Difference Between Ruger MK I and MK II

Ruger MK I vs MK II

Ruger is a very well-known name when it comes to firearms like rifles and pistols. When it comes to pistols, the most popular are the MK I and its successor, the MK II, pistols that fire .22 caliber rounds. As the successor, the MK II presented several new features and minor changes that make it better than the MK I. The biggest difference between the Ruger MK I and MK II is probably the addition of the slide stop in the MK II. A slide stop forces the slide to remain open when the last bullet has been fired. This provides a clear indication to the gun user that he no longer has rounds left in his magazine.

A minor change in the MK II is the increase in magazine capacity to ten from the nine-round magazine capacity of the MK I. An extra round can be convenient in the range, especially when you fire a lot of times, as you don’t need to change magazines as often. But in situations where you are fighting for your life, an extra round may mean the difference between life and death.

Another addition to the Ruger MK II is the scallops at the rear end. The scallops can be used to provide additional grip. Its more appropriate use, however, is for mounting different sighting systems that can even include the high end red dot sights and the like.

Lastly, there is the issue of barrel configurations. The MK I already had a few barrel options of different lengths. The MK II increased the variations in length and design in order to provide the right type of performance that the user wanted.

In the end, both the Ruger MK I and MK II are very nicely built firearms. The MK II is simply better due to the multitude of improvements introduced to it. Still, the MK I has its appeal to many firearm enthusiasts; mostly for the classic design and old-school feel of the weapon.

Summary:

1.The MK II has a slide stop while the MK I doesn’t.
2.The MK II magazine holds one bullet more than the MK I magazine.
3.The MK II has scallops at the rear while the MK I doesn’t.
4.The MK II has more barrel options than the MK I.

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