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Mark lll target or 22/45???

6K views 26 replies 20 participants last post by  Ridgeline 
#1 · (Edited)
I got to the shop this afternoon and was ready to pick up a Mark lll target. I know it's me but I have a thing about buying a pistol out of the display cabinet. They didn't have one in the back so I passed. Although I should have I didn't look at the 22/45.
Anyway he did have a 22/45 with the wood grips. I think it's the same pistol with poly frame and a little bit different grip angle. Anyway the price was the same. My thoughts were for the same price get the all steel rather than the poly.
What are your thoughts on the two pistols? I have no problem waiting a little for a steel one to come in but if the poly is the way to go I'll head back tomorrow. What are the advantages of the poly grips?

thanks for the help
 
#6 · (Edited)
How do you plan to use it?

I have an old Mark 1 and a newer 22/45.

I like the grip feel and grip angle of the 22/45 and the controls are familiar because I spend a lot of time on my 1911s.

It's a good shooter and pretty accurate.

I might go for the Mark III Target if I were planning on target competition, but otherwise it's hard to beat the 22/45.

If you envision ever owning a 1911, and eventually most of us do, the systems will feel familiar if you've been using the 22/45.
 
#7 ·
Thanks guys. Well I went back to the shop and bought the Marklll target. Couple of reasons but it felt just as good as the 22/45 to me.
Funny thing is my grandfathers buddy was in WW1 in France. Long story short he gave me his Colt 1911 service pistol when I was just a kid. He had the holster belt mags and mag pouches. It sure was used but in great shape.
Anyway they wanted the same price for the Marklll target as the 22/45. I told them the 22/45 was way over priced. It should be quite a bit less expensive. Anyway he sold me the Marklll target for just about the same price I could get it at Bud's. I was pretty happy with that.
I couldn't wait to get it home and break it down. After all the horror stories I had myself prepared of a long evening. I wanted to take it down and make sure it was clean. Everything went very well. Take down was pretty easy and the upper came off with just a tap or two from a dead blow rubber mallet. Putting it back together wasn't bad at all. The hardest part was making sure the holes lined up to put the pin back. It lined up fine but I knew I would have to tap it in. I just took the time to make sure so I didn't peen something "I should had not have".
Anyway to me it would not be a factor as to which pistol to get. I know the Benchmark is probably easier to take down but to me it isn't a factor.
Can't wait to get to put a few rounds through er tomorrow. Do these things seem to like any particular kind of ammo? I have a bunch of stuff around so I will give it a try but what seems to work best? I know they are all different but is there anything that stands out?

Oh I wanted to ask you guys. Can you get wood grips for the Marklll?

thanks guys
 
#9 ·
You can indeed find wood grips for your Mark III. Mine has factory rosewood grips.

As far as ammo goes, shoot a few different kinds to see which your pistol likes the best. In general terms, many people find Remington rimfire ammo to be very dirty (I do). Many also seem to like CCI ammo.
 
#10 ·
I picked up a couple of boxes of CCI Mini Max this afternoon and headed out to shoot. I put 100 rounds of the CCI throuh er with no problems at all. I thought it was pretty accurate but then it's the first time out. I am pretty happy with it for sure. I also put about 40 rounds of Dynapoints through it. No problems with either. The accuracy was about the same.
Cleaned it up but really didn't need it.
 
#12 ·
Thanks
Went back out the shoot a bit today. I only shot Dynapoints. Put about another hundred or so through er. Not a hiccup. She shot great!! As a matter of fact she shot fantastic. I am reasonably new to pistol shooting though I have shot in the past I am getting a little more serious. I was shooting a 15 yards off hand and was very pleased. I know you guys shoot a lot better but I was grouping in a two inch square off hand. Remember I'm new to this stuff. I decided to try to rest the butt of the grip on a sandbag at 25 yards. If I do my part it seems she will hit a 1.5 inch disk at 25 yards. OK not all the time but I truly feel if not it's me. I even tried some small targets at 50 yards. I could smack them most of the time. I would feel comfortable at squirrel size targets at 50 yards. I may not hit em all the time but sure would be close enough to get their attention. Heck this thing shoots almost a well as my rifle. OK maybe a little exaggeration but not by much. This little pistol is a ball to shoot.:D
 
