New Ruger Mark IV autoloader...

[Tamara]

Last weekend I spent shooting Ruger's new Mark IV .22LR pistol.

The loaded chamber indicator is gone, the gripframe is now a single piece machined from a forging instead of being two welded stampings, and (most importantly) takedown is a single button at the rear of the frame that allows the gun to break open like an AR or shotgun.

10740

More pictures here (http://booksbikesboomsticks.blogspot.com/2016/09/day-at-officewith-secret-ruger.html).

[farscott]

That looks to be an improvement on the Mark III. If the magazine safety is not present (which Tamara's text says is true) or can be removed, my beloved Mark II and Standard models might have some company in the safe.

[Clusterfrack]

Great review, Tamara. I have mixed feelings about the new design... Takedown of the Mark ii and iii is such a good intelligence test ;-)

[Wayne Dobbs]

Great review, Tamara. I have mixed feelings about the new design... Takedown of the Mark ii and iii is such a good intelligence test ;-)

The takedown is easy. It's the reassembly that drives me nuts.

[warpedcamshaft]

You can reassemble Ruger Mk ii's and iii's?

I just buy a new one every time they stop working!

[Jim Watson]

Looks like they changed everything but the overall silhouette.
Is the backstrap solid? The exposed parts of the original design are uncomfortable to me.

[TCinVA]

http://youtu.be/MqbiyPMA7CE

Daddy like...

[busykngt]

A tilt barrel... like my wife's Beretta Bobcat! [emoji846]


Sent from my Apple thing

[Hauptmann]

I was in the market for a new .22lr.......mighty tempting....

[Kyle Reese]

I might have to pick one up....

[SeriousStudent]

Dear nice people in Prescott,

Be sure and introduce one with a threaded barrel for all us deplorables with suppressors.

Thanks muchly,

Serious

[StraitR]

Nice. Needs more threaded barrel, which were all TALO models in the Mark III series if I'm not mistaken. I hope this design carries over to the 22/45 models as well.

[Tamara]

That looks to be an improvement on the Mark III. If the magazine safety is not present (which Tamara's text says is true)

I amended that.

Mag safety is still there, but doesn't really matter anymore, since the takedown/reassembly is simplified and the mags eject with enough force to make major.

Actually, on a gun that will see a lot of use by kids and other n00bs, I kinda like a mag safety.

[Tamara]

Looks like they changed everything but the overall silhouette.
Is the backstrap solid?

Yes.

[MichaelD]

I got rid of my Mark III because it generally sucked; it choked far more often on a wider variety of ammo than my 10/22's and was a pain to take down. I sold it, bought my M&P22 and didn't look back. This appears to be a gamechanger. Assuming there's a 22/45 version coming... I'm buying one.

[xray 99]

Thanks. I was looking at the Ruger and Browning .22 auto loaders at my lgs this evening. I'll wait for these to show up.

[MGW]

Rats. And I just bought a 22/45.

[Greg]

Hmmmm

I killed so many muskrats with a Mk II I think Ruger should make a special edition in my honor....

[ragnar_d]

Just need a threaded barrel model and the inevitable recall out if the way. :rolleyes:

[OlongJohnson]

Is the S/N on the barrel or grip frame?

[Rack]

Is the S/N on the barrel or grip frame?


I was thinking the same thing. I also hope they dropped the ridiculous keyed lockout device.

[Tamara]

Is the S/N on the barrel or grip frame?

Same place it's always been.

[Tamara]

I also hope they dropped the ridiculous keyed lockout device.

The firearm has no integral lock.

[Sal Picante]

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/731798/PF/boner.png

I love my .22's...

I've got an old, pre-Mark 1 (RST 2 or 4 or something) that I've shot the shit out of... It lives in my range bag.
(I think I have 2 or 3 others, but never shoot 'em...)

It hasn't been tough for me to strip, but that Mark IV just seems way cooler...

I'll be one of the first to plunk down my $$$ for that...

[ReverendMeat]

I can't remember the last time I actually got excited about a new product announcement (and as far as .22s go I'm a Buckmark fanboy). If they come out with a threaded barrel version I may be willing to something naughty and unhygienic in an alley to get one.

[spinmove_]

So wow. Much want. Do they make it in a 22/45 variant yet?

