A worthy contest.

[tj3006]

I am thinking my old 5.5 inch bull barrel Ruger mk 2 might make a worthy opponent to my K-22 Masterpiece. 
I seldom take the Ruger out anymore. And am thinking of selling or trading it. It is a fine gun, of course, But it will soon be much harder to get any guns here. And at this time i am not in a position to spend a bunch of cash, so it might go down the road,,,tj

[bradshaw]

Jul 18, 2023 14:24:12 GMT -5 tj3006 said:

I am thinking my old 5.5 inch bull barrel Ruger mk 2 might make a worthy opponent to my K-22 Masterpiece. 
I seldom take the Ruger out anymore. And am thinking of selling or trading it. It is a fine gun, of course, But it will soon be much harder to get any guns here. And at this time i am not in a position to spend a bunch of cash, so it might go down the road,,,tj

*****
My MK II Target 5-1/2” has been a companion piece to my K-22 since Bill Ruger, Jr. sent it to me in 1982. The Mark II with bolt latch and 10-shot magazine, represents a quantum leap over Bill Ruger’s MK I, thanks mainly to the magazines refined feed lips. The lock back feature scores huge, also.

My friend Gerry Bouchard sandbagged 5x5 shots of Federal prototype Silhouette 40-grain ammo into 1-1/4”-inch @ 100 meters (109 yards) with factory irons on the stock MK II 512. I watched each shot through a spotting scope. I immediately tried to match Bouchard’s astounding feat, but came up short.

I suppose the easy-strip MK IV is where it’s at these days, but my MK II Target models form a suite of .22 autos which salute Old Man Ruger every time they’re shot and plan to keep doing so.
David Bradshaw

[jeffh]

I personally think the MKII was the zenith of the Ruger 22 Auto line. I have profound respect for the MKI and Standard Auto, but the refinements on the MKII really were refinements and not just "new" and "different" to make your buddies with the previous model feel inadequate.

If I had to have a 22 Auto, I'd have a MKII, and probably the 5.5" bull barrel, so that it handled like the MKI lying in disuse in my safe. Great guns.

[bigbrowndog]

Mk II Government was my favorite after getting rid of my MKI bull barrel, or at least 8 think it was a MKI, 9 rounder and such. The Government was turned into a Hammerli barreled 5” gun after many years of use and it remains as such. It is a tack driver, and deserves more use except we seldom have suitable game for it here in Texas, perhaps it will make a PDog trip this fall.

Trapr

[tj3006]

Ok guys.
To dry to go to the mountain tomorrow. But I might go to a local indoor range and test one against the other.

[AxeHandle]

Through the years I've owned at least one of each of the Ruger 22 models through MK III. Currently holding a a pair of the Volquartsen version of the MK III. They have the bothersome attributes of the MK IIIs left out. I clean a pair of range MK IVs every week. If you clean your guns the MK IV is the way to go.

Then... Testing wise, If you have a good Ruger barrel the the K-22 with 6 individual chambers and the alignment issues associated with the cylinder and barrel 6 times, is at a huge disadvantage. Add the human element and the whole exercise falls onto a dense fog. My personal recommendation would be to acquire a Ransom Rest with the proper inserts and test away...

[jeffh]

Jul 22, 2023 10:35:36 GMT -5 AxeHandle said:

Through the years I've owned at least one of each of the Ruger 22 models through MK III. Currently holding a a pair of the Volquartsen version of the MK III. They have the bothersome attributes of the MK IIIs left out. I clean a pair of range MK IVs every week. If you clean your guns the MK IV is the way to go.

Then... Testing wise, If you have a good Ruger barrel the the K-22 with 6 individual chambers and the alignment issues associated with the cylinder and barrel 6 times, is at a huge disadvantage. Add the human element and the whole exercise falls onto a dense fog. My personal recommendation would be to acquire a Ransom Rest with the proper inserts and test away...

Interesting about the Volquartson MKIII - good intel.

