Ruger MKIII Hunter

[Epoxy7]

Well I bought a MKIII Hunter about a year ago. I loved the look of the gun and when I first saw someone at the Langley Rod and Gun club shooting one I knew I had to have one. Even though the owner when asked what it was only said it was a Ruger (no kidding Einstein) but that's another story. After all the pistol doesn't choose the owner.

I started shooting this pistol shortly after getting it. Frankly I was disapointed. I quickly realized that the sights were screwing me up. V notch on the back and fibre optic on the front. Acquiring the target was fast, but the accuracy while good wasn't up to Target shooting quality. Either is my shooting but that's another story. Anyways the pistol shot well, I just believed it was capable of shooting a lot better.

My solution. I took it into the local gunsmith. I requested the regular "Partridge?" style target sights. Later that day I got a call. Apparently there is a problem with just putting on the regular front sight for the Ruger MKIII. With the fluting of the Hunter, the sight sticks over the fluting and looks like crap. Anyways he managed to get a front sight and I picked it up a few days ago.

Wow it looks much nicer with the target sights. I sighted it in (slight wind) and it was very deadly. I'll take it inside and properly sight it in, test ammo etc later on.

Pictures will be a while since I don't own a camera. But I will put pictures up as soon as I can.

I'm very happy with the result.

 

[Hoser-eh]

I've got the 6 7/8" barrel, love(d) it. I do like the fibre optic sights. I could hit a squirrel in the head at 10 metres, an elephant at 25 metres. Seriously, sights are fine, the trigger needs work.
My 2 cents.
Cheers

 

[Epoxy7]

Mine is the 6 7/8th barrel as well.
My use for this pistol is at the range only (especially since it's restricted). Shooting 25 yards standing, no support. I found I could hit the head on a silouhette target very well. But... the sights just didn't seem right. For my purposes the current sights are a huge improvement. After having the sights changed, it's basically the "competitor model" with nice fluting instead of the slab barrel and the nice rosewood grips. When they use the traditional partridge sights in their target line, you know it's an improvement over the V-notch. Since you can't legally hunt using a pistol in Canada the advantages of the v-notch and fiber optic sight will never be realized. The disadvantages at the range, however will be noticed.

 

[Hoser-eh]

Let's see pics. I have tried several Buckmarks with patridge sights, they are super for targets. As you say, fibre optics are great for fast target aquisition, but we shoot holes in stationary paper. I'm curious, as the HiViz sights are part of what induced me to buy the Ruger.

Cheers

 

[buckshot]

I was just looking on Rugers Website at the 22/45 Mk III Hunter and I think that I need to pick one up for as a Birthday Present for myself.

I believe P&D has one in stock too

 

[Epoxy7]

On a side note.
I took apart the Hunter the other day for a complete cleaning. The stainless steel models are a lot easier to disasemble. The mechanics of course are the same, but the parts don't seem to stick as much. With my blued one, You really needed a rubber mallet or you weren't getting it apart. With the Stainless Hunter, you could take it apart without a mallet. I'm guessing the stainless steel holds the metal conditioner I use better which makes it more slick. Also I think the stainless one was manufactured a bit better. For example the safety is perfect on the Hunter, on my blued target, the safety sometimes sticks and isn't smooth.