Joined:
Dec 2025
Posts:
46
EE: 0% (0)
VA, USA
Posted: 2/20/2026 10:46:49 PM EDT
| I just purchased a new Ruger MKIV 22/45. It has a threaded barrel and a scope rail already attached to it. I'm not sure if I will keep a red dot on this but want to start with something inexpensive to give it a try. Suggestions ??? |
|
I’m impressed my Riton 99$ dot is still working. One of the older ones with a bottom mount battery. Attached File My 22/45 has a 250$ holosun 507. Much nicer. It’s on the factory rail, and I may ditch that and just run the dot. Plenty of mounting choices. |
If life was easy nobody would quit.
I have a MKIV 22/45 and I put a Viridian green dot sight on it. I got the Viridian RDS for free through the S&W M&P rebate deal that was going on about a year ago. It has worked pretty well so far:
|
"This would have never happened at Black Mesa"
“So shines a good deed in a weary world”
“So shines a good deed in a weary world”
|
I went inexpensive and put a Sig Rome 0 on mine. I used the Farrow red dot mount to keep it low. Attached File |
America is at that awkward stage, it’s too late to work within the system, but too early to shoot the bastards....Claire Wolfe
|
Originally Posted By 50-140: I went inexpensive and put a Sig Rome 0 on mine. I used the Farrow red dot mount to keep it low. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/103648/IMG_0431_jpeg-3717177.JPG Same with the Farrow but a Vortex Defender CCW 
|
I was born in Birkenhead and I was poor , I was dressed from the local army and navy store and I can tell you its no fun going to school dressed as a Japanese admiral-UKjohn
|
I just went with a used Vortex Venom off the EE. Wish it sat lower but it's worked fine. My opinion, it's a .22 for fun or critters. Get something budget-ish. And I'm usually a moderate to high optic person. ETA: I bet you'll definitely choose to keep the red dot on it, it's great for these types of guns. you won't be mad you did it I don't think. 
|
" />
| I struggled with cheap chi com red dots on rifles for a while. Buy once cry once. Just because it is “ just a 22” is no excuse. Most 22’s end up being the most heavily used guns in a lot of collections. I shoot more 22 in 2 months than all centerfire ammo combined in a year. With heavy use ( I concede no abusive recoil ) a better optic is worth the money |
|
Academy has a Firefield dot sight that has multiple reticles and has both red and green. It is about $40 and fits on the 22/45s rail. This gives you the chance to find out if you like a dot sight, if green or red works better for you and what kind of reticle you like. It is big and bulky, but the big window is nice and it works very well. Green dot setting works well for me outside in bright sun. The Osight SE is very good, costs more but is worth it. I use green dot on the SE. An adapter to the Picatinny rail is needed for use on a 22/45. I shoot two 22/45 MKIVs, one with the Firefield dot and one with stock rear sight and Truglo green front sight. Dot sight works better for me, especially in fast shooting. |
|
Originally Posted By Vague: Ditch the rail and buy the Lobos mount. I put a Holosun 407x2 I found on the EE on my 22/45. The lobos mount is sweet, but I don't recommend it for a 22/45 lite. It screws into the receiver, and eventually the aluminum threads will pull out. |
|
Originally Posted By snackle: The lobos mount is sweet, but I don't recommend it for a 22/45 lite. It screws into the receiver, and eventually the aluminum threads will pull out. Nope, only if you ugga dugga tighten the fasteners. There are plenty of guns with AL receivers that don't have this problem. |
|
Originally Posted By Polarbear31: Nope, only if you ugga dugga tighten the fasteners. There are plenty of guns with AL receivers that don't have this problem. Originally Posted By Polarbear31: Originally Posted By snackle: The lobos mount is sweet, but I don't recommend it for a 22/45 lite. It screws into the receiver, and eventually the aluminum threads will pull out. Nope, only if you ugga dugga tighten the fasteners. There are plenty of guns with AL receivers that don't have this problem. Proper torque + purple loctite is the recipe for tightening any optic mount, IMHO. |
|
Originally Posted By DisposableHero: Big fan of the RMSx on mine. https://everydaymarksman.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/p1006456.jpeg I also ran a Meprolight MPO-F for a while and liked it. https://everydaymarksman.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/mark-iv-with-mpo-f.jpeg Dang that stainless looks nice. If Ruger made the 22/45 version of that, I would be forced beyond my resistance to spread my pocketbook wide. |
|
I love the sig Romeo 5 on my two MK4 22/45 Rugers. Romeo5 looks huge and dorky but sits low and is light weight, balanced |
Glock Derangement Syndrome > Trump Derangement Syndrome.
Plastic Fantastic Fanatic.
I love my little pro gun Viking wife.
