JimHinSTL: I hope you enjoy your new "slab-side" as much as I do mine.
I also prefer the stainless steel models in all my MK series of Ruger pistols.
I do a lot of Ground Squirrel shooting and have red dot sights on the MK pistols I shoot/Hunt with.
I may have measured wrong but my on-line and hard copy inventories show that I listed my MK-II slab side pistol as having a 6 1/2" barrel.
I better double check that.
I bought that one used some time back and again may have miss-measured.
Last summer I did buy a 10" heavy barreled Ruger MK-II but have not fired this blued model to date.
Again enjoy to the max.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy