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SCSlim
HB Life Member
| Joined: | 2 May 2008 |
| Location: | Boise, Idaho USA |
| Posts: | 180 |
| Photo: | [Download] | | Are you a handloader?: | Yes | | Favorite type of cartridge to load?: | I load everything! |
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Posted: 28 May 2008 11:28 PM |
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Has anyone else out there ever worn out a Ruger Mark II? Any idea of how many rounds it took to do it?
Somewhere around 20 years ago, I bought a Ruger Mark II Target model (.22LR). It was a good, reliable and accurate pistol and I (and/or my wife) shot it alot. When it was new, it digested just about any .22LR I put in the magazine and spit them out right where it was pointed. Cheap or spendy, it worked with anything marked .22LR.
Last Spring (2007), it started getting finicky. It would only cycle Remington Yellow Jacket HPs - that's it. Nothing else worked. So we bought those for it and fired at least 5,000 rounds of 'em with only an occasional failure to fire (despite a healthy-looking firing pin indentation on the failed rounds). Finally, a few months back, it pretty much gave up the ghost, refusing even the Yellow Jackets, plus I couldn't get it back together again after field stripping it for cleaning after the last trip to the range. That was a new wrinkle. I estimate that during its working lifetime, the Mark II fired somewere around 30,000 rounds - maybe more. For the record, I field stipped and thoroughly cleaned it after every range or outdoor shooting session.
I called Ruger and got instructions about how and where to ship it to them. I overnighted it to their Prescott facility, along with a letter explaining the nature of the problem. About 9 weeks later it arrived back on my doorstep, courtesy of UPS. Ruger had replaced a couple of parts and repaired one, all at no charge. Had I taken it to a local gunsmith (nothing against those fellas - they're mostly nice guys trying to make a living like the rest of us), the turnaround would have been about the same, plus it would have cost at least $150 for bench time, parts and labor.
The Mrs. and I took the Mark II to the range a couple of weeks ago and tried it out with some bulk-packed Federal 38gr HPs. It worked like new - no jams, no stovepipes, no failures of any kind. Needless to say, it's a good feeling to have it back again in tip-top form.
So, turn-around time notwithstanding, my hat's off to Ruger for standing behind their product, even after nearly 20 years. That's a good useful lifetime for a gun that was shot as much as we shot that one. Ruger could've charged for the parts and labor but they didn't. This is my second such experience with Ruger's service department in as many years. Although the overnight shipping charges from here to Prescott were relatively spendy, as Gus MacRae noted in the movie "Lonesome Dove" when assessing the value of the $50 he'd laid down for a "poke", it was money well spent ... both times.
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sdb777
Administrator
| Joined: | 16 October 2005 |
| Location: | Cabot, Arkansas USA |
| Posts: | 1269 |
| Photo: | | | Are you a handloader?: | Yes | | Favorite type of cartridge to load?: | I load everything! |
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Posted: 29 May 2008 01:47 AM |
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Just 30,000 rounds?
My little Ruger was a substitute for 'racegun' practice. Much easier on the wallet to run couple thousand rounds through a .22 Ruger has some outstanding customer service, but it's nice to hear they did some one else the same. My problem was with a Model 77 safety(didn't work), turn around time was just under a month. But I went through a 'smith' to get mine fixed up.
Scott (go shoot that thing) B
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72coupe
Handloading Master
| Joined: | 11 June 2006 |
| Location: | Iowa Park, Texas USA |
| Posts: | 1493 |
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Posted: 29 May 2008 03:52 AM |
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| The only trouble I have had with mine was when the sear pin broke and it went full auto for 10 rounds in the back yard. That was surpising and not all that unpleasant.
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Reloader since 1969.
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SCSlim
HB Life Member
| Joined: | 2 May 2008 |
| Location: | Boise, Idaho USA |
| Posts: | 180 |
| Photo: | [Download] | | Are you a handloader?: | Yes | | Favorite type of cartridge to load?: | I load everything! |
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Posted: 29 May 2008 04:39 PM |
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| Used to own one of Ruger's AC556's (selective fire version of Mini 14) about 15 years ago (appropriately credentialed, tax-stamp, etc.). It was so much fun to shoot that it about sent me to the poor house feeding it. So, regretably, I let it go to a collector. Wish I had stored it away as it would now be worth about 20 times what I paid for it back then.
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NRA Endowment Member
Ride hard, shoot straight, and always speak the truth.
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wolfkill
Handloading Master
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Posted: 30 May 2008 06:55 AM |
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SCSlim wrote: Ruger had replaced a couple of parts and repaired one
Anyway you could list which parts wore out? I have a Mark II also.
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SCSlim
HB Life Member
| Joined: | 2 May 2008 |
| Location: | Boise, Idaho USA |
| Posts: | 180 |
| Photo: | [Download] | | Are you a handloader?: | Yes | | Favorite type of cartridge to load?: | I load everything! |
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Posted: 30 May 2008 06:04 PM |
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Piece o'cake. Here's what the return packing slip said had been done(exactly, including caps):
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BOLT STOP ASSEMBLY Replaced
EJECTOR Repaired
MAINSPRING HOUSING ASSEMBLY Replaced
REPAIR, SAFEFY FUNCTION CHECK AND TEST FIRING HAVE BEEN COMPLETED. RELEASED FOR SHIPPING.
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I tend toward being a packrat when it comes to documentation on my guns, so I saved that packing slip. I imagine that somewhere in the deep dark recesses of my garage rests the sales receipt for it as well. I know I have it someplace .... 
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NRA Endowment Member
Ride hard, shoot straight, and always speak the truth.
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jjb2
addicted handloader
| Joined: | 5 July 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 351 |
| Photo: | | | Are you a handloader?: | Yes | | Favorite type of cartridge to load?: | pistol |
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Posted: 2 June 2008 06:16 AM |
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| i just bought a ruger mkII target that has never been shot... it's good to hear a testamonial about how durable a handgun it is and how well ruger treats it's loyal customers..... i hope to get to the range soon to see how well this new auto pistol shoots!!
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barebackpat
addicted handloader
| Joined: | 22 January 2007 |
| Location: | Two Dot, Montana USA |
| Posts: | 372 |
| Photo: | | | Are you a handloader?: | Yes | | Favorite type of cartridge to load?: | I load everything! |
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Posted: 2 June 2008 01:54 PM |
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| I have two ruger mark II pistols. One of which was just recoverd after nine months outside in a montana weather. Grips were ruined and sights were too. Cleaned it up good and shoots fine just waiting for the last parts from ruger and she will be ready to go. I upgraded to the new high visability sights off of the mark III hunter. It is great to know a gun can stand that kind of abuse and still function well. Both of mine have shot thousands of rounds and just keek going. Have had to replace a few parts that wore out but other thatn that they are great accurate reliable weapons.
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