• If you enjoy the forum please consider supporting it by signing up for a NES Membership  The benefits pay for the membership many times over.

What's the best .22 ruger pistol?

J

jcisbig

Joined
Dec 25, 2005
Messages
14
Likes
0
Feedback: 0 / 0 / 0
I'm looking at getting a Ruger .22 pistol, I will mostly be shooting at an outdoor range doing some target shooting and plinking. I was wondering which pistols were best, either the Mk II's, 22/45's, or the III's? What are the main differences, and which ones have the best performance? Should I look at used, or buying new?

Thanks in advance!

jcisbig
 
jcisbig,

Welcome!

I've been wanting to handle one of the new 22/45's. The rake on the grip of the MKII/I is so steep it's not very comfortable for me.

I'd like to hear other members' takes on this too.

Matt

(does "jc" refer to the THE "jc", i.e. the one who's birthday it is today?)
 
Off Topic: yes, he IS big!!

On topic: Not really sure, but one with adjustable sights. Like I said, I haven't had a chance to handle one yet. Got to get down to Four Seasons to play with them.

Matt
 
Matt, check your pm inbox.

They made pistols with fixed sights? I don't know too much about the Rugers other than what I can find online, and what I've heard from those who have shot them.

I'm friends with an ex-cop who says that his ruger mk II is one of the best guns he owns!
 
I cant speak for the later ones but IMHO the mark 2 is one of the best 22s ever made. I belive it slowed sales of things like the woodsman and other 22 semis of the day it became so popular.
The only draw back is the dissasemble.
 
The MKIII is basically a MKII with a loaded chamber indicator and magazine cut-off. No mag - no shoot. The magazine release is different now also . Otherwise, they're pretty much the same. Regardless of if it's a 22/45 model or not, the upper recievers are the same. Go with which grip you like best.
 
How is the magazine release different on the Mk III's?

What's tricky about the dissassemble? I'm new to pistols, so is the disassemble something that happens every time you clean, or less frequently? I own a S&W .357 Mag revolver and I don't dissassemble that.

I take it that the 22/45's have a polymer or something handle/grip, but the reciever and barrel is still steel? Do the grips come off on a 22/45 like on a reg. Mk II or III?
 
I love my Mark III but you have to be a supergenius to get it apart and worse, back together. It's a great gun to shoot. And the grip angle doesn't bother me. It's just a pain to clean. You might ask somebody to demonstrate the assembly/disassembly before you buy one.
 
jcisbig said:
How is the magazine release different on the Mk III's?

What's tricky about the dissassemble? I'm new to pistols, so is the disassemble something that happens every time you clean, or less frequently? I own a S&W .357 Mag revolver and I don't dissassemble that.

I take it that the 22/45's have a polymer or something handle/grip, but the reciever and barrel is still steel? Do the grips come off on a 22/45 like on a reg. Mk II or III?
Click to expand...

Actually looking now I don't think I was very specific.

First- the magazine release is in a different spot. The Mark II has one that releases at the base of the grip where the magazine loads in. The Mark III has a more traditional release on the side of the grip. Less convenient for lefties on the III.
The disassemble is for every time you clean. You can't get the bolt out otherwise. You need to figure out how to find something just right to get the latch on the backstrap to release the action and there's these little pegs that need to line up just right otherwise you can't get it back together. Unless you do it frequently it takes at least 5-6 tries to get the things lined up right. Even consulting the manual doesn't help.
A Revolver doesn't have as many functional parts as a semi-auto. With a revolver you just have to clean the cylinder and barrel and you're set. A semi-auto is like a puzzle if you're not entirely familiar.
There I think that's a better answer now.
 
If I could only have one .22 semi auto pistol it would be the MKII. Accurate, reliable & easy to maintain.

CD
 
Thanks for the info on the dissassembly. I'll keep that in mind when I buy. Didn't know that you had to disassemble the entire thing every time you clean it!

I read some complaints on a different sight about the magazines on the III's not sliding out of the grip well and getting stuck, do you know anything about that? Is there truth behind it, or just someone being over sensitive?
 
Are the Mk II's different in their assembly from the Mk III's, or relatively similar? if different, which is easier to clean?

Also, why do some of the models posess fixed rear sights? how do you sight the gun in if that is the case?
 
I personally am saving up for a S&W 617

10-shot .22 revolver. As SR said SUPER easy to clean, they're about as heavy and solid as they come....and here's what I want: Shoot ten rounds without reloading, then eject the spent brass into a cup. No chasing down spent brass at the gun cub. Also personally I think revolvers are a LOT easier to fill up with ammo than a automatic's magazine.

My thoughts, when I'm shooting .22 I'm gonna want to shoot A LOT OF .22. So the less time I'm spending loading, and sweeping spent brass, the better.

Plus all my handguns are automatics, so I think I NEED a wheel-gun! 8)

Arrrr

-Weer'd Beard
 
Thanks for the info on the disassembly! Without the mods though, my questions still stand for anyone who can give an answer:

"Are the Mk II's different in their assembly from the Mk III's, or relatively similar? if different, which is easier to clean?

