Ruger MKII Pistol - Scope or "Red Dot"?

[RickM]

I have a Ruger MK II Target and I've been toying with the idea of adding a scope or Red Dot type sight for kicks.

I'll probably go with a Weigand "no drill", Weaver style mount as I'm not excited about having holes drilled and tapped. BTW, is SoLow out of business? They have/had some decent looking mounts but their website is no longer around.

So, I've been looking at Ultra Dot 1" and 30mm sights as well as the Bushnell Trophy Red Dot (Cheap!). I'd like to also consider scopes but my only experience with one is a Tasco on a Crossman 766 from my youth.

Anyone have advice or pros and cons?

[pwd72s]

How to feel bad at the range? Get all the best "additional" gee-gaws of .22 caliber pistol shooting. Then an old guys shows up with an ancient Colt Woodsman, strictly iron factory sights,...and he blows your groups away!

[RickM]

I've had this gun for 19 years and can do pretty well. No need to explain myself.

[legion]

My Ruger Mark II is a laser beam with the target sights. I shoot it better than my Glock 17.

[RickM]

You have the bull barrel?

[legion]

Mine is an odd beast. I got it used, it does not have the bull barrel, but has a rather long tapering barrel with a fixed blade front sight and adjustable rear sight.

[RickM]

Sounds like the Target....

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by legion

Mine is an odd beast. I got it used, it does not have the bull barrel, but has a rather long tapering barrel with a fixed blade front sight and adjustable rear sight.

If your groups get tooo big? look to the front sight of a Ruger...

[Jeff Higgins]

Why would anyone want to encumber a damn good pistol with such an aberration? If you have owned it for that long, and you say you have become comfortable with it over those years, don't mess with it. It's become an old and trusted friend. Treat it like one.

[legion]

Originally Posted by RickM

Sounds like the Target....

That's it. I love it.

As an aside, I really don't like the .45 grips that you can get on the Mark III.

[SLO-BOB]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

Why would anyone want to encumber a damn good pistol with such an aberration? If you have owned it for that long, and you say you have become comfortable with it over those years, don't mess with it. It's become an old and trusted friend. Treat it like one.

+1000

I have shot pistols with laser sights, scopes, and red dots. They just served to show how shaky I am which totally distracts me. Especially the laser sight, which also lets everyone else know how shaky I am. Very embarassing. Fwiw - my groups are pretty good with iron sights. Also, I feel rapid target acquisition is a very important part of pistol shooting. Imo - anything but iron sights gets in the way of the business at hand.

That said, if it's what you want, best to try (someone else's gun) before you buy.

[RickM]

Originally Posted by SLO-BOB

They just served to show how shaky I am which totally distracts me.

This is the kind of info I'm looking for.

Thanks all.

[SLO-BOB]

Originally Posted by legion

As an aside, I really don't like the .45 grips that you can get on the Mark III.

I agree. The 22/45 is supposed to approximate the feel of a Colt 45. For me it's just frustrating. The trigger pull is HEAVY and non linear. I can't hit with the 22/45 at all. In fact, I'm far more accurate with a real 45.

My favorite .22 is my 73 Belgian Challenger. Smooth as butta.

[futuresoptions]

Hey Rick, Your MKII isn't already predrilled from the factory??? Both my MKII & III's are....

[on2wheels52]

Of course we're not going to weld the scope/dot on are we? It won't wreck the gun to try it both ways. Given that using iron sights is a basic part of learning to shoot a handgun, my kid and his buddies have had a great deal of enjoyment plinking with a S & W .22 with a 30mm red dot. My range has a rack of knock-down steel plates they can clean up with the thing. Naturally they get humbled a bit with a conventional gun but at least they know what's possible.
Re the Ruger target's, they come with a couple of barrel choices, the 5 1/2" bull maybe more common. The .22/45 was also available in the Mark II. The III's come drilled & tapped for the included Weaver base, probably the easiest way to go if a tube of some sort is desired,
Jim

[RickM]

Originally Posted by futuresoptions

Hey Rick, Your MKII isn't already predrilled from the factory??? Both my MKII & III's are....

Mine isn't drilled and tapped. I'm thinking it was a touch too early. Not sure what determined the addition of this feature. Are your guns Stainless and/or Target models?

[tabs]

Here is High Standard 107 Trophy with a 2 barrel set...these are a dream to shoot..High Standard had 90% of the 22 target market back in the early 60's.

[Milu]

The fastest way to lose interest in scoped pistols is to mount a rifle scope on one. Use a proper pistol scope. Totally different. I would suggest 2.5X or maximum of 4X. Lasers on a target pistol are also a hoot

[campbellcj]

I got an Ultradot a while back thinking that I would put it on my MkII, but honestly the factory target sights are awesome and it's a tackdriver as is. It's a US Shooting Team special edition, stainless with bull barrel. So far the Ultradot is still in the closet.

[Lothar]

I like my Mark III 22/45. I shoot bullseye targets at 25 yards. I bought a cheap red/green dot sight and shoot 275s out of 300 regularly.