Ruger Mark III Target Range Report and Thoughts

[BBSparkle]

Picked this up over at Bradis on Sunday. Have only had the opportunity to put 280 rounds through it so far, but that is around the range I have heard these need for a 'break in' period, so I thought I'd post some thoughts on it here on INGO.

FORGIVE THE IMAGES, BETWEEN CAMERAS RIGHT NOW BUT I STILL WANTED TO HAVE SOMETHING TO SHOW. THIS GUN IS BEAUTIFUL AND I WANT TO ADD BETTER IMAGES IN A COUPLE DAYS.

First off, the Ruger: [Ackbar added as the pistol is branded with Bill Ruger's rebel emblem. Don't worry, this is not a trap]

Things that I like about this pistol:
-Weight. I like heavy guns, very low muzzle flip when firing this one rapidly.
-Grip angle. To be honest, it is NOT as nice as the 1911 style on the 22/45 when holding them one after the other, but I found while shooting this that it became very comfortable and VERY pointable after a few rounds.
-Adjustable rear sight. I like the rear sight a lot, it was easy to adjust and was actually windage correct from the factory. I only had to lower the point of impact.
-Shootability. This gun is VERY shootable. Almost non-existant recoil, low muzzle flip, and pointablility make this very easy to shoot quickly at multiple targets.

Things that SUCK:
-Front sight. This sight is all black, and when shooting in low light, I shot at Don's today [that's a WHOLE other bag of potatoes], and when the neighboring lane's lights went off, I could barely tell if I was on target against the black 6-9 rings.
-Trigger. I'm not super picky about triggers, but this one is almost laughable. I can't believe Ruger released a "Target" model that comes with a trigger this dirty. There's a long, loose, almost toy like creep before you get anywhere near the break, and a bit of over-travel. Seems a bit heavy, too, think I've read it's supposed to be around 4.5# I'd imagine it would still be easy to hit steel with this, but you won't be winning any bullseye competitions without some work.
-Disassembly. I don't think I even need to go into this one.

Shooting:

Again, I'm sorry for that dreadful photo. This is about what all four of my targets looked like. I shot from 30 feet [I think that's what the 30 at Don's must signify] and after getting the elevation set, I began to bounce around shooting all four targets as quickly as possible, dreaming of having enough magazines for Friday Night Steel. The gun is clearly much more accurate than I am, but I am excited to pick up a red dot or holographic sight to go on the factory-supplied weaver rail. This is a very easy gun to shoot quickly, even with the provided sights I was able to fire two shots rapidly into each target while rarely escaping the 7 ring.

Ammo:
I have not had much time, yet, to try out all the ammo I have. So far I have put down 20 rounds of CCI Mini-mags, with no flaws and 260 rounds of Federal Bulk pack [550 hollow points, 36 grain.] I have always heard that .22 autoloaders are picky and even two of the exact same guns might have different preferences. Well, it looks like I've gotten pretty lucky so far, I had not a single malfunction in the first 280 rounds and I didn't even take the damn thing apart and clean it. All I did was run a bore snake through it a few times and swab out some metal shavings with a q-tip.

I will say this about the Federal, it seemed to leave a lot of smoke after every shot. This could be b/c of the poor ventilation at the range, but I can still feel it buried in my nostrils. The CCI has always seemed like very clean ammo compared to bulk stuff. That being said I'm going to buy much much more Federal bulk. Just thought I'd mention it b/c it damn near looked like I was shooting black powder.

Random Thoughts:

Other than that I don't have much to say. The magazines are a little bit of a PITA to load, and the 10 round capacity isn't GREAT, but it's not bad, either. I can't wait to find more, b/c loading after every 20 rounds isn't as much fun as after every 50.

I would also like to note that the reason I chose this model over the 22/45 was simply the weight. Sure the 22/45 pointed just as well, if not better due to familiarity with the 1911, but the pistol seemed to be 2/3s the weight of this one. For some people, that would be a plus, but I really wanted this to be an easy shooter, especially for helping the special womern in my life have a good time at the range.

I find the gun to be very attractive, I like the Luger aesthetic and I would like to get some of the factory wood grips with the medallion on them. Also planning on making a suppressor purchase for this, and my other .22's, sometime around my birthday.

This is a firearm I ought to have bought long ago, and I'm confident it will help me improve my shooting and save me a lot of money in the long run.

Thanks for putting up with this review, my writing skills have diminished greatly and reflect my incredibly scatter-brained mind.

Hopefully pretty pictures to come.

[Would also like to thank Kenny at Bradis for helping me out. Always great service with those guys.]

 

[Lancem]

Don't know if the MKIII's are different than the earlier marks but I've never had any issues with the disassembly, though I know it's a common complaint.

