Help identifying Ruger .22 pistol

[hittman77]

Yep, Standard Target.
Many call anything and everything not marked MKII as a MKI.

 

[DWalt]

Mark I and Mark II magazines can interchange, IIRC. You have to swap the buttons to the other side, though.

I mentioned the MecGar magazines that I bought for my Standard Model. They will fit both the SM and the Mark II by just moving the spring depressing button to the other side. I don't think that is the case for later models of the Ruger.

 

[nedlate]

My Ruger MKl has a heavy barrel that appears to be 5 3/8" to 5 1/2", depends how you hold your head!
My grips are identical to your grips.
My gun says Mark l on the receiver, but it is a much later gun with the serial number of 329,449 putting it around 1965.
Also my front sight is different-a short ramp followed with a flat. It is attached with a screw on the flat. Micro rear sight.

I have tried to attach pictures but my computer is fighting with me. Sorry.

Serial number lookup-
Ruger Standard and Mark I Serial Number History

 

[nedlate]

Here are my pictures, I hope.

 

[Drm50]

I think the original target model was designated MK-1, 6 7/8th”
Original magazines only slotted on one side, right I think. Also early models were 9 shot. Far as I know no bull barrel model in 1950s.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Here are my pictures, I hope.

Just a NICE gun!!!

 

[diyj98]

Yep, Standard Target.
Many call anything and everything not marked MKII as a MKI.

I see that often at gunshows. I recently sold a nice Standard model at a show. I had several people ask me about my "MkI".

A Standard that's been customized for sure. Not in collectible condition, but might be a great shooter.

 

[Drm50]

I went back and checked just to make sure I wasn’t blowing smoke. The original RUGER target model with 6 7/8” heavy tapered barrel and later bull barrel model were designated MK-1
the others were Standards.
I had one I got new in middle 60s that had factory walnut grips.
Later I picked up 5”HB that had the stock black plastic RUGER grips. Had several RUGER autos since used and new. What I can’t remember is if MK-1 was stamped into gun. I just had one a few months ago and was too poor to pay attention to detail.

 

[DWalt]

There will be found some confusion regarding the early Ruger .22 nomenclature and different sources will provide conflicting information. It appears the earliest Ruger pistols were named (and stamped) only as the Ruger .22 Cal Long Rifle Automatic Pistol. The nomenclature for the original fixed rear sight pistol seems to have been changed to Standard Model (or Standard Pistol) only after the adjustable rear sight model appeared in early 1951, in conjunction with the longer tapered target barrel (actually, several target barrels were available) that was intended for target shooting. That version became known as the Mark I, but it is unclear as to when the receiver began being stamped with that Mark I designation. For sure, there are Mark I-stamped receivers. Mark I Rugers appeared in early factory advertising billed as the ".22 caliber Mark I Target Pistol." In any event, the main difference between the Ruger Standard Model (or Standard Pistol) and the Ruger Mark I is only the adjustable rear sight plus some trigger and front sight enhancements.

I have only one Ruger Standard presently, from 1953. In near-mint condition when I bought it, the sights were ridiculously far off POI. The rear sight was very difficult to slide in the dovetail, and I had to file down the front sight to get a reasonable zero at 50'. The sights very probably left the factory that way.

BTW, I originally said that I thought that the Mark III magazines would not work in the earlier Rugers - STD, I, II. That is incorrect. The Mark III magazines will work, but may (or may not) require some slight modification. There are YouTube videos showing how it is done if needed.