Quality control (QC) costs money. Across many industries and companies, QC is among the first things to go when cost-cutting measures are taken. Ruger is good company that makes a decent product, but it seems as if they don't function test each firearm before it goes out the door. There are many stories similar to yours. At least Ruger's customer service is excellent. Companies have to make a profit, production costs go up, and shooters don't want to spend a lot on their firearms. Proof: Ruger's budget American series rifles are selling well while their better and costlier M77 Hawkeye rifles sales sag. We want them cheap.
The Mark I is a fine pistol, I have one, but mine has not been flawless. I have a target model from back in the late 70s. It was never very reliable. I didn't shoot it very much for years. This past year I got back into handgunning and it again kept jamming like crazy, (stove pipes, failure to extract, failures to fire etc). and I didn't have all that many rounds thru it. After replacing the recoil springs, extractor and firing pin with higher quality aftermarket parts, I got it shooting well. Now it's a pleasure to shoot. I did have a trigger job done on it yeas ago by Jim Clark and its 1 lb 13 oz trigger was/is the best part of that pistol.
