pulling my mk3 apart but it’s a bear to get back together. Everything has to be just so
True story! It's honestly not *that* bad once you get the hang of it. The problem is that you have to do it several times to get the hang of it, and since they don't require a ton of maintenance to keep running, you've probably forgotten by the next time you have to clean it.
The parent of a friend of mine was the local youth shooting coach, so back in middle and high school, he would get drafted to help clean and maintain the ten or twelve Ruger Mk 3s the club used for pistol shooting. To this day, he carries a grudge against Ruger for the frustrating disassembly and reassembly.
I love the looks of the luger/nambuish mark pistols, but in a day and age when I can get a gun with a double stack mag, dead reliable, for half the price with stuff like the tx22. I dont see why I would go for the Ruger. If they made a double stack theyd catch my attention again, but 10 rounds sucks. lol a bull barrel mk4/45 with 15+ rounds, a top and bottom rail for a light, and red dot, and a nice suppressor is basically my grail gun. Would be insanely fun to shoot while being fairly affordable to run all the time.
The Ruger is okay, but in my opinion the Browning Buckmark is better out of the box(looks, trigger, quality). The only advantage the Ruger has is ease of takedown and customization options with aftermarket parts. I wish Browning would update the Buckmark.
My grandfather’s old mk1 standard was the first gun I shot that made me like shooting, before that I’d tried a .45 and a 9mm but as a 6/7 year old I did not like the recoil lol
I wonder if yours runs better than mine. The mk4 seems perfect on paper but my bull barrel target model struggles to run unless clean and super wet. And that’s even with good cci ammo the volquartsen extractor and reduced power action spring. I wonder if 21 sharp would feed better in semi autos due to the better bullet design.
my wife has a Mark 1 target pistol. the thing is sweet. I can hit stuff at 100 yd Kentucky windage. I've kept it real clean and nice and oiled up. I still have the original box.
I’m definitely late to the party. My first Ruger 22 pistol is only a couple of months old. I have lots of pistols but this one is at the top of the pile. It is a Mark IV 22/45 tactical. I have already put a suppressor and compensator on it. Red dot and charging ring. Next is a trigger job and different controls.
I bought a Victory because at the time the Ruger Mark IV was under recall. It’s excellent and the extremely heavy bull barrel stays on target through a sloppy mag dump. I’ve since added a 2.69” tandemkross barrel and an Ecco Machine Ocelot Micro suppressor. This is shorter than options for the Ruger. The 22/45 Ruger has a grip I slightly prefer and the optics options are a little better. I’d agree to go with the one you like. If you can try both, please do.
What made my day was the Mk IV easy take down. Raise your hand if you swore at the gun every time you took one apart. I have a gunsmith friend who received many a pre-MkIV in a box with a note saying, put it back together. You can not go wrong with the MkIV.
![Why Won't the Ruger Mini-14 Just Die? [Part 1]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/EzyGl_w-IXg/mqdefault.jpg)
![Why Won't the Ruger Mini-14 Just Die? [Part 1]](/img/tr.png)
My father's first gun purchase was a Ruger 22 automatic mk1 standard series with one magazine. I still have that gun after his passing in August of 2020.
Hope you can afford to keep it and pass it on! Take care!
Sorry for your loss @razieldrakis.. I have no doubt that after 4 years it’s still painful. I lost my dad in April of this year, he was my best friend, we did everything together and I gave him a couple Ruger LC9s and a Savage B17, we really loved shooting PCP air guns though.. I know not everyone is as close with their parents as I’ve always been but, it’s definitely a blessing and a curse. The pain inside is deafening.
I was born in 1953 and my Dad bought a Ruger Standard sometime prior to me being aware of what a pistol was. He taught me to shoot pistols with it in the early 1960's and I shot it for the next decade+. Sometime after his death in 2004, it was lost to some scrounging friend or family member who absconded with it. I hope someone is still enjoying that gun.
Sorry you lost it! Sounds like a lot of great memories with that Standard.
@@LuckyGunner why haven't they made a 30 round mag for these pistols?
I lost my father recently and out of everything he left me he and his father / grandfather firearms, wristwatches and also 2 motorbikes I know will last forever.
With cars unless they are very old or easy to get spares they are too hard to keep for a long time but motorbikes aslong as you wash them you can get spares and such.
With guns you can always get a barrel resleaved and spares for most, just clean them and keep them oiled.
With watches if they have sentimental value and a movement that's no longer in production or that's expensive get it serviced every 6 or so years.
