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Mk IV Standard out of production?

11K views 43 replies 22 participants last post by  Madhatter77 
#1 ·
Hi all,

I've been looking for a Mk IV Standard (6") for over a year, and they're out of stock everywhere:

https://gun.deals/search/apachesolr_search/736676401055

The few that have appeared on GunBroker went for exhorbidant bids (over $500, IIRC). Now I'm kicking myself for not buying one for $275 back in the summer of 2020, when they were cheap and plentiful.

Has Ruger simply suspended production of the Standard?

(They seem to have suspended production of the PCC in .40S&W, too.)

Or are these being discontinued?
 
#2 ·
king myself for not buying one for $275 back in the summer of 2020, when they were cheap and plentiful.

Has Ruger simply suspended production of the Standard?

(They seem to have suspended production of the PCC in .40S&W, too.)

Or are these being discontinued?
They sold out completely last year, and now the current logistics situation makes them hard to resupply.

A local shop has a handful of them, brand new, tagged at $519 (MSRP it seems), so they definitely are still making them, just gonna be a crap shoot finding one.

I'd subscribe to major retailer 'notify me' alerts if I was looking for one. It's got me scarce magazines and such in recent months.
 
#3 ·
I don't buy "logistics." I'm guessing that Ruger is prioritizing higher-margin products (the more expensive Mk IV pistols, black rifles, 9mm handguns, etc.).

I wonder whether that local shop of yours has new old stock, or whether they've actually received new guns from Ruger in the last year or so...

And I'm good at surfing the web and finding what I want at a decent price (I just bought a S&W M&P15-22 for $372.-, shipped, with tax), and I'm patient enough to wait for rare runs of oddball guns (S&W 610, Glock 24), but after a year of waiting I'm starting to wonder whether Ruger is ever going to make more Standard MK IVs...
 
#10 ·
Bimmer74 said:
Test_Engineer said:
I love Standard uppers, but I just couldn't learn to like the MKIV design. Glad it's gone.
Could you say more about that?

I've shot a friend's 6" Standard Mk IV, and I thought it was very handy, very accurate, and it didn't miss a beat... He wouldn't sell it to me, though!
Didn't mind the push-button take down, but considering it only takes me a few seconds to take down my MKII & MKIII Standards - not a feature that impressed me.

Things I didn't like:

1) Aluminum frame. Too light weight and too soft of material. I've seen several in LGSs with gouges where the barrel wasn't aligned correctly when pivoted back down onto the frame.

2) Safety Lever. Down in the way of my grip when on "F"; Up and out of the way when on "S". Just stupid.

3) Internal Main Spring. Makes installing the hammer a PIA. Also makes finding hammer group friction/binding points impossible. This also eliminated the rear "viewing port" that made troubleshooting easy. You could view the hammer/sear/disconnector interaction on earlier models - WITH the upper on.

4) Hex Screws. You need a bunch of different size Allen wrenches spread out on your bench. I can completely tear down/ reassemble my earlier models with just a slotted screwdriver (grip screws) and tweezers (sear install). Much simpler!

5) PB Mag release. I prefer the heel release because I can change mags without losing my purchase on the grip, or shooting mags out on the ground. Wouldn't be so bad if installing a heel release was an option - like in a MKIII frame.

6) Mag Disconnect Safety. Easy enough to defeat, but it never should have been put in there - just like the awful LCI in the MKIII models.

7) Mag Eject Assist. Not needed, and again - only helps to put mags down on the ground. No thanks!

I'll always think the MKII was the best design. Everything you need and nothing you don't. :bthumb:
 
#11 ·
Things I didn't like...

I'll always think the MKII was the best design. Everything you need and nothing you don't. :bthumb:
I appreciate this (and agree with a lot of it, especially having the mag release at the heel).

I'm new to Ruger Mk pistols, and I'm not eager to buy used (and when Ruger's making them, new wasn't much more $$$), so I'll just keep waiting for Ruger to start making Mk IV Standards again...
 
