I have been waiting for a Ruger MK IV "standard" (tapered barrel) to be released in stainless, as a kind of indestructible, worry-free .22 pistol. However, it occurs to me that I don't actually know if the design is as rugged as the earlier MK pistols. To those of you who are more familiar, will the single-button take-down mechanism hold up over a century of heavy blasting, or can you imagine the mechanism working loose (in a way that, say, a MK II wouldn't) after decades and many tens of thousands of rounds?
Another "what would you do?" type of question: One of my very favorite pistol designs is the pre-WWII sport model Colt Woodsman. IMO, it is almost perfectly scaled to the .22 cartridge. I have one that is in good condition, but the original bluing is almost gone in some high-wear places on the frontstrap of the grip and the muzzle. It has the occasional small scratch and minor signs of freckling that occurred some time since the 1930's.
My problem is that I feel like I'm shooting a museum piece each time I take it out, and I certainly would not feel comfortable camping with the thing. I have been thinking about sending it to Robar for NP3. I realize that all collector value will vanish in a puff of smoke, but the hope would be that it becomes a much more practical gun with a modern, corrosion-free finish. Something I could imagine using for fun on a camping trip, as the craftsmen at Colt intended (though they are all now dead). The pistol itself in current condition would probably go for ~$1000 on GB (I have the original box), and at that level I'm thinking the NP3 isn't such a crime. What do you think?
Another "what would you do?" type of question: One of my very favorite pistol designs is the pre-WWII sport model Colt Woodsman. IMO, it is almost perfectly scaled to the .22 cartridge. I have one that is in good condition, but the original bluing is almost gone in some high-wear places on the frontstrap of the grip and the muzzle. It has the occasional small scratch and minor signs of freckling that occurred some time since the 1930's.
My problem is that I feel like I'm shooting a museum piece each time I take it out, and I certainly would not feel comfortable camping with the thing. I have been thinking about sending it to Robar for NP3. I realize that all collector value will vanish in a puff of smoke, but the hope would be that it becomes a much more practical gun with a modern, corrosion-free finish. Something I could imagine using for fun on a camping trip, as the craftsmen at Colt intended (though they are all now dead). The pistol itself in current condition would probably go for ~$1000 on GB (I have the original box), and at that level I'm thinking the NP3 isn't such a crime. What do you think?