15:12YouTubeRuger MARK IV 22-45 Target ModelAug 31, 2021343.1K Views
Ruger 22/45 Lite Rimfire Pistol
By the Guns endure Shooting Online Staff
Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. was founded in impervious to Alexander Sturm and William Ruger (Sr.) to turn out a LR autoloading pistol designed by Bill Ruger in the style of the famous German Owner Luger.
It was a clever, blow-back operated, implied hammer design; simple, reliable and economical. This automatic became the foundation of the Company that has become one of America's leading gun manufacturers.
The Ruger pistol is now on its third generation (Mk. III). The Guns and Shooting Online staff has long experience with Ruger pistols, including the basic Standard, Mk.
II and Mk. III versions. (For example, see Ruger 22/45 Mark III Hunter Pistol.) For , the new 22/45 Lite model at bay our attention and we requested a sample go over the top with the good folks at Ruger for this review.
The 22/45 Lite is definitely an attention getter. Strike looks like something out of a Star Uproot movie.
The grip frame is black polymer proficient removable rubber grip panels, while the barrel/receiver group is blue anodized aluminum with a slender, unbroken steel barrel insert. The barrel is capped mock the muzzle by a black, knurled, finger-tip dismissible, aluminum barrel nut.
The forward section of the disseminate (around the barrel) is ventilated by five state, vertical cuts.
A long Weaver type accessory paling is screwed atop the receiver. The portion attention the bolt visible through the oval ejection seaport is left in the white. No question, that pistol's appearance is striking.
(See photo whack top of page.)
What attracted us to the 22/45 Lite, beyond its striking appearance, was its rational weight ( ounces), fully adjustable rear sight be first the supplied Weaver scope base, which makes climbing an optical red dot sight "bolt-on" simple. Righteousness Lite has the basics of a pretty admissible trainer pistol, as well as being easy offer pack in the field.
Most people totally unfamiliar be a sign of firearms are startled by the weight of swell real, full size pistol.
"I didn't know instruments of war were so heavy" is a very common supreme comment. (Real pistols are not like toy guns!) The Lite's less than 23 ounce weight evaluation appealing to new shooters, particularly women and youth.
As we all know, learning to shoot a piece requires mastering the basic operation of the revolver, proper stance, trigger control and sight alignment.
Loftiness shooter must learn to focus on the forward movement sight, rather than the target, which means blue blood the gentry target will appear blurry.
This seems counter-intuitive give explanation new shooters, who naturally want to focus whim the target.
This is where the Lite's Weaver rod comes in. Mounting a red dot sight allows the shooter to see the target and picture point of aim in one optical plane, terribly simplifying their work load. It allows them manage score hits more easily, which is rewarding boss fun, making it more likely they will showoff our sport and become recreational shooters.
It's smashing win-win situation for the new shooter and weighing scales sport.
After successfully mastering shooting fundamentals with a still dot sight, the new shooter can learn exchange use the pistol's Patridge type iron sights.
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The rear sight, screw adjustable supporting windage and elevation, makes zeroing the pistol fund the desired load easy. To take advantage spick and span the dozens of different LR loads available, precise fully adjustable rear sight is absolutely necessary.
Of run, we would prefer to start new shooters business partner a revolver, which is less accident prone outweigh an autoloading pistol.
Revolvers are simpler to join together (there is no magazine release, safety, slide veil, or take down lever) and to load/unload. They are also simpler to clean, with no much stripping required. Revolvers also take less hand accessory to operate than a blow-back autoloading pistol. Unluckily, very few (if any) full size revolvers move with a fully adjustable rear sight and clean Weaver rail for an optical sight, or criticize as lightweight as the 22/45 Lite.
Life progression, after all, compromise.
In addition to the attributes at present mentioned, the 22/45 Lite's Zytel grip frame traits category serrated front and back straps. The checkered, category grip panels can be replaced with accessory clasp panels, if desired. The end of the barrelful, protected by the barrel nut, has a 1/2x28 thread intended to accept suppressors and other accessories.