[farscott]

I amended that.

Mag safety is still there, but doesn't really matter anymore, since the takedown/reassembly is simplified and the mags eject with enough force to make major.

Actually, on a gun that will see a lot of use by kids and other n00bs, I kinda like a mag safety.

For those of us who shoot Bullseye with an accurized Ruger, the magazine safety is an issue for the trigger in the sense that the trigger is more consistent without the magazine safety.

[Tamara]

So wow. Much want. Do they make it in a 22/45 variant yet?

The initial launch will be the blue and stainless MK512 target models and a fluted barrel, FO-sight Hunter. They'll expand the line from there, but they didn't say which models were next that I can recall.

[spinmove_]

The initial launch will be the blue and stainless MK512 target models and a fluted barrel, FO-sight Hunter. They'll expand the line from there, but they didn't say which models were next that I can recall.

Fair enough. I guess I'll be patient to see when they come out. Probably won't take too long. It seems like they churn out a new version of the 10/22 every two weeks or so.

[Wayne Dobbs]

Hmmmm

I killed so many muskrats with a Mk II I think Ruger should make a special edition in my honor....

You did these ones in???


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjqeNoi6EmM

[Sal Picante]

For those of us who shoot Bullseye with an accurized Ruger...

Well, there's your problem. Both of them.

[Jeep]

Last weekend I spent shooting Ruger's new Mark IV .22LR pistol.

The loaded chamber indicator is gone, the gripframe is now a single piece machined from a forging instead of being two welded stampings, and (most importantly) takedown is a single button at the rear of the frame that allows the gun to break open like an AR or shotgun.


Very nice. Have you tried the new S&W Victory model? I'm wondering how it compares.

[That Guy]

Thanks, Tamara. Until this morning I was pretty satisfied with the Mk III 22/45 in the safe. :p

(The disassembly or reassembly, magazine safety, loaded chamber indicator, none of that bothers me much. But an ambidextrous safety? About friggin' time...! 8) )

[guymontag]

Apologize if already mentioned - estimated street price or MSRP?

[GNiner]

Very nice. Have you tried the new S&W Victory model? I'm wondering how it compares.

I sold my 22/45 and replaced it with the S&W 22 Victory. Compared to the Mark III, the ease of takedown and cleaning the Victory is outstanding. I wonder if the Mark IV was developed in response to the S&W Victory. Around here, they can't keep the Victory in stock. The Mark IV looks like it greatly trumps the Victory in ease of takedown.

[Cheap Shot]

Apologize if already mentioned - estimated street price or MSRP?

http://www.ruger.com/products/markIVTarget/models.html

MSRP

$529 & $689 (SS) Target model

$769 Hunter model

Which seems high to me, but I'll still probably buy one. I've been in the market for a .22 pistol for a long time (years) and this might be the one.

[olstyn]

$529 & $689 (SS) Target model

$769 Hunter model

Which seems high to me

Eesh, yeah. I mean, my wife and I would probably both enjoy it, but that's a lot of cash for a .22 pistol.

[Tamara]

Eesh, yeah. I mean, my wife and I would probably both enjoy it, but that's a lot of cash for a .22 pistol.

Nobody sells at MSRP except, like, Bass Pro Shops and Gander Mountain.

Bud's lists the Mark III Hunter at $524 and the stainless Target Mark III at $428. MSRPs are $729 and $629, respectively.

[Sal Picante]

Nobody sells at MSRP except, like, Bass Pro Shops and Gander Mountain.

Bud's lists the Mark III Hunter at $524 and the stainless Target Mark III at $428. MSRPs are $729 and $629, respectively.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXTz44d6H-k

[olstyn]

Bud's lists the Mark III Hunter at $524 and the stainless Target Mark III at $428. MSRPs are $729 and $629, respectively.

Call me a cheapskate, I guess, but that still sounds expensive to me. I have a hard time understanding why a Ruger .22 pistol costs double or more what a Ruger .22 rifle does. The rifle indisputably takes more raw materials, and the two objects do essentially the same thing (launch a .22LR projectile, hopefully with reasonably good accuracy and reliability), but the rifle's MSRP is $300-350, and the pistol's ranges from just over $500 to just under $800. Does the pistol require much higher levels of machine or assembly time for some reason? Is the profit margin on the pistols just way higher? I suppose in the end, it's whatever they think the market will bear, but it's difficult for poor old me to understand.

