Scorpion is based off of the MKIII Ruger design, but with all VQ parts. You could buy just the LLV Volquartsen upper and put that on the Ruger MKIII factory grip frame and make a similar pistol. With the full on Scorpion though, you have Volquartsen's aluminum frame. They are nice guns.

The Black Mamba is a Volquartsen upper receiver made to fit the MKIV series pistols mated to a Ruger 22/45 factory frame with the push button takedown design. The frame has the Volquartsen trigger internals and probably the magazine release replaced with Volquartsen parts. You could in essence build your own "Black Mamba" from a factory Ruger gun by buying the upper receiver and trigger kit (the less expensive route). The benefit you would have over building one up yourself would be full VQ support, though they tend to go out of their way to help when their parts are involved most of the time (all of the time in my experience).

Neither below is a Black Mamba. Both just pieced together from Ruger frames and VQ uppers and trigger kits.

 

Also, the Scorpion (MKIII) receiver has a more shouldered look than the LLV-4 (MKIV), and the bottom rail is optional/detachable vs. the permanently machined rail on the LLV-4.

 

I have a scorpion and I'm waiting on my 22/45 tactical to come in to mod out.

I like my VQ from my gun snob persona but its HEAVY!!! So I'm building the 22/45 with a Tac Sol 4.5 inch barrel to match my Tac Sol 10/22. Not sure what I'll do with the tactical barrel.

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I'm hoping you have a use for it, because if I was buying one just to be donor for a new upper, the Tactical is like $100 more than just a basic 22/45 and you're ending up with the same frame. But I guess with the MKIV platform, you can always swap back and forth.

 

That was the plan to have two different uppers. I kept missing out on frames from a website I follow that splits them up. Someone like Polymer 80 needs to make them!

Did you all see the new integral suppressor Tac Sol Mrk IV upper? Let me add it to the list... lol

Also if VQ ever makes a frame...

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If VQ makes a frame, then there's zero reason for anyone to chime about the MKIII ever again. I'll already take my Frankenruger MKIV VQ over any MKIII/MKII (yes 10" as well), or MKI ever made unless it was some collector's item I could sell for a good chunk and then buy another of what I already have.

 

Black mumba choice?

4 inch or 6 inch black mamba?

 

4" if you intend to use a red dot. 6" if you intend to use the sights in a major capacity. I have 2 Ruger pistols with 4.5" VQ uppers. I have sights on both, but never use them. If I did, I'd rather have the extra sight radius. Since I don't, a non issue. But if I did....

 

I Personally think the Scorpion is the better gun because of the frame. It’s also a little cheaper. The BM is easier to take down and assemble. But again, I think e Scorpion is a better gun.

 

I Personally think the Scorpion is the better gun because of the frame. It's also a little cheaper. The BM is easier to take down and assemble. But again, I think e Scorpion is a better gun.

Can you expand on this...you say it is better because of the frame so I am assuming you mean it is better because it is aluminum vs polymer...is that correct or is there more to it?

 

He's saying that because the Scorpion is an all Volquartsen piece, where the "Black Mamba" (hate that name) is roughly an in house built FrankenRuger where Volquartsen bought a bunch of Ruger 22/45's and used their frames with their own uppers and trigger guts. I've got what I guess you could call a "Black Mamba". Only I just bought a MKIV 22/45 frame off Gunbroker for $140 and put the rest of it together myself. Is it better than a MKIII based Scorpion full on from Volquartsen? Who knows, for longevity, probably not. I've seen a few of those mainspring housings break in the past 6 months, and I'm pretty sure they were all on the polymer 22/45 frames. Granted, I like my gun better than a MKIII based Scorpion, but in the end he's probably right.

 

I look at it like this, if you want an all.VQ gun, get the Scorpion. But it will be heavier.

If you want a lighter weight gun but with VQ parts get a Black Mamba or build your own like the previous poster did.

Personally I sold a Ruger Mrk III 22/45 Lite (the original gold one) to fund a Scorpion. I miss the original due to the weight... so I built a new Mrk 4 22/45 with a Tac Sol barrel. Truth is the ease of take down only matters when your cleaning it. Or of you had a different barrel to swap on.

It's all preference.

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The reason I ask is because I have a scorpion which I love, but it has a 6 inch barrel. I am shooting a lot of steel challenge now and do not like the 6 inch barrel for that so I want a 4.5 inch barrel and was looking at a black mamba vs another scorpion.

As you guys stated, my understanding is the black mamba is a Ruger frame with ALL VQ parts and some fitting done to make everything fit and work right. With that said, I was asking to see if you have some hard data that the aluminum was in some way better (functioned better, lasted longer...), or was it just a personnel preference. Based on your second post it looks like better is just a personnel preference. Thanks for the clarification.

Flash-80, I have also read about some Ruger MKIV frame issues, but I assume VQ would warranty that if it happened? I will call and check with them to see if they are having any issues.

The main reason I was looking at the Black Mamba was the ease of take down, but now I am reconsidering just going with another scorpion, the take down is really not that big of a deal. Decisions, decisions.....

 

I use my Black Mamba primarily for shooting steel
it's fast and accurate .I love at the end of the day how easy it is to take it apart and clean it in my busy life ,this is a big plus I love my Black Mamba and would certainly recommend it to anybody on the fence about buying one.

 

Does ANYONE in this discussion or forum know what “LLV” means? What is that acronym for? I looked all over the Internet and couldn’t find it. Please enlighten me if you know.

 

I remember seeng this awhile ago.

What does LLV stand for?

What does the LLV stand for?

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