Ruger Mark IV Thoughts

[Dddrees]

Corrently contemplating getting a 22 LR pistol and I came across the Ruger Mark IV. It's certainly a bit different looking but I like the ease of taking it apart and the stainless models with flutter barrel appeal to me as well. Anybody have any thoughts and our experience with this gun. I'm seriously considering the Hunter model with fluted barrel in stainless steel by the way.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Yes, I got to shoot it before it was released to the general public last year.

View From The Porch: Day at the Office...with a SECRET RUGER!

I like it very much. I have several MkIIs which all wear the speed strip from Majestic, but this is a needed improvement by Ruger.

 

[shootersix]

ok my 2 cents, as a long/short time "mark series" owner, and by long/short time i mean I've owned a mark 1 for 20 years, and a mark 3 for a year, i have to say, if you're thinking about any "mark" ruger, get a mark 4!
as an gun store employee, everyone wants to see a mark 4 for 1 reason (the same you want too) 1 second push button take down, i can say it's by far the easiest gun I've ever taken apart! i refuse to strip and clean my mark 1 or 3, till they are so dirty that they are jamming!

in fact last december, i took the mark 3 apart, and when i was putting it back together, the hammer strut fell to the side, and bent when i closed the "jack knife", when that happened, it jammed the bolt, and i had to return it to ruger to be fixed, now it was only gone for 10 days, and was fixed free of charge (thank you ruger!)

now for a few drawbacks to the mark 4 (they aren't much more than a mark 3!) the reasons why, they come in a cardboard box (not plastic) and they don't include the scope mount anymore (the mount is about 10.00)

but if it were me, and i was looking for a plinking/target 22 semi auto, i'd have no problem recommending you buy a mark 4, especially considering the fact that ruger has dropped the mark 3 line.

 

[Dddrees]

ok my 2 cents, as a long/short time "mark series" owner, and by long/short time i mean I've owned a mark 1 for 20 years, and a mark 3 for a year, i have to say, if you're thinking about any "mark" ruger, get a mark 4!
as an gun store employee, everyone wants to see a mark 4 for 1 reason (the same you want too) 1 second push button take down, i can say it's by far the easiest gun I've ever taken apart! i refuse to strip and clean my mark 1 or 3, till they are so dirty that they are jamming!

in fact last december, i took the mark 3 apart, and when i was putting it back together, the hammer strut fell to the side, and bent when i closed the "jack knife", when that happened, it jammed the bolt, and i had to return it to ruger to be fixed, now it was only gone for 10 days, and was fixed free of charge (thank you ruger!)

now for a few drawbacks to the mark 4 (they aren't much more than a mark 3!) the reasons why, they come in a cardboard box (not plastic) and they don't include the scope mount anymore (the mount is about 10.00)

but if it were me, and i was looking for a plinking/target 22 semi auto, i'd have no problem recommending you buy a mark 4, especially considering the fact that ruger has dropped the mark 3 line.

Thank your our thoughts and for sharing your experiences.For me the type of box it comes in or doesn't come in means very little. It' the gun that will get used. I must say the ease in which this gun comes apart is attractive although as long as it's not too difficult that's all that matters. A nice little detail but I think I am more concerned with how it feels, fires, and durability. By the sounds of it though Ruger stands behind their guns and that appeals to me.

 

[Dddrees]

Got a chance to look at one today. I compared it to a Browning Buckmark, S&W Victory and a Berreta M9 22. None of the others either came in Stainless Steel or they just didn't have that version available. So overall the aesthetics knocked it out off the park, but if that were not the case the ease of taking this weapon apart pushed me over the edge.

Unless i I find something to the contrary I'll probably pick one up at the end of the month.

 

[tcecil88]

I had a Mark III Hunter that was fun to shoot and a pain in the butt to clean. I ditched it after the first cleaning. I now have a MKIV Hunter that is just as fun to shoot and much easier to clean. I like it so much I want the 22/45 version for a pack pistol.