The best family heirlooms that have actual use in my opinion are non-polymer firearms, even .22lr and 12g from the 1800s are still good and the barrel can be resleaved, steel and wood are the best.
Then the other wristwatches especially steel or gold watches with a jeweled handwind or automatic shockproof movement (late 30s+)
@luked2767 sorry for your loss.
I received a stainless MKII with a bull barrel for Christmas back in the 1980's. I was so happy with it and I took it to school to show my buddies. I asked the principle and he only said, be careful and don't load it, lol. Can you believe that?
We've lost so much ground since then. Those were better days.
Because in those days the US still had the fear of God. Sad times now.
Still have mine
jesus christ LMAO
I hear so many people say how GenX is when things went downhill but think of when all the bad stuff in schools really ratcheted up. It wasn't in the 80s, it was the 90s.
Chris, I have to say, your videos are always on point, interesting and on original topics. Whenever a new video of yours drops I always watch it. Keep up the good work.
Immaculate History
Incredible Art
Simple, Efficient, Glorious
It just work’s
Love the Ruger Mark series. I have all four standard versions. I inherited my Mark 1 and 2 from my grandpa and father respectfully. One of the first handguns that I purchased was a Mark 3 standard. I grabbed a Mark 4 a few years ago and love the new take down button. Turned the Mark 4 into a no recoil tack driver with a few aftermarket parts. This pistol goes to the range every time I go.
Chris - great video. My first handgun was a Ruger Mark I. I bought this around 1979. This target model is terrific, albeit somewhat hard to disassemble. My second handgun was a Colt 45 and my third was a S&W 586 which is the blued version of the model 686 357 magnum. My latest 22 firearm is a Taurus TX-22 which is a wonderful semi auto firearm. Many thanks again for a great video.
Strong video. Appreciate the history lesson. Through the years I've owned at least 5 of these in various models and still have 2 in my collection. Great pistols! I've never tried a different. 22 pistol enjoying these so much.
A friend inherited an early model, in the box. He knew very little. I assured him he will love it.
It's such a beautiful, timeless design. Class and simplicity. Even decked-out modern versions look super cool. Nothing beats dark wooden grips and stainless steel though.
My Mark III was the first 22 handgun I purchased. I love that pistol and still shoot it all the time. Awesome high quality video! Thanks for the entertaining history lesson on the Ruger Mark series!
My MkIII 22/45 Target was the first handgun I bought.
I wish the barrel wasn’t serialized so swapping barrels is easier. I do like that about the S&W Victory
Learned how to shoot on my dads MKII. My first handgun to call my own was a MKIII 22/45 target model that my father got for me on my 21st birthday. Still have it, still love it. Excellent pistol. It is the best .22 pistol I own.
I've owned a few of these over the years. Now days it's all bout the TX-22. Thanks for the share!!
I have a ruger mark 1 that belonged to my great grandfather. It’s serial number is in the 400s and it’s great to have a small piece of history in the family
I have a MkIV target in stainless finish. It’s been a joy to shoot, and the takedown button is the best improvement over the MkIII. Ruger has a knack for simple, usable and affordable guns that make this gunmaker so endearing. The MkIV is on the top of their line!!!
I always appreciate your history and manufacturing videos!
Only type of .22 pistol you can trust right out of the box. Purpose built.
I'd like to be that way, but not true, try russian margolin. Those things don't die. But, trigger is nicer on ruger.
@@sjoormen1 Same classification, friend. “Purpose built.” The Margolin appears to be a pistol engineered specifically for .22.
@@sjoormen1 In other words, there are many .22 pistols which are conversions of designs which were not originally calibrated for .22.
@@macriggland6526 Well, friend try clarifiing earlier. Still- that russian dohickey is undestructible. Ruger on the other hand is, at least for me, thing of a beauty- especially silenced one.
@@sjoormen1Russian guns in general are like that. AKs and Makarovs can be put through all hell.
Always love a new LG vid!! ☘️
Nice summary. As someone who grew up with these pistols from the 1980s + (The first pistol I bought was a Mark II), I think you should have mentioned that its design is based on the WW II Japanese Nambu which Bill Ruger had duplicated in his garage then modified and improved, keeping the Nambu’s rear cocking device, but giving his pistol a more Luger P08-like silhouette. Another significant innovation was the introduction of the "bull barrel" with the Mark II. It was quite an innovation, both aesthetically and from a balance and accuracy standpoint. It's such a nice, enjoyable, and effortless pistol to shoot.
Great video on one of my favorite pistols.
