.22 Rimfire -- Ruger MkIII Competition

[Cole]

I picked up a range .22. It's a Ruger Mk III Competition model. It's the stainless one with the 6 7/8 slabside barrell. It makes for cheap range time and is a nice training tool.

Probably overpaid a little for it at $449, but the thing will pay for itself in the ammo costs I'll save. At least that's what I told the wife.

[John C]

I had a Mk 2 Government Model a few years ago. Blue and 6-7/8 bull barrel. Great shooter. I sold it when I lost my job and just recently bought a Mk 3 with a 5" bull barrel. Nice but the Gov't Model was nicer.

My gunsmith just did a trigger job and threaded the barrel for a can. It shoots like a whole different gun. And it scary quiet. Good luck with yours

John C

[dsljay]

Cole, I hope that you grow to love your Ruger the way I love mine. They are just plan fun to shoot. You can shoot half the day for $10.00. Some days it is the only gun I take to the range.
John C, May I ask, who dose your gunsmith work? Thanks, Jay

[Tomcat088]

The Ruger Mark series pistols are some of the most accurate that you can shoot of any caliber. You can also accurize them and make them tack drivers pretty easily also. For the accuracy and just plain fun you can get from that gun, I don't think you paid very much over what you should have for it. The only problem I've found to have with the Ruger Mark series pistols is that after a long time, and I mean long time, the firing pin rounds out and doesn't quite strike right. My family has some that the family has had for 20-30 years, depending on which one, but only after about that long will you run across that problem and it's easily remidied. They're great pistols, and I hope you enjoy yours.

[John C]

Jay, Hubrich Gun Works in Allentown did the work. He removed the kill switch and installed a set screw to adjust take up. Maybe more but that's why he's the gunsmith and I'm not .

Anybody have the problem where you can rotate the entire top end (not the barrel) a couple of degrees each way? My gun is relatively new but I didn't notice this until I added a dot sight (which gave me the leverage to move the top end).

John C

[dsljay]

Thanks John. Do you have a phone number? He is not in my book.

[Frenchy]

Originally Posted by John C

Anybody have the problem where you can rotate the entire top end (not the barrel) a couple of degrees each way? My gun is relatively new but I didn't notice this until I added a dot sight (which gave me the leverage to move the top end).

John C

You will find that a good ding with a lead hammer on the lug in front will tighten up your top, better 2 smaller taps then one heavy one...
Thing you dont want to do unless you are around some one who knows how to put it back together is to completely strip your Ruger mk Its almost like a puzzle to do. Also you might find that there is a spring in there that looks like a bobby pin, if put in backwards can cause spurts of full auto. Speaking of springs, the little spring that is behind the firing pin can be replaced with the spring you will find in most "bic" mini lighters. that little spring that pushes the flint up is the same diameter as the one in the firing pin assembly.

RE: great guns, when you want to see what a great gun is as far as cleaning and maintenance, simply go to a range that rents out their guns, they generally tend to rent out the ones that are workhorses and dont need much attention like constant cleaning. You will notice that most of these places will keep guns like Ruger mk series, ruger gp or smith revolvers, and 1911, CZ and Glock type pistols. Reason you dont see the 22/45 model is they easely dirty and jam up, same with the many of the .22 pistols like the neos, great gun for plinking personally, but not for in, out shooting all day at a rent a range. Put a Neos or S&W .22 on a daily basis on the range for every one to use and by the end of the month you have a piece of scrap that pours out lead.

Ranges that rent out their guns like the ones that come apart easy for quick clean and/or no clean turnaround. They also tend to use bullets that are clean burning. You will also see a lot of Stainless because of the ease of cleaning. I personally call these dishwasher clean, mainly because I dont have to worry about using hot water after a good brushing with hopes #9 to clean off any residue and then laying a bit of oil on it for lube.

[Cole]

I took the pistol out and it shot so nicely. Then I got home and had to break it down.

Everyone prepared me for the fact that this would be a monster to tear down and reassemble. Yet, it is worse than I thought. How cruel that such a fun weapon to shoot is such a PITA to maintain. The good news is that I will only have to do it once every 1000 rounds or so.

From what I understand, it gets easier after you do it a few times, too.

[dsljay]

Cole, Ruger has changed the disassembly and reassembly instructions for some of it's models, including my MkIII hunter. You may want to call Ruger or check there website. They will be glad to send you a revised owners manual.
Oh, and breakdown doses get easier with practice. Jay

[Frenchy]

Breakdown is always easy, putting it all back in place is some thing else, Believe me, unless you are with some one with experiance, dont go further then the manual says!