My Yearly Ruger

Shadi Khalil · December 13, 2012, 03:05 PM

For the second year in a row, my lovely wife has surprised me with a handgun from Ruger. Last year was a surprise New Vaquero and this year it's a MKIII 22/45 Target. Just like last year, I was completely blown away by the gift and did not see it coming.

I had wanted a .22 for quite some time and felt the lack of one really left a hole in my collection. The last .22 I had was a Walther P22 and it didn't last very long. I wanted something well made and more geared towards accuracy than whatever the P22 is geared towards. The MKIII fits that roll nicely and I think the wife did a good job on the configuration; A 5.5 inch barrel, adjustable sights in blue.

I got to shoot it for the first time yesterday and loved it. I shot 150 rounds of various ammo I had left over (CCI, Remington bulk, american eagle) and had no issues what's so ever. The sights seemed to be right on out of the box and I really, really like the trigger. I know that probably sounds crazy to some but the trigger works very well for me, both the size/shape and the actual pull.

My wife had the choice between a few different models of the same gun so it was a bit frustrating for her. She ended up going with the plainest model available, most likely what I would have done as well.

Like everyone else who owns one, I had a really tough time breaking it down and getting it back together. I do not enjoy banging any of my guns with mallets and cringed with each blow. The biggest problem was the tightness and reinserting the main spring housing. Now that I know what to do, it should be no problem.

All in all, I absolutely love my 22/45 and see it getting a lot of range time. Once I've really mastered the iron sites, I'll start considering one of those cool red dots sites or something similar. For now, it's perfect in every way.

Oh, and for the next time my wife logs and searches my post for gift ideas.. Thanks babe, you're the best.

dayman · December 13, 2012, 03:34 PM

I recently got one myself. It's a great little shooter, and manages to feel like a "real" gun.
Sounds like you lucked out in the wife department as well.

jimbob86 · December 13, 2012, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Like everyone else who owns one, I had a really tough time breaking it down and getting it back together. I do not enjoy banging any of my guns with mallets and cringed with each blow.

Mallets are unnecessary: After you remove the bolt, place a small piece of wood (so as not to dent your chair) on your chair between your thighs. Grasp the grip bass-ackwards with your strong hand, the barrel in your weak hand, and place the rear of the reciever on the wood (with the barrel pointing up), and press down with your strong side hand ....locking the elbow helps. The grip frame will pop right off of there.

To replace the grip frame, put the muzzle on the wood, with the rear of the reciever pointing up, grasp the grip frame the right way (as opposed to bass-ackwards), putting the square lug in the recess on the reciever, and press down. It will pop right onto there.

The hardest part I had with mine was getting the hammer to go forward (gotta have the mag in) on reassembly. That whole "Put the mag in, take the mag out Hokey-Pokey was a real PITA.....

Shadi Khalil · December 13, 2012, 04:02 PM

Dayman,

I too like the way its set up. And yes, the wife is certainly a gem, thanks.1

Jim,

Thanks for the tip. The mag in mag out was pretty annoying. I don't plan on taking it down for at least another couple range sessions.

GrailKnight · December 13, 2012, 04:14 PM

Congratulations.

I own 2 of these pistols. The Mk II and III.

Once you take it apart a dozen or so times it will loosen up.
I had the same snugness issue with the Mk II when it was new many years ago and know the Mk III will loosen up over time.

Enjoy your new pistol.

Shadi Khalil · December 13, 2012, 04:18 PM

Grail,

Thanks. I'm really interested in the whole MK series now. I love my 22/45 but would love to get my mits on one of the pre- 22/45 models, just to see how it feels and shoots.

Shadi Khalil · December 13, 2012, 08:05 PM

Rather than start a new thread, I figure I'll ask questions here as I learn more about the gun...

Here's one... Before the gun was shot or disassembled, the magazine would drop free some of the time. Now, after being shot and disassembled, the magazines do not drop free at all.

According to everything I've read, the magazines should not have been dropping free in the first place. Anybody else have this happen? Is it possible I did something wrong putting it back together?