#13 ·
good for you! i wish i had gotten that one.

years ago i got the 22/45 thinking it would be better from a "practice" standpoint to stick with the "45" grip. as it turns out i preferred the Gock for autos and hated the 22/45 grip. i shoot much better and aim more naturally with the harsher angle (MkII/III, Glock, etc...).

plus, the 22/45 grip was too slim, so i put a hogue hand-all on it... yeah, which i had to pull off to every time to disassemble the gun, lol. pain in the A, to say the least.i guess it would be a bit better now with the replaceable grip panels.
even so, i still regret selling it... as soon as i did the whole MkII / 22/45 line had a price jump. (i sold a $200 gun for $100, a week later they cost $300). live and learn.

i would agree with the "if you plan on getting a 1911, get a 22/45"... however, if you plan on getting a Glock, get a MKIII. also, if you plan on doing any long distance "olympic style" one handed standing stuff, it is MUCH easier to hold the MkIII, since the angle is pretty much as far as your wrist will bend, so you don't feel like you are "holding it up" all the time (like with the 22/45).

just to show that everyone has different tastes. ;)
 
#17 ·
i would agree with the "if you plan on getting a 1911, get a 22/45"... however, if you plan on getting a Glock, get a MKIII. also, if you plan on doing any long distance "olympic style" one handed standing stuff, it is MUCH easier to hold the MkIII, since the angle is pretty much as far as your wrist will bend, so you don't feel like you are "holding it up" all the time (like with the 22/45).
Thanks Stirfry, thant's interesting. I'm selling my 22/45 Hunter and getting a MKIII slabsided pistol in its place this week. The 22/45 grip angle is just not as natural to me as the regular MKIII grip angle

Patsy
 
#14 ·
I really do think the Marklll will help me with my Glock shooting. Even reloading it ain't that cheap to shoot. Fun but not cheap. Already the Marklll has told me I can shoot reasonably well even if I don't group the Glock as well as I would like. I paid attention to what the Ruger was telling me while shooting and tried to transfer it to the Glock. My groups tightened up to where I was very happy with them. It told me I was flinching or pulling the Glock when I was firing. Now that I know that I can be more attentive to it. I use one of those silhouette targets when shooting the Glock. At 15 yards I was hitting low and to the left. I know that is flinching but couldn't correct for it as well as I would have liked. After shooting the Ruger I tried the Glock again. Four out of the five shot group were in the Xand9 areas. OK next five shot group weren't as good but it shows the Glock will do it if I do my part. The Ruger shot tighter groups right out of the box but I attribute it to being a .22 and not a 40. (recoil anticipation I guess)
 
#21 · (Edited)
thumbs, There are some very nice cocobolo wood grips for the MkIII. One source is here at the Ruger Store online, Hogue-Mark-II-Mark-III-Ambi-Grips-Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. The other is here, Ruger MKII & MKIII I can personally vouch for the ones from Woodgrips. The finish and fit are perfect.Also rosewood grips, http://www.eaglegrips.com/guns/Ruger-MKIII-Series-grips.html And if you want to spend the money, http://www.esmeralda.cc/ruger_mkii.htm I've seen the factory ones with the Ruger logo carved/etched into the panel and they are very nice also. The factory ones use to come with the Ruger logo in a small red medallion imbedded in the wood panel. Ruger also sells "Target Grips". They have a thumbshelf on one panel. So they're not ambidextrous. You have plenty to choose from.
 
#22 ·
I bought the MK III 22/45 in stainless. Could not be happier with this handgun.
 
#24 · (Edited)
I had a 22/45 for a while & was a nice little pistol...Isnt there a difference in the barrel twist rate between the 22/45 & the Target or is that the Target "Government" ?

I'm pretty sure theres a diff. twist rate in there somewhere...but I was wrong once before a long long long time ago.
;)


"man I gott learn how to type !"
 
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