POTD: Very Squeeky Clean – A Sanitized Ruger MK I
Sam.S 09.18.23
Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! Here we have a very plain Jane Ruger MK I. This is a Sanitized Ruger MK I and besides it looking all spick and span the whole reason for its “sanitized” natured is quite secretive. These types of guns were purposely modified or custom-made to be devoid of markings. This was usually done for clandestine operations where a “spy” may end up losing their weapon. This way there is no real way to trace the weapon back to the military or any sort of clandestine entity.
“All manufacturing marks are absent in an effort to “sanitize” the pistol. This was done in an attempt to make guns more difficult to trace back to its origin if a clandestine operation were to result in the loss/capture of the gun. Meadows pictures a “sanitized” Ruger MK II pistol on page 487 of his book “U.S. Military Automatic Pistols 1945-2012” with a serial number just six digits from this one, “221106”. This pistol is identified as a MK I by the lack of a last round hold open and no slide catch. Meadows also mentions that a suppressed version of the MK I was used by the American “tunnel rats” in Vietnam while clearing tunnel systems. One of a few pistols, including the Smith & Wesson Model 59, referred to as the “Hush Puppy” for their roll in silencing enemy guard dogs and guards. According to the book, “In most cases these pistols were re-barreled after being sold to commercial dealers, ostensibly because the original barrels had been threaded for a suppressor.” This is believed to be one of those pistols. Collector’s marking “JF/illegible” marked in white on the trigger guard.”
Lot 3689: “Sanitized” U.S. Ruger Mark I Semi-Automatic Pistol – Unique “Sanitized” U.S. Ruger Mark I Semi-Automatic Pistol. (n.d.-t). Rock Island Auction Company. photograph. Retrieved September 17, 2023, from https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/77/3689/sanitized-us-ruger-mark-i-semiautomatic-pistol.
