[Lovegasoline]

I'm still awaiting my NYC pistol permit and purchase of my first 1911 colt. I've been thinking that my second pistol purchase will likely be an inexpensive .22 pistol for enhancing my training, budget target shooting, and perhaps plinking. Since the Ruger 22/45 apparantly mirrors the grip angle of the 1911 and is relatively inexpensive I was thinking it would be a good candidate to pair with the 1911.
I've not handled or seen one in person, and to my eyes it isn't a pretty pistol...but if it yields what I want from it it may be a perfect .22 caliber choice.
Does anyone have feedback on the Ruger that they'd care to share? Overall impressions, reliability, accuracy, ease of disassembly, durability,etc.
Thanks.

 

[Fliedout]

Pretty, is isn't, but it's extremely accurate, and the grip angle does duplicate the 1911, though the grip itself is smaller. The only downside is that you'll almost certainly want a trigger job, which can add upwards of $200. Even with that, though, it's a relative bargain.

 

[Lazarus]

I have one for the exact reasons you mention and it is one of my favorite handguns to shoot - ugly as all get out - but great to shoot and totally reliable...

 

[Marky Mark]

A 22/45 is going to be my next gun purchase.. I thought about getting a conversion kit, but the better kits cost more than the Ruger pistol! As for a trigger job, if it breaks at less than 5 or 6 #, I wouldn't give it a lot of thought. It is a great way to improve your fundamentals of sight picture and trigger control without developing a recoil flinch. The only place a .22 doesn't help much is practicing double taps, since there's no recoil. I sure I'm not the only person on this board whose fondest memories of youth are shooting .22s with their fathers...

 

[BrianMc]

I've got a MkII Govt. Target Model and I've been looking at the 5.5" SS bull barrel 22/45 for four years, thinking about it. Since I've already got the 6 and 7/8" Govt Model, which is as accurate as any handgun I'll ever need (i.e more accurate then I'll ever be), it's hard to justify the purchase when there is always something else that the money could go to.

But if I didn't already have a good rimfire pistol, I'd be all over that 22/45. And eventually, I will buy one anyway.

I think Ruger could increase their sales volume of these pistols about 500% if they went a little further in mimicking the 1911 ... in particular a thumb safety shaped just like a 1911's would be an incredible improvement. The little button safety sux.

 

[10ring]

I was thinking of going that route untill I felt the trigger. Argh! I went with a 22 conversion unit and have been very happy. By using a 22 conversion on top of a 1911 frame, all the controls are EXACTLY the same. I think you can probably pick up a Ceiner for less than a 22/45.

 

[Lupey]

BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG

 

[JoeFriday]

I've had a couple different Mk II Target and Government models.. they make great bullseye guns, and are a blast to plink with.. but they're not very good for 1911 training

I agree with BrianMc that Ruger could do a lot better job of mimicking the 1911 platform.. I kicked around the idea of getting a 22/45, mostly just to lower the cost of shooting.. but eventually I decided to go with a conversion kit.. the cost was roughly the same, and you don't have to adjust to a different grip or trigger pull

the only real disadvantage to the conversion kit is that you aren't getting a full gun.. no big deal unless you take a non-gun owning buddy to the range

 

[t-tac]

I have had one in my family for awhile. Nice gun. grip duplicates a 1911. Ver reliable, Very Accurate.
The only complaint I have with the gun is the Mag has to go in at the exact angle to the grip or it wron't go in. A minor complaint.

 

[capnrik]

I have a .22/45 that I bought for my son. It is the only Ruger I have ever purchased that came with an acceptable trigger right out of the box.

If you want a .22 rimfire pistol, it's as good as most, but the best way to train for shooting a 1911 .45 is to shoot a 1911 .45.

 

[Lovegasoline]