Always been a favorite of mine, know that it will continue to grow on you!

 

[BBSparkle]

Don't know if the MKIII's are different than the earlier marks but I've never had any issues with the disassembly, though I know it's a common complaint.

Always been a favorite of mine, know that it will continue to grow on you!

Well I haven't even tried to take mine down yet. What I do know is that with the Mk III, compared to the earlier models, you have to put the magazine back in and take it out a couple times during disassembly due to the magazine safety.

I also found it interesting that in the manual, they don't even give you a disassembly diagram, they refer you to a video online.

I'm sure it can't be that bad, but it would be nice if it were as easy as my Glock...

 

[derrickgoins]

Nice review - I have the MKIII 22/45 target too and am a big fan (also bought the fiber optic front site). If you're brave enough to strip it once, you could always try this kit..........

Majestic Arms 3.2 Speed Strip Kit Ruger Mark I, II, III, 22/45 - MidwayUSA

 

[pudly]

.

 

[Simon6101]

Happy

Glad you like the purchase. I am guessing you forgot the little trick I showed you about loading mags when you purchased. The trigger should get better with break in but if you are still unhappy with it then try a Volquartsen hammer.

 

[duffman0286]

well i only have the mkII but i love mine same trigger issues though but still a tack driver and mines nothing special but i do have factory target sights on mine which i like.... and disassemble is bad at all but reassembling is another story that probly why mine look like it was never tore down when i bought it but overall for the price of mine im very happy with it but it sure no show peice

 

[BBSparkle]

Glad you like the purchase. I am guessing you forgot the little trick I showed you about loading mags when you purchased. The trigger should get better with break in but if you are still unhappy with it then try a Volquartsen hammer.

I did not forget the trick, I just left my cap at home. My thumbs are still a little sore...

Won't forget it next time.

Honestly I don't hate the trigger, I've never been super picky about that sort of thing. I suppose a good shooter should be able to perform well with any trigger. And, besides, it's nothing compared to the pull on my 1895 Nagant. All about perspective...


And to reiterate, in case it wasn't clear. I LOVE THIS PISTOL!

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

I always thought loading the mags was pretty easy. That's what that thingy on the side is for. Slide it down to the bottom with your thumb and the rounds just drop in. I didn't have any problem disassembling the MkIII, but I was banging on the thing for about an hour trying to get it back together. Probably wasn't doing it right. My ancient MkI is a lot easier.

 

[Rayne]

I'll be picking up one of these in the next few weeks too. I've got a couple questions for you though. What is the trick to loading the mags? I always thought it was just pull the knob on the side down and drop in the cartridge. Is there another trick too? Also did Bradis do you a good deal on this gun? This is the exact model I'm looking at or the stainless steel one. I too don't like the 22/45 because of their polymer bottoms, which seems funny since I love my glock.

 

[BBSparkle]

I'll be picking up one of these in the next few weeks too. I've got a couple questions for you though. What is the trick to loading the mags? I always thought it was just pull the knob on the side down and drop in the cartridge. Is there another trick too? Also did Bradis do you a good deal on this gun? This is the exact model I'm looking at or the stainless steel one. I too don't like the 22/45 because of their polymer bottoms, which seems funny since I love my glock.

Well, first, loading the magazines isn't really hard, it's actually really easy. But after the first 100-150 rounds, that little button burns into the tip of your thumb. It was suggested by the good folks at Bradis that I use some sort of buffer between that and my thumb [like a plastic bottle cap].

As far a s a good deal, I'd have to say yes. Maybe I could have waited around longer for a good used one to come along, but I am impatient, and the Mk. III target had every single feature I wanted. I knew I'd be disappointed with another, slightly different model. Their price was actually cheaper than a few places I found online and seemed to be about level if not lower than what I have read other people paid on other forums. I have 0 buyer's remorse or guilt after buying this though, it is well worth the money.

As far as polymer frames... I'm a Glock guy, too, but I will always choose steel if I have the choice. Especially if I'm looking for accuracy/ease of use over carry comfort. That being said, the 22/45 seems to be a great pistol and one I'm likely to own in the future.

 

[Fishersjohn48]

This is the way to go for loading your magazines. This is the "Ultimate Clip Loader"
from Brownels. I know the name is wrong but that is what they call it. These are great. Load a magazine in about 5 seconds. Every time I pull this out at the range or a match every body says I gotta get me one of them. Well worth the price. The only draw back is that you will shoot far more ammo.

.22 AUTO ULTIMATE CLIP LOADER - Brownells

 

[DialTone301]

I use a loader for the Ruger mags. I have 2 different ones but I can't remember the brands. If you are loading a lot of mags your thumb will appreciate it.