I won't go into my rant about learning to disassemble/reassemble the arms you choose to use, with regard to the MKIV.  Not that YOU can't do it, but many have and do whine about how "hard" it is to reassemble the original design.  I probably shouldn't have said "whine."  Not hard at all - you just have to learn how the innards are arranged and work and how to hold your mouth just right. 

I remember one very disappointing evening in 1970 (?).  I was helping my dad clean his MKI and his OM Super Single Six.  The SSS was new - a Christmas gift from my mom.  I was more interested in the "real" gun - the REVOLVER and asked my dad which HE felt was the "better" gun.

To my surprise and dismay, he said almost exactly what you just said and came down on the side of the Ruger auto for accuracy, but qualified it with there not being enough practical difference to fuss over AND the SSS would also shoot 22 Mags, shotshells, or pretty much ANY 22 rimfire cartridge you could find.  I really wanted the revovler to be more accurate, but I was a dumb kid. 

[tj3006]

I tore my Mk2 down once.
I use a spray gun cleaner on it now. I do not want to pull it apart again. so far after about 6 tare downs and reassemblies I still need to watch a you tube video to reassemble a NM Blackhawk. And I takes about half a day.
And while I understand how the Pawl plunger and spring work, as well as the bolt stop plunger and spring. I still don't understand the trigger and hammer mechanism at all. I have changed a dozen or more trigger return springs, but have no idea how they work. Or the main spring for that matter.
But that's why we have gunsmiths and truck drivers. I laugh hard at some peoples attempts to back a car into a parking spot. ...tj

[bula]

With an MK4 22/45 5,5" heavy and a S.S Convertible 5.5" here, this a timely thread because I found some forgotten RF ammo. Theory and potential are one thing, but past experience, my hands like the S.S. 

[jeffh]

Jul 23, 2023 0:29:33 GMT -5 tj3006 said:

...But that's why we have gunsmiths and truck drivers......tj

There ya go, brother!

If you can't or don't want to figure it out, at least have the sense to consult with one who can.  

No shame in not being able to do something, but not having the sense to seek the proper help and then whining about "how hard it is" qualifies as UNACCEPTABLE to me.

The husband of a dear friend of mine is a highly recommended dentist - smart guy.  When it comes to replacing a GFCI receptacle or fixing a faucet, SHE takes over.  Neither complain that HE can't do it, as he has HIS strengths.  If he really wanted to, he could, but best he focuses on what he focuses on.

[longoval]

I have a 22 standard, a Mk II and a Mk III 45/22. I can tear then down and put them back in no time.

I have seen the old advertisements that list easy disassembly/reassembly as a feature. I agree with that. I find it funny that so many have difficulty, so much so that they felt the need to design the Mk IV.

That being said, I still have trouble backing up a trailer. In both situations a little experience goes a long way.

[gustaf]

I have a MK I Target made before the warning label. I have taken this gun apart many times and as I remember you have to make sure the hammer is in the proper position and tip the barrel up to engage the assembly link before you snap in the lever. (may not be the proper terminology) It's one of my most accurate guns. Really, the only criticism I have against it is the magazine thumb button that's a pain.

[contender]

I've never found the disassembly or re-assembly of any of the MK series guns an issue. READ THE MANUAL,, and FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS,, and it's easy. But as noted above,, it helps to understand how the parts work together.

I own several Ruger semi-auto's,, all the way from a Jan 1950 made Standard,, to a MKIV. I agree that the MKII seems to be, in my opinion the pinnacle of the models. Yet,, the MKIV is good for the "less than knowledgeable" gun people, who aren't into disassembly & re-assembly.

But to compare them to a S&W K-22,, is an apples to oranges thing.

Given my experiences,, I'd choose the Ruger over the S&W for most applications. JMO!

[Chip]

I have the Mk2, Mk3, and an AMT lightning. After the 1st couple times, it gets easier.

[shorty500]

The mk III & mkIV just don’t appeal to me for some reason- have owned both and can’t put either example down, BUT my older mkII is the go to for a
Rimfire auto otherwise am shooting a bisley single-six or my k22