I was recently given the chance to examine and shoot a special edition handgun made for a great company by a sponsor of our wire services. The gun was the Ruger Mark IV 22/45 Lite, this one made in the “Black Hills Edition.”
It’s the first 22/45 Lite of either generation I ever shot and I’m grateful to Black Hills Ammunition and Ruger for the opportunity to shoot this one.
The 22/45 Lite came about in the Mark III generation of pistols. This current gun has the Mark IV take-down and features set, as well as the 22/45 Lite’s molded polymer grip frame. The grip frame has a serrated frontstrap and serrated backstrap. The ventilated aerospace grade aluminum receiver is OD-green anodized in this special edition. The Black Hills Edition has Black Hills/Ruger branded wood stocks from Herrett’s Stocks and a special serial range (BH18-00001-00200). The receiver is engraved “Black Hills” for the Black Hills Ammunition company.
The gun is a 10-shot, 25 ounce .22 LR pistol with a 4.4” stainless steel barrel. The muzzle is threaded and features a thread-protecting cap. The rear sight is the Ruger adjustable sight with a strange elevation screw – a 1/16th Allen. A note to users: don’t be like me.
Before you go to the range with a new gun, check all the fasteners to ensure you have the proper tools to tighten things up, adjust sights and the like. Don’t get 19 miles from base and find out you don’t have the right tool for the job.
Trust me on this – learn from my mistakes.
I’m not one to let my personal failings get in the way of a good time. I took the gun and rig to the range for a photo and shooting session when I received a second good ‘reminder’ – check the gun on paper before playing around on steel.
I had printed up some targets for some gun handling drills, a nice template from First Person Safety, the FPS-1. It’s got more-or-less humanoid features but gives you at least three good aiming points on the page. Printed on ledger-size paper (11”x17”), it’s got a “face” that’s 5” wide by 4” high and an inner oval measuring 4” wide and 2.5” high.
The “high chest” has a 7x7” box with a 3x5” inner scoring zone. The trade-mark, between high chest and face, is a third good aiming point.
I tried three loads for accuracy at 20 yards and found the gun would sure do the job if I would. The top aiming point (I held high as we were shooting load with all loads) was engaged with CCI Mini-Mag 40 gr. ammo. The resulting group was a pleasing 1 ¼”.
Federal Hunter Match put five rounds into 2 ½” – but the best four clustered into 7/8”. This was evidence that the 22/45 Lite is light – shooting with the similar but different Ruger Mark IV Competition or Mark IV Target, both being heavier and steadier up front, are more forgiving of “failure to follow through.” It was apparent I failed to follow through on the shot and moved the gun before the flier left the muzzle.
Likewise with Federal Gold Medal HV Match; three of five rounds went into .75” at 20 yards. All five rounds went into 1 7/8”, still a respectable spread for me.
I used no optics with the new gun, just the iron sights supplied.
While the Black Hills Edition is a special run for Black Hills Ammunition and given to friends of the company, the 22/45 Lite is sold commonly without the engraving and Herretts’ stocks. The gun was supplied with a “Back Country” Chest Holster from K Bar J Leather of Newell, SD. An innovative rig, a magazine holder was attached to the chest strap to provide an extra 10 rounds of 22LR. If you’re working around the place, knocking about in the woods, out on an ATV or fishing, the Back Country Chest Holster is a nicely done field carry rig.
If you like the OD Green anodized looks of this Ruger Mark IV 22/45 Lite, check out Model Number 43916 on the Ruger website. It’s a Gallery of Guns Edition with the same colored upper receiver as this Special Edition. Simply get in touch with Herrett’s Stocks and K Bar J Leather for the added refinements and you’ll have a nice heater for the range or back country outings.
- - Rich Grassi