During a recent conversation, an acquaintance told me that he was thinking about putting a red dot on his carry pistol. He related his hesitancy to do, however, as he’s had decades of experience lining up traditional iron sights.
My advice to him was two-fold; first, before you decide on a pistol-mounted red dot, buy and read the book A Pipe Hitters Guide to Red Dots and Optics on Handguns by Nicholas Orr. Secondly, before you start carrying your self-defense gun with an optic, be sure to spend a good amount of time on the range dedicated to gaining genuine confidence with the tool.
Ruger Mark IV Suppressed .22 Pistol
Despite the all advances in calibers and configurations of firearms, those chambered in .22 LR still remain infinitely useful when introducing new shooters to the world of guns. They’re also a less-expensive way to enjoy both recreational shooting and maintain your skills.
The aforementioned conversation inspired me to consider in detail the subject again. The Ruger Mark IV 22/45 Lite .22 LR pistol is a fantastic addition to the classic Ruger .22 pistol lineup. The Mark II was good, but it had fixed sight and required an engineering degree to disassemble it and put it back together. The Mark III 22/45 moved the ball forward by adding a Picatinny rail for optics and the option of a factory threaded barrel. But disassembly for cleaning still wasn’t what anyone would call easy or intuitive.
With the Mark IV 22/45 Lite version, Ruger added all the features that modern shooters desire. The pistol has adjustable factory sights, but includes a rail to mount an optic. The barrel is threaded with 1/2×28 TPI from the factory as well to allow the easy installation of a silencer/suppressor.
Most impressive of all, the new Mark IV disassembles with no tools. Remove the magazine, clear the chamber and then depress the disassembly button at the top of the backstrap right under the bolt. Tilt the top/receiver upward and then remove it from the frame. The bolt then slides out for easy cleaning. Reassembly is just the reverse.
Anyone familiar with .22 LR semi-automatic firearms will appreciate and understand that these guns get dirty rather quickly and that a dirty .22 soon becomes a single-shot gun without proper cleaning.
Optic and Gun Muffler
To complete the practical set up, I installed a Trijicon RMR red dot using an M1913 Picatinny base. The optic uses a red 3.25 MOA dot. The power source is a single CR2032 battery.
NB : The recent “safety feature” of applying a bitter coating to 2032 batteries to keep children from swallowing them has been shown to degrade useful battery life. Optics makers are now recommending that the end user clean their CR2032 batteries with an alcohol wipe and dry them prior to installation.
Rimfire silencers are the least expensive of all sound moderators and they are truly the gateway drug to shooting quietly.
I’ve been using suppressed firearms for about twenty years or so and am frequently asked, “What kind of silencer should I buy first?” That’s an easy question.
If you have no experience with cans and are looking for your first one, buy a .22 rimfire suppressor. It’s a safe bet that there are as many factory-threaded .22 barrels now as there are non-threaded. Rimfire silencers are the least expensive of all suppressors and they’re truly the gateway drug to shooting quietly.
The can featured here is an older AAC Element 2 silencer. AAC is currently on the “3” version. Regardless, this lightweight .22 LR can is a perfect match for the Ruger 22/45. At only 4.1 ounces, you barely notice the extra weight. The 22/45 itself is only 25 ounces.
Practical Exercises
Obviously, the handling characteristics of the Ruger Mark IV are different from the average concealed carry pistol. Nonetheless, shooting .22 LR for about ten cents a shot is naturally more economical than FMJ 9mm at an average of about thirty cents a shot.
The report from even supersonic .22 LR ammunition is barely audible and is most certainly “hearing safe.” I live in the country where shooting on my land is perfectly within my rights. However, our neighbors frequently pasture their horses in the field adjacent to mine. Shooting my .22’s with a can in place makes for good neighborly relations.
Putting a red dot sight on a pistol, such as the Ruger featured here, can be a great way for someone who has little to no experience with them to learn the idiosyncrasies of shooting with a red dot sight. It’s not difficult to get used to an optic, it just take some time and practice.
I have owned this Ruger 22/45 for a several years now and used it on numerous occasions when a friend or relative has said “Hey, will you show me how to shoot a handgun?”
While it might not be perfect, the combination of the .22 pistol, the suppressor and the red dot is pretty close to ideal when it comes to helping someone get the hang of shooting with a pistol optic or simply getting comfortable with a handgun. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Paul G. Markel is a combat decorated United States Marine veteran. He is also the founder of Student the Gun University and has been teaching Small Arms & Tactics to military personnel, police officers, and citizens for over three decades.