Ruger is well known and well respected for its vast and diverse line of rimfire guns. The manufacturer's 10/22 is without question one of the most ubiquitous .22 rimfire rifles in the shooting world, and Ruger has a ton of of other impressive rimfire options.
One of these is the classic Mark series of .22 LR rimfire pistols, which have been more or less in production since the company's Standard pistol was introduced in 1949. Since that time there have been many additions and enhancements to the traditional design, as can be seen with the Mark I, Mark II and Mark III pistols that have followed.
Now, the U.S. manufacturer has announced the release of its brand new Ruger Mark IV pistol, which features several improvements over the previous Mark III, including a one-button takedown for simple field stripping and cleaning. The gun has a recessed button in the back of the frame, which permits the upper receiver to tilt up and off the grip frame without using tools. Then the bolt can slide freely out of the receiver.
“We are thrilled to be introducing what we consider to be a monumental improvement to this iconic pistol that has been with Ruger from the start,” said Ruger President and COO Chris Killoy. “This one-button takedown alleviates the headache that our Mark III owners are all too familiar with, and we anticipate the Mark IV pistols being some of the cleanest rimfires at the range.”
The new Ruger Mark IV pistol also features an improved one-piece grip frame precision CNC-machined from solid stainless steel or aluminum, depending on the model. Ergonomic improvements include an ambidextrous manual safety and a redesigned bolt stop.
Each new Ruger Mark IV is built with Ruger's excellent one-piece barreled receiver and internal cylindrical bolt construction. The Mark IV drops magazines freely when they are released, and the guns utilize a newly designed magazine disconnect safety to prevent firing when the magazine is removed. Other internal improvements consist of changes to the hammer, sear, bolt and firing pin for more reliable feeding and smoother operation.
Initially, there will be three different models of the new Ruger Mark IV available to shooters: Mark IV Target Blued, Mark IV Target Stainless, and Mark IV Hunter. Pricing on these new Ruger Mark IV pistols ranges from $529 to $769, depending on the model.
For more information, check out the specifications for each pistol below, or visit Ruger's website to learn more.
Specifications:
Ruger Mark IV Target Blued
Caliber: .22 LR
Barrel: 5.5 in., bull
Twist: 1:16 in.
Overall Length: 9.75 in.
Height: 5.5 in.
Width: 1.2 in.
Weight: 35.6 oz.
Grip Frame: Aluminum
Grips: Checkered synthetic
Finish: Blued
Front Sight: Fixed iron
Rear Sight: Adjustable
Capacity: 10
MSRP: $529
Ruger Mark IV Target Stainless
Caliber: .22 LR
Barrel: 5.5 in., bull
Twist: 1:16 in.
Overall Length: 9.75 in.
Height: 5.5 in.
Width: 1.2 in.
Weight: 42.8 oz.
Grip Frame: Stainless Steel
Grips: Checkered synthetic
Finish: Satin Stainless
Front Sight: Fixed iron
Rear Sight: Adjustable
Capacity: 10
MSRP: $689
Ruger Mark IV Hunter
Caliber: .22 LR
Barrel: 6.88 in., fluted bull
Twist: 1:16 in.
Overall Length: 11.12 in.
Height: 5.5 in.
Width: 1.2 in.
Weight: 44 oz.
Grip Frame: Stainless Steel
Grips: Checkered synthetic
Finish: Satin Stainless
Front Sight: Fiber optic
Rear Sight: Adjustable
Capacity: 10
MSRP: $769
Next Step: Get your FREE Printable Target Pack
Enhance your shooting precision with our 62 MOA Targets, perfect for rifles and handguns. Crafted in collaboration with Storm Tactical for accuracy and versatility.
Subscribe to the Gun Digest email newsletter and get your downloadable target pack sent straight to your inbox. Stay updated with the latest firearms info in the industry.
I just picked up a Mark IV Hunter yesterday and looking forward to getting it out to the range in the next few days. Dealers are having a bit of trouble keeping them in stock, but if you look around a bit you’ll find one available at a decent discount off of the $769 MSRP. I don’t yet know how it shoots, but just taking it out of the box it’s almost too pretty to shoot. Almost. The machining is beautifully done, and the finish is superb. Even at 44 ounces, it doesn’t feel like a nearly-three-pound gun. It’s well balanced and should be easy to handle with either hand. I’m not a big fan of ambidextrous safeties, but this one is fairly unobtrusive. One reviewer has a problem with the “ugly” rear sight, but I don’t have any objection to it at all. I suppose that if you’re really bothered by it for some reason you could always look for an aftermarket sight that you like a bit better.
Why such an ugly Rear sight. Looks as if it was an afterthought. Should have the base at least shaped to fit the receiver. Do the redo with everything needing improvement.
Wonder how this will compare to the S&W Victory? They look to be competitive……….
I have both the Ruger Mark IV and the SW22 Victory. Both are tack-drivers but both have a less than wonderful trigger out of the box breaking at about 4 to 5 pounds.
I installed the Tandemkross Victory Trigger in the SW22 Victory – it is now a dream to shoot, and remains a real tack-driver (breaks at about 2.5 pounds now).
I have ordered and am looking forward to installing the Accurizing Kit sold by Volquartsen for the Mark IV (estimated 2.5 ponds break for the trigger as well). I would have gone with the Tandemkross trigger for the Mark IV but it was not available when I ordered the Volquartsen kit. I suspect that the kit will make the MarkIV a dream to fire as well
Both were very accurate out of the box even with the relatively stiff trigger break. Neither has given me any trouble.
I have almost 250 rounds through the Victory and almost 900 through the Mark IV. Both are amazingly accurate and save for the stock trigger both are a dream for highly accurate target shooting.
I should note that I do fire both with a Red Dot sights (TruGlo), but both were still very accurate with the standard open iron sights (the open iron sights may not be pretty but being fully adjustable they work very well). If any one can show me a truly pretty and fully adjustable open iron rear sight I would love to see it.
If I had to recommend one over the other I would choose the Mark IV only because it is marginally easier to break down for cleaning – both are easy the Mark IV just a little easier – I am nit-picking now – in my opinion both are great guns and well worth the investment.
I own a Mark I and and have no issues except that it is a pain to disassemble and put back together each time I clean it. I always forget which sequence to use with the sear pin installation assemble as far as having the hammer cocked or un-cocked. This new Mark IV would entice me to trade up to the newer model just for the ease in which to disassemble the firearm. I own a few Ruger handguns and love them all.