Fun fact: they were copies of the Nambu Type 14. Ruger used bring backs as the base for his design
Some early prototypes looked exactly like the Nambu pistol 🙂
I really enjoyed this video, thanks!
I have the Mark IV 22/45 Lite and LOVE IT! ❣ 💯 👍
It's so versatile and customizable. I made my own hand carved rosewood target grips.
Shots like a dream. So easy to clean, take it apart, and reassemble.
The Ruger Mark II was the first semi-auto pistol I shot. I liked it so much I got myself a ruger mark iv. It was everything I needed in a gun fun to shoot, accurate and affordable
That being said, I think the Ruger Mark series is losing its place as an affordable plinker and is becoming a niche, target pistol. The Mark IV I got for 375 now costs 600. As you mentioned in the video, buyers have many more options like the TX22 which are accurate, affordable and offer better factory triggers and higher magazine capacities.
If Ruger wants to remain competitive, I think they need to develop a higher capacity magazine and a grip module that is backwards compatible with existing uppers. That way current Mark series owners can buy the lower/mags and convert their existing Mark series pistol in a high cap plinker. This works well for the Mark series as the upper is considered the serialized firearm, so the lower can be sold directly to customers without going through an FFL. This also enables Ruger to monetize the existing base of Mark series owners, which is quite large given the pistol's popularity.
Also, I wonder if Ruger can make a more budget friendly model. They could use a steel reinforced polymer upper and only include a pic/optic rail in lieu of the target sights to keep costs and weight low.
I bought a stainless MKII forty or so years ago. Its round count is at least 80K by now. It has a Volquartsen trigger kit and extractor, and it's had a whole new set of springs recently. I run it basically dry and never clean it. Runs perfectly.
Sounds about right!
My dad bought me my 1st pistol when i was 12 in 1991,it was a ruger mark 2.
Loved that pistol! Shot thousands and thousands and thousands of rounds threw it flawlessly(mechanics wise) over several seasons on my great grandparents farm deep in the Appalachians😊!!
Came in a grey hard case with 2 magazines!
Great guns!!!
😊💯💯💯💯💯💯🤘💜☮️
Very enjoyable and informative. Thank you.
This is the best handgun design ever IMO. No other gun has the reliability, price point AND fit and finish. Almost anyone can afford it, and right out of the box it is what most people need. With very little custom work it's good enough for serious target shooting, even for ISSF disciplines. One of the coolest parts is the magazine that uses a coil spring, which is much easier to source anywhere in the World! Bill Ruger was a true genius!
Great video, as always.
that low thud you hear is me kicking myself. I had a Ruger .22 (the one with the bull barrel....and I had had the one with the Luger barrel). My nephew wanted to do some target practice so I loaned it to him. This was about 30+ years ago. He ended up getting into some issues with the local LEOs and they took it from him and I will never get it back. My nephew was a corrections officer, he was in his late 20's. (not a kid....which is what it sounds like I guess when someone says "nephew")
Rugers work and generally affordable, especially with semi auto pistols hard to go wrong with that.
More vids please.
"For lighting-fast shipping..."
Now do a video on the king of .22 revolvers, the Heritage Rough Rider. I actually know very little about their history.
My first Ruger was the 50th Anniversary Edition in the red case and has the red Ruger emblem on the grips. After Sturm passed away, Ruger changed the emblem color to black in memory of his partner. I now have several Ruger firearms but that little 22 Auto is the funnest to shoot.
One of the few guns I lost in my divorce was a “red label” Ruger standard auto in factory box with 1950 parts price list. Great design, which outlived William Batterman Ruger.
Your kid is lucky to be having you getting him such cool experiences. I never had the chance to shoot a gun until I enlisted =[
When I went shopping for my first .22 pistol, the Ruger Mk3 was the first I held, but didn't like it. Next I tried the Browning Buckmark. That was the one for me. I have since bought a Ruger LCP II in .22 LR. and also a M&P 22 which I like the best as it is the same size of my 9mm.
I have a 73 Standard with the 6in barrel. Its the most dependable and the smoothest action 22 pistol I've owned. Cool video
Unlike most pistols the barrel is the serialized part.
Great video, Chris. I love my Mark 3.
