ayoob files: dueling rifles - Jeffersonian's Home Page

the Ruger 22/45 Lite.
note the
thread
protector
on the
muzzle.
TAFFINTESTS
tHe sIXGUNNer HIMseLF: GUNs, GeAr & More JoHN tAFFIN
Ruger’s
If there is any doubt these
are definitely the best of
times when it comes to
firearms one only has
to look at the offerings from
Ruger. Sixty years ago Ruger offered
a choice of two .22s, the Flat-Gate
Single-Six and the .22 semi-auto in
either the Standard Model or Mk I
with adjustable sights. That was it and
it would be many years before Ruger
offered anything other than iterations
on the standard .22 Single-Six or the
.22 semi-auto. Today everything has
changed, and in the last year or so
alone Ruger has offered four somewhat
radically new .22 handguns.
Trail Gun Bonanza
ruger has recently come forth with
what I feel are going to be very
popular trail guns for anyone feeling
a .22 is all they need. Add a few boxes
of ammo, and you’re ready to go. The
latter is what makes a .22 particularly
appealing as a trail gun since an extra100
rounds adds very little weight. Try carrying
100 rounds of .44 Magnums!
Ruger’s new .22s consist of two
very lightweight semi-autos and two
all-steel, not-so-light sixguns. Three of
these have a capacity of 10 rounds or
10+1, while the other is an 8-shooter. So
not only can we carry extra ammunition
quite easily but all of these handguns
are well above the standard six rounds.
LIGHTEN UP The Ruger SR22 is a compact pistol
weighing only 17.5 ounces with
a barrel length of 31/2". The frame
is black polymer, the slide is black-
Whether it is fed .22 Long Rifles or .22 Magnums
the 91/2" Ruger Single-Six is an
excellent shooting sixgun.
22
finished aluminum, while the barrel
is stainless steel. Magazine capacity
is 10 rounds and Ruger supplies two
magazines with each pistol, along
with finger extension buttpads for
each magazine. The ambidextrous
magazine release is found at the
junction of the rear of the trigger
guard and the front strap and is easily
operated. The grip is quite different as
it’s not molded as part of the frame,
but rather is a grip sleeve fitting over
a stud on the frame, held in place by
two detents. Ruger supplies two of
these grip sleeves, one slightly larger
by having a more rounded backstrap.
To change these grip sleeves — and
it does require some effort to override
the detents — one grip sleeve is
Standard black sights in place of the factory
sights improved the groups
of the Single-ten
significantly.
Trail Guns
Ruger’s .22 trail trio (top to
bottom) consists of the 22/45
Lite, the SR22 and the Sp101.
Below: the Ruger
SR22 comes with
two magazines, two mag
finger extensions and two
different grip sleeves.
simply pulled off the frame and the
other one is pushed into place. They
provide a most comfortable feeling
grip and are plenty big enough for my
large hands. Sights are of the 3-dot
Continued on page 98
38 WWW.AMERICANHANDGUNNER.COM • MARCH/APRIL 2013