Tomorrow, Apex Tactical Specialties will announce their newest product: an Action Enhancement Kit for Ruger Mk IV pistols. Today, you’re getting the brief inside scoop on their newest offering- actually it should be plural offerings.
They’ll be announcing two versions each for the Mk IV and the Mk IV 22/45 pistol models.
The difference in the two kits (per pistol) is simple: one trigger’s red, the other’s black. Otherwise, the kits are identical.
Each Apex Enahncement Kit includes four parts: an action enhancement trigger, hammer, safety plate and magazine safety delete (that’s a user-optional part).
When installed, you can expect to see significant decrease in the trigger pull (down to 4.5 pounds), a nearly 50% reduction in trigger over-travel, a significantly more “crisp” trigger break and -importantly- no reduction in factory safety values.
That’s important because modification of Ruger’s factory sear can cause serious safety issues. The Ruger factory sear is balanced. According to Apex’s Randy Lee, there is no modification of Ruger’s factor sear - so the drop safety of the gun is in no way compromised by installing the Apex Action Enhancement Kit.
In fact, I’m told Apex did extensive drop testing (from six feet - onto concrete) with both models -from their heaviest to the lightest possible configurations- with “no issues at all.”
The new kits do reduce trigger pull weight, give a crisp trigger break and reducing over-travel and overall trigger travel.
Differences between the Mk IV and Mk IV 22/45 make for a slight difference in the overall trigger weight reduction (50% in the 22/45 and 40% in the Mk IV). Otherwise, the improvements are equal across the board.
Those reductions turn an already fun gun - in any of its various configurations- into a gun that’s not only fun to shoot, it’s easier to shoot more accurately.
As an unabashed fan of .22 caliber guns -in virtually any configuration- I was intrigued. When my travel schedule suddenly changed - I realized I would actually be home this week. I quickly contacted Apex to see if their offer to give a unit a pre-announcement test drive still held.
It did, and a complete 22/45 lower assembly - with the Apex Action Enhancement Kit arrived at my house yesterday morning.
It’s worth noting that shipping directly to me was 100% legit because the lowers on Ruger’s Mk IV pistols aren’t serialized. That made shipping a lower assembly directly to me rather than to an FFL for transfer legal. Time wasn’t something I had in abundance.
All I needed to do was grab a range bag, toss in my personal Mk IV 22/45, the Apex-equipped lower, a box of .22 ammo, eye and ear protection, then head for Murfreesboro’s On Target indoor range.
Being newly relocated, I don’t have a home range, so I got a two-fer test on this visit. Both the range and the pistol passed with flying colors, giving me a second experience with unfamiliar guns and range facilities less than a week.
I’d used “loaner” guns last week in Missouri for the Sportsman’s Team Challenge. They included 22/45s and Ruger 10/22s.
Those “loaners” however- were like Bass Pro Shop’s shooting facilities - anything but typical. The borrowed Ruger’s belonged to Team Ruger captain Doug Koenig. They were precisely tuned -and joys to shoot.
My results, however, proved the worn shooting expression: “It’s not the bow or the arrow, it’s the indian”. While I shot them better than I shoot my own guns, I didn’t shoot them like Doug.
You can’t buy a game.
But you can add enhancements to remove variables, allowing you to identify the areas where you need to work on your shooting skills.
I quickly identified a glaring weakness - I’m no longer able to see well enough to shoot iron sights at any significant distances. So I was forced to shoot 10 yard groups.
But the results -even at 10 yards- offhand, convinced me beyond a reasonable doubt that the Apex kit improved my already accurate Mk IV. Look at the results in the photos above and you’ll see the groups tightened - that’s a significant improvement-even at close range.
And when you consider modifying one of your guns, the primary consideration should always be answering a basic question: does it help me be a better shooter?
We’ll be doing more testing on this one (because .22s are so much fun), and we’ll keep you posted.
—Jim Shepherd