I picked up a Ruger "Standard" model. This is the model that pre-dated the Mark I .

Does it use the same magazine as the Mark I ?

As far a I know yes. A MK2 mag with the follower thumb button reversed ( the standard/mk1 is on one side, the Mk2/mk3 is on the other).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_Zvqn-DzMU

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/ruger-mark-i-vs-ruger-mark-ii.93283/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKRq8aQ6Ils

Yes, I have one of each and the pre-Mark is the one I shoot the most.

Thanks for the help , didn't even think to search for videos.

I am now confused . Is the standard a different model or is it the same as a Mark I with fixed sights?

There's a difference between a Standard and a Mark1, I dont know the specifics ( mag capacity/internal safety redesign?) but it's addressed in thread I linked too AFAIK.

The Standard Model is the original Ruger introduced in 1949. Standard Models were produced until 1981.

The Mark I target model was introduced in 1950. It differed from the Standard in having adjustable target sights. Over the years, the Mark I target models came in various barrel lengths and weights. The 5.5" bull barrel eventually became the most popular. Like the Standard, the Mark I was discontinued in 1981.

In 1971, the grip frame on both the Standard and Mark I was changed to what is known as the "A 100" style.  This meant that the magazine follower button went from being on the right to being on the left.

Newer Ruger replacement magazines can be assembled with the button on either side. Newer Ruger magazines are 10 shot while the original ones were 9 shot, but they can be used interchangeably in the early pistols.

Thanks!   I was originally under the impresion the standard came first and then was completely replaced by the Mark I
The above info makes more sense

I own a Mark I and a Mark II but the addition of this older Standard has been lots of fun . The mag it came with is slightly buggered and a stinker to load , it will be great to refit a better mag to it, I am also somewhat anal about some things and the 9 round groups never seemed right!

The tooling for stamping each side of the frame wore out and was replaced in 1971.

Ruger took the opportunity to move the button from the right side to the left side so that a bolt hold open device  could be added at a later date.  Ruger apparently had it on the long range radar when they re-tooled and created the A-100 frame.

Ruger also moved the Ruger emblem from the left grip plate to the right grip plate in 1971, so it's easy to tell the "old model" and "new model" pistols apart.   The spacing on the grip screws also changed, so you can't interchange the old and new model grips.

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The post 1971 9 round "new model" Standard and Mk I  "AMC" magazines will work fine in a Mk II, they just won't operate the slide stop.

The MK II "M-10" magazines will work fine in the post 71 "new model" Standard and Mk I pistols as is, and in the earlier "old model" pistols if you reverse the button - a process that takes about a minute.

However the original "old model" Standard and MK I magazines won't work in the "new model" pistols - standard, Mk I or Mk II.  


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You can still buy Ruger factory 9 round magazines for the Standard and Mk I, but they are not the same as the originals.   The originals had a silver finished Zamak magazine base and a slightly different magazine body.  The current 9 round magazines are made like the later Mk II magazines with a black plastic follower.

The Standard and Mk I magazines did not have the Ruger emblem on the base plate - that feature arrived with the Mk II.  

So don't lose the original magazine, it'll hurt the value of your pistol if you do.

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The Standard only came in 2 barrel lengths.

The RST4 had a 4 3/4" tapered barrel, while the RST6 was introduced in 1954 with a tapered 6" tapered barrel.

In general the Standard had fixed sights, but after the Mk I was introduced, Ruger offered the Micro adjustable sight as an option.   Similarly, Ruger offered the improved Mk I trigger as an option, so you can find Standard pistols that are in effect tapered barrel Mk I pistols.

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The Mk 1 was introduced with a heavier, but still slightly tapered 6 7/8" barrel as the T678.  In addition to the adjustable Micro rear sight and a more heavily undercut front sight,  it included a modified trigger with stops to reduce over travel and reduce the slack in the trigger.  

Ruger also made a short barrel Mk I, the T514, for a short time.  This had a 5 1/4" heavy tapered barrel.  It had target rear sights, but the front sight was not undercut as much as the T678 or the later bull barrel target pistols.  Demand was low and it was discontinued.

The much more well know T512 was introduced in 1964 with the 5 1/2" bull barrel. The front sight on these is attached via 2 screws rather than with a band around the barrel.   The "Micro" marked sight went away in 1969, replaced by an un marked adjustable target sight.