Thanks

jmhyer · December 13, 2012, 09:08 PM

I have the exact same one and love it. As to the breaking it down part...once was enough for me. All I ever do now is run a brush down the barrel and wipe it down. Still going strong.

Johnnymurad · December 13, 2012, 10:10 PM

Get a Mark ii hammer and hammer busing from volquartsen, while you are at it get the target sear and trigger as well... makes the gun twice as much fun to shoot and gets rid of the mag safety that is causing the mags to hang up when you hit the button.

Shadi Khalil · December 13, 2012, 10:15 PM

jm,

I hear a lot of people say the same thing, they rarely break them down and never have issues.

Johnny,

So I'm right to assume its normal for my mags not to fall free? I still don't understand why they dropped free prior to firing and then field stripping...

dayman · December 14, 2012, 06:02 AM

Mine have never dropped free - if that makes you feel better. I was under impression the mag safety had something to do with that, but I don't know why yours would have dropped free before. It might something moved a tiny amount inside the mag well when you stripped it...

Shadi Khalil · December 14, 2012, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dayman

Mine have never dropped free - if that makes you feel better. I was under impression the mag safety had something to do with that, but I don't know why yours would have dropped free before. It might something moved a tiny amount inside the mag well when you stripped it...

Something coming loose during disassembly/reassembly is certainly a possibility

dayman · December 14, 2012, 12:19 PM

I'm pretty sure mags not dropping free is the norm unless you've removes the mag safety.

tahunua001 · December 14, 2012, 01:25 PM

the 22/45 standard is the way to go IMHO. I have the 22/45 lite and though it is still a fine piece of ruger engineering the shorter sight radius and barrel length culminate to make a louder, less accurate pistol. it's great if you are planning too have it suppressed but if all you want is a high volume plinker the 22/45 is way better...not nearly as gaudy either.

she did good, I wish I had a significant other that would buy me guns for xmas.

Shadi Khalil · December 14, 2012, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dayman

I'm pretty sure mags not dropping free is the norm unless you've removes the mag safety.

Sorry, my post was not very clear. The gun did allow for mags to drop free at first, which I understand was not how the gun is intended to function. Even when the mags did drop free, the mag safety worked fine. Nevertheless, I love the gun and don't mind pulling the mags out...

Another question, I want to order a butt load of .22 ammo. What's a safe brand of bulk ammo that is reasonably priced?

Thanks guys.

dayman · December 14, 2012, 03:43 PM

Mine eats bulk federal just fine. That was the first thing I tried, and so I haven't felt the need to experiment with anything else.

jimbob86 · December 14, 2012, 04:31 PM

I feed mine whatever bulk stuff is on sale.

Sometimes, with a new magazine, the first round of a full mag will dive into the bottom of the the feed ramp..... also, once in a while, there will be a dud in a box of 500/525/550/whatever......

No, bargain bulk .22lr is not "combat reliable", but them again, I would not use a .22 pistol to combat anything bigger than a 'possum...... for plinking and practical practice, it works.

j3ffr0 · December 14, 2012, 04:45 PM

Congrats. I also have a Mark III target and love it. It's a great gun.

solitude127 · December 14, 2012, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Another question, I want to order a butt load of .22 ammo. What's a safe brand of bulk ammo that is reasonably priced?

Mine like CCIs and Federals

GrailKnight · December 15, 2012, 04:05 AM

When you reassemble the Mk III the magazine tolerance is so tight that even if the barrel is off a millimeter the pistol will still fire but the magazine will not free fall.

What I do when I reassemble the pistol (and before I reinstall the latch pin) is to put an empty magazine in the well and test for free fall. If not I use a rubber mallet to lightly tap the barrel either forward or back depending on which direction I feel is causing the magazine snugness.

Once I get it right and the magazine free falls I then remove the empty magazine and put the assembly/disassembly latch pin back in place.

