RUGER MARK IV

I had been researching the Ruger Mark iii for three months. I have looked ever where I could find online and all the gun shops in Tucson AZ for info. After deciding to get one, my next decision was if I should buy it before or after I went back to Kenosha WI, for the memorial of my wife who recently passed away. I decided to buy it before, so that as soon as I got back I could go find to shot it.

So on September 21st I bought it. On the 23rd I flew to WI, the 24th we had her Memorial. On the 25th I looked on my computer and there was an update from Ruger sent on the 23rd two days after I bought my gun, from Ruger stating the new Mark IV is out. Never saw one word about this, when doing my research. Now I have a brand new Mark III that hasn't even been fired yet and it's now old. There are huge improvements on the Mark IV. If I had of waited tell I got back, I would be getting the Mark IV. (It's registered, I don't know how that works).

I'm calling Ruger tomorrow, (Actually today because, I am so mad I am writing this at 4 o'clock in the morning). I hope the heck they let me trade the gun in for the Mark IV or I'm going to be extremely mad.

Will let you know, what happens. Any Thoughts?

Welcome to the Forum!
While it can be frustrating,,, there is no way you can predict when a new model of a firearm will be introduced. Such stuff does have an effect on sales & as such affects jobs, the stock market etc.
It used to be that Ruger would announce a new model, and many folks would have to wait 1-2 years before even seeing one for sale. LOTS of complaints about that. Ruger has done a MUCH better job of getting new guns out in a timely fashion to us peons in the last dozen or so years.

Now,,, I doubt they will allow you to trade your MKIII in on a MKIV under the conditions you described. But why be mad at them for introducing a new model AND making it available immediately? You are no different than the millions of consumers who may wish for a different model of something, and yet, unless it's offered, you make choices according to what is available at the time of purchase.
Think like this. If you wanted a new computer, you did your research, found what you wanted, and then 2 days after the purchase, you find a newer model gets introduced that has better features & upgrades you want.

You MIGHT be able to go back to where you purchased it & get a refund,,, but that will be up to that shop.

Don't blame Ruger for how they run the company & the fact it doesn't operate on your time table or schedule. Do you think they should have known you were planning a purchase?
Or, like I mentioned, do you think they should announce a new product, and then it take a year or more to get them into the market?

The Mark III is good.
Think of it as the start of the collection.

akavala1 said:

I had been researching the Ruger Mark iii for three months. I have looked ever where I could find online and all the gun shops in Tucson AZ for info. After deciding to get one, my next decision was if I should buy it before or after I went back to Kenosha WI, for the memorial of my wife who recently passed away. I decided to buy it before, so that as soon as I got back I could go find to shot it.

So on September 21st I bought it. On the 23rd I flew to WI, the 24th we had her Memorial. On the 25th I looked on my computer and there was an update from Ruger sent on the 23rd two days after I bought my gun, from Ruger stating the new Mark IV is out. Never saw one word about this, when doing my research. Now I have a brand new Mark III that hasn't even been fired yet and it's now old. There are huge improvements on the Mark IV. If I had of waited tell I got back, I would be getting the Mark IV. (It's registered, I don't know how that works).

I'm calling Ruger tomorrow, (Actually today because, I am so mad I am writing this at 4 o'clock in the morning). I hope the heck they let me trade the gun in for the Mark IV or I'm going to be extremely mad.

Will let you know, what happens. Any Thoughts?

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What do you mean it's registered? Wisconsin, or the USA for that matter, has no form of firearm registration at this time. Here's how things work. The dealer you bought that pistol from, has transferred the ownership of that serial numbered firearm to you. That's what the form 4473 was for. Obviously, you passed the CIB background check. You might want to check with him to see if he will take that pistol back, if it hasn't as yet, been fired. If he agrees to take it back, he then does the transfer from you, back into his bound book and inventory. Don't expect them to do this for free. The whole populace was surprised when the Ruger Mark IV popped into some gun shops around the country, so no, there was no hoopla involved with any pre sales promotions. The very fact involved with how easy takedown is now done, has I'm sure, convinced Ruger that this new pistol will sell very quickly to eager customers.

welcome to the forum, and the world of marketing, think of all the folks with ipads, tablets, smarts phones and on and on.................................think on the positive side as usual I will wait for them to get any and all the bugs out FIRST before jumping on the bandwagon, after the Ruger family got out of the picture and the bean counters took over, the offers,, models and any and all testing in "time" or QC, has gone out with the family tradition.......hang in there.........

akavala1 said:

Any Thoughts?

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You asked: So, your wife just passed away and you joined this Forum to gripe about buying a perfectly good MK III right before the MK IV's came out? And you're going to be "extremely mad" if Ruger doesn't take it back and let you buy a MK IV? Yeah, it's all Ruger's fault :roll:

You sound like nothing more than a spoiled brat! Prayers for your late wife's family...

Cholo said:

akavala1 said:

Any Thoughts?

