Thoughts on Ruger MK II/III .22LR?

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lagrangian

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One of the guns I would like to get is some sort of .22 pistol for the times when I'd like to shoot for a long stretch but don't feel like dealing with the BANG, the recoil, the weight, and the ammo cost. Back at MIT I really liked shooting a .22 pistol in the pistol PhysEd class, and often stopped by the range to shoot a box or two of cartridges.

I doubt I'd get into competitive target shooting (so I'm not looking to spend the big bucks on a competition-class target pistol).

Up at the Manchester Firing Line, I shot a Ruger Mk II or Mk III (it was a while ago and I can't remember exactly which one it was) for the first time. I really liked the feel of it and I was pretty accurate with it.

However, a couple of things I didn't like about the one I was firing was that it had some misfeeds and I found it easy to slice open your finger on the magazine when pulling down the spring compressor to load it.

Is this line known for misfeeds (it certainly could have been the case that the gun I was using wasn't terribly clean)? Is it the type of gun that has to be immaculate to work reliably?

Other suggestions for recreational .22 target shooting pistols are more than welcome, too.

Thanks!
 
In Mass your choices for a new .22 pistol are fairly limited:

Ruger Mark II, III or 22/45
S&W 22 or 41
Walther P22

The S&W 41 is a low end target pistol that will run you two to three times what the others will. I believe those are what MIT uses. They're fine guns but maybe a bit more than what you're looking for.

Of the others I'd personally go with one of the Rugers.

I have no first-hand experience with the Walther. It seems to get mixed reviews: some folks have no problems and some have jam after jam.

I wasn't impressed with the S&W 22 I shot: the ergonomics were a bit weird (mag release in the middle of the frontstrap?) and it felt cheap.

I have a Ruger 22/45 which basically a Mark II with a polymer frame and a more upright grip angle. It's not a target pistol but it's accurate enough to be fun. There's a plentiful aftermarket for the Rugers if you're inclined to tinker.
 
lagrangian said:
However, a couple of things I didn't like about the one I was firing was that it had some misfeeds and I found it easy to slice open your finger on the magazine when pulling down the spring compressor to load it.

Is this line known for misfeeds (it certainly could have been the case that the gun I was using wasn't terribly clean)? Is it the type of gun that has to be immaculate to work reliably?
Click to expand...

Lagrangian, I have a Mark 1 Ruger and I love it. I find that it's very reliable with the Federal bulk pack .22 that you get from Walmart. The bulk pack Remington hollowpoint loads unfortunately do NOT feed reliably any more; Remington has changed the shape of the bullet. Discovered this the hard way a few months ago. A lot of .22's are a little finicky in their tastes. I just went to a different brand of ammo and problem is solved.

And it's not terribly fussy about how clean it is, either. I have put it through some extensive sessions without cleaning it in the middle and didn't have any problems. The only problem I have with the gun is that it's a little tricky to put it back together after stripping it down to clean. The solution to that is very simple, though... RTFM. Have the manual in front of you when you reassemble it the first few times and once you know the proper sequence, you're good to go.

As for reloading the magazines, I use a small gadget that fits over the magazine and presses the follower down - that gives me a much larger surface area to hold. the one I've linked to isn't the exact model I use, but it's the same type of thing. For a few bucks, you can't go wrong. (here's another one that I just found - this one looks to lock the follower down so you don't have to hold it while loading. )

I'd say go with the Ruger. If I was buying a new .22 pistol, I'd buy another Ruger in a heartbeat.
 
My wife and I have a Ruger MkII with the 6 7/8 bull barrel and a Walther P22 with both barrels. Although we enjoy shooting both I would recomend with the Ruger. I find the Ruger to be more accurate. We've had great luck with the P22 as well, but it is a higher maintanence pistol. That was purchased to fill the need of a lighter .22 for my wife.

I've shot the 41 in the past and that is a sweet pistol too.

