"New" RST-4 and questions

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skepsis

Bearcat
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
Messages
2
I was recently in the market for a "plinker" and fell in love with what was listed as a 1971 Mark I ($160 w/ box and instructions). It works great aside from an occasional jam (or frequent jams in the case of hollow-point ammo, which I've learned to avoid with this pistol), although in viewing these forums I've learned that it's actually an RST4 that I have, not a Mark I. This makes me wonder about accessories, as I've been scoping out several Mark I items and am no longer sure if they'd be suitable for my RST4. Namely:

1. extra mags (been looking at the MKI mags available on the Ruger site, as well as the "high capacity" Triple K's available at Cabellas)

and 2. holsters (again, the Ruger site offers an MKI holster, but no mention of RST4 - same with Cabellas Triple K holster.)

Would the above items work for my pistol? And if so, does anyone have any thoughts regarding pros/cons of the Ruger accessories vs. the Triple K?

Thanks!
 

wwb

Hunter
Joined
Nov 18, 2004
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2,867
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wisconsin
Mags for the first generation pistols (Mark I, RST4, and RST6) are the same.... fits one, fits'em all.

Holsters.... The Mark I, Mark II, and Mark III are all dimensionally the same (the 22/45 being the exception) except for the barrel length and barrel diameter. Anything intended to fit the 4" barrel model, regardless of generation, would work.
 

chet15

Hawkeye
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Dawson, Iowa
wwb":pjn76jtc said:
Mags for the first generation pistols (Mark I, RST4, and RST6) are the same.... fits one, fits'em all.

Not necessarily true. The magazines for the pistols with a serial number before about 11-40000 have the magazine button on the right side of the magazine and that magazine had only the one slot on the right side. Then Ruger moved the grip medallion to the sn side of the gun, which moved the magazine button to the left side. This is when Ruger came out with their double slotted magazine which will work in either gun...you just need to move the button to the right side of the magazine for guns earlier than 11-40000.
The Mark I is the same way, and of course the change happened at the same time (11-40000) since both the "Standard" and "Mark I" were made simultaneously beginning in 1951.
Chet15
 

wwb

Hunter
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chet15":elmb7lpw said:
.......The magazines for the pistols with a serial number before about 11-40000 have the magazine button on the right side of the magazine and that magazine had only the one slot on the right side.......

Good thing we got folks around here with that kind of knowledge.

My RST6 and my Mark I are both pre-prefix guns, so I was completely unaware that there was ever a change before the Mark II came out.
 

skepsis

Bearcat
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
Messages
2
Thanks a bunch for all the feedback! My pistol has a 12 before the dash, and the magazine has a slot down either side so it sounds like I'm all set.
 

tomiswho

Single-Sixer
Joined
Feb 2, 2008
Messages
323
Location
Georgia
Chet,
Let me chime in here and ask you a question. I have a Standard, I bought new in 1968 #4703** I had trouble with 3 problems (1. Bullet nose is shaved when chambered; 2. Jamming occurs as brass from previous round fails to clear; and 3. Bullet nose jams on feed ramp as attempt made to chamber.)

I sent my pistol back to Ruger in December 1983 to fix these problems.

I received my pistol back with what I believe is a newer grip frame, having A100 stamped on it.

I have just one 9-round magazine that actually works. Have had others, but can't find anything that actually works besides the one that came back from Ruger.

With you knowledge, did I get a new grip frame? What kind of magazine to you think might work?

BTW, I have no problems with this pistol now, and have a 22/45 on order.

Thanks!
Tom Miller
PS, for the new MkIII owners - I complained in my 1983 letter that the "housing latch" was difficult to operate....... :) all is fine now!
 

chet15

Hawkeye
Joined
Jan 22, 2001
Messages
5,993
Location
Dawson, Iowa
tomiswho":2l482iac said:
Chet,
Let me chime in here and ask you a question. I have a Standard, I bought new in 1968 #4703** I had trouble with 3 problems (1. Bullet nose is shaved when chambered; 2. Jamming occurs as brass from previous round fails to clear; and 3. Bullet nose jams on feed ramp as attempt made to chamber.)

I sent my pistol back to Ruger in December 1983 to fix these problems.

I received my pistol back with what I believe is a newer grip frame, having A100 stamped on it.

I have just one 9-round magazine that actually works. Have had others, but can't find anything that actually works besides the one that came back from Ruger.

With you knowledge, did I get a new grip frame? What kind of magazine to you think might work?

BTW, I have no problems with this pistol now, and have a 22/45 on order.

Thanks!
Tom Miller
PS, for the new MkIII owners - I complained in my 1983 letter that the "housing latch" was difficult to operate....... :) all is fine now!

Yes, if your gun is stamped A-100 on the grip frame, Ruger replaced the grip frame when you sent it in. The grip medallion will now be in the right grip. Ruger's part number for the old style grip frame (pre 11-40000) was A54. The only thing I can think of is, Ruger must have found an issue with the way the magazine sat in the grip frame which gave you malfunctions.
Chet15
 
Joined
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Yes, as Chet15 points out, you often have to "look/see" just what frame is on the gun, not always the same one that the gun was shipped with....people have been swapping them out for MANY years.......I always look at the grip panel hole locations, even before the serial number, between the two of them you will get a better 'idea'......they reversed the lower holes location from left to right, thus reversed the button location in the magazine as well..........
also many times a magazine may need to be properly fitted to the gun, as to feed,fire and function...they do not always "just drop in..." :wink:
 

edlmann

Blackhawk
Joined
Apr 6, 2009
Messages
790
Location
lovely downtown Central Florida
skepsis":3sv02ws2 said:
1. extra mags (been looking at the MKI mags available on the Ruger site, as well as the "high capacity" Triple K's available at Cabellas)

AFAIK, if your Ruger has the A100 frame (the eagle on the right grip and button on the left side of the magazine), then you can use MarkII mags.
 
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