Poking around the gunstore, I noticed what I took to be a Ruger MK II, but didn't see the usual European-type mag release at the heel of the grip frame. So I asked to see it, and sure enough, after 50-some odd years, Ruger FINALLY got with the program, and has put the mag release where it's supposed to have been all along (where the 1911 has it, for those who haven't seen a Mk III). My reaction of "Oh, COOL! I gotta have this thing" quickly turned to "Oh, for pete's sake..." when I saw that they had also added a large "loaded chamber indicator" on the left side of the receiver. Well, that just did it for me; Ruger finally improves the universal gripe about the MK II, and yet still manage to fuck it up by cutting that huge slot in the receiver for that damned LCI. Due to the design change, the MK III also takes a different magazine than the MK II, also (not a big deal, this; I believe the prices are about the same between mags). Anyway, I put it down, and bought one of these, instead:



This is a special order by some distributor (I don't know who; forgot to ask). Since Ruger is chincy about their bluing (among other things), I immediately refinished it with Alumahyde II, lest it begin to rust away before I had a chance to take it to the range to try it out. After taking it to the range, though, I discovered one of the major short-comings of Amumahyde II: the stuff doesn't adhere to smooth surfaces worth a crap. I have since stripped the Alumahyde off, and it is once again in original condition. Notice that I also cut off the "sight channel hook" part of the front sight. Ruger also has made a S/S version, that comes with a fiber-optic front sight w/ various inserts, I assume for the same distributor.

You may have done yourself a favor in passing on the mk III.   Apparently Ruger made a bit of a bonehead design decision w/ their LCI, and will be recalling all those that have already been released.   See the thread here for details:

www.markii.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=1689

I hate to say I thought so, but when I first saw the loaded chamber indicator I said to myself  "I hope they are not using the rim to pivot the loaded chamber indicator out".  I  thought the bright engineers at Ruger would have forseen this possibility.

If you want a proper mag-release position, get a 22/45, not a MKIII

The 22/45 has the controls in their 1911 spots and has been around for a while now...

it also has a mag disconnect so that it won't fire without a magazine

Quoted: If you want a proper mag-release position, get a 22/45, not a MKIII The 22/45 has the controls in their 1911 spots and has been around for a while now...

Yeah, I know, but I just have a dislike for the 22/45; the grips just don't feel right to me.

Quoted: Quoted: If you want a proper mag-release position, get a 22/45, not a MKIII The 22/45 has the controls in their 1911 spots and has been around for a while now... Yeah, I know, but I just have a dislike for the 22/45; the grips just don't feel right to me.

Is there some place with a comparison with pics?

Go take a look at the Ruger website. The 22/45's grip angle is fine, but the grips are too skinny for me.

Quoted: Poking around the gunstore, I noticed what I took to be a Ruger MK II, but didn't see the usual European-type mag release at the heel of the grip frame. So I asked to see it, and sure enough, after 50-some odd years, Ruger FINALLY got with the program, and has put the mag release where it's supposed to have been all along (where the 1911 has it, for those who haven't seen a Mk III). My reaction of "Oh, COOL! I gotta have this thing" quickly turned to "Oh, for pete's sake..." when I saw that they had also added a large "loaded chamber indicator" on the left side of the receiver. Well, that just did it for me; Ruger finally improves the universal gripe about the MK II, and yet still manage to fuck it up by cutting that huge slot in the receiver for that damned LCI. Due to the design change, the MK III also takes a different magazine than the MK II, also (not a big deal, this; I believe the prices are about the same between mags). Anyway, I put it down, and bought one of these, instead: photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/Attachments/DownloadAttach.asp?iImageUnq=31532 This is a special order by some distributor (I don't know who; forgot to ask). Since Ruger is chincy about their bluing (among other things), I immediately refinished it with Alumahyde II, lest it begin to rust away before I had a chance to take it to the range to try it out. After taking it to the range, though, I discovered one of the major short-comings of Amumahyde II: the stuff doesn't adhere to smooth surfaces worth a crap. I have since stripped the Alumahyde off, and it is once again in original condition. Notice that I also cut off the "sight channel hook" part of the front sight. Ruger also has made a S/S version, that comes with a fiber-optic front sight w/ various inserts, I assume for the same distributor.

That's a mighty fine looking piece....

I love my MKII though I hardly ever shoot it. It is a superb pistol.

Tis a shame Ruger is monkeying up a perfectly good design...