Laser action on the Cu II transitions at a wavelength of 780.8 nm was first obtained in a hollow cathode discharge [I]. In this work, cathode sputtering was employed to provide the necessary concentration of copper vapor. Subsequently, using an analogous construction, CW lasing action was obtained at a large number of wavelengths in the visible and ultraviolet regions based on the transitions of Cu II [2,3], Ag II [4,5], and Au II [6]. At the present time these lasers are the shortest-wavelength sources (~ = 220-318 nm) of coherent CW radiation, which is stimulating interest in their study. However, several shortcomings of the hollow cathode construction, such as the tendency toward formation of an arc between the electrodes and the inhomogeneity of the discharge heating along its length, impede their wide applicability. In [7] these shortcomings were overcome by use of a transverse radio frequency discharge, in which the necessary concentration of vapor of the working material was achieved by self-heating. Attaining self-heating conditions for such hard-to-vaporize elements as copper is technically difficult. In the present work lasing action on the ionic transitions of copper is discussed using sputtering of the working material in an rf discharge.