Also, why do some of the models posess fixed rear sights? how do you sight the gun in if that is the case?"

Thanks!
 
jcisbig said:
Thanks for the info on the disassembly! Without the mods though, my questions still stand for anyone who can give an answer:

"Are the Mk II's different in their assembly from the Mk III's, or relatively similar? if different, which is easier to clean?

Also, why do some of the models posess fixed rear sights? how do you sight the gun in if that is the case?"

Thanks!
Click to expand...

My husband has a Mk II, I have a Mk III. They assembly is essentially identical. The main differences are just the mag release and the loaded indicator. The complicated aspects are all the same.

From what I understand, fixed sights are something for carry/tactical guns. If you're a target shooter then you want adjustable sights so that you can move them as needed. However on a gun that you're going to whip out on a moments notice you want the sight to be exactly where it was every other time you shot it. So if there's a Mark II or Mark III with fixed sights I can't begin to imagine why. They would be right up there with a S&W 500 as to what I would consider "really bad carry guns..." [roll]
 
On the Ruger website, a lot of the II's and III's have fixed sights, while some have adjustable sights. I was reading the instruction manual for the III's, and they said that the 'fixed' sights are adjustable for windage only, while the 'adjustable' are adjustable for both windage and elevation.

But still, why would they make a 'fixed' sight on a .22 pistol?
 
The fixed sights on my Ruger Mk II are lower in profile than the adjustable sights on my Mk II 512.

The fixed sights are easier to draw from a holster, with less risk of damage to a suede or pigskin lining. Practically, the fixed sight combo shoots best with one ammo; and results will vary for others. WHICH ammo varies by individual gun. For mine, POI = POA at 25 yds with Remington std velocity. (POI: Point of impact, POA: Point of aim). This is my general hip 22 when I'm in the field.

The adjustable sight gun is more flexible for range shooting; I can adjust POI to match POA for each ammo type. The sighting picture is also better than the Mk II with fixed sights.
 
I guess I wasn't considering sporting events regarding holstering a Mark II or III. I've seen tons of built up Rugers for competition. So there's why you'd have fixed sights on a Ruger... Silly me. [wink]
 
SiameseRat: Just sharing my point of view, ma'am. IMHO, you NAILED the definition of fixed sights as it applies to concealed /defensive carry.

jcisbig; a great bb called markii.org exists entirely for your original question. LOTS of good Ruger Mk I/II/III info to gather there.

Don't let re-assembly scare you; it can be done without mods (though the mods can help). An oft-repeated subject seems to be "How do I put my Mk... back together now that I have it clean again?" The provided link is very helpful.
 
Thanks for those links.

I think after looking at everything that everyone has said, I'm going to aim to get a Mk III 22/45 with a 5.5 inch bull barrel. I'm going to be doing target practice, so the adjustable sights on it will be necessary, and I may be switching ammo from time to time, so I want to be able to adjust for that.

Thanks for everyone's help!
 
Thanks for those links.

I think after looking at everything that everyone has said, I'm going to aim to get a Mk III 22/45 with a 5.5 inch bull barrel. I'm going to be doing target practice, so the adjustable sights on it will be necessary, and I may be switching ammo from time to time, so I want to be able to adjust for that.

Thanks for everyone's help!
 
Thanks for those links.

I think after looking at everything that everyone has said, I'm going to aim to get a Mk III 22/45 with a 5.5 inch bull barrel. I'm going to be doing target practice, so the adjustable sights on it will be necessary, and I may be switching ammo from time to time, so I want to be able to adjust for that.

Thanks for everyone's help!
 
jcisbig:

If you intent yours for holster carry at all, consider a Triple K model 196 leather (unlined!) holster. I got mine from cowboyneeds.com. I like the fact that it doesn't have an external mag case sewn to the outside. Seems more secure for pistol and extra mag to have the mag in a separate holder like the model 094.
 
jcisbig:

If you intent yours for holster carry at all, consider a Triple K model 196 leather (unlined!) holster. I got mine from cowboyneeds.com. I like the fact that it doesn't have an external mag case sewn to the outside. Seems more secure for pistol and extra mag to have the mag in a separate holder like the model 094.
 
jcisbig:

If you intent yours for holster carry at all, consider a Triple K model 196 leather (unlined!) holster. I got mine from cowboyneeds.com. I like the fact that it doesn't have an external mag case sewn to the outside. Seems more secure for pistol and extra mag to have the mag in a separate holder like the model 094.
 

Similar threads

newly produced m1 carbines: who makes the best
Replies
24
Views
678
PappyM3
PappyM3
Best .223/5.56 Bolt Action
Replies
26
Views
653
paulleve
paulleve
Recommend barrel length for best accuracy out of 10/22
Replies
24
Views
702
dcmdon
dcmdon
Rifle/ Pistol range
2
Replies
58
Views
1K
whacko
whacko
a .22 lr question
Replies
8
Views
256
Asaltweapon
Asaltweapon
Back
Top Bottom