Ruger Rimfire Semi Autos [Archive]

Nighthawk

06-29-2002, 11:08

I have a Ruger MK11 22 pistol boy it shoots great,But I bought the 22/45 with 4in bull barrel if you love to shoot the 1911,but want to save money,this is the way to go.It shoots as well as any target pistol,plus it feels just like a 1911 in the hand. I think its worth twice the MSRP.Any one have experience with the 22/45?

Yuppicide

06-07-2006, 22:58

Is the frame on the 22/45 polymer or steel?

gunrun45

06-10-2006, 18:27

Polymer only.

texasrick

06-11-2006, 01:51

Plastic frame guns (call it what you want, it's still plastic) just don't do it for me, but you can't go wrong with the Ruger Target pistols.

My MK I with the 5 1/2" bull barrel is the most accurate .22 pistol I've ever owned. I chose the "standard" type grip shape solely because I couldn't stand the thought of a plastic frame (and the 22/45 wasn't available back in the 70's when I bought my first one).

If you really want to have a great gun that trains you for the 1911, you might want to check out the Ciener .22 conversion for the 1911. Costs about the same as a Ruger and is exactly like the 1911 (uses the same frame).

I held off for years because I just didn't think a conversion would be accurate enough.......but........picked one up a few years ago in a trade. WOW!! It's the Ciener "target" model and is amazing.

Would you believe 2 1/2", 10-shot groups at 50 yards. That's minute-of-rabbit head. Not quite as good as my Ruger, but very acceptable and is great practice for the 1911. Unit can be switched to the .45acp in a minute if the bigger caliber is needed.......or switched back to .22LR when you arrive at the camp.

devildogmech

11-10-2006, 10:47

I too have a MkI. Love it to death! I have shot the 22/45, and realy like it. I want a ceiner conversion for my RIA 1911, but doubt i'll ever be able to afford one.... Somehting wrong about spending that kind of money for a conversion.......

Billy

texasrick

11-11-2006, 10:17

The same thoughts I had for years......too much money for a conversion that probably won't shoot that good anyway. Boy was I all wrong!!!

You will never regret the money spent on the Ciener conversion. Feels fantastic in the hands (for a 1911 fan anyway), has the weight to be super steady, and shoots as good as 95% of the dedicated .22 semi-auto pistols you will ever own. It will likely become your most used .22 pistol.

Also you can't totally discount the "cool" factor. I have built a walnut case, lined in velvet, that holds my 1911, both the .45 slide and the .22 ciener unit, 20 rounds of .45acp and 50 rounds of .22LR ammo, and a few screwdrivers and cleaning rods. The look on your friend's faces when you open the case and in a minute or less, convert from man-stopper .45 to rabbit-slayer .22LR is..........priceless. You will definitely be the envy of everyone at the camp or range.

garza1290

11-28-2006, 19:03

This pistol is worth every penny. I had a Stainless Ruger MKII with 4 inch bull barrel. Gawd I loved that thing, I let it go to fund another project and I kick myself every time I think about it now. Just as good, if not better than those high priced target models. Plus, it shot every thing I put throught it.

FatDaddy

11-29-2006, 19:27

Love mine! Over a thousand rounds, no failures.10455

Possibly the best money I've spent on a gun.

devildogmech

11-29-2006, 19:30

Only 1K rounds???? Light weight!... Mine must have 25-30K! Of cours I've been shooting mine since 94' :>

I used to burn a whole brick every time I took it to the range when I was in HS.... Those were the days!

Billy

FatDaddy

11-29-2006, 19:37

Yeah, I just got it for Fathers Day. Definitely a good armadillo burster.

garza1290

12-01-2006, 20:02

devildogmech

12-02-2006, 11:38

carefull with the dillo's. They cary leprosy.... Yep! That thing from the bible... Its all over the SW. Where ever you see an Armadillo, you will find leprosy. Its treatable, but not fun to live with.

Interesting side note, when a Dillo' give birth, it ALWAYS has a pair of Identical twins. They are realy popular for research, because you can always have a pair of geneticaly identical subjects. One for control, and one for experement.

Billy

PS. FatDady, how do you like that reflex sight? I'm thinking about one for my 10-22

FatDaddy

12-02-2006, 17:41

Just curious, what do you do with the amadillos you shoot? I'm from Texas and those ugly-assed things are something of a state symoble here. I got some friends that actually eat them. I've never tried it......not that brave. If I had to in order to live, I'd probably eat the hind end of one. Like I said I'm just curious.