I really enjoy your vids Chris, I'm always getting ideas for a new buy or to customize an EDC piece. Thanks
I bought a 22/45 in the early 2000’s wanting something cheap and fun to shoot that i could get a ton of practice with and get better at shooting pistol. Strangely it is the only firearm i have had to wait for the background check, even tho i had bought a winchester 94 and a maverick 88 a few years earlier. I unfortunately didn’t get to shoot it enough until much later in life to become decent with a pistol, but it did help. One thing i thought was neat was rolling cans with it. 22 out of a rifle will often zip right through, but the slower speed out of that pistol imparts more energy and makes them move more when impacted. I still have it, would love to have one of the new lighter ones with the threaded barrel. I actually qualified for my license to carry with it in the middle of the pandemic as it was the only pistol i had left with ammo available for after my house was robbed. It really is a fine pistol, a true classic of brilliant simple design that im certain will serve many generations in my family well and faithfully.
Aw man, you really have it the bag when it comes to a beginner pistol.
When I started shooting for the very first time months ago, I was just given the four basic rules, then straight away at the range I had to fire one of the 2011 pistols owned by one of the soldiers. I could not refuse nor back down as this shooting was a treat from my dad.
Sure, the pistol great, but not exactly the best choice for a beginner. .45 ACP combined with someone who *never* fired a gun up until that point made for a poor combination. Even taking time between shots did not stop the target from looking worse than swiss cheese, with the tape that was supposed to be hit left untouched.
That day didn't leave a good impression. I still have hope for the future though...
Don’t give it up, it’s a rewarding hobby. See if you can get yourself some trigger time behind one of the .22 pistols or even pick up a nice air pistol. I’ve been shooting my whole life but I just picked up a Diana airbug air pistol and it’s an absolute blast and dirt cheap to shoot
@@sssss8700Thank you for your encouragement. :D
Awesome video, thanks.
Excellent and Outstanding!!!
Browning Buckmark. We have a few Ruger Mark series in the family. But, ready to buy one, one of my many children did a lot of research and chose the Browning Buckmark. Even I chose the Browning .22 over the Ruger. Spread throughout my several children and I, we have several Rugers of various calibers and sizes. It seems the Browning won out in this model. Sic Semper Tyranus
I've always been interested in these little tube 22's. I have a 10/22 that new shooters absolutely love and these just look pretty neat for what they are. This would be another great option that's less intimidating than my 9mm, as far as handguns go. Thanks Chris for another great video.
Bought my Mark II Target 5in barrel, stainless in 1986. I have never made a modification, fired well over 10K rounds and it keeps going. This thing is more fun than a box of kittens....
Good training system, .22lr was the first cartridge I started using
I have the first model original of this and it still rocks
Never owned one, but my university's pistol club had MkIIIs that used all the time and qualified with. The disassembly kept me from buying my own and, when the MkIV finally came out, I had other .22s and the current price range is a bit high for a role I already have covered. I do like that they have expanded the offerings, though.
I've had a mk ii for years, if you make a little blast shield with a bit of aluminum from a soda can it keeps grit out of the trigger and you can go longer between full cleanings.
Between me, my dad, and my kids; I have bought MKI, MKII, and MKIV Ruger .22LR pistols. All great shooters. Lord only knows how many rounds the MKI has shot.
I got my Mark II when I was about 15 and paid for it with my own money. Still one of the best guns I’ve ever owned.
Chris talking .22s; I'm here for all of it.
I learned how to shoot with my father's MK I. He passed it to me and I use it to teach my kids. I would like to get the MKIV and put a suppressor on it. That one you showed in the beginning is what I am after.
My first firearm was a Mark 1 pistol.
I had a mark IV 22/45 lite. I got tired of having malfunctions during steel challenge matches. I bought a Buckmark and haven’t looked back. It just runs.
First gun i ever fried was a Mk1 belonging to my father. It's trigger and accuracy are outstanding! I will pass it on to my son.
Did you bread it first? How long?
My grandfather in the late 80's bought a used Mk2 (edit, it did have 10 rnd magazines), finicky thing it was, quite the snappy pistol for my teenage hands. Loved going to the range with it when I was older. The challenge of takedown and reassemble was always fun for me, as I liked taking things apart.
Have never owned one myself, but they are great target pistols. When we go to the range my son often asks for a rental. And most of the time it's one of the Mark IVs. Now, if I could just get him to start paying for the ammo. I don't call him "Rapid-Fire Robbie" for nothing. : )
I inherited both a Ruger RST-6 and a Colt Automatic Pistol .22 (pre-Pre-Woodsman). That first cleaning gave me a new appreciation for my Mk IV when it comes to disassembly. It didn't help that both may have been unfired with the original oil, which had turned into a polymer glue after sitting in a box for decades.
One man's gunked up old oil is another man's artisan aged varnish.
