Ruger Mark 1 pistol with vent rib.

[cmjr]

I have an early Mark 1 22lr pistol that has a vent rib and target sights. Anyone aware of guys doing conversions on these back when they came out. I'll try and get some pics up.

 

[WIL TERRY]

ALL MARK I pistols have target adjustable sights. The rib is in all probability a Pachmayr glue-on unit.
And so it goes...

 

[eveled]

I'm looking forward to the pictures.

 

[m657]

I've seen a few Mk I with ribs; those were add-ons.

I'd sure like to see this one.

 

[SGW Gunsmith]

I have an early Mark 1 22lr pistol that has a vent rib and target sights. Anyone aware of guys doing conversions on these back when they came out. I'll try and get some pics up.

A company named "Poly-Choke" installed ribs and some were actually soldered onto posts that, in turn, were also soldered to the barrel.

 

[mohavesam]

Clark and possibly King's did the conversion work on many MkI pistols. But both identified their work so you should have a name if it were one of theirs?

 

[chet15]

Gil Hebard probably did some too.
Chet15

 

[rugerguy]

many, many guys ( including military armorers ) as noted above, also Chow, Pachmayhr, Ray Shockey, and in and on, if its a 'poly'choke' rib, it will be marked on the side, and they were "adhesived" in place, easy enough to remove,m some folks like the look, so its YOUR gun..............
Most of the times, the 'big' name guys would have marked the gun in some manner, Clark and Giles, mainly.

 

[cmjr]

Here are the pics. Previous owner engraved his DL# on the front strap and bottom of mag, I'll refer to him as Nimrod in any further references. Trigger and bottom of mag are chrome plated. Not sure of the finish, looks to be a coating of some kind, maybe offered this way by Ruger? I know it's not uncommon for manufacturers to paint a stainless finish on steel firearms. Rib appears to be pinned on front and soldered at rear, not sure it can really be called a vented rib. I know these pistols have a limited resale value and this one probably is in the area of not worth selling considering what you get for a couple hundred dollars. It does function well and is actually pretty accurate when comparing to my Colt Woodsmen's and a newer MK3.

 

[edlmann]

Not a Mark I. Someone has Bubba'd a perfectly nice RST4.

 

[cmjr]

So, a RST4 then? The serial number is 13-273xx, any idea of year manufactured and how about the finish? Googled RST4 and got a lot of pics, none in the light gray finish and none with Target sights. Was this the predecessor to the MK1? I"m assuming then someone took a RST4, had someone install the rib and sights and I guess since it's all the same finish had it refinished?

Looks like 13-273xx dates to 1975 from what I can find

 

[rugerguy]

Now that is different, have never seen one quite like that, as noted above,yes it is simply an RST-4 that someone made up a "raised front sight" to match the Micro rear, lot of work into that sight blade,ala "rib". The shotgun folks call that a "raised rib". As to the finish, cannot tell by the picture, looks almost like a bead blasted surface of the entire gun...if there is any plating or coating, simply try a bit of 'cold blue' on an "out of the way spot" ,like under the the grip panel,see if it is just "bare' metal finish...other wise cold be a variety of applications, parkerize (Zinc) or an armaloy type of chromium, or hard chrome on a "blasted' surface,,,,,hard to "see" ( tell) from a picture......kinda neat but redundant, for a "true target" pistol, and yes, a 1975 gun...........yep, "different", if only it could talk 8)

 

[bentblade]

Since this gun has had the Micro sights added maybe the front rib and sight are a Micro product as well

 

[mikewriter]

Interesting.

Mike

 

[cmjr]

Well, it's not in the white, it has some kind of finish on it and all moving parts on it are coated. Only blue finish I can find is on the clip, even the inside of the mag well is silver.

 

[WIL TERRY]

THIS is a fascinating Ruger 22 pistol. Someone went to a lot of trouble to change it but damned if I can understand what-for or why.
Is that a metallic coating finish ie nickle, chrome etc ?
It looks somewhat like the LUBRI-BOND finish on my STAR FR 22 pistol.
And so it goes...

 

[Kevin]

Someone went to a lot of trouble to change it but damned if I can understand what-for or why.

Huh, no one took the bait. :D :D :D If I may quote you SIR:

. Perhaps most importently, WHY even be concerned about it at this stage of the game ?!?
I can think of TWO very good reasons why that would even be an advantage, Sir !
And so it goes..

But I'll even answer: perhaps they wanted a taller front sight. Perhaps they wanted it to match a shotgun they had. Perhaps the finish was ruined and needed redone, something akin to cerakote. Perhaps the vent rib was a gunsmith school subject, to do it to see if it could be done.


I'm still waiting to hear why a magnetized firing pin would be good. Well two reasons why it would be good.... :D :D

 

[winchester348]

Looks like someone was going for the AMP Auto Mag look. Looks like a hard chrome finish.

 

[mohavesam]

Note the corrosion freckling in the pics - I'd guess Aluma-Hyde or some spray can finish.
Of course it could be a student project or just pain old requested work? The 'why' is never relevant (like some owner scratching their DL or SSn in the gun's finish), only the 'what'. And without a test in some destructive manner (acid, toluene, file, etc.) it is exactly what we see - interesting.

Shoot it and shoot it some more! :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[cmjr]

I doubt if it's any kind of can finish unless someone completely disassembled it, prepped every part and painted it. Frankly it wouldn't even work with all the internals painted. Whatever it is it's hard as the bolt has only minor scuff marks from cycling. Even the Micro sight had to be disassembled and coated. It shoots well and has now become my partner when I'm on the tractor.