Photograph by Oleg Volk.
Volquartsen Custom has been around for decades, four decades to be exact. Since 1974, Scott Volquartsen has been making high-end precision rifles, pistol and components. Volquartsen's modified Ruger 10/22 rifles were featured in two seasons of History Channel's Top Shot, and having shot Volquartsen both on Top Shot and in my personal life, I can attest to the fact that my misses are normally caused by me, the ammo or other external variables, but rarely is it the Volquartsen's fault.
Let's first talk about getting into the higher-end, match-grade quality guns and components. If you've never shot a higher-end gun, the best comparison I can provide is that guns are like cars. A Japanese sedan is great, but it's no German sports car. The crispness in a Volquartsen trigger, how all the components are combined in harmony and the creative customizations are all part of what takes a gun to the next level. Yes, you are going to pay more for Volquartsen parts and guns, but as with a lot of things in life, you get what you pay for. Having a supercharged, reliable firearm feeds into your confidence, helping you hit your mark while also having a heck of a fun time.
I'll be discussing two Volquartsen guns here. The first is a modification of the iconic Ruger 10/22 platform. You can buy Volquartsen components like trigger groups, barrels, stocks, sights and more and install them on your existing Ruger 10/22. Alternatively, you can purchase a completely built 10/22 rifle, which Volquartsen lets you customize right on its website. The benefit of purchasing components piecemeal is you can buy parts as your budget permits over time instead of plunking down a big chunk of change all at once. You can also buy Volquartsen parts and mix and match them with other aftermarket parts from other companies if you prefer. In a significant way, the modularity of the 10/22 platform parallels what we see on the AR platform, where fans of each platform are constantly building their "perfect" rifle.
The Volquartsen 10/22 shown here was featured on Top Shot Season 3. It's got a thumbhole stock with a laminated blue finish, but you can choose many other colors. The I-fluted barrel increases the external surface area to allow for faster cooling, and it adds a fun aesthetic texture. Chambered in .22 LR, it also comes in .17 HMR and .22 WMR.
The second gun is the Scorpion, also chambered in .22 LR. The Scorpion is a super lightweight target pistol, and it's a slick-looking gun to boot. Based off of a Ruger Mark III or 1911-style frame, you can choose colors for the frame and barrel to make it uniquely colored. Beyond looks though, the pistol is a beaut to shoot and you can shoot it all day long until you run out of ammo (which is hopefully never).
Fiber optic, tritium, and adjustable sight packages are available, or you can throw on a red dot or other scope of your choice. A threaded or unthreaded barrel in either 4.5- or 6-inch lengths are options, and of course if you choose the threaded barrel, you can install a compensator or a sound suppressor.
The Scorpion weighs in at 32 ounces, making it a lightweight platform. A comparable off-the-shelf Ruger Mark III weights 42 ounces.
If you have a hard time being convinced that upgrading your guns is a good idea, find a friend or a shop that has a modified gun for you to try.
When I go out to shoot, I get pleasure out of hitting what I'm aiming at. I have plenty of stock guns which are fun to shoot and can hit targets—but I know the groups are going to be bigger and generally more inconsistent than my match-grade guns. When I'm shooting .22 LR and want to make sure every round gets put to good use, I always turn to my Volquartsen guns to bring the fun, and bring the joy.