#13 ·
For everyone who says they never have any problems taking down and reassembling MkIII and earlier Ruger pistols, there are dozens of owners who have no end of problems as nearly any gun shop employee can testify. I learned to do it for my MkI and MkII guns but it was never any fun and maintenance was usually put off until I had no choice. The MkIV is a HUGE improvement.

Don't like the light aluminum MkIV frame? Get the stainless steel one.

The safety lever at least works like a 1911 and you can remove the right side lever if it bothers you. I'm left-handed and the MkIV is the first model that has a useable safety. All earlier models were completely inaccessible. TandemKross sell as stiffer safety detent spring if inadvertent position changes are a problem.

You are an engineer and hex screws bother you? The MkIV only need two sizes of allen keys. How hard can they be to keep track of.

You must be one of the very few people who like the heel magazine release. Most of us found it slow and awkward. No modern centerfire pistol designer would even consider it and other current rimfire pistols (S&W Victory, Buckmark, etc) all have 1911-style push button mag releases.

The magazine disconnect. Indeed a travesty but not unique to Ruger. It's a lawyer imposition but, fortunately, easy to remove.

The magazine eject is also easy to remove. Perhaps unneeded but apparently there were enough stuck magazines that Ruger thought it worthwhile.
 
#21 ·
I'll have to agree with the others here. it's going to be a rare buyer that wants a MK IV standard model over the companies bread and butter pistols like the Target, Hunter, Competition, Lite, etc. The profit on such a base gun is going to be minimal as well. My guess is you could see a run of them at some point but it could be a while. I'd keep an eye on the auction sites. If one comes up, it will likely to be there. That said, there is certainly nothing wrong ( and some deals to be had!) with a MK II or III standard. They will have better and easier to mod triggers too.
 
#25 · (Edited)
Tacoma is right on with the teardown thing. After figuring out a couple of things to do putting it back together to make it easy, there is absolutely nothing to it. Glad to have the Mark II Comp Target that might be one of the best they ever made!
The trick is understanding where the hammer is/needs to be positioned to be during certain stages of assembly/disassembly. Once "the light goes on" and you can visualize that, it's not hard at all. That said, I still think these guns RARELY need to come apart. Most everything that needs cleaning can be blown out with a good blast of cleaner.
 
#28 ·
I just bought a 6" for $459. Shipped to Cabelas who will charge me $50 for processing and $10 for the background check.
Ouch.

I was going to ask whether $459 was full MSRP or more, but it looks like Ruger's MSRP is now $519... Inflation?

I'm kicking myself for not grabbing one of these a couple years ago when then they were well under $400.

Maybe they're finally back in production and this is a sign of more availability and lower prices?
 
#33 ·
I'm happy to say that these seem to be trickling out into the marketplace again...

After a couple false-starts and near misses, I bought one today via GunBroker for $385, shipped.

Sales tax makes that $419, plus another $50 for the transfer, so ≈$470 out the door.

NB: Guns.com had these on sale at $420, shipped, last weekend, but now their price is back to >$650.
 
#35 ·
I too like the Standard Model, especially with the 6 inch barrel. It just balances better in my hand.

I have a Mark III Hunter and never had a problem with it after watching YouTube videos a few times. My shooting buddy hates his because no matter what he does it takes him a day or two to reassemble his. If you follow the instructions in the owner's manual it's not hard.

As with all the Mark IVs a good aftermarket trigger like the Volquartsen Accurizing Kit will help a lot. Mine went from a 6 pound trigger that felt like I was pulling through the safety to a 2 pound crisp trigger that's a joy to shoot.

Good Luck and Good Shooting. It's a fun gun to play with and will last for years.
 
#41 ·
I sold my MK III 22/45 as soon as I got a MK IV 22/45. I am one of the many that doesn’t like the reassembly of the MK III as I shoot a lot and .22 ammo can quickly crud up a pistol. I much prefer having mags pop out when I hit the mag release as opposed to digging them out on the Gen II & III.
I have a Gen II Target Competition that is deadly accurate and fun to shoot but after I get the same in a Gen IV it will be a safe queen or sold.
My current favorite is a Black Mamba, slick, smooth, and accurate.
We all are fortunate that choices abound as otherwise it would get boring.
 
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