Ruger Mark Ii Government Target Model Serial Numbers
Pamula Harrison
The Ruger Standard Model is a rimfire semi-automatic pistol introduced in 1949 as the first product manufactured by Sturm, Ruger & Co., and was the founding member of a product line of .22 Long Rifle cartridge handguns, including its later iterations: the MK II, MK III, and MK IV. It is marketed as an inexpensive .22 caliber rimfire intended for casual sport and target shooting, and plinking. Designed by company founder William B. Ruger, the Standard model and its offspring went on to become the most accepted and successful .22 caliber semi-automatic pistols ever produced.[1][2]
Sometime in the years following World War II, firearm designer and entrepreneur Bill Ruger acquired a pair of World War II Japanese Nambu pistols from a returning US Marine, which he successfully duplicated in his garage.[3] Using the Nambu's silhouette and bolt system, Ruger produced his first prototype, but lacked the venture capital necessary to fund its introduction. When his affluent friend and potential financial backer Alex Sturm was shown the 1949 prototype Ruger had created, he was impressed by its sleek traditional aesthetic and its slight resemblance to the classic nostalgia-evoking German Luger P08 pistol.
Realizing that prospective buyers would share his sentiment, Sturm quickly signed on board with an initial investment of $50,000 and the two teamed to create what was to become an iconic American firearms manufacturing company, Sturm, Ruger & Co.[1][2] Ruger's new product was simply christened the "Standard" model. Intended as a low-cost recreation and sporting product for outdoor, hunting and firearms enthusiasts, Ruger pioneered a number of simple and innovative manufacturing techniques used in the production of the new pistol, including using piano wire coiled springs in the lockwork in lieu of the flat springs most manufacturers were using at the time, and forming the receivers from two stamped and welded sheet metal halves.
These practices worked well with a firearm which needed to handle only .22 rimfire pressures, and the cost savings it produced allowed Sturm and Ruger to radically undersell the competition which still used older and more expensive manufacturing techniques.[2] Financier Sturm, an amateur heraldry aficionado, made his own contribution in the form of the company's trademark "Red Eagle" coat of arms emblem, which was featured as a medallion on the left grip panel.[1][2] A favorable review published in the American Rifleman magazine penned by the notable firearms authority Major General Julian S. Hatcher, coupled with a subdued advertisement printed in the same magazine, resulted in a great deal of interest from the public.[1] The suggested retail price for the new pistol was a reasonable and very competitive US$37.50.[4]
Checks from would-be purchasers soon rolled in, but as Ruger was firmly entrenched in the "old school" of financial responsibility, none were cashed until product actually shipped, set a standard for "in the black" operation which would serve the company well in the future. In a few months the seed money was all spent, but by then the first 100 Standard pistols had been built and distributed to the initial purchasers.[2]
From the time of its introduction in the fall of 1949, the new pistol was a success, and though it faced competition from the beginning, it soon dominated a large share of the rimfire pistol market segment. Unfortunately, Alex Sturm did not survive to see the corporation's ultimate success, suffering an untimely demise from viral hepatitis in November 1951.[2] In memory of, and as a mark of respect and bereavement, Ruger ordered the background of Sturm's eagle emblem changed from red to black on future production models of the popular and successful firearm they produced and marketed together.[1][2]
The Standard model remained in continuous production with minor improvements for the next 33 years, but the new corporation expanded the basic Standard archetype into a product line of pistols over time by the introduction of a number of variant models. These took the form of offering additional barrel lengths and configurations, creating versions optimized for target shooting, and adding the finish option of stainless steel. The line was also refined with three mechanical "Mark" series upgrades, the MkII, MkIII and MkIV, in 1982, 2004 and 2016[2] The MkII added a slide stop that held the slide open on the last round, and also was available in stainless steel. The MKII was available in a number of barrel lengths; 4.75 in (12.1 cm) and 6 in (15 cm) lightweight barrels; 4 in (10 cm), 5.5 in (14 cm), 6.875 in (17.46 cm) and 10 in (25 cm) bull barrels, and 5.25 in (13.3 cm) and 6.875 in (17.46 cm) 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. In 1999 18 versions of this popular pistol could be found in the Sturm Ruger catalog, and with over 2 million sold it eventually became the most prolific and well-liked .22 automatic pistol of all time.[1][2]
The Standard model is an atypical design, lacking the slide found on conventional pistols, instead sporting a cylindrical bolt which cycles inside a tubular receiver in a manner more characteristic of a rimfire rifle. The bolt of the pistol features protruding "ears" at its rear which are grasped and pulled rearward to feed the initial round and cock the action. Using the basic blowback form of operation, the Standard model originally came with a blued carbon steel finish and was equipped with a 4.75-inch (12.1 cm) tapered barrel.
