Good Deal on a mk l? yes or no?

[bentblade]

I think I scored today. What do you think?
I picked up a mk l with a 5 1/4" tapered barrel, micro sights and a factory muzzle brake. I think they thought it was a standard model that someone added sight and a brake to.
They were asking $325.
It has not been a safe queen but not abused either. serial # makes it a 1954 gun. I paid 300 + tax + ca. registration total $360 out the door.
Never shot a 22 with a brake, do they make a difference, or does it act more as muzzle weight.
The gun feels good and looks kind of cool.

 

[contender]

I always heard folks in Ca might rob ya blind. Did you use a mask to get this one?

Seriously, a factory muzzle brake is worth $125 average, and the 5-1/4" MKI is a good buy by itself at $360. In short, you did quite well!

 

[Jeepnik]

Fair price, but a muzzle break on a .22 is like wearing a winter coat in summer in case a gust of wind should blow by.

 

[rugerguy]

VERY fair price, in fact a great deal, as the 5 1/4 inchers are scarce and the muzzle breaks are even scarcer...you did great ,enjoy

 

[Shooter III]

I've never seen a Ruger with a factory muzzle brake, POST A PICTURE so we can see what that MK I looks like !

 

[street]

RENE list the "T-514" 5 1/4 inch Mk-I at $590 to $600 in 95 to 98% condition. As for the Muzzle break, Ruger made 2 styles. One the earliest model had Sturm Ruger and Co. stamped on it and the other had Sturm Ruger and Co. Inc. The first one with just "Co." list for $125.00 the other one with "Inc." list for $165.00. I would say that you made a very good buy for that gun.

Ruger only made two runs of the MK-I with a 5 1/4 inch bl. The first Run, serial number 26818 to 29999. In this range there were about 1400 made with tapered ears. The second run started at 73294 to 75781. In all only about 3500 total made, which is just a little more then the total Hawkeyes made. It's a shame that they don't bring the price of other Rugers considering their low product totals. Even though they don't bring the price of other Rugers the T-514 is a very hard gun to find, and anyone that gets a chance to pick up one of these guns should jump on it.

All information comes from the RENE

 

[street]

I've never seen a Ruger with a factory muzzle brake, POST A PICTURE so we can see what that MK I looks like !

Here is a picture of one taken from the American Rifleman sometime in the 1950s. It's the gun in the middle.

 

[Shooter III]

I've never seen a Ruger with a factory muzzle brake, POST A PICTURE so we can see what that MK I looks like !

Here is a picture of one taken from the American Rifleman sometime in the 1950s. It's the gun in the middle.

LOL ! .... $37.50 for a MK I back in 1950 .... Today that would be $375.00 for a MK III

Thanks for the picture !

 

[bentblade]

I've never seen a Ruger with a factory muzzle brake, POST A PICTURE so we can see what that MK I looks like !

Here is a picture of one taken from the American Rifleman sometime in the 1950s. It's the gun in the middle.

The pistol I got is just like the one pictured here. If I could figure out how to post picture I would or I could email it to someone who can if anyone would like to volunteer .

 

[street]

I've never seen a Ruger with a factory muzzle brake, POST A PICTURE so we can see what that MK I looks like !

Here is a picture of one taken from the American Rifleman sometime in the 1950s. It's the gun in the middle.

LOL ! .... $37.50 for a MK I back in 1950 .... Today that would be $375.00 for a MK III

Thanks for the picture !

Sorry but $37.50 is for the "Standard Model" The "MK-I" is $57.50. :lol: :lol: :lol: And don't forget the "Break" is a whopping $6.00 :roll: :roll: :roll:

 

[Shooter III]

Sorry but $37.50 is for the "Standard Model" The "MK-I" is $57.50. :lol: :lol: :lol: And don't forget the "Break" is a whopping $6.00 :roll: :roll: :roll:

Ummm, Yea, price difference from then to now ..... :wink:

 

[kevin masten]

All in all, having read everyones comments, you
Did very well. I trust you are going to keep this one. The brakes are seldom encountered. The tapered barrel 5 1/4 guns you just never see.

Sometimes one just gets a well deserved break. I would not even consider selling any of mine at going prices. Try and replace one.

 

[Bullseye57]

Chad Hiddleston may chime in soon on this pistol if it is indeed a rare one. His screen name is Chet 15.


R,
Bullseye

 

[princeout]

Here are Bentblades pictures.





Nice pistol!

Tim

 

[bentblade]

Here are Bentblades pictures.





Nice pistol!

Tim

Tim thanks for the help in getting the pictures on and everyone else for you comments and advise.

Kirby

 

[bentblade]

Oh! I forgot to mention this gun was on consignment which means the owner walked away with $225 in his pocket.

 

[princeout]

Ouch! Seems a bit low to let that go. I did see three Freedom Arms Model 83's at a Houston gun shop once. The guy who sold them to the store got $1800 total for the trio. I tried to get them to let me double their money and take them home. The store said nope.
Tim

 

[gatorhugger]

It's a cool gun. I can't imagine the brake does a thing. Controls recoil? What recoil?

 

[mohavesam]

I know this is a couple years old but there is only scattered information on the T514 and almost no factory info on the brakes...
I had one reference saying there were fewer than 500 brakes manufactured total, and another stating fewer than that! I've found only two references to Ruger knowing or documenting any T514 or T678 actually shipping with a brake (all done with interweb searches only). Even here with all the RF resources, most info appears anecdotal.

