As a competitive shooter, I am always looking for an advantage to shoot faster! One of my first ever Handguns was a Ruger Hunter on the traditional Standard Frame which most call the Target Frame. Being a 1911 fanatic, I prefer the 22/45 frame so I repurposed a spare 22/45 frame and placed the Ruger Hunter 6.88″ upper on it. Wow, did it feel amazing! I then added the Creekside Custom 19.22 https://creeksidecustomlasering.com/19-22-rimfire-trigger-for-ruger-volquartsen-tandemkross-pistols trigger with the Volquartsen Accurizing kit https://creeksidecustomlasering.com/volquartsen-accurizing-kit-ruger-mkiv/ to achieve one of the best triggers ever felt in a .22 platform. I like some weight in my hand, I added the Solid Brass Big Daddy grips and Magwell https://creeksidecustomlasering.com/solid-brass-big-daddy-grips-and-magwell-for-the-22-45-mkiv/ to add 15.7oz. For enhanced reliability I installed a Volquartsen DLC coated bolt. I hope it shoots half as good as it looks!
Initial Impressions
Right out of the box, the Ruger Hunter impressed with its long sight radius and familiar feel. The 22/45 frame adds a comfortable grip angle, and the extended barrel is extremely accurate, I was stacking shots on top of each other at 35 yards on the back plates of Outer Limits – free hand. The trigger setup limited sight disruption at speed to include the short reset.
At the range, this pistol delivered. It shoots great, grouping tightly at 35 yards with Eley Contact. The added weight from the brass grips and magwell lessens sight disruption as well. The 1.7lb trigger break with short reset enhances precision, though the return to sight picture is just a tad slower compared to my other Volquartsen Mamba X Iron Sight gun I have been shooting in competition. This isn’t a dealbreaker, but I’m addressing it with the planned compensator, which should speed up the return to center of the sights.
Does the return to sights really matter? If you are a new shooter it probably does not help you much. Over time, as your speed builds, it makes a significant difference. I was talking with Lance Bratcher Jr the other night, who has logged the fastest times shot in Rimfire Pistol Iron and Rimfire Pistol Open in Steel Challenge. He noticed a big difference with the trigger and then with the Brass grips and Magwell. The sights don’t seem to move. The reality is they move slightly but it is a blink of the eye and they are back to where you expect them to be. As I say, you can drive the gun harder and with the additional weight and less trigger movement you have less sight disruption. Less time hunting for the sights and more time getting on target faster!
Pros
• Exceptional accuracy with the long barrel.
• Custom brass grips and magwell add weight and style.
• 1.7lb trigger break with short reset thanks to Volquartsen internals.
• Smooth trigger with short reset.
Cons
• Return to sight picture could be quicker – good return to sights.
• Threading for a comp will be an additional step and $, but worth it.
Next Steps
I’m excited to thread the barrel for a compensator (Falcon II https://creeksidecustomlasering.com/falcon-ii-rimfire-compensator-for-pistol-1-2-28-thread-pitch/ ), which should mitigate the slight delay in sight alignment and enhance overall control. When threading, we’ll move the front sight back 0.5” to accommodate the threading. I’ll update this post with range results once that’s done. For now, this Ruger MKIV Hunter is a solid base for a custom build, blending factory precision with personal flair.
Stay tuned!
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Steve
Steve Foster - Competitive Shooter 