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Old February 12, 2013, 08:15 PM   #1
steveNChunter
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New Ruger MK III, what to do first...



After browsing many online auctions, local pawn shops and gun stores, and seeing mostly high priced used and abused stuff, and being laughed at at the mention of ordering a new MK III or 22/45, I finally bought one. A local gun store had this new MK III target (5.5" bull barrel) in stock from way back when you could actually order a new one (months before the "panic"). I gave $400 otd for it and thought that was a pretty fair price for the times. I had originally set out looking for a 22/45 mainly because of the grip angle, but I'm not using it as a trainer for a 1911 or anything like that, and the more MKII's/III's I held the more I decided I liked their grip just as well. I just bought it today, havent even got to shoot it yet, but I'm already customizing it in my head. I think my first add-on will be new grips. I'm considering a Hogue rubber grip with the finger grooves and a left-handed thumbrest (yes, I know I shoot wrong-handed). I'm most likely going to disable the LCI, is there any use to nix the mag disconnect safety? And what would I have to do/buy to delete it? Also MK II/III owners, what have you done to yours, why, and was it worth it?
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Old February 12, 2013, 10:23 PM   #2
TunnelRat
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I bring mine to the range and shoot it. It's a target pistol for me, it can have all the safeties in the world and I just don't care that much.

Before you fork over money for grips and different modifications, why don't you shoot it first?
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Old February 12, 2013, 10:36 PM   #3
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load ,shoot,repeat......
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Old February 12, 2013, 10:36 PM   #4
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Definitely get rid of the mag disconnect. Yes you will need a small part. Then remove the LCI and replace with a blank unit. Go here and do a search. You can do both yourself and there are detailed instructions. Shoot it if you must, but I'd be all over those two mods first, or I wouldn't be able to sleep at night.

http://www.rimfirecentral.com
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Old February 12, 2013, 11:04 PM   #5
ScottRiqui
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After the initial strip/clean, don't bother to practice stripping it until you've put a few hundred rounds through it.

I wanted to "get the hang of it" before I started shooting mine, and it was a royal pain. Every time, I had to use a punch and a soft mallet to get the slide stop pin out, and every time, I needed the mallet to get the pin back in upon reassembly.

But after putting just 300 rounds or so through the gun, stripping and reassembly got MUCH easier, to the point where I no longer need any tools.
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Old February 12, 2013, 11:12 PM   #6
Fishbed77
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First thing to do...

...start hunting for .22LR ammo.
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Old February 13, 2013, 03:57 AM   #7
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I wouldn't bother to disconnect or replace anything. At least not until I knew they were going to cause a problem. Why bother? They sure neither one ever caused a problem on any of the ones I've owned.

Go shoot it. That's the first thing I'd do. Then I'd see what I wanted to do, not what some guy on the internet told me to do.
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Old February 13, 2013, 05:37 AM   #8
steveNChunter
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I am certainly going to shoot it the first chance I get. The first day that its not either raining or snowing when I get home from work. So that could be awhile this time of year in the NC mountains. I have a few thousand rounds of .22lr so Im not worried, and the store I bought the MK III from actually had CCI bulk packs in stock. I just wanted to hear what some other people have done to their MK III's and if it was worth doing in their opinion. Ill certainly develop my own opinions of what I should do to mine after I shoot it some. The only reason I've already decided I want the Hogue grips is because Im not crazy about the texture of the stock grips and I like the finger grooves and lefty thumbrest on the Hogue. I'm also gonna need a good holster for it. Im all ears for recommendations but I'm thinking hard about this Black Dog holster - http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/product/TRW-215
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Old February 13, 2013, 07:41 AM   #9
Pilot
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I wouldn't bother to disconnect or replace anything. At least not until I knew they were going to cause a problem. Why bother? They sure neither one ever caused a problem on any of the ones I've owned.
There are many documented experiences with the LCI causing failures to feed, especially when dirty. Yes, the can work, but it is just another uncessecary part that can cause failures. Glad you've had good experiences with it, but that does not prove others have not had problems.