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The Mk II added the beveled rear receiver as well as a better trigger, a bolt hold open device and the 10 round M-10 magazine.

It came in two "Standard" versions with a 4 3/4" barrel (catalog number MK-4) and a 6" barrel (catalog number MK -6).   This expanded to 4 models in 1984 with the stainless KMK-4 and KMK-6.  Unlike the earlier "Standard" pistols, all of these were sold with fixed sights, and there was no adjustable sight option.  

The Mk II Target Model also came in blued and stainless versions as the MK 678 and KMK678.

The MK-512 5 1/2" bull barrel target model was introduced in 1982, the MK-10 10" model was added in 1984 with a slightly tapered heavy barrel and the MK-678-G  6 7/8" Government Model with a slightly tapered heavy barrel was introduced in 1987.  The 5 1/2" and 10" models also came in stainless versions as the KMK-512 and KMK-10.  

The MK-678-G had 1-15 rifling and was accuracy tested at the factory and had to meet or exceed 1" at 25 yards.


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Below is my 1981 vintage T678 Mk I Target and my 2002 vintage MK-512 Mk II Bull Barrel.   Both weigh nearly the same (40.8 Oz for the T678 and 40.2 oz for the Mk-512).  I like the longer sight radius on the T678, but the MK-512 balances better.  

DakotaFAL wrote:



Grip emblems:

My 1970 Mark I (old style frame) came with an emblem on the LEFT panel only. The emblem was a BLACK bird on a SILVER background. (No "SR" monogram.)

My Mark II came with an emblem on the RIGHT panel only. The emblem was a SILVER bird on a BLACK background, with "SR" monogram.

My Mark III came with emblems on BOTH panels. The emblem was a SILVER bird on a RED background, with "SR" monogram.

My Mark IV came with emblems on BOTH panels. The emblem is a SILVER bird on a RED background; however, the monogram is just "R" instead of "SR." In addition, the emblems are oriented to be perpendicular to the gun's bore, instead of being parallel to the slant of the grips as in previous Marks.

These were the emblems on the original black plastic grips. I changed them all to Ruger factory wooden grips. The factory wooden grips had the same emblems as their plastic counterparts, with one exception: on the Mark I wooden grips, the emblem (on the LEFT panel) is a SILVER bird on a BLACK background, with "SR" monogram.

It's the little details like this that make these guns so interesting to collectors.

ETA: It appears that the emblem's association with a particular Mark is not cut and dried. The emblems, and their arrangement, evolved over the course of production. We can see the general evolution above. First came black on silver, then silver on black, then silver on red. Regarding monograms, we went from no monogram, to "SR," and then to just "R." We went from just one emblem on the left, to one emblem on the right, to emblems on each side. Finally, the orientation changed.

ETA 2: There is also the original emblem that had a RED bird on a SILVER background, that was used before Alex Sturm died. That one goes waay back, and is quite rare.

Ruger Standard did not have bolt hold open as far as I know.

And the button on the mag is reversed, but many MK-I mags would allow you to switch the side the button was on when mag was disassembled.

To lock the bolt open on a Standard you pull the bolt back and push the safety up.



 

Same with the Mk I.

That's why the OP won't miss the automatic hold open device Ruger added on the Mk II.

The safety hold open approach works fine for range safety purposes and all you lose with the Standard and Mk I is the slide automatically locking back after the last round is fired.    

The Standard model didn't have bolt open on last shot but if the bolt was held open and the safety was engaged the bolt would stay open.  The bolt would close if the safety was disengaged.

I feel your pain; last year I bought a 1981 Standard Model (obviously used) with one magazine and it was buggered. I had to tweak the inner feed lips to center the follower and make loading easier. I bought three OEM Ruger magazines and they all have re-designed feed lips that eliminated the problem. My only gripe is the silver plastic bases they now use instead of the heavy chromed metal bases on the original.

Attached File

I had a similar issue with my MkI. It came with an original 9 round mag that the feed lips are pinched too close together, it's causing feed issues that aren't present with a 10 round mag I bought when I picked it up. I'm planning to buy some more 10 rounders and eventually get the 9 round working right.