Found a neat gun today at a gun shop near me, a 1999 vintage Ruger MKII Standard .22, blued fixed sight 4 5/8" barrel. Came in the red plastic 50th anniversary box, spare magazine, etc. Sold as un-fired, priced at about $20 more than a new fixed sight MKIV Standard.

I have always like the fixed sight Standards, going back to my teen years when I talked my Mother into letting me buy a fixed sight Standard that I used for hunting rabbits. Price was $67.50 in 1977, probably half the cost of a Smith & Wesson .22 revolver.....

Took it home and ran a couple hundred rounds through it, flawless operation, sights dead on. I shoot this pistol as good as I do my 5" barrel Target MKIII, and I've had that pistol for six years or more. At 50' standing, I was getting nine out of ten hits on a 1 3/4 aiming black, with CCI Standard Velocity ammo. Ten out of Ten hits is illusive for me, somehow I always choke on one round that strays into the white....




20 yards shooting steel was very satisfying, 3 1/2" targets. Felt like I couldn't miss with this pistol:





Family photo, top is a 5" MKIII Target, middle is a 1981 vintage Stainless Standard "Bill Ruger Signature Series", bottom is the 50th Anniversary MKII.



I've already got a nice Bianchi "Outdoorsman" holster for it, so I'll put it in rotation as my field and woods walking .22 pistol. Rabbits look out!

I have one set up just to test different ammo at 50 yards. They will work with anything without a jam. I have shown this before. Here is another for testing scopes or plinking. One is an ugly woods gun my mother in law gave me that spent a lot of time in a tackle box.

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My first pistol was a Mark II std like this. My father gave it to me. Long gone unfortunately (really dumb move). So, I bought the 50th anniversary piece when it came out and will give it to my son if he ever leaves New Jersey.

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This one is set up for bullseye. The Mk II stainless is, I think, the best of the Ruger .22 pistols.
Bob

I love MKII’s. That anniversary gun is a sweet gun. Probably the best standard fixed sight ever made. I love the stainless bolt with the engraving. I have 7 MKII’s. 6 are target models and the 1 anniversary.

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"The Mk II stainless is, I think, the best of the Ruger .22 pistols."


Unless you have one with a two-piece bolt.

I bought one of those in '99, when they came out. It was going to be my retirement fund. Was going to increase in value sooooo much.


In '08 I checked and saw that the value had gone up almost $5 over what I paid for it, so I said the heck with it. Gave it to my daughter. She lets the grandgirls shoot it.

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I always take precautions

Not a good collectible. But definitely a good shooter. The special red box, magazines and bolt are pretty cool too. Sometimes I wish it had the scallops For the bolt, but it is a nice nod to the originals.

I found one of the 50th Anniversary models in an out of state gun store several years ago, and not knowing too much about Ruger Mark pistols, assumed it was a special gun. Well, it is, by definition, due to the cosmetics and marked box, but otherwise just a regular Mark II. I've since learned a bit more about the Ruger Mark series pistols, and general consensus seems to be that the Mark II was the best of the lot. Unfortunately, mine does not shoot as well as those owned by others.

At the same out of state gun store, they also had an old Ruger Standard model pistol (1951), which also managed to find its way home with me. Now that pistol does shoot very well. Why my Mark II doesn't is a mystery to me, they are basically the same gun. Luck of the draw I suppose.

And the first time I broke them down for a long overdue cleaning, it was an exercise in patience and a steep learning curve. A good video and frequent use of the pause, rewind, and play functions helped immeasurably.

The only mk2 problems I’ve seen were magazine related specifically the way the button rides in the slot. You either take it apart and meticulously debur and polish the slot and the magazine edges. Or rapidly move the button up and down 1000 times till it’s smooth.

The Ruger MK II Target Stainless is my favorite .22 handgun for target shooting and just plain old plinking fun.

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