Going with one of the 1911's .22 slide/mag conversion kits is also a consideration but from most of the feedback I've read they seem to generally dissapoint in the accuracy dept., although the high-end version (forgot the manufacturer) gets closer to the bullseye....but is also VERY pricey. Accuracy is important because w/ the savings in .22 ammo I imagine I'd be shooting the gun often....might as well get into it & have fun.
I too have been eyeing the bull barrel vesion 22/45 in (blued or SS). I hadn't even considered trigger issues although I suppose if the triggers have some sort of reputation (or even half-reputation) for being heinous it is something to take into consideration. Has anybody else experience really bad triggers on the Ruger 22/45?
The point of mimicking the controls of the 1911 (or shortcomings in that dept.) is a minus, but is something I probably can live with given the cost of a used 22/45. What makes the 22/45 such an awkward looking gun is it looks as if they took a generic and non-descript frame and grafted it onto the barrel of the MKII...a shame because even if Ruger isn't the most innovative pistol DESIGNER on the block (I'm not knocking them, owned one and was very fond of it) they do have a knack for adhereing to the looks and lines of classic pistols. I agree, since the 22/45 is apparantly marketed to mimic the feel of the 1911, it's as if they realized the goal in grip angle and left it at that.
As long as the 22/45 isacceptably accurate, the trigger is acceptable, & I can pick up a used one at a decent price....I think it's a great candidate and I can live with it's looks. Besides, a .22 pistol for plinking/target/fun is one of life's essentials, no?
More trigger feedback anyone?

 

[kalibear45]

I have a Ruger 22/45 and I installed the Volquartsen accurizing kit you can buy from www.ontargetguns.com

Makes a better trigger pull with the Volquartsen parts. The one I have now has the short tapered barrel and is accurate enough with iron sights. I think I'm going to buy the 4" bull barrel version for my 2nd one.

 

[Fliedout]

I have the 5 1/2" bull barrel; it's very accurate and I like the way it balances. The trigger pull out of the box is a bit heavy, and I had it lightened to about 2 lbs. 'cause I planned to use it mostly for target shooting. Aside from the expense of the trigger job, the only negative is that the takedown and reassembly are a little tricky, but if you follow the instructions in the manual carefully it isn't a big deal.

 

[islzzpm]

My shooting buddy-

-just got a suppressed 22/45 and you talk about sweet.
Literally no recoil. PFFFT, PFFFT, PFFFT. The only sound in the
indoor rangeis the round hitting the metal backdrop.

 

[fxntime]

22/45

I just bought my son one for christmas. 4 bull barrel. It does not feed as well as my regular mk2. Plenty accurate though. Pain in the butt to put back together after cleaning no matter how many times I do it. I like the mag release better but when inserting the mag you have to hold it just right. If I got another one it would be the regular one as mine is flawless in feeding. I can't tell if the 22/45 grip angle is a bit different but it feels like it. I think I have about 7 or 8 k rounds thru mine and it still works perfectly. I have a [email protected] 422 also that has been a great 22 also. Very light and dependble for me.

 

[qwik silver]

kimber rimfire pistols

just a thought

 

[Bob Brown]

The Ruger 22/45 is an improvement over the other design, and it isn't just on the outside. There have been a couple of small but good changes internally, and if I had one, I'd get a 'smith to do a trigger job on it...using stock parts except for the trigger itself,
and that's all...unless you want to scope it. You'd best like the grip 'cause you can't install custom grips. Hoever, if you're good with wood, you can grind down the existing grips and make up a pair of slab grips to your own liking...it's been done and works out really well.
As for accuracy...it'll compete with the best of them. I've Ransom'd lots of them that would equal a 41or a Hammerli...and of course, some that wouldn't. But I've yet to find one that didn't produce a satisfactory group.

Bob

 

[Wit]

I have a 5 1/2" BBL SS MKII which I bought for my daughter. The accuracy is far better than my skill, but the trigger is very horrible out of the box when compared to an average 1911. It's like a double action with very long take up, and won't break consistantly. If you're picky like me, it needs a smith job or a new 'Do-It-Yourself' Volquatsen kit which is probably about the same price. I chose the latter one.

It's a fun gun and a good teaching aid.

 

[nw_fan]

I have a 22/45 5 1/2 inch bull SS

just to back up some of above comments...

Good balance
Good Trigger (better on mine than what folks said above)
Inexpensive, yet accurate and high quality.
I use High Velocity .22 for a little more recoil
Cleaning? You're supposed to clean .22's? (seriously, I clean them occasionally, but not often. More becuase I like it, than it needs it)
You can buy Aquila Colibri and Super Colibri ammo which has no gunpowder - only primer. It is very quiet. Muzzle velocity around 500 fps. This gives you a chance to shoot indoors or in neigborhood setting without noise problems.

 

[Emily W Trott]

...you'll almost certainly want a trigger job, which can add upwards of $200.

I don't think that you'd have to pay that kind of money unless you are including shipping charges in that figure. While I'm not sure he works on the Ruger .22s, Tom Novak of Novak's Handgunner Outlet did the trigger on my P97 for less than $130 including UPS both ways. He did a good job, did it quickly, and kept in touch. Stay safe, Gary
http://www.handgunneroutlet.net/