The Mk II has had many thousands of rounds fired and cleaned countless times so everything just slides into place tool free and there is no magazine disconnect.

m_liebst · December 15, 2012, 02:05 PM

Congrats. The Ruger MKlll is the most accurate/precise handgun I've ever owned.

I'm not sure if they're making them anymore, but I lucked out in buying the stainless model- less upkeep and easy wipe down.

I took out the LCI and I'm thinking about the taking out the mag disconnect.

I'm aiming to put in excess of 100,000 rounds than do a review

Best thing is you can shoot all day for the price of a lunch buffet

cpm0487 · December 16, 2012, 05:32 PM

This is my favorite accessory so far. It makes reloading the mags ridiculously fast and easy. It's called the Ultimate Cliploader made by McFadden Machine. Just my 2 cents

Shadi Khalil · December 16, 2012, 08:15 PM

m_liebas,

I like your plan and would definitely follow that thread. I only have a few guns that I keep round counts on, the MKIII will be one of those guns.

Cpm,

I've been shopping around for a mag loader after my first time out. After about the fifth mag my thumb was feeling soar. Thanks for the recommendation.

I do have another question... I'd like to either replace my front site with something more visible or just paint the stock one with something fluorescent. No matter what I decide to do, I'll need to remove the front sight. When I put it back on, does it require adjustment? To be honest, I've never owned a gun with fix sights so I just want to know before hand.

Also, If I decide to go with the replacement sight, who makes a basic front sight with high visibility? I'd like something that does not break the bank and is easy to install.

Thanks again for all all the replies. The more I talk about this thing, the more I want to shoot it again!

DaleA · December 16, 2012, 11:56 PM

Shadi Khalil - NATURALLY I think TFL is the premier gun forum and there is *lots* of great info here but once in a while I do check over on:

http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/index.php

just to see what they've got to say.

Shadi Khalil · December 17, 2012, 03:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaleA

Shadi Khalil - NATURALLY I think TFL is the premier gun forum and there is *lots* of great info here but once in a while I do check over on:

http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/index.php

just to see what they've got to say.

Naturally, I fully agree with you, TFL is the premiere gun forum. However, just for laughs, I signed up over at Rimfire the other day. I have had a chance to really give it a good look but I plan to real soon.

December 13, 2012, 03:05 PM	#1
Shadi Khalil Senior Member Join Date: September 23, 2006 Location: Alexandria, VA Posts: 5,210	My Yearly Ruger For the second year in a row, my lovely wife has surprised me with a handgun from Ruger. Last year was a surprise New Vaquero and this year it's a MKIII 22/45 Target. Just like last year, I was completely blown away by the gift and did not see it coming. I had wanted a .22 for quite some time and felt the lack of one really left a hole in my collection. The last .22 I had was a Walther P22 and it didn't last very long. I wanted something well made and more geared towards accuracy than whatever the P22 is geared towards. The MKIII fits that roll nicely and I think the wife did a good job on the configuration; A 5.5 inch barrel, adjustable sights in blue. I got to shoot it for the first time yesterday and loved it. I shot 150 rounds of various ammo I had left over (CCI, Remington bulk, american eagle) and had no issues what's so ever. The sights seemed to be right on out of the box and I really, really like the trigger. I know that probably sounds crazy to some but the trigger works very well for me, both the size/shape and the actual pull. My wife had the choice between a few different models of the same gun so it was a bit frustrating for her. She ended up going with the plainest model available, most likely what I would have done as well. Like everyone else who owns one, I had a really tough time breaking it down and getting it back together. I do not enjoy banging any of my guns with mallets and cringed with each blow. The biggest problem was the tightness and reinserting the main spring housing. Now that I know what to do, it should be no problem. All in all, I absolutely love my 22/45 and see it getting a lot of range time. Once I've really mastered the iron sites, I'll start considering one of those cool red dots sites or something similar. For now, it's perfect in every way. Oh, and for the next time my wife logs and searches my post for gift ideas.. Thanks babe, you're the best. Last edited by Shadi Khalil; December 13, 2012 at 03:34 PM.

