shortest threaded Ruger MKIII?

[TPayne]

I am thinking about having my Ruger MKIII 5.5" Bull Barrel chopped back to 3" and threaded. It will be used with a suppressor that has a 5.25" overall length. The reason I am chopping the barrel back along with threading it is to reduce the overall length as much as possible. How do you guys think it will work? Will the bullet stabilize properly in a barrel that short? I am not really concerned with accuracy as I have been told by a rifle barrel maker that barrel length doesn't really have an affect on accuracy, but does on muzzle velocity. He also said the crown is extremely important, too. Anyone chopped a Ruger MK series that short? Shorter? Close to that short?

Thanks

[Selectedmarksman]

This is apples to oranges, but Smith & Wesson makes a .22lr revolver that has a 1.875" barrel, so short .22lr barrels exist. Whether or not a barrel that short will cycle a semi-auto I can't tell you.

[Chondro]

Both of mine are chopped to 4 inches..If you go less than that they won't cycle without the can..Accuracy and stabilization are non issues..Dave Saylors of Liberty runs his at 3.5..

There have been times its handy to be able to shoot them without the can..Its not going to make it quieter or anything to go less than 4 so you may want to think about that before you chop em..The big thing for me is having such a short sight radius..I really prefer a long one..

The yankee hills bull barrel thread protectors look good on the Rugers as well..The Taurus barrel here is 2.75 inches and runs great with the can..

Here with the thread protectors and then the steel version with a Mark 3 front sight and where it would be positioned if you go to 3.5..If you go to 3 you would have to cut the back of the sight down to fit..

Of course if you scope it then it doesn't matter..Just doesn't seem right to me on these guns..Open sights just has the natural feel..But a Mark 1 is what I used the most as a kid so I'm a bit old school with these..

[winsor]

This only 3.3" and works perfect.
with 5" can.

(click for bigger.)
with 3.75" can.

(click for bigger.)

[Chondro]

That bolt stop is really slick..

[winsor]

The B&N bolt stop. It's a patent pending.

Here's another setup with Ti can.

(click for bigger.)

[ssnfa]

This is a MkII test gun I am monkeying with. I have only function fired it so far using both a Gemtech OBII and a TM Zephyr XL and both functioned fine with it. It also does not seem to keyhole. I now have a Konus red dot on it and hope to to a battery of tests soon. I will post my results.

[Chondro]

Good luck with the patent Winsor..

ssnfa where did you get that trigger? I have one like that for my Stainless Ruger that I got from a fella that hangs out at my local gunshop..We all seem to be in agreement that its Volquartsen and its old..Yours looks like it was just made or you polished it up really nice..Either way I want another!!! Any ideas?

It was mentioned I think that they were discontinued because of the width and the possibility of an AD..In which case you should promptly remove it and sell it to me for proper disposal..

Without the can that has got to be the freakiest I've ever seen.. Now all you need is a little sleeve to give it that integral look..

[winsor]

Thank, Chondro.
ssnfa, I like that stump MKII. It looks like a space gun.

[TPayne]

Wow! Thanks for the replies guys! This has helped me out a lot!!! I am shooting for a Ruger with an overall length similar to the models used by Stallone and Banderas in the movie Assassins. The pics of the Rugers that ssnfa and winsor posted are very similar to the models used in the movie. I also liked the length of the Rugers that Chondro posted.

ssnfa, How long is the barrel of that Ruger that you posted? How reliably does it cycle rounds such as CCI minimag? How well does it cycle lower powered rounds such as subsonics?

Once I decide on a barrel length, I'll have it chopped and threaded. I'll also post pics of it and the can. My forms should be approved by then.

[ssnfa]

ssnfa where did you get that trigger?.....Volquartsen and its old....

Yep, it is a complete Volquartsen accuracy kit from about 1990'ish.

[ssnfa]

ssnfa, How long is the barrel of that Ruger that you posted? How reliably does it cycle rounds such as CCI minimag? How well does it cycle lower powered rounds such as subsonics?

I told my machinest to shoot for about 1/4" of visable barrel which I believe makes the overall threaded length at about 1 to 1 1/2" because the threads of the barrel actually go back up into the receiver. Function wise I have only tested it with CCI subsonics, reminington standards and Federal bulk pack. All three functioned fine with a can. The gun WILL NOT function at all without a can. I will try and take some updated pics and do some shooting tests tonight with the new red dot.

[ssnfa]

I had great success today with this gun. I shot it at 15 yards with no keyholes or baffle strikes. The point of impact changed about 6" between the Gemtech OBII and the Thompson Machine Zephyr dimpled protoype but both were very acceptable for a 1"'ish bbl supressed gun!!!

[Hoop]

If you need a front sight on the front of the receiver, I can hook you up.
The sight radius will still be comparable to that of a Glock.

The only thing I would be concerned with on the less than 4" pistols would be the terminal ballistics. I would be interested in knowing what velocity the less than 2" barrel will push a cci mini mag.

[TPayne]

Thanks for all the help and info guys! I love all the photos of chopped Rugers with cans on them. My dealer just got done chopping and threading mine. He sent me a text with a photo of it and it looks very good. Can wait to pick it up tomorrow and shoot it. Now, my forms just need to be approved.

