Welcome back to The Rimfire Report, our weekly article series where we discuss everything rimfire – history, news, guns, ammunition, equipment, gear, sports and more. Today, we have an in-depth review of the Volquartsen Summit straight-pull .22 rifle.

Volquartsen Summit Straight-Pull Review:  The fastest manual .22?

I am an avid cross-country/Nordic skier and an avid shooter.  What could be better than combining the two activities into the time-honored sport of biathlon?  Personally, I’m much too old to compete, but biathlon is still a fun way to hone my shooting skills when combined with aerobic activity.  Most biathlon rifles these days are straight pull rimfire, with Anschütz being 95% or more of those being used in serious competition.

An Anschütz Fortner-Action straight pull (if you can find one in stock) is normally in the realm of $5,000 or more, so how to scratch the straight pull itch?  Luckily, Volquartsen has the Summit straight-pull for a much lower cost, good enough for my purposes.  Did it live up to my expectations?  Let’s take a look.

A Summit seen before

If you think the Summit looks and sounds familiar, you’re correct.  Originally developed by Primary Weapons Systems (PWS), the Summit is a toggle-locking, straight-pull action designed to accommodate the Ruger 10/22 ecosystem. When production by PWS wound down, Volquartsen took over Summit production in 2018.

Initial Impressions

I was able to find a complete Volquartsen Summit rifle for a pretty decent deal, and though the Magpul Hunter stock is not my first choice, the price was too good to pass up.  For those readers who want to order directly and have a different stock in mind, Volquartsen sells barreled actions (trigger included) for a little less than the complete rifle.

Specs as tested, per Volquartsen:

 

Product Number	VCB‑LR‑OD
Approximate weight	5lb 12oz
UPC	810162017392
Magazine Capacity	10
Trigger Weight	1.75lb
Muzzle Threads	1/2×28
Twist Rate	1:16
Length of Pull Range	12.5″ – 14.5″

Caliber	22 LR
Type	Superlite Anodized Aluminum Receiver, Black
Barrel Type Choice	Lightweight Barrel
Barrel Type ➜ Sleeve	Carbon Fiber
Barrel Type ➜ Barrel End color	Black Ends
Barrel Type ➜ Threads/Comp	1/2 x 28 TPI Threads and Thread Protector
Stock Choice	Magpul Stock
Stock ➜ Color	OD Green

MSRP (As of writing): $1371

Out of the box, I was pleased with the quality and feel of the action.  The action, stock, and barrel had zero blemishes and everything was put together with excellent fit and finish.  The action screw had an appropriate amount of torque and there were no rattles or wobbles.  The only minor complaint I can have about the Summit is that it does not come with a provision for iron sights, but it does have a nice optic rail integral to the receiver.

A quick trip to the range for initial testing of the trigger revealed a 1.3lb average pull.  There is a very short first stage, and then a crisp, precise break.  Should you choose to run the action with thumb and forefinger (I chose this method, as it’s the fastest way to run the action), the trigger is very conducive to being operated by one’s middle finger.

The vertical bolt handle/toggle itself has very tactile checkered front and rear surfaces, and I did not find my finger or thumb slipping on the handle at all.  Overall, it’s a decently put together package, quality befitting a rifle costing over a grand.

Range Performance

I tested the Volquartsen Summit initially with a Viridian RFX35 Green Dot sight.  Though the rifle was usable with the low comb, one would be best served by changing out the comb on the Magpul stock for the higher ones for better cheek weld. The Volquartsen Summit churned through 10 different .22 loads without any malfunctions.  The action seems to have the sweet spot of being both precise and forgiving to different types of .22 ammunition. After equipping the rifle with a CGS Hydra silencer and zeroing the sight for Lapua Polar Biathlon ammunition, I took it out into the field to do some varminting.

The Summit’s speed and accuracy helped me make short work, going 15/15 on an obnoxiously large varmint population that we had this year on the farm.  The utility of the straight pull action showed itself when I quickly and quietly dispatched three rodents that were in a group together in a matter of seconds.  The manual action makes for a very quiet shooting experience, while the straight pull toggle lock allows you to stay on target and make very quick follow-up shots.

A small issue cropped up every couple of hundred rounds, however: the 10/22 magazines would be very stubborn to extract when the action got gritty with typical .22 debris and gunk, requiring some effort to remove the flush-fit magazines.  A quick brushing out of the magazine well resolved this issue quickly, however.

Accuracy Testing

To test the ultimate limits of the Summit’s accuracy, I equipped the stock with a short section of M-LOK rail and a Magpul bipod and threw on a spare cheek riser. For an optic, I selected a 1.5-8×32 Vortex Razor HD L-H, which is more than enough scope for a .22.  Rear support was provided by an Ulf Hednar shooting bag and shooting was done at 50y.  After firing several 5-shot groups, I gleaned the best subsonic accuracy with Lapua X-Act and the best supersonic accuracy with Federal Gold Medal HV Match. Groups are measured center-center:

• Lapua X-Act: .36″
• Federal HV Match: .5″

In fact, the Volquartsen Summit has been the best-performing .22 rifle I’ve yet to try with the Federal Gold Medal HV Match.  I have a few other .22s that love Lapua Subsonic ammunition but struggle to perform with supersonic ammunition as well as the Summit.  I have made consistent hits on rifle plates out at 250 yards with the Volquartsen Summit, though I’m sure it has the accuracy to be used to plink at longer ranges when I have the time.

Future Plans and Overall Impressions:

Before the snow starts flying again, I’d like to throw the Volquartsen Summit into a chassis-style stock more conducive to biathlon shooting.  Objectively, the Summit was 100% reliable and displayed excellent accuracy.  Subjectively, though the stock isn’t my favorite in terms of ergonomics, I found the Summit to be fast, quiet, and fun to shoot!  Overall, I am pretty happy with the Volquartsen Summit as a .22 rifle that will afford me the ability to have even more (quiet) fun this coming Nordic skiing season.  If you’d like a reasonably priced straight pull .22, give the Volquartsen Summit a look.

Pros:

• Accurate
• Straight pull action is fast but quiet
• Costs far less than an Anschütz
• Uses 10/22 ecosystem

Cons:

• Stock needs a different comb for better cheek weld
• Magazines can be tight when dirty
• Action can somewhat easily be inadvertently bumped open if you’re not careful
• No provision for iron/peep sights

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