I have used both 3 stat PR and PR with Hit. For Rangers I'd recommand 3 stats - it's definitely worth sphering. For HUcast you could use one with hit, but that's up to you. No hit still works especially since you have Freeze Traps.
Stats wise, you should go for native/0/machine/dark in my opinion (that's what I'm using). Astark will go down in 1 combo even if not sphered. Maybe Mericus but PR aren't really the first choice of weapon against these anyway. Machine on the other hand has quite a few annoying high HP Monsters (Epsis, Sinows, Baranz).