 

[Dddrees]

I had a Mark III Hunter that was fun to shoot and a pain in the butt to clean. I ditched it after the first cleaning. I now have a MKIV Hunter that is just as fun to shoot and much easier to clean. I like it so much I want the 22/45 version for a pack pistol.

Yeah, that Mark III and prior disassembly\reassembly thing sounds like a real abortion.


By the way I've heard from a few that the trigger may not be all it's cracked up to be and it would be best to get that Volquartsen Accurizing kit. I was wondering what your thoughts on the out of the box trigger is? Oh, and by the way I was already looking at the Mark IV 22/45 as well.

 

[Hopper]

Shootersix, that was indeed a great review and recommendation for the Mark IV! I've had one on my short list for a while. I saw recently that some new colors for the 22/45 Lite are starting to show up. At first it was bronze, followed by black, and just recently I saw a red one. When the 22/45 comes out in silver, I won't be able to resist any longer. I've already got plans to install a fiber optic front sight.

I'm also with Dddrees in that the cardboard box is a non-issue for me. My SR1911 9mm also came in cardboard, which is only used to store the original papers and receipt.

 

[Dddrees]

Shootersix, that was indeed a great review and recommendation for the Mark IV! I've had one on my short list for a while. I saw recently that some new colors for the 22/45 Lite are starting to show up. At first it was bronze, followed by black, and just recently I saw a red one. When the 22/45 comes out in silver, I won't be able to resist any longer. I've already got plans to install a fiber optic front sight.

I'm also with Dddrees in that the cardboard box is a non-issue for me. My SR1911 9mm also came in cardboard, which is only used to store the original papers and receipt.

It's funny how often this stupid box thing will come up with not only guns but many other things which cost even more. Often people will complain to a degree how the costs for these items keep going higher but then to turn around and complain about a stupid little box that often gets stored and never used. Kept in case of resale because completeness means so much, but hardly ever used.

 

[shootersix]

It's funny how often this stupid box thing will come up with not only guns but many other things which cost even more. Often people will complain to a degree how the costs for these items keep going higher but then to turn around and complain about a stupid little box that often gets stored and never used. Kept in case of resale because completeness means so much, but hardly ever used.

i've got 2 guns that are worth way more if they had the original box!

my browning bda 45 (its a sig 220 with browning and sig markings) I value it about 600 and according to blue book of gun values, add 20% for box and papers, I'd pay 100.00 for the original box if I could find it!, because there's one on gb with box and paperwork that sold for 1025.00

a colt detective special made in 1968, ive seen sell for 450.00 no box or paperwork (and looked like it was drug down a gravel road behind a 4 wheeler), mine's like new no turn mark I'd value at about 600 and with the original box and paperwork id think 800 at least

the big problem, is that today, we don't know if in 30 years that gun will be worth more with box and paperwork, cause if we did, I guarantee we hold onto the box paperwork, hang tag and receipt!

because you never know, ruger might release a mark 5 next year, drop the mark 4, and boom the mark 4, only made for a year, might start creeping up in value!

 

[shootersix]

Shootersix, that was indeed a great review and recommendation for the Mark IV! I've had one on my short list for a while. I saw recently that some new colors for the 22/45 Lite are starting to show up. At first it was bronze, followed by black, and just recently I saw a red one. When the 22/45 comes out in silver, I won't be able to resist any longer. I've already got plans to install a fiber optic front sight.

I'm also with Dddrees in that the cardboard box is a non-issue for me. My SR1911 9mm also came in cardboard, which is only used to store the original papers and receipt.

ruger lists the black and brown on their website, most often other colors are "distributor exclusives" (Talo, Davidsons, Lew Horton and so on) like the red, green and purple these are Davidsons exclusives (ruger doesn't even list those colors on their website)

 

[Dddrees]

i've got 2 guns that are worth way more if they had the original box!

my browning bda 45 (its a sig 220 with browning and sig markings) I value it about 600 and according to blue book of gun values, add 20% for box and papers, I'd pay 100.00 for the original box if I could find it!, because there's one on gb with box and paperwork that sold for 1025.00

a colt detective special made in 1968, ive seen sell for 450.00 no box or paperwork (and looked like it was drug down a gravel road behind a 4 wheeler), mine's like new no turn mark I'd value at about 600 and with the original box and paperwork id think 800 at least

the big problem, is that today, we don't know if in 30 years that gun will be worth more with box and paperwork, cause if we did, I guarantee we hold onto the box paperwork, hang tag and receipt!

because you never know, ruger might release a mark 5 next year, drop the mark 4, and boom the mark 4, only made for a year, might start creeping up in value!