[TPayne]

Here she is! With my can!!! (Just got my paperwork back today)



The barrel was cut back to 3.5" and threaded. This thing is lots of fun!!!!

[Chondro]

Hey very cool..Who makes the can? The blued versions are alot smoother because of the steel..Does it cycle without the can?..Didn't think about that before..That was a really fast turn around..Congrats..

Oh by the way..ssnfa wins if this was a contest for the shortest Ruger..

I want that trigger! I keep meaning to pull mine out again and file and polish it up like that..

[TPayne]

Hey very cool..Who makes the can? The blued versions are alot smoother because of the steel..Does it cycle without the can?..Didn't think about that before..That was a really fast turn around..Congrats..

It's a Thompson Machine Zephyr. I live about 45 minutes - an hour from them... picked it out in person.

Yeah, it cycles great without the can. It cycles everything I have fed it so far, with and without the can. So far, I have tried CCI Minimags, CCI Blazer, and Remington Subsonics.... no problems at all.

[kogashuko]

Mine is 3.5 and I love it. It is still very accurate and almost all standard ammo is subsonic through it.

[Chondro]

You have some that goes supersonic out of a 3.5'' barrel?

[TOOL1075]

I'm going to go 4"

I think it's the best length for keeping stuff subsonic without neutering velocity too much. 4.5" might be a little too loud. 3.5" might be a little too slow.

[Chondro]

4 inches for me was the goldilocks length really just because of the overall length with the can..I wouldn't worry about the half inch for sound if it would say keep you from the Pac-lite (With some cans longer would make it quieter)..I just found another Mark 2 today..I'm going to go full length with that one for the sight radius..My gunsmith hates me..But he's the one that had it in the case..

[winsor]

Here she is! With my can!!! (Just got my paperwork back today)



The barrel was cut back to 3.5" and threaded. This thing is lots of fun!!!!

...Sweet proportion.

[HirosStorageUnit]

that is pile of great looking rigs. I went with the factory threaded Ruger. Works well but I know I will end up firing up the lathe and cutting and threading it someday. I seem to not leave anything alone.

[bkoski]

Thread reviving like a boss.

Like TPayne, I wanted a Ruger similar to the ones used in the movie "Assassins". And as soon as I saw ssnfa's rig (and all the info in this thread), I knew I had to have one that short. Sent my old Ruger MKIII Target 5.5" off to my favorite gunsmith and had him remove 3.5" of the barrel, for an overall barrel length of 2.0" (including the chamber). So far I have left the sights off. The MKIII (non 22/45) points very intuitively for me, and besides, at the ranges where it would be even mildly effective, I wouldn't be needing sights anyway. Having said that, I do have a red dot lying around here somewhere... and will post some actual accuracy results, time and ammo availability permitting.

As far as function goes, I'd not bet my life on the reliability, suppressed or unsuppressed. This is strictly a range toy, nothing more. Without the can it will cycle reliably only with the 60gr Aguila SSS ammo, which, in the 1/16 factory twist WILL NOT stabilize, so don't try to shoot this ammo with a can on! When suppressed, for the most part, it eats anything I feed it, but will randomly refuse to cycle even the high velocity fodder. I'm contemplating lightening the bolt or recoil spring somehow, but haven't thought about that process enough yet to come up with a reliable solution.

Photos and videos at the end of this post. Velocity information as follows, from both my factory threaded 4.5" 22/45, and my 2.0" MKIII:

Riverbreaks Conservation Area. Oregon, MO.
Temp: 75F
Humidity: 33%
Station Pressure: 30.03
Elevation: 1000' MSL
ProChrono Digital Chronograph
Ruger MKIII 22/45 TB - 4.5 Factory Threaded Barrel &
Ruger MKIII Target - Custom 2.0" Threaded Barrel
Silencerco Sparrow

10-Shot String Averages shot with Silencerco Sparrow:

Federal Bulk Pack 36gr Copper Plated HP:
*Average 4.5" Velocity: 1042 fps
*Average 4.5" Energy: 87 ft/lbs
*Average 2.0" Velocity: 846 fps
*Average 2.0" Energy: 57 ft/lbs
*2.0" Barrel loses ~35% energy compared to the 4.5" Barrel
Remington Subsonic 38gr:
*Average 4.5" Velocity: 825 fps
*Average 4.5" Energy: 57 ft/lbs
*Average 2.0" Velocity: 664 fps
*Average 2.0 Energy: 37 ft/lbs
*2.0" Barrel loses ~35% energy compared to the 4.5" Barrel
CCI Standard Velocity 40gr:
*Average 4.5" Velocity: 896 fps
*Average 4.5" Energy: 71 ft/lbs
*Average 2.0" Velocity: 730 fps
*Average 2.0 Energy: 47 ft/lbs
*2.0" Barrel loses ~34% energy compared to the 4.5" Barrel

Pictures:







Videos:

Teaser Video <---- Click Me!
Velocity Test Video <---- Click Me!

Enjoy!

-BK