Tactical Solutions has become the “go to” company for a variety of .22 caliber conversions, Ruger 10/22 barrels, and a host of accessories. In the past year I have had an opportunity to evaluate their 1911 and M4 conversion units, and both products represent the company’s commitment to quality. In a recent conversation with Chet Alvord, owner of Tactical Solutions, I learned of a mission-
specific rifle they are making for law enforcement.

The Lights Out Rifle is the result of several requests for a compact .22 caliber rifle to be used in tactical situations. As the name implies, one use may be to take out lights that put a tactical team at jeopardy during a high-risk operation. The Lights Out Rifle is a short-barreled rifle that features an integral suppressor, making it a restricted NFA (National Firearms Act) weapon.

I first saw the Lights Out Rifle early on in 2009. While it looked neat, at the time I was more interested in some of the other products from Tactical Solutions. Nevertheless, I kept the little rifle in the back of my mind and was recently given one for evaluation.

The Lights Out Rifle is based on Tactical Solutions’ exceptional X-Ring receiver, a precision made receiver that is modeled after Ruger’s venerable 10/22. However, under close examination, the resemblance is only skin-deep. The X-Ring is machined from a solid block of aircraft grade 6061-T6 aluminum. Instead of a screw mounted scope base, the X-Ring has an integral Picatinny scope rail machined into the receiver. The bolt is precision machined from hardened steel and features an extra large charging handle that rotates on the mounting pin. A dual recoil spring allows the bolt to function smoothly without binding. A unique feature is the cleaning port in the rear of the receiver that allows the barrel to be cleaned from the breach end.