Hence I referenced a box being stored. In fact I have many boxes of various items which I store but do not use. For example people will claim the box which comes with a Rolex vs some other watches are extremely cheap. Well, I've yet to wear the box that came with my watch. I do however store that box somewhere even though I have no intention of selling it. Heck watch collectors even tend to want the tags that came with the watch. I have those as well and they're in the original box that came with the watch.

 

[seedubs1]

Just picked up my new Mark IV Competition. It's one of the higher end stainless models.

My thoughts:
Super sloppy machining. For the price I paid, I would have expected a lot better from Ruger. When charging the firearm, I noticed the bolt was hanging up. Took it apart for a first cleaning, and found a good amount of burrs on the bolt from sloppy machining and a lot of machining debris/dust. I know stainless is gummy and hard to get burrs off, but come on..... Some of the burrs were big and actually causing the bolt to hang up. It's cleaned up now after a couple HOURS of love with some 800 grit and a steel backer.

The exterior looks nice, but the bead blasted finish covers up a lot of machining errors. The interior just isn't machined as nice as my old Mark II was.

Trigger is heavier than I am used to from the old Mark II as well. It feels OK, but it's definitely heavier.

Overall, I'd buy it again. But I'm still not happy about having to remove large burrs. For a gun as expensive as the stainless Mark IV's, I'd expect them to be finished, burr free, and slicker than snot.....

 

[warthog]

I have a Ruger MK IV Target Stainless, I love it. Easy to carry and it shoots well. Very Accurate and I never had to send mine back for the recall. I tested mine the way the video from Ruger said to do and mine wouldn't go off "accidentally". I called them and was told mine was fine and it really has been. It is easily my favorite 22 firearm.

I did add the grips afterwards…very comfortable​

 

[seedubs1]

Anyone running the VQ trigger kit? Looks like it’s a full ignition control kit with sear, disco, hammer, and trigger. Looks snazzy for under $100.

 

[snapping turtle]

Mark II gov ment model since 1983-1984 time period. The cleaning thing is easy after a while. The first few times can be tricky but after you figure out the basic method it is not that bad. I have help more than a couple out there’s back in service over the years.

 

[Bfish]

Anyone running the VQ trigger kit? Looks like it’s a full ignition control kit with sear, disco, hammer, and trigger. Looks snazzy for under $100.

I am, I won't ever have a 22/45 without it. Almost makes it a totally different gun IMO.

 

[seedubs1]

How is the takeup, overtravel, and did it actually get the trigger down to 2.5 lbs? Is it smooth and crisp? Any grittiness? Any issues with light primer strikes or malfunctions?

I'm hovering over the order button.....

I am, I won't ever have a 22/45 without it. Almost makes it a totally different gun IMO.

 

[WanderingSol07]

I got a Mark IV 22/45 Lite last month for my wife. Both magazines felt like they were full of sand out of the box. One sorta did okay, a couple misfeeds every ten rounds, the other misfed every other round. I lubed them up and used a Mag Pal to move the follower up and down the full range dozens of times. Last week I ran 150 rounds through them, the first load on magazine 1 had 4 misfeeds, then fed fine. The next 140 rounds gave me a total of 3 misfeeds and 1 fail to eject for both magazines. The last 40 rounds had no problems.

 

[seedubs1]

Welp, I'm giving the Volquartsen kit a shot. They're $120 most places, but Brownells had them priced at $95 (they must have been mis-marked) and with a $10 off with free shipping coupon code, that made them $85 shipped. Hope it's money well spent. That stock trigger is just too dang heavy for my taste in a range only pistol.