Scope/sights recommendation for Ruger Mark IV ?

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I just bought a Ruger Mark IV and while it's a great gun, I do not like the sights that come with it. I need to either get higher visibility iron sights or I need to get a scope. After some quick looking online I see two options that stand out to me, but I would love to hear what other people think.

First up is replacing the iron sights. I found these on the Ruger website and they have white dots to make it easier to see the sights. I could do with that.

http://shopruger.com/Mark-Series-Pistol ... nfo/12970/


Next up is a scope. The Leupold FX-II seems to come highly recommended, though I am confused as to what scope rings it would need. Ruger sells two mounting rails, one "Weaver style" and the other Picatinny. I really don't know the difference between the two, and none of the descriptions of scope rings that I have seen tell me which style they attach to.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000I5SAE0?ta ... raddict-20


So what does the wisdom of the crowd think? Should I stick to iron sights for now and just get some with higher visibility, or should I bump it up to a scope?
106+ recreational uses of firearms
1 defensive use
0 people injured
0 people killed

Re: Scope/sights recommendation for Ruger Mark IV ?

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A 4x handgun scope is pretty intense to use. It can be disorienting. They tend to only be used by people doing distance shooting.

More common for handgun scopes are non-magnifying scopes, either traditional or red dot. Lots of choices fot that sort of thing. I like Ultradot brand, but there are plenty cheaper.

Rings/bases: Weaver and Picatinny style rails are almost but not quite the same. Picatinny grooves are slightly wider than Weaver. That means Weaver rings will always fir a Picatinny mount, but Picatinny rings may have a retaining screw or locating key that is too big for the groove on a Weaver base. Picatinny rails also specify a distance between grooves and Weaver can be anywhere. That means Picatinny is always going to include a groove every 3/4" (or whatever the distance is) and a Weaver might only have grooves where you'd want to put rings for a particular application (and be more elegant looking as a result).
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Re: Scope/sights recommendation for Ruger Mark IV ?

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I have a Ruger 22/45 Lite. Although it is in the Mark family, your new Mark IV is revolutionized thing of beauty. :thumbup:
The 22/45 comes with a factory mounted Picatinny rail which I thought would be great. So, I bought a really high priced Red Dot for it and took it out for a spin. After sighting it in at 10 yards (Tack Driver), I thought I would push the target out to 20 yards. I learned quickly the thing with scopes on a pistol at shorter distances is that the height of the scope over the barrel greatly affects point of aim. I could not believe the difference 10 yards made. If I remember right my first couple of shots were not even on the paper. Conclusion, if you don't frequently change distances, great! If you do, make sure you educate yourself with the scopes operation for elevation changes.

My Two Cents!
Never confuse knowledge with intelligence.

Re: Scope/sights recommendation for Ruger Mark IV ?

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CDFingers wrote:Open sights is the way to go, as they are a more significant challenge.

CDFingers
I agree with this. A 22 is a great training tool until you put optics on it. Put an optic on your house gun but keep the basics sharp with the 22.

Although I wouldn't sneeze at putting a Delta Point Pro or similar on a 22 if I was already a good hand gunner!

And to add, I've found fluorescent yellow nail polish works wonders on black front sights for very little money.

Re: Scope/sights recommendation for Ruger Mark IV ?

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Marlene wrote:A 4x handgun scope is pretty intense to use. It can be disorienting. They tend to only be used by people doing distance shooting.
I'm mostly going to be shooting from 15 - 50 yards.

EDIT

OK, *eventually* I'll be shooting at 50 yards. Right now I'm doing 3, 7, and 15 yards. The 3 is almost too easy, of course, but I won't give it up until I can consistently get 10 bullseyes out of 10 shots. Right now I'm shooting about 7 of 10, though I've only had this gun to a range once so far.
106+ recreational uses of firearms
1 defensive use
0 people injured
0 people killed

Re: Scope/sights recommendation for Ruger Mark IV ?

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I am just now converting over from iron sights to optics, one of my Bullseye pistols in at the gunsmith's right now getting drilled and tapped for a Weaver mount. Practicing with irons is invaluable and doing so, at least for a while, is a very good thing to do. After a while you will realize *its time* to change over (this can be influenced either by stagnating scores if you compete or by fuzzy focus by aging eyes). Have you looked at 1X red dot scopes? They arent magnified (at 50 yards you really don't need magnification) but with just one thing to focus on (a red dot) your scores typically jump up because, well, it's easier.

I have a Ultradot Matchdot which I like. It's a decent quality mid-range scope used by Bullseye shooters and will allow you to choose your dot and easily adjust as needed. You can get it in one inch or 30mm sizes. Most use 30mm since it lets in a bit more light, but the difference is marginal IMHO. Whatever you use, be sure to get LOW rings. The lower the scope sits the better.
Good luck!

http://ultradotusa.com/ultradotdist2010_006.htm
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Re: Scope/sights recommendation for Ruger Mark IV ?

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I find the added weight of a scope more detriment to good holding than the optical advantage is worth.

If plain black square-edged iron sights are difficult to see on the black target, you can adjust the sights to hit center when you hold on the bottom of the black circle. This sort of 6:00 hold is standard adjustment for target shooting. White dots are suitable for action/combat shooting, but plain bold black sights allow the most precise alignment without distraction.

This has been very helpful for me in improving my pistol shooting, whether or not I’m shooting in the traditional one-handed bullseye style. http://www.saveourguns.com/Ar_Marks_Un_ ... _Guide.pdf
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Re: Scope/sights recommendation for Ruger Mark IV ?

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Given the range that you have been shooting most, and the length of time you have had it, I would stick with the iron sights until you feel you have nearly exhausted the improvement you can wring out of that set up. That gun with iron sights should be able to find the black well beyond your current shooting range.

For what it's worth, I have an MK III target model. I have been using it for the Bullseye League shoots; I eventually changed my sights to a set of Williams Firesights, which worked a bit better for me in dim indoor ranges. On a good day, two-handed, I can plant ten shots in the black - within a 3" circle - at 15 yards. Most days aren't ideal, and I have a lot of improving to do. :oops: My point is, gaining proficiency with iron sights is rewarding.

Very much also: What Marlene says.

Last: I covet the MK IV Competition model. :) Fine gun you've got there.
"I am not a number, I am a free man!" - Number Six

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Re: Scope/sights recommendation for Ruger Mark IV ?

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YankeeTarheel wrote:Why would you want anything but a 1x red dot on a pistol? Just asking.

This is the stock image of my Sig P320 Compact RX. Looks like it may have the new, upgrade lighter trigger, and, of course, the Romeo1 Red Dot comes with it.
Some people use magnified optics on long-barrel pistols for target shooting or hunting (often a big ass revolver). Never got into that myself but it happens. Not for personal defense.

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