[Tamara]

Does the pistol require much higher levels of machine or assembly time for some reason? Is the profit margin on the pistols just way higher? I suppose in the end, it's whatever they think the market will bear, but it's difficult for poor old me to understand.

A 10/22 is a pretty simple thing to build compared to a Mark I/II/III/IV.

The 10/22 receiver is a painted aluminum investment casting, for instance. The gripframe on the I-III was welded together from two stampings with the weld dressed so nicely that most people have no idea that's how they were made. The new one is CNC machined from a forging.

For budget, wait 'til the plastic 22/45s come out. My Mark III 22/45 is the 4" stripped-down version with fixed sights, manual windows, and rubber floormats, and it was under three bills back in '10; I think the last ones I saw were $299 or $325.

[olstyn]

Thanks for taking the question seriously, Tamara. I was literally asking from a place of ignorance, and I appreciate you taking the time to make the difference in manufacturing complexity clear.

[Jim Watson]

The new one is CNC machined from a forging.

Ruger, The Master of Casting making a .22 on a forging? Wow. What next, a forged 1911?

[Greg]

You did these ones in???


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjqeNoi6EmM

Yes, those as well. Ugly and destructive are good reasons for ventilation.

The older ones get fairly clever and were more fun to ambush.

[Tamara]

Ruger, The Master of Casting making a .22 on a forging? Wow. What next, a forged 1911?

It caught me off guard, too, but I had three product managers in the room so I asked again to clarify that I'd heard "forging" correctly.

[Little Creek]

Thanks, Tamara. Until this morning I was pretty satisfied with the Mk III 22/45 in the safe. :p

(The disassembly or reassembly, magazine safety, loaded chamber indicator, none of that bothers me much. But an ambidextrous safety? About friggin' time...! 8) )

+1

[farscott]

Resurrecting this thread as a visit to a family friend's pawnshop that was burglarized this week resulted in me buying a stainless Mark IV Target.

Long story short, the local pawnshop that is owned by friends of the family was burglarized early Monday morning. One of the windows was broken and the thieves kept kicking on the burglar bars until the bars were pulled from the masonry wall to gain entry. Three glass display cases were smashed to get access to the handguns inside. Net result is around fifty handguns, all centerfire, stolen. This is a pretty big deal in our small community. One person has been arrested, but the investigation continues. There is a bit more to this part of the story, but seeing as it has not made it to the media, I am not going to disclose it.

In addition, gun sales are down since the election, so why no time to be burglarized is good, business cash flow is not the best at the moment. The store was closed for a few days so that the investigation could proceed, a full inventory taken, and the shop cleaned. So bills still have to be paid and there are some rather not inexpensive unscheduled expenses, such as replacing the display cases and a tougher, more impact-resistant installation of the burglar bars. After work on Friday, my wife and I stopped by to see how our friends were doing, and it was plain to see the stress on their faces. Evidence of the damage from the burglary was still plain to see as the tops and fronts of the damaged glass display cases were covered with plywood. Handguns were stuffed into the remaining undamaged display cases.

All of this is to say that while the store was open on Friday afternoon, the store was not as well-stocked as usual and business was more akin to rubbernecking after a spectacular vehicle crash. But the rimfire cases were untouched and well stocked. And unattended by any potential customers. There were two Ruger Mark IV pistols in one of the cases, a blued one with the aluminum alloy frame and a stainless Target model. I had looked at the Target model before as I have been a Ruger rimfire pistol shooter since 1973, when my father taught me the safety rules and how to shoot with his Standard model. From that time, I have been a fan of the pistols and regularly shoot more than a few, including some customized ones and an old Standard.

All of this is to say that I came home with the stainless Mark IV Target and a brick of CCI .22 Quiet ammo for my T/C carbines. Did I need the Mark IV? No. Did I want it? Sorta. Heck, it is cool to take down the pistol with a press of a button after years of struggling to remember how to hold the Standard and Mark II models during assembly. Was it the right thing to do? The best answer to that is that when leaving with it, one of store owners came up to me with tears in his eyes to shake my hand and thank me for my patronage.

Now I need to shoot it before the rain gets here.