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Go shoot it. That's the first thing I'd do. Then I'd see what I wanted to do, not what some guy on the internet told me to do.
Then why come here if to not gain advice and information? Why go to Rimfirecentral or The High Road? I am not saying to blindly follow anyone's advice, but there is good info available here, and some of it can be beneficial. If you don't want to follow other's advice here that is fine, but don't disparage what others say as just what "some guy on the internet told me to do." Often these "guys" have decades of shooting, and gun maintnenance experience.
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Old February 13, 2013, 08:10 AM   #10
CajunBass
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I said go shoot it first. IF you then find you have problems with it, come find out what others say about it. If you don't have a baseline, you don't know if you improved anything or not.

By the way. I'm "some guy on the internet." No one has to take my advice either.
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Old February 13, 2013, 08:30 AM   #11
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I did the mag disconnect and the LCI filler piece; got the parts from the guys over on rimfirecentral as linked to above.

They're good guys providing well-made parts for an inexpensive price. These minor mods made a great gun even better.

Well worth it IMO.
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Old February 13, 2013, 02:44 PM   #12
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By the way. I'm "some guy on the internet." No one has to take my advice either.
Ha, point taken. However, I have learned a lot here and elsewhere. The trick is to vet the advice a bit or consider the source before you follow it.

Guess, we're all just guys on the internet. Never would have imagined
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Old February 13, 2013, 03:12 PM   #13
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Guess, we're all just guys on the internet.
Actually, I believe there are some "gals" as well.

Steve, your question suggests that you may have already spent too much time listening to just some guys on gun forums. The best thing you can do is go out and shoot it. That's what it was made for. Ruger didn't ship it out expecting that buyers would need to make lots of changes. If your reasons for modifying it is to make it shoot lots better, then don't bother. However, if your reasons for making mods is just to have fun, then go for it. I replaced the grips on mine with beautiful wood grips, just because. Doesn't shoot any better, but it sure looks pretty! And, as much as I hate the "loaded gun incidator", changing it out won't affect functioning. After all is said and done, do what makes your pistol look right for you.
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Old February 13, 2013, 04:23 PM   #14
publius
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To learn everything about modifications go to rimfirecentral.com. Great pistol and even better when you get rid of the lawyer garbage.
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Old February 13, 2013, 04:53 PM   #15
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I did the slingshot mod to mine. I didn't bother with removing the magazine disconnect because it's not a defensive pistol for me, plus you need to order a bushing if I remember correctly.

Quote:
I wanted to "get the hang of it" before I started shooting mine, and it was a royal pain. Every time, I had to use a punch and a soft mallet to get the slide stop pin out, and every time, I needed the mallet to get the pin back in upon reassembly.

But after putting just 300 rounds or so through the gun, stripping and reassembly got MUCH easier, to the point where I no longer need any tools.
Even after about 5000 rounds through mine I still need a mallet and punch to get everything back in and out. It did get easier, but it can be a pain.
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Old February 13, 2013, 06:07 PM   #16
steveNChunter
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What do y'all think of the Majestic Arms speed strip kit? It has a 2-piece bolt stop pin that allows the top part to thread out and then you can just slide the bolt out. Their kit also comes with the bushing needed to do away with the mag disconnect. They say its also supposed to reduce trigger creep by 65 percent. I think I'd like to get it for mine when I do my first disassembly after about 500 rounds. I've never took one apart before, so I'm planning on taking it to my gunsmith the first time so he can help me with it. Do you think the speed strip kit is worth getting?
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Old February 14, 2013, 08:27 AM   #17
Pilot
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What do y'all think of the Majestic Arms speed strip kit?
Totally unnecessary. Follow the manual closely, and/or a Youtube vid the first few times. Spend your money on ammo for practice or to get the lawyer stuff removed from the pistol.
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Old February 14, 2013, 12:44 PM   #18
lee n. field
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Quote:
but I'm already customizing it in my head. I think my first add-on will be new grips. I'm considering a Hogue rubber grip with the finger grooves and a left-handed thumbrest (yes, I know I shoot wrong-handed).
Ehhhh. Maybe.

I ran with the Hogue rubber grip for a while, decided I liked the factory checkered plastic better.

First thing to do -- clean it, lube it and shoot it.

Any more, I'm not a fan of customizing before I'm very familiar with it from the factory. Too many people throw customizations on a new gun, creating new problems without solving old problems (or old non-problems).
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