The magazine held 9 rounds of .22 Long Rifle ammunition and was held in place by a catch on the bottom of the grip frame. Standard models came with Patridge style fixed iron open sights with the rear sight securely mounted in a dovetail. The grip panels were hard black checkered Butaprene synthetic rubber, with pre-1950 pistols featuring the "Red Eagle" trademark as originally designed by Alex Sturm. The manual safety on the Standard model could be engaged only when the pistol was cocked, and the bolt could be locked open by activating the safety with the bolt held back.[2]
The bolt was left "in the white" with the unfinished steel providing a visual contrast with the blued receiver.[1] In 1954 a new model with a barrel length of 6 inches was added to the Standard lineup.[2] In 1971, one of the few engineering changes ever made to the Standard model took place when the original 22-year-old receiver forming dies wore out.[2] As a precursor to changes to come with the 1982 introduction of the MK II series, the slot for the magazine follower extension on the grip frame was moved from the right to the left side.
Designated the "A 100" frame modification, this alteration facilitated the eventual improvement of the Standard pistol by the addition of a bolt hold open device as part of the eventual MK II upgrade.[2] The pistol grip panels and magazines from older Standard models can not be used on post-1971 pistols due to this change, but the later magazines can still be used on pre-1971 guns by moving the magazine follower button to the opposite side.[2] As the Standard model reached the end of its product lifecycle in 1981, a special edition run of 5000 4.75-inch pistols built of stainless steel were manufactured. These pistols were shipped in special wooden cases and featured an engraving of Bill Ruger's signature.[2]
Introduced in 1950, the MK I Target model was basically the same as the Standard pistol, except that it boasted a 6.875-inch (17.46 cm) barrel, adjustable target style trigger, a "Micro" adjustable rear sight, and a front sight blade undercut to reduce glare.[2] In 1952, a 5.25-inch (13.3 cm) barreled version of the MK I Target was added to the lineup, but manufactured only through 1957, making it a collectible rarity today.[2] A 5.5-inch (14 cm) heavy bull barreled version of the MK I Target became available in 1963, eventually becoming the most popular length for Ruger Target MK pistols.[2] Like their Standard model brethren, target models underwent the A 100 grip frame redesign in 1971.[2]
The AWC TM-Amphibian "S" is an integrally-suppressed variant of the Ruger Mk II Target .22 LR pistol. The sound suppressor uses a primary baffle of 303 stainless steel and a secondary baffle of 6061-T6 aluminum alloy. The AWC weapon manual states, "This suppressor is 'Amphibious' and can be fired with water. A couple of tablespoons of water can be poured into the suppressor for extra quiet operation."[20] It uses both standard and high velocity ammunition reliably and is finished in U.S. Navy spec stainless-matte finish. The pistol has an overall length of 13.25 in (33.7 cm), a suppressor length of 7 in (18 cm), a diameter of 1 in (2.5 cm) and weighs 41 oz (1,200 g).[21] This weapon is classified in the U.S. as a Title II weapon and requires a $200 transfer or manufacture tax in addition to registration with the ATF.
The MK III ("Mark Three") is the third-generation successor to the original Ruger Standard. The MK III replaced the MK II in 2004, and production of the MK III ended on December 8, 2016; it was succeeded by the MK IV.
The first lineup is simply known as Mark III. The pistol's barrel is made from steel bar and is threaded into the receiver which is made from steel tube. The barrel is not removable without machining, though. The layout is similar to the Luger P08, although the operating mechanism was originally copied from the Nambu pistol.
The second lineup is named Mark III 22/45. These pistols have a polymer frame, and the steel barrel is installed nearly permanently into a tubular steel receiver. The grip angle emulates that of a M1911.
The most significant feature of the Mk IV redesign is a hinged connection between the upper receiver and the grip frame. This design enables the user to disassemble the firearm with a significantly simplified process compared to prior models.[25]
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