I picked up a Ruger KMK10 upper where the previous owner cut the barrel to 8-1/2 inches long. After it was laying around my shop for a few weeks a plan began to formulate for a project pistol using some of the many Ruger Mark pistol parts that I have in my inventory. The first things I did was drill and tap the receiver and then I made an optics base for the receiver that ends where the barrel and receiver junction meet. The rear dovetail where the original adjustable rear sight used to reside, was filled, and would not be needed because this was to be an "optics only" end result.

Not wanting to have an ordinary, heavy tapered, 8-1/2 inch barrel, I set up my milling machine to give the barrel a bit different L@@K. Here you can see where the dovetail was filled and some aluminum stock was cut for a vent rib set-up.

The barrel and receiver were glass bead blasted and then the metal was treated with "EEZOX" to give it that grayish Ruger look. I fashioned a set of grip panels that were hand shaped, finished and checkered from a set of English Walnut panels I sliced off a block of that species I had in stock.

The Mark II grip frame was polished, the front strap serrated and then the grip frame was rust blued. This pistol turned out to be a very good shooter and after reworking the barrel, the balance is much better, even with the length being maintained.

Not near enough snow in Texas to keep me in to finish a project like that.

Excellent.

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I am a sheep dog!
1601 (ret)

I reload during the winter besides I have a few builds and restorations to finish. I purchase parts and build sporting rifles.

The snow isn't too bad, but the cold will make even an Eskimo hibernate during February.