I used to not even bother them when I was a kid except for the occasional game of kick the dilla. Left unchecked they will turn a nice yard into a moonscape though. I have a flock of buzzards that never leave my back fence row. I always just chuck 'em over the fence and the buzzerds pick them clean. I've always heard the leprosy thing too, but something that looks like armoured taint is in no danger from me eating it.:D

FatDaddy

12-02-2006, 18:05

...
PS. FatDady, how do you like that reflex sight? I'm thinking about one for my 10-22

It's fun to play around with and looks cool, but to be honest I don't think it's any more accurate than the iron sites. I can't acquire my target as fast either. It would probably work better on a rifle though because of the cheekweld on the stock would help you line it up faster.
It has about 6 different crosshairs/dots/brackets/circle-dots but the only one I use is the dot. The others are just too much to look at. I was told that I wouldn't be able to see the red dot in the sun by a few folks but that's bunkuss, it's very easy to see on the higher settings.
I think it's made by Famous Maker about $85 locally. I'm glad I didn't spend big money on one out of the gate.

mathteacher

07-12-2007, 21:35

I miss my bull barrel 22/45. I did have a problem with mine--the magazines had a feeding issue where the bullets would not enter the chamber. The bullets were point too high in the magazine. I ended up practically giving it away as I sold it and a Mossberg 500 field combo for $200.

shadow1

09-02-2007, 07:33

I have a 22/45 I just bought a Tactical Solutions threaded upper for. Going to try it out today. I really like the balance. I was worried the ultra lite weight wouldn't feel right but was I wrong. We will see how it shoots.

planeflyer21

09-03-2007, 06:55

I've had two of the Ruger Mk II's w/ 6" standard barrels. The first one, a blued model, disappeared (I later found out my room mate stole it). The second was a stainless version. I traded it for something else I thought I needed. Both tied for the most accurate pistols I've had.

I just put a steel frame Mk III Hunter on layaway. Boy am I looking forward to that new plinker!

Jon

Marlin 45 carbine

09-04-2007, 10:51

I used to not even bother them when I was a kid except for the occasional game of kick the dilla. Left unchecked they will turn a nice yard into a moonscape though. I have a flock of buzzards that never leave my back fence row. I always just chuck 'em over the fence and the buzzerds pick them clean. I've always heard the leprosy thing too, but something that looks like armoured taint is in no danger from me eating it.:D

ARMADILLO = POSSUM ON THE HALF SHELL :lol:

Spacemonkey

12-28-2007, 10:58

FatDaddy, I'm with you 100% on armadillo blasting !!!! I'm also in South Georgia and I DESPISE armadillos!!!! I went out about two weeks ago to check on some of our property and shot 5 in about an hour

Here's something redder than redneck! : EVERY year for the past 10 years SOMEBODY runs outside and shoots an armadillo at my grandmother's house DURING Christmas Lunch!!!!!!!! :lol::lol::lol:

I just bought a Ruger Mark II to accompany my Ruger 10/22 and the FIRST day I shot it (yesterday) I zapped an armadillo @ 40yds with it!!!!:D (....and the rest of the day shooting at paper targets I couldn't hit a damn thing <_< .....)

I'm glad to see another SoGa guy on the board and I'm DOUBLY glad to see someone else exterminating those crater-making rats!!! They've moved in to South Ga like a swarm of locusts over the past 10 years and they tear up everything in their path. These things have NO redeeming value!

No sympathy for the 'dillos!:angry:

planeflyer21

12-29-2007, 08:13

I got my MKIII Hunter! It is a different one than the one I had on layaway. The initial model was with the 6 7/8" barrel. Then one came in with a 5 1/2" barrel.

Talk about balance! I've never had a gun sit so perfectly in my hand. Interestingly, there is no reference to the 5.5" barrel on Ruger's website, in their catalog, or anywhere else I've looked.

If anyone else sees one, I STRONGLY recommend you handle it.

Jon

SD Handgunner

02-13-2008, 22:20

I too have a 4" Bull Barrel Ruger MKIII 22/45, and love it. I just replaced the sights on mine with a HiViz Front Sight (I prefer the .110" Green Insert) and V-Notch Rear Blade. I have also added a Clark Custom Guns Steel Ruger Trigger, and Hand Polished the Sear for a really great feeling trigger pull.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/LarryinSD/RugerMKIII2245.jpg

I also added Hogue 1911 Rubber Finger Groove Grips to this little Ruger. To do so the molded in raised grip panels on the 22/45 grip frame had to be ground off flat with the frame. Then 4 holes were drilled to accept 1911 Grip Screw Bushings and the Hogue Grips added. This totally changed the way this little Ruger handles and feels.