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You asked: So, your wife just passed away and you joined this Forum to gripe about buying a perfectly good MK III right before the MK IV's came out? And you're going to be "extremely mad" if Ruger doesn't take it back and let you buy a MK IV? Yeah, it's all Ruger's fault :roll:

You sound like nothing more than a spoiled brat! Prayers for your late wife's family...

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Normally, I wouldn't respond to a thread like this, but I have to agree with Cholo. I realize that people deal with grief in different ways, but, wow, its just so cold.

I would humbly suggest some type of grief therapy before even entertaining the though of the Ruger situation.

Good luck,

Nothing wrong with a MK III except it is not the newest thing out there now. Take the gun and shoot it. You are in stage #2 of the 5 stages of death and dying. This will pass go shoot the gun and get over the buyer's remorse for not having the newest toy on the block and only having a well proven one.

:shock: Absolutely nothing about this should have Ruger trading anything at all. It's how things work. Certainly nothing I'd be "mad" about especially after a death. With that, certainly nothing so overly beneficial over the MKIII by any means. A diff disassembly... :roll:
But hey, welcome to the forum.


Thought about this some more... So, if you buy an item and then a new one comes out, the manufacturers is expected to sea them out? They're supposed to give you advanced notice of a new item it seems...Exactly how is this supposed to work as there's always going to be someone buying the "old" the day before the "new" is announced. They're supposed to trade out all those every time? Where's the cut off supposed to be? Suppose I buy a new truck and then the next yrs model is announced, do I get to just swap them out?
You bought something that you obviously desired, why not be happy with that? It's technically "used" now so it can't be resold as a new firearm. (it's gone through a completed 4473)

CDNN has the MkIII pistols for $289 up to 399 (for the colored space guns). The MkIV guns are in the stores today, something out-of-the-ordinary for Ruger marketing.
Shoot your Mk III if that is what you have. Buy a MkIV when you can, they'll be around for quite awhile, and with a couple more variants coming by SHOT show time.

Its not Ruger's fault your purchase was within a couple days of a new release, and BTW, Ruger susbscribers were emailed about a new release prior to the MkIV coninb out, so odds are your retailer knew also.

here's a thought - the 22/45 is not yet available in the MkIV. Some find it superior to the 1950's grip angle, not to mention the interchangeable 1911 grip panels. So wait for that variant to release in the MkIV and there ya go!

My thought also. I much prefer the grip of the 22/45. After I bought my first 22/45 I sold my only Mark III.

OP, welcome to the forum!

I think I'd keep the Mark III and shoot it a bunch. It is by no means "old." If you like it, and I expect you will, maybe add a Mark IV later.

Sell the MKIII at a small loss go buy the MKIV and don't sweat it. I was lucky to have MK II's so I never bought the vastly inferior MKIII. As for the grip angles berween the MKs and the 22-45s I prefer the luger type grip angle over the 45 grip angle. Good luck on your deals, I lose a few but make out pretty good overall. Sorry Rugers timing caught you at a bad time.

Buyer's remorse is a beyatch I tells ya - lol

There will ALWAYS be a 'newer' widget for sale right after you buy your widget. Folks WILL keep buying MK III's until there are none left on the shelves. Of that I am certain. Just as there will be folks rushing to buy the new MK IV only to get PO'd at the Mark IV upgraded version that comes out right after they buy the first offerings with changes made after customer feedback on version 1. - lol

welcome to the world of free market reality. The Mark series are EXCELLENT firearms, regardless of number. Load, shoot, repeat.

When the MK III's came out people clamored and paid premium prices for the MK II models ? This is kind of like the 100/80/20 rule.
100% of the time 20% of the buyers are going to be unhappy when any product is changed but 80% are usually OK with the new product.
If you can afford it and it will make you happy, just take the loss and trade your gun + $$$ for a MK IV . Ruger is not in any way at fault for you buying decisions. Try to find something fun to do, you need that right now.

Keep the Mark 111. Put it in a drawer. Go buy a Mark IV. Problem solved. Why get mad over something that can easily be solved with a few hundred dollars?

When Ruger announced the SR22 pistol, I had to have one so I ordered one thru my local pawn shop (Have no gun store in town) and ended up paying retail Ruger price. If I had waited a couple months I could have saved at least $100. I was mad at myself and not at Ruger or my pawn shop, it was my fault.

akavala1 said:

Any Thoughts?

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To: akavala1 :
This may help alleviate your stress: a patented inexpensive new small item, easily installed in the MK III handle, that makes reinstallation of the hammer mainspring assembly very quick, easy, and always correct.

$10. PRE-ORDER at HammerStrutSupport.com

Wonder if everyone that bought an OM only to have the NM's come out expected a refund/swap?

Well, it appears we have scared the new member off. He has not replied or anything. It wasn't intentional,,, but if he gets upset at his own mistakes,,, then maybe he's too embarrassed to admit it?