 

[paperboy]

I am a fan of the MKIII, very accurate and feel great in the hand. As far as disassembly, after you do it a couple of times it's a piece of cake. There is a good video on Youtube where a guy does a great explenation, it's the video titled MKIII disassembly and when you click on it it's called Moe's Video. Keep shooting it, you'll get used to the trigger and it will probably smooth out even more.

 

[BBSparkle]

I just gave it it's first strip and clean. It was very tight, and I did have some trouble taking it apart, but the process is simple enough and really didn't cause me much of a problem. If I had a mallet and maybe a vice, I could have done it in about 3 minutes. I had to make due with a five-way and a punch that I covered with the grips from my pliers so as not to scratch the finish. Used some socks to cover the parts I needed to smack with the five-way.

All in all, disassembly, cleaning and reassembly took about 35 minutes. Not really bad at all, don't see what the fuss was about. I only cut my finger once!

It will be nice when it loosens up a bit and I can just do it all by hand. I found that using q-tips is a great way to get in some of those hard to reach areas and wipe them up really well.

I only love this gun more now that I've got it figured out.

 

[BBSparkle]

Also, for opening the take-down lever, I took a paper clip, folded a section into a v, and stuck it in some melted plastic so I wouldn't scratch the back all up. Worked like a charm!

 

[Dargasonus]

Seen the Volquartsen hammer was recommended to help the trigger. This is probably the least worthwhile mod you can do. It very slightly reduces lock time but does nothing else for the trigger group.

On the same note with Volquartsen, the 'accurizing kit' comes with way more than you need. The only things you need to really get a good trigger on the Mark series pistols is the VQ trigger set, sear / sear spring, and a Clark Customs hammer bushing and oversized pin kit.

With just those mods I was able to get my pull below 2# with very little pretravel and no overtravel. A set of hogue grips and your good to go

For the lever on the mainspring housing, I use a small ziptie that with a 1'' loop in it. That way you won't scratch or damage your finish at all.

 

[BBSparkle]

Seen the Volquartsen hammer was recommended to help the trigger. This is probably the least worthwhile mod you can do. It very slightly reduces lock time but does nothing else for the trigger group.

On the same note with Volquartsen, the 'accurizing kit' comes with way more than you need. The only things you need to really get a good trigger on the Mark series pistols is the VQ trigger set, sear / sear spring, and a Clark Customs hammer bushing and oversized pin kit.

With just those mods I was able to get my pull below 2# with very little pretravel and no overtravel. A set of hogue grips and your good to go

That is something I will definitely look into over the next few weeks/months. I had also thought about getting some kind of grip for any sort of competitive shooting I might do, but I also really want some of those factory wood grips that are so pretty...


I'm assuming you put the new trigger/sear set in yourself, how difficult would you say that was? So far my only similar experience was installing the LPK on an AR lower...

***Forgot the whole reason I was responding is I was going to ask if you did anything about the magazine safety? Heard something about some kind of bushing that blocks it or something..

 

[paperboy]

I just gave it it's first strip and clean. It was very tight, and I did have some trouble taking it apart, but the process is simple enough and really didn't cause me much of a problem. If I had a mallet and maybe a vice, I could have done it in about 3 minutes. I had to make due with a five-way and a punch that I covered with the grips from my pliers so as not to scratch the finish. Used some socks to cover the parts I needed to smack with the five-way.

All in all, disassembly, cleaning and reassembly took about 35 minutes. Not really bad at all, don't see what the fuss was about. I only cut my finger once!

It will be nice when it loosens up a bit and I can just do it all by hand. I found that using q-tips is a great way to get in some of those hard to reach areas and wipe them up really well.

I only love this gun more now that I've got it figured out.

You will soon have the whole process including cleaning down to about 10 min. Removing the barrel isn't always necessary, for the most part I'd just take the bolt out and do a basic clean. You will really enjoy shooting it. Congrats on a fine purchase!!!

 

[scottka]

This is the way to go for loading your magazines. This is the "Ultimate Clip Loader"
from Brownels. I know the name is wrong but that is what they call it. These are great. Load a magazine in about 5 seconds. Every time I pull this out at the range or a match every body says I gotta get me one of them. Well worth the price. The only draw back is that you will shoot far more ammo.

.22 AUTO ULTIMATE CLIP LOADER - Brownells

Absolutely, hands down the best and most affordable accessory for the Ruger MK series. Don't ask questions, just buy it now!!! Haha. There is a vdeo on YouTube that shows it working. It really is the best accessory I've ever bought for my MKII 22/45 and MKIII. Had it before I actually bought either of them. Was waiting on my MKIII to come in.