SGW Gunsmith
Moderator
It's been a bit over a year now that the Ruger Mark IV made its unexpected arrival. It also seems that the alleged "recall" has subsided as far as what went south with the safety plate and, what some found, whereby the pistol could fire when the safety was half on. Or was that half off? I get confused.
I have had a few of the Ruger Mark IV pistols on my bench before and then after the recall measuring and recording dimensions for comparison to try and find out exactly what the heck all the "hoopla" was about. After the recall, the safety plate now has an "S" where a little white dot used to reside. I'm sure that obvious change did'nt fix whatever the actual issue was though.
For 67 years, the Ruger Standard, Mark I, II, III and 22/45 pistols used a "steel" detent in the thumb button protruding off the left side of the safety plate. Only issues I'm aware with that combination was when an owner lost that little devil and needed to get another one. So, why did Ruger go from a "tried and true" perfectly functioning "steel" detent in the safety, to a black plastic one?
Notice the nose on the black plastic detent? It's flat, and only after being flipped on and off during normal working conditions. Can't help but wonder "when" the nose of that detent will become flat enough to cause issues with the operation of the safety. So what, some say, "Just get a new one". I agree, but make sure the new one is steel.
I have had a few of the Ruger Mark IV pistols on my bench before and then after the recall measuring and recording dimensions for comparison to try and find out exactly what the heck all the "hoopla" was about. After the recall, the safety plate now has an "S" where a little white dot used to reside. I'm sure that obvious change did'nt fix whatever the actual issue was though.
For 67 years, the Ruger Standard, Mark I, II, III and 22/45 pistols used a "steel" detent in the thumb button protruding off the left side of the safety plate. Only issues I'm aware with that combination was when an owner lost that little devil and needed to get another one. So, why did Ruger go from a "tried and true" perfectly functioning "steel" detent in the safety, to a black plastic one?
Notice the nose on the black plastic detent? It's flat, and only after being flipped on and off during normal working conditions. Can't help but wonder "when" the nose of that detent will become flat enough to cause issues with the operation of the safety. So what, some say, "Just get a new one". I agree, but make sure the new one is steel.