CD
 
+1 to what Ross said. I love my MkI - made in 1949. :D It's not fussy if it's not cleaned after 100 rounds, it shoots the Federal .22's like a dream, and putting it back together can be a bit tricky if that danged little pin thingie isn't in the right spot, but other than that, it's a great gun.
 
You don't have to spend big bucks to shoot competition pistol. Westford Sportsmen's Club, like a lot of clubs, has a team in a regional bullseye pistol league. Most people who aren't already serious shooters start out sith something inexpensive such as a Ruger, then after they get good enough to make a better gun worthwhile start thinking about something like a S&W Model 41. Of course, there's competition and then there's COMPETITION. This is definately the former.

Ken
 
I, too, have a mk 1, made in the 40's. While you *are* limited in your
selection of new pistols, there are tons of used .22's out there. If you
just shooting for fun you will certainly have different requirements. The
mk1 fits that role for me quite well.
 
The Ruger Mark II/III have a huge aftermarket following,
I have had one for about 12 years and love it.

My Mark II and Ruger 10/22 always come to the range with me, no matter what kinda shooting a planned for the day, there is always time for plinking
 
I have both a Ruger MKII and a Walther P22. The Ruger is a little more accurate than the Walther but both are fun to shoot. I got the Walther to have a little .22 for new student shooters. Being lighter It's a bit easier for smaller women and children. Plus it is a fun pistol.

My FFL just got soem new P22s in and the dealer price has gone up significantly. Look for a good used one which you can check out.
 
We used the rugers in our LCT class and I played with one today at AG Guns. All of the controls (except trigger) seemed really tight/rough. The mag release in particular. Is this typical?

On the otherhand I played with a S&W22S and nearly cut my fingers on the optics rail while racking the slide. And it was really heavy. Didn't like it so much.

Also pawed the Walther P22. What tiny little gun! Felt a bit like a toy. But then that's really what these 22's are!!

Matt
 
I just got an email from AG Guns saying that Sig's Mosquito is now Mass compliant. That might be another option for you. I don't know anything about the Mosquito in particular but Sig's centerfire pistols are all top notch.
 
If you already have a 1911, having a Marvel .22 top end fitted is the ultimate. http://www.marvelprecision.com/

I really like the new Rugers, even though mine has some issues. Everyone else's seem to shoot great. My favorite thing is the change in the mag release location on the MKIII.

I just sold a Model 41. You can't go wrong with one if you can spend the money.

If you shoot a Sig, that Mosquito is really nice. Train with what you shoot/carry, only cheaper.
 
I just got an email from AG Guns saying that Sig's Mosquito is now Mass compliant. That might be another option for you. I don't know anything about the Mosquito in particular but Sig's centerfire pistols are all top notch.
Click to expand...

Went over to my FFL's store today and he said the same thing. In fact, he got one in from Camfour and I was able to examine it. Seems like a good, solid .22. Almost like a Walther P22 on steroids. If you like Sigs, this would be a good pistol to look at. The guy who took it out and test-fired it had nothing but praise (except for the DA pull) for it.
 
Other nice pistols

what about a High Standard Trophy? Have you tried one with the 7" barrel


and Kimber made a nice .22 or a Browning Buck Mark
 
The buckmark is a real nice gun. I say it rivals the MkII in every way I can tell, including style, function, models, ...

Too bad you can only get 10 shot clips for both of these.
 
If any of you have used the Mark II and the Mark III (especially a newer one), do you feel that added features (adjustable sights, change in the mag release mechanism, the fiber optic sight, etc.) are worth the higher price?
 
I have a Ruger Mk III in stainless bull barrell with a red-dot on top. I really like it. It was not outrageously expensive and is really accurate. I have an old (Late 1950's) Ruger .22 that still shoots well but I think the improvements of the Mk III really make it a better gun. You probably cant go too far wrong with any of the .22 choices available. Consider this, though, there are lots and lots of aftermarket accurizing parts available for the Ruger series. If you want to mess around with your .22 (and you probably will at some point) this could be a factor.

Good luck!

Chris
 
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