December 13, 2012, 03:34 PM	#2
dayman Senior Member Join Date: April 18, 2011 Location: The Woods Posts: 1,197	I recently got one myself. It's a great little shooter, and manages to feel like a "real" gun. Sounds like you lucked out in the wife department as well. __________________ si vis pacem para bellum

December 13, 2012, 04:14 PM	#5
GrailKnight Member Join Date: April 8, 2010 Location: PA Posts: 61	Congratulations. I own 2 of these pistols. The Mk II and III. Once you take it apart a dozen or so times it will loosen up. I had the same snugness issue with the Mk II when it was new many years ago and know the Mk III will loosen up over time. Enjoy your new pistol. __________________ Who Dares Wins!

December 13, 2012, 10:10 PM	#9
Johnnymurad Senior Member Join Date: May 29, 2011 Location: Iowa Posts: 135	Get a Mark ii hammer and hammer busing from volquartsen, while you are at it get the target sear and trigger as well... makes the gun twice as much fun to shoot and gets rid of the mag safety that is causing the mags to hang up when you hit the button. __________________ www.youtube.com/johnnymurad www.rev-tac.com

December 14, 2012, 06:02 AM	#11
dayman Senior Member Join Date: April 18, 2011 Location: The Woods Posts: 1,197	Mine have never dropped free - if that makes you feel better. I was under impression the mag safety had something to do with that, but I don't know why yours would have dropped free before. It might something moved a tiny amount inside the mag well when you stripped it... __________________ si vis pacem para bellum

December 13, 2012, 04:02 PM	#4
Shadi Khalil Senior Member Join Date: September 23, 2006 Location: Alexandria, VA Posts: 5,210	Dayman, I too like the way its set up. And yes, the wife is certainly a gem, thanks.1 Jim, Thanks for the tip. The mag in mag out was pretty annoying. I don't plan on taking it down for at least another couple range sessions.

December 13, 2012, 04:18 PM	#6
Shadi Khalil Senior Member Join Date: September 23, 2006 Location: Alexandria, VA Posts: 5,210	Grail, Thanks. I'm really interested in the whole MK series now. I love my 22/45 but would love to get my mits on one of the pre- 22/45 models, just to see how it feels and shoots.

December 13, 2012, 08:05 PM	#7
Shadi Khalil Senior Member Join Date: September 23, 2006 Location: Alexandria, VA Posts: 5,210	Rather than start a new thread, I figure I'll ask questions here as I learn more about the gun... Here's one... Before the gun was shot or disassembled, the magazine would drop free some of the time. Now, after being shot and disassembled, the magazines do not drop free at all. According to everything I've read, the magazines should not have been dropping free in the first place. Anybody else have this happen? Is it possible I did something wrong putting it back together? Thanks

December 13, 2012, 09:08 PM	#8
jmhyer Senior Member Join Date: June 19, 2012 Location: MS - USA Posts: 899	I have the exact same one and love it. As to the breaking it down part...once was enough for me. All I ever do now is run a brush down the barrel and wipe it down. Still going strong.

December 13, 2012, 10:15 PM	#10
Shadi Khalil Senior Member Join Date: September 23, 2006 Location: Alexandria, VA Posts: 5,210	jm, I hear a lot of people say the same thing, they rarely break them down and never have issues. Johnny, So I'm right to assume its normal for my mags not to fall free? I still don't understand why they dropped free prior to firing and then field stripping...