This little Ruger is fast becoming my favorite handgun of all.

Larry

SD Handgunner

03-14-2008, 20:51

I have been shooting the heck out of this little Ruger 22/45. In fact I like it so much I have ordered a slightly bigger brother to it. I just ordered a Ruger MKIII 22/45 5 1/2" Bull Barrel on Wednesday. I will do all of the same modifications to the new Ruger that I have done to the 4", except for the Sights. The 5 1/2" will wear a Bushnell Trophy Electronic Dot Sight. This particular Bushnell has 4 reticles (4 MOA Dot, 10 MOA Dot, Crosshair & 4 MOA Dot inside of a 35 MOA Circle. In addition to the 4 reticles they can be illuminated in either Red or Green.

Larry

Spacemonkey

03-17-2008, 05:09

I have never had the opportunity to shoot any of the 22/45 models, and I don't think I've seen any in a store (or I haven't paid any attention to them). You guys make it sound very tempting though!
I know almost nothing about the 22/45. From what I've been able to gather, the grip/frame angle is much straighter (like a "normal" pistol grip) vs the Mark II/III 's "luger style" swept-back grip. Past that, I'm not sure what the differences are. I love the heck out of my Mark II 6 1/2" standard, but it would be interesting to try the 22/45 just to see how it felt.
For me, the "luger style" grip of the Mark II just feels right for my shooting style and the shape of my hand (it feels like it wants to be pointed at the target and the shot recoil is spread along the ball/base of my thumb), but I'm always willing to try new things that go BANG! ;)
Does the 22/45 have the same internal action as the Mark II/III pistols? I'm also wondering if it has the same tear-down style. The only gripe I have with the Mark II pistol is that breaking it down for a good cleaning drives me NUTS!!!! The designers got the feel and the action almost perfect, but the reassembly process is like playing with a Rubic's Cube blindfolded! :angry:

collegeb

03-18-2008, 21:24

SD Handgunner

03-19-2008, 21:13

handgunner what kind of drill bit did you use to drill the holes and did you tap them as well or will a drilled hole work fine? I'd like to put new grips on my 22/45 and I didnt think about that until I bought it. Thats a big problem I have with it.

I had a gunsmith buddy of mine do the work for me. I am not sure what he used for a drill bit, but remember him saying he just selected the right size drill bit and then treaded the Grip Screw Bushjings directly into the drilled holes and the Grip Screw Bushings cut their own threads. He then unscrewed the Grip Screw Bushings, applied JB Weld to the threads and screwed them back in again.

In my opinion these grips made a really handgun out of this MKIII 22/45.

Larry

collegeb

03-27-2008, 20:36

I've seen some grips put on the pistol made out of some kind of silly putty stuff that dries, also 1911 grips actually glued onto the gun. So i'll keep looking at what's out there...really wish I had though about this before I bought the gun. I'm not really interested into permanently altering this puppy.

hylander

02-15-2009, 18:25

I just purchased a 5.5" MKIII 22/45 :)
however I can't pick it up until next Monday, "Calif. 10 day Wait" <_<
I had an MKII 22/45, loved it, not sure why I sold it :huh:
Anyway can't wait to pick it up.
I'm already thinking about getting the 6 7/8" Hunter

SD Handgunner

03-02-2009, 11:20

I have also added another Ruger to the stable. I recently acquired a Ruger MKII Stainless-Steel 5 1/2" Bull Barrel.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/LarryinSD/RugerMKIIFastFire.jpg

The modifications to this Ruger MKII include the following"

Clark Custom Guns Steel Ruger Trigger
Volquartsen Custom Target Sear
Volquartsen Custom Extended Bolt Release
Volquartsen Custom Volthane Target Grips
Power Custom Titanium Firing Pin
Power Custom Titanium Extractor
On Target Blast Shield
Burris FastFire Electronic Red Dot Optical Sight & Mount
Hand polished Factory Ruger Hammer

This gun was purchased originally by my brother. After my brother passed away I purchased it from my Sister in Law. Since this is a special Ruger to me I decided to Customize it to suit my needs. This Ruger MKII has always been scary accurate, my modifications only served to make it easier to shoot to help bring out that accuracy.

Larry

mdewitt71

03-02-2009, 15:54

Just got a 22/45 myself.....
http://www.perfectunion.com/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=14911&d=1233783355
The plastic frame not having sideplates is my only dislike but, it fits my hand well and I really don't have a problem with the feel.
I bought a ambi holster for it (I'm a Lefty) the other day and am trying to figure out if I wanna try a red dot on it or leave the iron sights.