At this point, I'm believing Ruger had something competitive in mind with the compensated Target guns, but somehow just didn't deem them worthy of sales receipts or records of any type? Were they merely a "after-hours" project with drawings made up after a working model was produced? Was Jim Clark the contributing designer after all - did he and Bill Ruger have a handshake deal with Clark being able to carry on the design (as he did with the 1911 "wedge" compensators)??

The lack of info is a shame, because I think they are a very special variant, and they do indicate a (or probably the first) major shift from the then-dominant marketing aim of basic plinking pistols for the "general" market.

I happen to believe the Target tapered barrels are never-to-return and the brake is extinct also... this puts the brake-equipped T514 and T678 soundly in the "never to be sold again" category as the Hawkeye, the SRM, and even the No. 3. The (4) TRUE Ruger collectibles.

Incidentally, the 1955 price of the Target guns, adjusted for inflation, puts the relevant MSRP value at around $640-650 today - 60+ years out of production notwithstanding.

(additional info appreciated!)

 

[Sub sailor]

How is that muzzle brake attached? Is it welded, swaged, or possibly held on with screws? Just curious.

 

[street]

You take out the pin that holds the front sight blade on, slide the muzzle break on the front of the barrel, and then use the extra long pin that comes with muzzle break and insert it into the hole that holds the front sight blade on. The extra long pin holds both the sight blade and keeps the muzzle break from coming off the front of the barrel.

 

[Sub sailor]

Thanks Street, great description!

 

[SGW Gunsmith]

I know this is a couple years old but there is only scattered information on the T514 and almost no factory info on the brakes...
I had one reference saying there were fewer than 500 brakes manufactured total, and another stating fewer than that! I've found only two references to Ruger knowing or documenting any T514 or T678 actually shipping with a brake (all done with interweb searches only). Even here with all the RF resources, most info appears anecdotal.

At this point, I'm believing Ruger had something competitive in mind with the compensated Target guns, but somehow just didn't deem them worthy of sales receipts or records of any type? Were they merely a "after-hours" project with drawings made up after a working model was produced? Was Jim Clark the contributing designer after all - did he and Bill Ruger have a handshake deal with Clark being able to carry on the design (as he did with the 1911 "wedge" compensators)??

The lack of info is a shame, because I think they are a very special variant, and they do indicate a (or probably the first) major shift from the then-dominant marketing aim of basic plinking pistols for the "general" market.

I happen to believe the Target tapered barrels are never-to-return and the brake is extinct also... this puts the brake-equipped T514 and T678 soundly in the "never to be sold again" category as the Hawkeye, the SRM, and even the No. 3. The (4) TRUE Ruger collectibles.

Incidentally, the 1955 price of the Target guns, adjusted for inflation, puts the relevant MSRP value at around $640-650 today - 60+ years out of production notwithstanding.

(additional info appreciated!)

Of course they did! What other purpose would a muzzle brake or compensator serve? There's a whole bunch of reference material available, that's much more "accurate" than what's on the inter-web circus, if one were to know where to look. What reference material do you have for these pistols?

 

[mohavesam]

Those were not production guns & never sold to the public, but you knew that.
- if you know where to look, can you please reference it so that I may get there? I have one RENE guide and a few Ruger books. Almost nothing beyond what I posted above.

 

[rugerguy]

most likely was the fact that the muzzlebrakes were not a big deal, all too many folks ( shooters that I knew and shot with) noticed ,little of no difference, were a pain to clean, some guys did better taping a roll of dimes to the underside of the barrel to keep it "muzzle down"....no large movement for slaes ,so simple done away with...if it was not a "big deal" then the various writers did not make much of writing about, few if any books "cover it all", the various writers ,write what they know about and with what information they may have at hand, like the words of our friend Jeff Munnell, "write something else your self and prove me wrong..."
yes, they tried again with the tapered 5 1/4 inch barrels, see them in blued as well as stainless in Mark IIs , as well as with the P series polymer frames (22/45) I like them , nice balance and feel....they just did NOT sell that great, and cost more to make in the scheme of things.............

 

[mohavesam]

Good perspective, albeit I think there were only a literal handful of writers in 1953-56 to make a difference.

I am looking for supplier info or proof they (the brakes themselves) were made/finished in-house. Because most I've examined appear better-finished than the Target pistols (even for the '50s) I suspect a comparative finish color and polish, leaning toward supplier work? Any evidence toward factory test-fire "matching" or mating with a particular gun prior to shipping would be gold at this point.

I understand the boxing practice of using the 678-length boxes for all the guns but that is anecdotal also from several other-forum posts going back maybe ten years.

The brakes themselves seem to be randomly connected to the target MkIs. Even one that a collector pal has, all as-new in the original pkg has no mention of the included boxed brake (I believe the original package is 100% factory fresh from '54), his Target collection got me re-interested.

I'm also interested in any design-patent residuals, none found yet with legal here.

Any documentation of the brakes being developed for the 1952 ARMY and Air Force shooting teams would be of great interest also!

- Experience/references and pure opinion equally sought!

 

[Dregg]

I picked this one up at a store last year. Serial # dates it to 1961.