Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Ruger Mark 2 or Mark 4 - which to keep?

Own:
Ruger Mark 2 SS 5.5 inch bull barrel
Ruger Mark2 SS gov 6 7/8 bull barrel with scope base. Voltq trigger & extractor installed
Ruger mark 4 blue 5.5 inch

Owned the 2's for years and the 4 for a short while, but have not shot it much due to perpetual ammo shortages. I'm still very used to the 2's because I reach to the bottom to release the magazine.
I love my Smith 617 more than these, but I see aging eyes may like a red dot in the future.
These are plinking or range guns mostly.

I'm thinking of inventory reduction down to 2 or 1.

What would you pick at 2 or 1 remaining inventory...
And WHY.

I would keep ONLY the MKII 6 7/8' barrel. My answer to "Why?" is a regurgitation of a post I made a few years ago in another thread:

MKIV's are good guns for sure, but they are not superior to MK II's. Yes, the disassembly is way easier, but taking down a MKII has never been a problem for me (no worse than a 1911) so I don't see the MKIV push button has a significant selling point. However, I get that the disassembly/reassembly of earlier models is NOT fun for the vast majority of their owners. The push button is THE major selling feature of the MKIV. But...

MKIV triggers are HEAVY! Out of the box, the three I've tried are likely in the 8 lb range. For $130+ dollars you can solve that with a Volquartsen Accurizing Kit, which also also eliminates the idiotic magazine disconnect--another "feature" you won't find on a MK II.

Reassembling a MKIV two piece safety is an adventure. Also, when shooting, some people are reporting that the safety lever sticks out too far on the MKIV. That safety lever is unnecessary.

Nor am I a fan of the fragile finish on the blued MKIV's, or the aluminum lower (on some MKIV models, not all), or the way the upper rattles (on many guns, the upper and lower don't mate up well. It doesn't affect functionality; it just rattles. Like an AR 15.)

The MKIV does has an improved mag release. The one I tried was pretty cool. You can hold the gun with the grip pointed up and when you press the mag release, there is a spring that pushes the mag. It will actually lift the mag about 1 1/2 inches up in the air. When the mag well is pointed down, like when you're shooting, pressing the mag release makes the mag blast out of the mag well! If you need rapid mag changes, the MKIV smokes the MKII.

Selling the MKIV should be pretty simple. People like the easy disassembly. The other MKII will sell eventually. Use the proceeds from the sale of two guns to put a red dot on the MKII's scope base. You'll have money left over to put toward ammo.

I would keep the Mk II 6 7/8" first. Then the other Mk II and get rid of the IV. If you're asking about the 617, I'd keep it above all the others.

Yep. Great advice!

Humdinger: I own a BUNCH of Ruger MK pistols including several MK-II's and MK-IV's.
I also have a nifty Smith & Wesson Model 617 - and wouldn't mind adding another 617 to my arsenal should YOU care to sell yours. Keep me advised.
Back to the bottom line of your posting though - I recommend you keep ALL your Ruger and Smith & Wesson rimfire pistols!
My reasoning for this recommendation I would rather keep close to the vest for now.
Ride this ammo shortage out and "re-supply - majorly" once it is over.
I also have "red-dot" sights on several of my MK Ruger pistols of various vintages/models and they, in my extensive experience and in my opinion, are WONDERFUL aides to attaining superb accuracy in my heavy barrel Ruger MK's and Browning BuckMarks!
Best of luck to you whatever you decide to do.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I wouldn't consider getting rid of the 617 or the 6 7/8 Ruger. The others I would hang onto unless one of my kids, grandkids or nephews wanted them. That's just me.

My 617 is the last one to sell.
I should see if they make a red dot mount conversion kit for these yet. Have a burris FF3 would fit well

I guess I am the only one so far, i would keep the MK2 5 1/2” bull barrel. Only because I have one that is 33 years old and it is kind of like an old friend. It has shot bullseye, rimfire silhouette, and bowling pin. It has shot squirrels and rabbits. It just does just about anything a 22 pistol needs to do.
It has had a Burris FF on it for a few years in a no drill mount and its been very good also.

I don't see anything especially "special" about either one; keep the one you like to shoot the most, and to hell with anyone else's opinion. Yours is the only one that counts.

I only have one S&W 22 revolver. And it’s a model 48. But I have 3 Mark 2 pistols. Two are government models. One blue and one stainless. I have shot many friends model 17 and 18 pistols. I shoot the Rugers about as well as the Smiths. But I have 10 magazines for the Rugers and a speed loader for them. I hate loading a 22 revolver.
Hasbeen

By the way my Rugers have been to Sarona Gun works for turn ups. Dennis is expert on Rugers. The triggers are real nice on these pistols. Dennis is in Wisconsin. The good thing about Rugers is the serial number is on the barrel so you can ship the bottom part priority mail. Hasbeen

Unless you really need some money I'd say keep them all. They aren't hurting anything (literally) and are paid for, at worst they're just taking up a few cubic inches in your house.

Pick the ones you want to shoot now, clean and oil the others and put them away, out of sight and out of mind. In a few years, if you ever get a hankering that you remember how much fun one of them was, it'll still be there.

I've done the inventory reduction thing more times than I can remember, but what I do remember vividly is sooner or later wishing I still had most of them.

I have a MK II bull barrel, a MK III with a TacSol upper and Burriss FF3, and a 6" S&W 17-3. All 3 are dead nuts accurate. Also have 12-15 mags for the Rugers and a speed loader.

I don't see myself selling any of them. Probably all be legacy gifts to the younguns.

For what you'd get for the Rugers ($400-500 tops each), is that amount Going to make a difference for you? That's really all that's left for you to figure out.

I'd keep both II's.

They're already perceived as the best of the MK's and that ain't gonna change.

My strategy.
Have never needed to sell a gun (Thank God), and have only left a couple go.
Regret that. Even though I literally never fired either.

They don't take up much space, don't eat anything, and appreciate.

What you gonna do better with the money?
I always figure they are my last ditch bank account.

Sounds like you need another one that is threaded and a suppressor!

Add a MaddMacs Precision Tactical mount and a red dot and have a blast!

I like the MK II heavy barrel and use one sometimes in bullseye; it's excellent with just about anything you feed it. Like "deflave" said, it's the best of the MKs. This one has been slightly modified.
Bob



Rear sight is a copy of the old BoMar


Front and rear straps are stippled; Clark steel trigger set at 2.2 lb with no creep or overtravel



50 yd machine rest groups, 20 shots

Think about which one of these "eats" the most. There'll be a reason for that.