Nice finds. A couple of unfired classic pistols. I’ve had a couple of unissued “mummified” unissued military surplus rifles and, yes, the initial disassembly and cleaning was a chore.
I got my first MKII at a yard sale
I was hoping you would go over the differents between target standard, and government models
Thank you for the nice and interesting historical perspective. Some day I may get an early Mk I to go alongside my Mk II Gov't model bought new in 1988 and my 10" Mk IV Target bought a few years ago. I can't understand the reason for the charging ring accessory: it is not hard at all to pull back the bolt.
Great story. Take care!
Thank you
Best 22 pistol ever
Great guns. I have a Ruger Standard Model from the 60s with 4-3/4" tapered barrel and fixed sights. And a MKII Target 5-1/2" Bull barrel from the 80s, on which I mounted a Leupold 2x EER scope on (I had to have a gunsmith drill and tap the receiver) and used it for rimfire handgun metallic silhouette competition.
My wife has a MKIV Target. I never had a problem with the takedown, if you do it right, it's no problem. That said...the MKIV is a LOT easier to take down, clean and reassemble.
I sorta wished I'd not been so green in regards to guns when I got my 22/45 target model, only because although not a bad gun, it would be nice to have a steel frame to be able to put on grips that I want. I guess I could probably paint the polymer to resemble wood grips, but I probably won't. Now that I own an actually 1911 Tisas in 9mm I can see myself using this pistol more to save money on ammo. Same reason I got a Kadet slide for my P07 CZ. Getting ammo that doesn't jam up either was a learning experience. (mini-mag seems to work the best for me.) Maybe at some point I'll invest in a Mark IV. Thanks for posting this video. I learned a lot.
Very nice video
Any plans to do a video of the Bodyguard 2.0 for the pocket pistols series?
I've never had trouble taking mine apart - it's putting it back together that gives me problems.
I've had my Ruger Standard (MK1) for more than 40 years with the original 9-shot magazine. Accurate, reliable--I've replaced some springs, and I have MK2 magazines, but this pistol has been very good to me over thousands of rounds. I practice out to 100 yards and as long as I use a big target and an adjusted aiming point. I can keep all shots on paper. Except when I use rat shot any brand of.22LR functions without flaw--not something other .22 semiautomatic pistols can claim.
I'm a Matt Helm fan and research tells me that the Ruger Standard with the 4-3/4" barrel is in the same class as the "short barrel" (4-1/2") Colt Woodsman Helm carried in WW2 or the sport model High Standard used in a pre-Helm Donald Hamilton novel ""Assassins Have Starry Eyes." Same size, same weight, I cannot tell which is more accurate, but the Ruger is more durable.
The primary difference was 9-shot magazines against the two older pistols' 10-shot magazines, I don't know how much of a practical difference that extra shot made, but I obtained sufficient MK2 ten-shot magazines so that I can load up 50 rounds at home and use range time for shooting instead of loading magazines--swap the button to the other side (the MK2 magazine button activated a slide stop and the MK1 frame is slotted on the other side for the magazine loading button). The takedown is annoying, and reassembly requires finesse. There are smaller and lighter .22 pistols. There are more accurate .22 pistols (with match ammo, of course). I have used this as a training pistol due to low-cost ammunition and light recoil--and with hearing protection the muzzle blast is tolerable. Doing something right the first time makes improvement difficult--yet Ruger has improved its .22 semiautomatic pistol. It just hasn't been worthwhile for me to upgrade. Though I practice to 100 yards, my sure kill distance on small game is 50 feet maximum under hunting field conditions.
Again, such a great job on the history portion of these videos. Awesome overview. But didn't end with the lightning fast shipping comment...should we be concerned? lol
Great video as always. I hate the term "Mark series" because it effectively means "series series".
I am always baffled by people who show up to the range without a 22LR pistol. Shooting even relatively cheap 9mm/5.56mm for 2 hours per week would bankrupt me. I was so skeptical about Ruger because it has no military/LE contracts (AFIK) like Sig, Glock, S&W etc... but boy was I wrong. They have the best value guns and the best customer service.
The Ruger mini 14 was a police contract rifle before the M-16’s and MP5s were used
The Ruger Security Six was a common LE revolver.
Ruger does have excellent customer service.
Ran the mark 4 for bull's-eye. Great shooter.
