- Ruger MK II
Infobox Weapon
name=Ruger MK II
origin=United States of America
type=Semi-automatic pistol
is_ranged=yes
service=
used_by=
wars=
designer=
design_date=
manufacturer= Sturm, Ruger & Co.
production_date= 1982-2005
number=
variants=
weight= 46 oz. (w/ 6 7/8" bull barrel)
length= 11 1/8" (w/ 6 7/8" bull barrel)
part_length=
crew=
cartridge= .22 LR
caliber=
action= Recoil
rate= semi-automatic
velocity=
range=
max_range=
feed= 10-round magazine + 1 in chamberThe Ruger
rimfire semi-automatic pistol s are some of the most popularhandguns made, with over three million sold. They are manufactured by Sturm, Ruger & Company.Models
The most prevalent model is the "MK II", pronounced "Mark Two", made from
1982 to2005 . Previous models include the "Standard", Ruger's first model, made from1949 to1982 , and the "MK I Target", made from1951 to1982 . Variations include the "Target" models, which have heavier barrels and adjustable sights, and the "22/45" models, which have apolymer frame with a grip-angle that matches the Colt 1911 rather than thesteel frame's Luger P08-like layout. The MK II was removed from production in2004 , when it was replaced by the "MK III". All Rugerrimfire pistols are chambered in.22 Long Rifle only.History and variations
The original Ruger pistol, now called the "Standard", had no model number, as it was the first, and for a time, only gun made by
Sturm, Ruger . Prior toBill Ruger 's partnership with Sturm, he had successfully duplicated two BabyNambu pistol s [Wilson, R. L. "Ruger & His Guns; A History Of The Man, The Company And Their Firearms." 1996. ISBN-10: 07-8582-1031.] while working in his garage, from a US Marine's captured Nambu, shortly afterWorld War II . Although deciding against marketing the Baby Nambu Pistols, Ruger did incorporate the Nambu style rear cocking device and modified the Nambu's silhouette, plus he added a 4.75" lightweight barrel with fixed sights. The MK I added a Target model, which had a 5.5" bull barrel, or a 6 7/8" heavy taper barrel and adjustable sights. The MK II added a slide stop that held the slide open on the last round, and also was available instainless steel . The MK II has been available in a number of barrel lengths; 4.75" and 6" lightweight barrels; 4", 5.5", 6.875" and 10" bull barrels, and 5.25" and 6.875" heavy tapered barrels. All guns with bull or heavy tapered barrels are Target models, and are equipped with target sights consisting of an adjustable rear sight and a taller, wider front sight, with an aggressive undercut to reduce glare.Some special variants that command higher prices are the "Government Model", a model that was used for pistol training and competition by the US Army, and the "Red Eagle" models, which were made from
1949 to the year of company co-founder Alexander Sturm's death, in1952 . The "Red Eagle" models had the Ruger logo in red on a silver background. Since then, the Ruger logo on the grip panels has been either black on silver or silver on black, with the exception of a special "50th Anniversary" model that had a silver eagle on a red background. The top of the line "Government Competition Model" comes with a 6.875" "slab side" barrel (a bull barrel with the sides milled flat to save weight), laminated wood thumbrest grips, a low profile scope base, and scope rings; with the addition of a pistol scope, it makes an ideal entry level bullseye pistol.An integrally-silenced Mk II is used by
Navy SEALs ,Mossad andpest control officers. This variant is almost totally silent and accurate to 70 meters. [cite book |title=The Directory of the World's Weapons |year=1996 |publisher=Blitz Editions |location=p119 |isbn=1-85605-348-2 ] "SeeList of individual weapons of the U.S. Armed Forces ".Together with the MK I, the MK II was the suggested handgun in
Paladin Press 's controversial how-to book, , due to low cost and reliability.Maintenance
Disassembly and reassembly
Disassembly of this pistol is accomplished by the removal of a mainspring housing/bolt stop pin assembly and can be done very quickly. Re-assembly can be tricky, however, as the gun must be tilted so the barrel is rotated 135 degrees from horizontal as the mainspring housing is latched in place during the final step of reassembly. (Worded another way, the barrel must be pointed upwards at a specific angle for the pieces to fall into place properly.) If this is not done properly, the hammer strut will not seat, and the hammer will not be able to move backwards. This is immediately obvious by the fact that the bolt can only be moved back a fraction of an inch (a few millimeters) upon the mainspring being latched; once the hammer strut is properly position, the bolt can be moved easily throughout its normal range of travel. By tilting the gun so the hammer strut lies in the correct position as the mainspring housing is closed, the strut is guided into place in the cup on top of the mainspring, and the strut locks into this cavity when the mainspring housing is latched.
Cleaning and Reliability
The .22 LR cartridge is the dirtiest cartridge in common use today, causing pistols chambered in this caliber to require cleaning more often than the average pistol.
References
External links
* [http://ruger.com/Firearms/PDF/InstructionManuals/01.pdf Instruction Manual] - Ruger's instruction manual.
* [http://www.ruger-firearms.com/Firearms/PDF/PartsBooklets/C2.pdf Parts Booklet] - Ruger's official parts list and exploded assembly diagram.
* [http://www.1bad69.com/ruger/field_strip.htm Field Stripping] - guide to field stripping the pistol, with images.
* [http://www.1bad69.com/ruger/internals.htm Assembly/Disassembly] - guide to full assembly/disassembly.
* [http://www.geocities.com/felixthefish.geo/mkii_overtravel.html Overtravel] - How to adjust the overtravel screw on a Ruger MK II Target model.
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.