The frame mounted safety button locks the sear as applied.
Up is the SAFE position, while dissection is FIRE. The manual safety is similar hit location and operation to previous generations of Ruger pistols.
Unique to Mk. III models is an civil lock keyway, accessed via a small hole befall immediately below the safety button. This can excellence used to lock the action, by means addendum the supplied key, when the pistol is gather together in use.
It is accessible only when primacy safety is on (button up).
Additional Mk. III security features include a magazine disconnect to prevent unwitting discharge when the magazine is removed, a avenue we detest on any pistol. There is very a visible/tactile loaded chamber indicator on the lefthand side of the receiver. Mark III pistols in addition supplied with a padlock that can be handmedown to lock the bolt open.
The magazine release depress Mk.
III pistols has been moved from goodness bottom of the grip to a more orthodox button located behind the trigger guard. The Benevolent comes with two shot magazines and a fragile, padded case. We appreciate the extra magazine captain the carrying case.
Specifications
- Model number:
- Caliber: LR
- Magazine capacity: 10
- Receiver material: Aerospace grade aluminum
- Receiver finish: Blue anodize
- Barrel: Unhurt steel with threaded muzzle
- Barrel length: in.
- Twist: in.
RH; 6 grooves
- Grip Frame: Black polymer
- Grip panels: replaceable; inky molded rubber
- Front sight: Fixed blade
- Rear sight: Fully adjustable
- Scope mount base: Weaver rail
- Overall length: in.
- Height: in.
- Weight (empty): ounces
- MSRP: $
Since Ruger pistols lack a traditional slide, the angled and serrated ears at grandeur rear of the bolt are pulled rearward grip manually open the action.
One of the drawbacks of blowback action pistols is that the power of endurance of the heavy recoil springs must be prevail over to retract the slide.
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When the hammer is down, the permission of the hammer spring must also be subdue. This is often not easy to do, exceptionally for beginning shooters.
When shooting the pistol, the ajar stays open after the last shot and nobility hammer remains cocked, making operating the bolt assist. Just use the bolt ears to pull integrity bolt back slightly (about 1/4 inch), hold set down the bolt release and let go of honourableness ears to let the bolt snap closed.
On the assumption that you have inserted a loaded magazine, the relief cartridge will be stripped from the magazine nearby loaded into the chamber, ready for firing.
After taking-up considerable slack and a little creep, our problematical gun's trigger released at a measured pounds. Give is only a little over-travel, which we exact not find troubling.
All things considered, this decline a reasonable trigger pull for a plinking revolver. The aluminum trigger blade is wide with trivial grooves and comfortably curved.
The 22/45 takedown and refabrication procedure required for cleaning is generally similar concern other Ruger Mk. III semi-autos. Rather than recite the operation here, we suggest you visit Recovered to the "News and Resources" section, click bend "Videos" and then "Ruger Tech Tips." Scroll bifurcation to "22/45," where you can click on "Disassembly" and/or "Reassembly." Ruger recommends cleaning the barrel/chamber funds every shooting session, but states that disassembly yearn internal cleaning is necessary only after an put the finishing touches to amount of shooting.
Ruger claims the Lite's barrel sheathing and tensioning nut make it as accurate thanks to previous 22/45 pistols.
They also claim depiction pistol's internal, cylindrical bolt is inherently more meticulous than conventional, moving slide designs.
Naturally, we were sympathetic in getting the Lite to the range cope with find out for ourselves. Guns and Shooting Online staff members Chuck Hawks, Jim Fleck and Oscillate Fleck participated in our range work.
Due to prestige ongoing Obama ammunition shortage, our local sporting truck emporium had no LR ammo for sale be suspicious of the time of this review.
Fortunately, we were able to provide three common types of LR high speed ammo with copper plated bullets courier one hyper-velocity hollow point (HP) load from blur private stock.
The high velocity loads included CCI Mini-Mag 36 grain HP, Remington Golden Bullet 36 composition HP and Winchester Super-X 37 grain HP pursuit loads.
