Differences between Mark III's mostly cosmetic?

[hakr]

I'm about to drop a dime on a new Mark III 5-1/2 "bull barrel" in blue. For aesthetic reasons, I find the all-stainless models a bit too flashy for my taste.

I'm assuming and hoping that other than the obvious -stainless versus blue steel- the pistols in either material are the same when it comes to accuracy, mechanics, assembly, et cetera.

Am I correct, or is there some qualitative issue on which the 6-7/8" stainless pistols perform better?

 

[wwb]

.........Am I correct, or is there some qualitative issue on which the 6-7/8" stainless pistols perform better?

Longer barrel = longer sighting plane. Also, having some weight farther out front = a little greater moment of inertia, helping to minimize shake. It really only makes a difference (and a small difference at that) if you're a bullseye shooter.

Mechanically, they are identical.

 

[hakr]

Thanks...

 

[Wobble]

There should be no differences in performance but I'll have to say that I shared your views about the stainless finishes until I found that my favorite retailer only had the stainless model and I decided to shell out a few more bucks to get it, rather than wait or try to find the blue finish somewhere else. I've never regretted it. It looks great (it's beautiful), it cleans up nicely, and it gets a lot of attention at the range. I wouldn't swap it for a blue finish if I had the chance.

I'm not trying to change your mind. You'll be happy with either finish. After all, it's the gun itself, not the finish, that will give you the satisfaction you are looking for --- and the Mark III will satisfy regardless of finish.

 

[MAC702]

My dad has had a 6-7/8" blued Government Model for many years. I have the stainless slabside Competition Model, also a 6-7/8" barrel.

Both of us are extremely happy with how accurate these things are!

 

[contender]

Welcome to the Forum.
The MKIII series of guns in the lowers are pretty much identical. The variations occur in finishes, barrel lengths, shapes, sights etc.
Quite often folks will be found swapping around uppers & lowers on these guns.

 

[rooger]

I originally planned on getting a blued MK II with a tapered barrel and I ended up buying a MK III, in stainless steel with a bull barrel. I had some jamming issues, stovepipes mostly, so I sent it back to Ruger and they effectively re-worked the extractor, the ejector and the barrel-receiver. I'm glad I bought it in this version. It's pretty.