December 14, 2012, 12:19 PM	#13
dayman Senior Member Join Date: April 18, 2011 Location: The Woods Posts: 1,197	I'm pretty sure mags not dropping free is the norm unless you've removes the mag safety. __________________ si vis pacem para bellum

December 14, 2012, 01:25 PM	#14
tahunua001 Senior Member Join Date: July 21, 2011 Location: Idaho Posts: 7,839	the 22/45 standard is the way to go IMHO. I have the 22/45 lite and though it is still a fine piece of ruger engineering the shorter sight radius and barrel length culminate to make a louder, less accurate pistol. it's great if you are planning too have it suppressed but if all you want is a high volume plinker the 22/45 is way better...not nearly as gaudy either. she did good, I wish I had a significant other that would buy me guns for xmas. __________________ ignore my complete lack of capitalization. I still have no problem correcting your grammar. I never said half the stuff people said I did-Albert Einstein You can't believe everything you read on the internet-Benjamin Franklin

December 14, 2012, 03:43 PM	#16
dayman Senior Member Join Date: April 18, 2011 Location: The Woods Posts: 1,197	Mine eats bulk federal just fine. That was the first thing I tried, and so I haven't felt the need to experiment with anything else. __________________ si vis pacem para bellum

December 14, 2012, 04:31 PM	#17
jimbob86 Junior member Join Date: October 4, 2007 Location: All the way to NEBRASKA Posts: 8,722	I feed mine whatever bulk stuff is on sale. Sometimes, with a new magazine, the first round of a full mag will dive into the bottom of the the feed ramp..... also, once in a while, there will be a dud in a box of 500/525/550/whatever...... No, bargain bulk .22lr is not "combat reliable", but them again, I would not use a .22 pistol to combat anything bigger than a 'possum...... for plinking and practical practice, it works.

December 14, 2012, 04:45 PM	#18
j3ffr0 Senior Member Join Date: June 21, 2012 Location: VA Posts: 199	Congrats. I also have a Mark III target and love it. It's a great gun.

December 15, 2012, 04:05 AM	#20
GrailKnight Member Join Date: April 8, 2010 Location: PA Posts: 61	When you reassemble the Mk III the magazine tolerance is so tight that even if the barrel is off a millimeter the pistol will still fire but the magazine will not free fall. What I do when I reassemble the pistol (and before I reinstall the latch pin) is to put an empty magazine in the well and test for free fall. If not I use a rubber mallet to lightly tap the barrel either forward or back depending on which direction I feel is causing the magazine snugness. Once I get it right and the magazine free falls I then remove the empty magazine and put the assembly/disassembly latch pin back in place. The Mk II has had many thousands of rounds fired and cleaned countless times so everything just slides into place tool free and there is no magazine disconnect. __________________ Who Dares Wins!

December 15, 2012, 02:05 PM	#21
m_liebst Senior Member Join Date: February 2, 2011 Location: San Francisco Posts: 301	Congrats. The Ruger MKlll is the most accurate/precise handgun I've ever owned. I'm not sure if they're making them anymore, but I lucked out in buying the stainless model- less upkeep and easy wipe down. I took out the LCI and I'm thinking about the taking out the mag disconnect. I'm aiming to put in excess of 100,000 rounds than do a review Best thing is you can shoot all day for the price of a lunch buffet

December 16, 2012, 08:15 PM	#23
Shadi Khalil Senior Member Join Date: September 23, 2006 Location: Alexandria, VA Posts: 5,210	m_liebas, I like your plan and would definitely follow that thread. I only have a few guns that I keep round counts on, the MKIII will be one of those guns. Cpm, I've been shopping around for a mag loader after my first time out. After about the fifth mag my thumb was feeling soar. Thanks for the recommendation. I do have another question... I'd like to either replace my front site with something more visible or just paint the stock one with something fluorescent. No matter what I decide to do, I'll need to remove the front sight. When I put it back on, does it require adjustment? To be honest, I've never owned a gun with fix sights so I just want to know before hand. Also, If I decide to go with the replacement sight, who makes a basic front sight with high visibility? I'd like something that does not break the bank and is easy to install. Thanks again for all all the replies. The more I talk about this thing, the more I want to shoot it again!

December 16, 2012, 11:56 PM	#24
DaleA Senior Member Join Date: September 12, 2002 Location: Twin Cities, MN Posts: 5,312	Shadi Khalil - NATURALLY I think TFL is the premier gun forum and there is lots of great info here but once in a while I do check over on: http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/index.php just to see what they've got to say.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search