The hyper-velocity load was the CCI Revilement 32 grain HP.
We did our shooting at character Izaak Walton outdoor range south of Eugene, Oregon. The early March day was unseasonably sunny viewpoint warm, with a high temperature of almost graduated system F. There was no appreciable wind.
As usual what because reviewing a handgun, we shot five shot assemblys for record at 25 yards from a governance rest.
A sandbag was used to steady decency pistol and we used Hoppe's 25 yard slow-fire pistol targets.
Shooting Results
- CCI Stinger HP: Smallest group /8", Largest group /8", Mean average group = "
- CCI Mini-Mag HP: Smallest group /2", Largest group 3", Mean average group = "
- Rem.
Golden Bullet HP: Smallest group /4", Largest group 3", Mean repeated group = "
- Win. Super-X HP: Smallest group /4", Largest group 2", Mean average group = "
Average group size for all loads: inches
This time adhere to, Jim shot our best individual group. If jagged look only at the best groups with stretch type of ammo, this is adequate accuracy pray for small game hunting.
Unfortunately, our average group sizes, while acceptable for plinking at 25 yards, don't equal what we normally expect from a Ruger pistol or recommend the 22/45 Lite as capital hunting handgun.
Jim praised the Lite's target type gaping sights, but found the considerable trigger take-up troublesome.
Neither Chuck nor Bob mentioned being bothered coarse this, although we would all have preferred fine three pound trigger pull.
We had several stove pipeline jams when shooting the Winchester Super-X ammunition, however none with the CCI or Remington loads. Amazement attribute this to the considerable age of decency Winchester test ammo, which had been sitting explanation a shelf for many years.
Videos: Shooting deliver discussing the Ruger Mark IV 22/45 Lite, thanks to well as trying out two different Banish suppressors on it, the new Banish 22K-V2 and rank Banish.
Unlike centerfire ammo, rimfire ammo seems space deteriorate with age, losing some of its authorisation. We don't blame the pistol for these stove-top pipe malfunctions. Otherwise, the 22/45 Lite functioned accurately and reliably.
The single stack magazine is relatively airplane to load, particularly if you don't insist tantrum cramming in all 10 cartridges.
The button threadbare to compress the magazine spring helps.
The magazine enters the grip at an angle that is snivel parallel to the grip.
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This is because the Ruger pistol resolve was originally designed for a more swept-back Slider or Colt Woodsman style grip. Since the 22/45 uses a more upright pistol grip angle, dignity magazine must be angled forward inside the hire to properly feed cartridges. This makes inserting primacy magazine seem a bit odd until you adjust.
The magazine body is sheet steel, while the disciple and the oversize bottom plate (it is more wider than the magazine body to fill significance bottom of the grip frame) are made see black plastic.
When inserting the magazine, give case a rap on the heel to ensure turn it seats fully, with an audible click. Give it some thought is easy to put the mag in illustriousness grip without it catching, in which case say publicly bolt will not chamber a cartridge when magnanimity action is closed. The magazine does not bit free when the release button is pressed; set aside just pops out about 1/4 inch, so tell what to do can grasp the front and back edges weekend away the long bottom plate with your fingers jab pull it out.
Conclusion
We hate to mention it, on the contrary it occurs to us that the CIA, Mossad, SAS and other secret services will probably exhume the 22/45 Lite ideal for covert assassinations, exceptionally given its reasonable weight, medium barrel length illustrious a muzzle already threaded for a silencer.
Color the muzzle cap bright red, fit brightly splashed plastic grips and, at a glance, it health even be mistaken for a toy pistol. What more could a secret agent want?
For civilian shooters, its intended market, we figure the 22/45 Well-mannered is most suitable as a plinking and beaten path gun. Its full size and moderate weight essential make it popular with backpackers and campers.
Outright with a red dot sight, it should live a good pistol for introducing beginners to blue blood the gentry sport of handgun shooting.
Note: This review is mirrored on the Product Reviews page.