She has the world's bluest eyes.
Plastic Fantastic Fanatic.
I love my little pro gun Viking wife.
She has the world's bluest eyes.
Infantry, sales, nurse. Shoulda kept the rifle...
Joined:
Jul 2010
Posts:
6687
EE: 100% (3)
ME, USA
|
Originally Posted By GlutealCleft: Need, no. Want...yes. Ditch the rail and get a low profile mounting plate. ^^^This right here! The low profile mounting plate is awesome. And they make holsters that fit that setup very well. I bought my Mk III with a rail and optic on it. It was nice, but annoying too. Switched over to low profile and went with smaller pistol optic (Sig). Now I love everything about it. It is amazing on something low recoil and accurate. |
Proud Member of Team Ranstad. RIP RetMAC, we'll keep the mission alive.
Straddling the thin plastic line between psych nurse and patient.
Now say 3 FBHOs and go in peace, my son-PorchDog
Survivor of ARFBORTION 2016
Straddling the thin plastic line between psych nurse and patient.
Now say 3 FBHOs and go in peace, my son-PorchDog
Survivor of ARFBORTION 2016
Infantry, sales, nurse. Shoulda kept the rifle...
Joined:
Jul 2010
Posts:
6688
EE: 100% (3)
ME, USA
|
Originally Posted By DakotaFAL: Needs a red dot? Not if you know how to shoot. That depends a lot on age. I've been shooting Original, MK II, and Mk III for about 49.5 years. I have always done well with the factory target sights. Until I started to have to slow down in shooting. Then even slowly, my groups got a bit bigger. Then a bit more... It gets hard to see a gap around the front sight in the rears. Then you aren't sure there is one or where it is. This old age shit sucks. That dot makes it much more like it used to be. |
Proud Member of Team Ranstad. RIP RetMAC, we'll keep the mission alive.
Straddling the thin plastic line between psych nurse and patient.
Now say 3 FBHOs and go in peace, my son-PorchDog
Survivor of ARFBORTION 2016
Straddling the thin plastic line between psych nurse and patient.
Now say 3 FBHOs and go in peace, my son-PorchDog
Survivor of ARFBORTION 2016
|
Originally Posted By mylifemygun: I just purchased a new Ruger MKIV 22/45. It has a threaded barrel and a scope rail already attached to it. I'm not sure if I will keep a red dot on this but want to start with something inexpensive to give it a try. Suggestions ??? "Need" has got nothing to do with it. I've got a 22/45, put a Holosun 507 on it. Used it as my "practice" gun when I was transitioning to RDS on my carry pieces. It's still my favorite shooter to take with at the range. A blast to shoot. Especially suppressed...... |
|
Attached File This thing is stupid fun and quiet, the dot is useable but not the best probably. |
Game on!
|
Attached File I used 507 Comps on Allchin mounts for my newer rimfire guns but I never use anything other than the regular dot for a reticle. The Ruger Lite was awful from the factory. Attached File Luckily the lower is not serialized so I sent it out to VQ as soon as I bought it. |
Joined:
Jan 2023
Posts:
125
EE: 0% (0)
IN, USA
I opted to keep the rail on my 22/45 and installed a Vortex SPARC II with covers as I set it up to use for squirrels and such. I like keeping the dust and water off my lenses while in the woods with it. @ 15 yards it is plenty accurate to head shoot squirrels provided I do my job and the squirrel will set still long enough. 
|
Member
Joined:
Jul 2025
Posts:
3055
EE: 0% (0)
IA, USA
|
Originally Posted By jamie930: Remove the rail and get a Tandemkross plate to mount the red dot on That would be great..if any were ever in stock, and that includes Lobos....great looking mounts, would love to purchase one...but they seem to be made of unobtanium |
| When it comes to dot sights, buy once, cry once. Go Trijicon RMR of Halosun if you want a mini. For long term durability, use what the guys who shoot tens of thousands of rounds yearly on their bullseye 1911's and other match pistols; the UltraDot. I've got three of the UltraDots, they are all over twenty years old and still going strong. |
Dave Funk
Past President and now a Board of Directors member Iowa Firearms Coalition. Past President of the Iowa Chapter-SCI.
Past President and now a Board of Directors member Iowa Firearms Coalition. Past President of the Iowa Chapter-SCI.
|
Originally Posted By Polarbear31: Nope, only if you ugga dugga tighten the fasteners. There are plenty of guns with AL receivers that don't have this problem. It's fine for a few installs, using proper light torque values. The screw holes go all the way to the inside of the receiver. Oil, cleaning products, and heat help the screws move with heavy use even with loctite. Light torque values also contribute to screws moving. Each time you reinstall, the threads pull out a little due to soft aluminum vs hard steel threads. |