A few months ago, we attended Range Ready’s “Plinkapalooza,” a celebration of all things rimfire. There were shoot-off events, challenges of skill and feats of marksmanship on display, with most firearms chambered in .22 LR, but also some .17 HMR and .22 Mag. represented. Firearms, in semi-automatic pistol, revolver and rifle, were plentiful, as well as various ammunition offerings and sound suppressors. There were even a few new products unveiled at the event.
Volquartsen Firearms presented a number of its highly customized and accurized rimfire rifles, pistols and large-format pistols at Plinkapalooza, and it’s easy to see why the company has the excellent reputation it enjoys. The rifles were supremely accurate, as you would expect, but the pistol and large-format pistol offerings are what we’re focusing on in this interview. Both are semi-automatic operation and both use a standard framework upon which Volquartsen builds its firearms.
Marty Van Der Heiden of Volquartsen joined us in the studio to talk about two such firearms, the ENV large-format pistol and the Black Mamba handgun. The ENV has a 9-inch barrel (6-inch-barrel versions are also available and it is chambered in .22 LR (.17 HMR is also available). Up top, the receiver is milled for a micro-red-dot sight, the handguard has M-Lok slots and the pistol grip is AR-15-compatible. The Black Mamba uses a Ruger Mk IV 22/45 frame and features a single-port compensator, Hogue rubber grip and a DLC-coated Competition bolt for easier maintenance.
On the range, all of the Volquartsen offerings functioned perfectly, and it’s easy to see why top rimfire competitors seek out the company’s firearms. On the rifle course, the accuracy from the .17 HMR-chambered rifle was spot-on, while the handguns both functioned perfectly and also exhibited superlative accuracy. If you’re on the hunt for an accurate rimfire handgun, large-format pistol or rifle, Volquartsen Firearms is a great place to start.
