Ruger announces new MK IV

Faulkner said:

For all of you who think the Ruger MK I, II, and III are too hard to field strip, Ruger has apparently been listening. They have just introduced the new MK IV. While the pistol maintains the same classic outward appearance as the Mark III, its simple, one-button takedown for quick and easy field-stripping will be appreciated by those whose mechanical skills are challenged when reassembling one of the previous MK's.

I heard that to purchase one of the new MK IV's in any color other than pink you'll have to show your duly authorized man card. (Just kidding)

I think Ruger has introduced this just in time. I have little doubt that the new S&W .22 Victory was about to put a significant dent in Ruger's .22 auto market share.

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shawn mccarver said:

It takes a real optimist to believe the Victory will have any effect whatsoever on any Ruger 22 pistol.

The problems noted on this forum alone with the Victory pretty well have killed it for anyone who isn't brand loyal.

Sorry to S&W for these remarks about the Victory, but the basic operating system of the Mark I-IV of the Ruger Standard Model pretty well sets a bar that no one else can match with respect to accuracy, longevity, durability, reliability, and price.

I have never had a Ruger 22 Auto disassemble itself from a "take-down screw" working loose. Why S&W abandoned the "High Standard" type of button that worked so well on the 22A and 22S is beyond me.

The Mark IV appears to solve the last objection that anyone had with the series, that of take down, although I never take mine down. Any cleaning is done without take down, and I don't clean it more than once every 5 to 10 years, and I have simply never had a problem. The Ruger 22 Auto gets shot at every trip to the Range, and it gets pretty dirty when we are talking thousands of rounds and years between cleanings.

So, is the new hinged action, a-la the AR type rifle worth the engineering costs, etc.? Not to me, but then again, quite a number of people feel the need to disassemble their pistols way to often, in my opinion.

For those who like that, the Victory has the advantage of taking itself apart by firing. Perhaps S&W intentionally designed in the feature so the owner would know when to clean.

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BAM-BAM said:

Embarrassed to admit ............ what were the Mark III " improvements" ???

I've had a couple of Rugers over the years......but they have all come and gone.................

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Kanewpadle said:

I like it. But I won't be getting rid of my Mark II Government anytime soon.

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JaPes said:

This makes me a little sad. The frustration of breaking down and reassembling a MK 1, 2, or 3 pistol is a shared misery among owners. It created a sense of camaraderie.

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