Need a dis/re assembly video on each generation. I have no problems pulling my mk3 apart but it’s a bear to get back together. Everything has to be just so
Reassembling the Ruger pistol drove men to madness, and the mental hospitals of the 50s were filled to capacity. ; )
True story! It's honestly not *that* bad once you get the hang of it. The problem is that you have to do it several times to get the hang of it, and since they don't require a ton of maintenance to keep running, you've probably forgotten by the next time you have to clean it.
@@LuckyGunnerIsn't the mkIV considerably easier to reassemble?
Yes
The parent of a friend of mine was the local youth shooting coach, so back in middle and high school, he would get drafted to help clean and maintain the ten or twelve Ruger Mk 3s the club used for pistol shooting.
To this day, he carries a grudge against Ruger for the frustrating disassembly and reassembly.
I love the looks of the luger/nambuish mark pistols, but in a day and age when I can get a gun with a double stack mag, dead reliable, for half the price with stuff like the tx22. I dont see why I would go for the Ruger. If they made a double stack theyd catch my attention again, but 10 rounds sucks. lol
a bull barrel mk4/45 with 15+ rounds, a top and bottom rail for a light, and red dot, and a nice suppressor is basically my grail gun. Would be insanely fun to shoot while being fairly affordable to run all the time.
Best 22 pistol on the market, I got a hunter tricked out with Voltquartsen everything
The Ruger is okay, but in my opinion the Browning Buckmark is better out of the box(looks, trigger, quality). The only advantage the Ruger has is ease of takedown and customization options with aftermarket parts. I wish Browning would update the Buckmark.
I've had a MK3 22/45 for 5 years now. It's my favorite gun to shoot and least favorite gun to clean. The gun shoots dirty and works and hits.
I note that my Mark I functions flawlessly with the Ruger 10 round mags.
Nambu isn’t gonna get any shout out on the influence to the ruger design? 😢
Nambu Pistol: Who are you?
Ruger Pistol: I'm you with the flaws removed
Best April Fools joke would be Ruger announcing they’re releasing their first centerfire caliber Ruger Mark pistol in 8x22mm Nambu
@@Verdha603.30 SC Nambu?
@@cyrusfreeman9972Ian McCollum and Mark Serbu: 👀
My grandfather’s old mk1 standard was the first gun I shot that made me like shooting, before that I’d tried a .45 and a 9mm but as a 6/7 year old I did not like the recoil lol
I wonder if yours runs better than mine. The mk4 seems perfect on paper but my bull barrel target model struggles to run unless clean and super wet. And that’s even with good cci ammo the volquartsen extractor and reduced power action spring.
I wonder if 21 sharp would feed better in semi autos due to the better bullet design.
My dad had a colt woodsman. Very nice. But the ruger rimfires are good value pistols.
Always happy to see another lucky gunner View :-) but again, this video has me on my way to the gun store… Again…
What is the low profile mounting plate under the RMR red dot? Is that compatible with Mark III too?
my wife has a Mark 1 target pistol. the thing is sweet. I can hit stuff at 100 yd Kentucky windage. I've kept it real clean and nice and oiled up. I still have the original box.
I’m definitely late to the party. My first Ruger 22 pistol is only a couple of months old. I have lots of pistols but this one is at the top of the pile. It is a Mark IV 22/45 tactical. I have already put a suppressor and compensator on it. Red dot and charging ring. Next is a trigger job and different controls.
I agree ... I have a Mk 2 Target
The pistol design was based of the Japanese Nambu.
Indeed. It may have been less-than-adequate as a service pistol, but when adapted by someone like Bill Ruger, it makes for a good commercial pistol.
@@paleoph6168 Very true, I've been Arizona my whole life Bill Ruger is a main stay here.
Im currently torn between the MkIV and a S&W Victory. My range has a couple of used Victory's and I've heard good things.
They are both great. I'd just pick the one that has the features you want.
I bought a Victory because at the time the Ruger Mark IV was under recall. It’s excellent and the extremely heavy bull barrel stays on target through a sloppy mag dump. I’ve since added a 2.69” tandemkross barrel and an Ecco Machine Ocelot Micro suppressor. This is shorter than options for the Ruger.
The 22/45 Ruger has a grip I slightly prefer and the optics options are a little better.
I’d agree to go with the one you like. If you can try both, please do.
I love my Mk IV tactical.
What made my day was the Mk IV easy take down. Raise your hand if you swore at the gun every time you took one apart. I have a gunsmith friend who received many a pre-MkIV in a box with a note saying, put it back together. You can not go wrong with the MkIV.
I inherited a very early standard from my wife’s grandfather. I have a mark 2 and plan on a suppressed mark iv.