The RUGER 10/22 - Just Right.

Very nice.......... I picked up a very lightly used 10/22 circa 1997 and so far have resisted every urge to modify it other than putting a 2-7x scope on it. Yours is nicely done in a tasteful manner. An extremely modified 10/22 seems to be the norm these days and I think some folks forget that they are still nice little shooters as-is or just mildly re-done. The aftermarket parts market for 10/22's is so big that it would be a problem for me just to decide what to get and what to do. Then; after I did it I'm afraid it may become tiresome and I'd regret it. IMHO a 10/22 is a modern day rimfire classic and can be enjoyed unmodified or with just a little bit of a personal touch like yours.....It's just right.

Although I do own a 10/22, I just can't seem to warm up to it yet. I have considered doing a few mods to it and the Tech Sights were at the top of the list. How are they working out for you?

Very nice work done on that stock.

If you like the sights on an AR you would probably like the sights that Tech Sight makes for the Ruger 10/22. The rear sight has a peep aperture, either a single peep or two different sizes depending on model. The single aperture model is adjustable for both elevation and windage. The other for windage only. The front sight uses a standard A2 threaded front post and adjusts exactly the same as on an AR. IMO the stock sights on a 10/22 suck, unless you have excellent eyesight. Even then, the rear sight elevation adjustment if very awkward, and there is no windage adjustment short of drifting one of the sights with a punch. The Tech Sights are a vast improvement.

Looks darn good to me... now let's have a moment of silence for our brethren in Washington state, who will now have to do all of the following to obtain a 10/22, even a used private sale one, since they are now dubbed "semi-automatic assault rifles":

-Extensive class on gun training, safe storage, suicide prevention, etc., as a pre-requisite to owning one.
-Get your CLEO to give you permission to own the gun, that you're a worthy enough citizen to do so, in his/her opinion (which ain't gonna happen in Seattle sans lawsuit)
-NICS check, requiring involving an FFL even on private transfer
-10 day waiting period
-De facto registration

Looks great, Garandimal. How does it shoot?

Nice work!

I have always liked the 10-22, mine is a 1987 vintage gun and has been boringly reliable for decades.

I scoped my 10-22, but was seriously considering a tech sight for it.

other than the scope all I did was add a bx trigger. The gun sat for a long time unused, and I think oil in the trigger group hardened because when I took it out a couple months back the pull was measured in tons. The bx has been fantastic.

Stay safe!

Bought mine new in '87. Boringly-easy to shoot, as others have said.

In 2011, I fell into the "tac-cool" trend some and set it up with the Tapco Intrafuse stock. It already had a 30-round Pro-Mag and a Bushnell scope from back in the eighties. The Tapco setup definitely made it a bit more fun as a "renewed" gun, but I began to regret after a while not having a wood-furnished rifle (I didn't own any other rifles back then, which has since been seriously rectified.) Ruger's BX-25 magazine has also replaced the Pro-Mag, though the latter has always been reliable and allows one to see how many rounds are in it.

Just recently, I replaced the scope with a red-dot (also a Bushnell, I believe), but have not yet shot it since.

I built a similar rifle with tech sights. The only thing is the factory trigger pull is 6-7 lbs and it gets pretty heavy. What's the easiest drop in part to lower the pull weight? I'm not confident to do home gunsmithing. Is replacing the hammer the easiest way?

There are a number of drop-in trigger group replacements for the 10/22. A popular one is the BX trigger made by Ruger. It has been showing up on sale here and there recently for $49 if you shop around. I haven't used it but many are happy with it. If you want to spend big bucks (around $200) the Kidd drop in trigger unit is the cat's meow from all I have heard from those who have one.

A very attractive option is to take your trigger group out of your rifle and send it to Brimstone Gunsmithing. They do work on stock 10/22 trigger groups to three different levels of service. The cheapest Tier 3 trigger job replaces no parts but results in a very nice trigger that can break as light as 2-2 1/4 lbs. Their Tier 2 job replaces the polymer trigger shoe with an alloy one, replaces the Ruger plunger trigger spring with a smoother rotary spring, and installs an over-travel stop. You send your trigger group in USPS in a small box or padded envelope and it is returned in a small flat rate box. Turn-around time is in the 1 1/2-2 week range. I have had both the Tier 3 and Tier 2 jobs done. Both are excellent depending on how much you want to pay. Including the cost of two-way shipping, the Tier 3 job costs about $54. All the Brimstone trigger jobs include the "auto-bolt release" modification of the bolt catch lever, unless you don't want that done.

http://brimstonegunsmithing.com/ruger-10-22/

dak0ta said:

I built a similar rifle with tech sights. The only thing is the factory trigger pull is 6-7 lbs and it gets pretty heavy. What's the easiest drop in part to lower the pull weight? I'm not confident to do home gunsmithing. Is replacing the hammer the easiest way?

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Nice, tasteful work! I really like what you've done to your 10/22. Got mine in the mid 80s, but other than a scope, it is still a plain Jane gun. But it shoots nice. My daughter kinda made it hers last year and is a damn good shot with it.

And again, nice job Garanandimal

I have the one I got for graduation from some military training 30 years ago. It has a 1-4x scope on it. That's it. Shoots 1" groups or smaller all day at 50 yards. Could I do more to it? Yes. Just can't come up with a reason to.

DannyLandrum said:

Looks darn good to me... now let's have a moment of silence for our brethren in Washington state, who will now have to do all of the following to obtain a 10/22, even a used private sale one, since they are now dubbed "semi-automatic assault rifles":

-Extensive class on gun training, safe storage, suicide prevention, etc., as a pre-requisite to owning one.
-Get your CLEO to give you permission to own the gun, that you're a worthy enough citizen to do so, in his/her opinion (which ain't gonna happen in Seattle sans lawsuit)
-NICS check, requiring involving an FFL even on private transfer
-10 day waiting period
-De facto registration

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don't forget, you also waive your medical confidentiality. Roughcreek

FL-NC said:

Could I do more to it? Yes. Just can't come up with a reason to.

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.......... My feelings exactly.... Just a 2-7x scope on mine as a concession to ageing eyes although peep sights still work good for me and would be a viable option. The only other consideration on mine would be the Ruger BX trigger assembly which would still allow the gun to appear "just right" to my eyes. Gotta love those "plain Jane" or just mildly re-done 10-22's.

Spats McGee said:

I consider the 10/22 one of the "standard issue" guns. You know, one of which every boy in rural America is issued on about his 12th birthday.

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Some girls, too. I set one up for a friend's daughter, she has reduced the rabbit population on the land they own.

I got one for my older son when he was about 13:


Put it in a Tapco stock for him:
That's a rare smile, and worth the money spent. He owns that gun now, it's his raccoon gun.

^^ That's the Tapco stock mine is in, but mine's black. There is another rail on the forearm bottom hidden by a cover, but I found the gun uncomfortable in hand without the rail's cover on.

All I've done to mine to reduce the trigger pull is to replace the stock hammer with a VQ hammer ---didn't even replace the springs that came in the pack just left the factory springs----the trigger pull on the aluminum housing rifle got down to 3lbs and the rifle with the plastic housing got down to 3.75lbs.

The Ruger 10-22 is the only rifle that I use a pressure point in the forend. That's because there's only one stock screw and the pressure point is needed to stabilize the barrel. The aluminium receiver is pretty flexible, so I don't want to install a rear screw in lieu of a barrel pressure point. I also like a bull-barrel for forward weight and good pressure point. Upward pressure causes the action to sit down in the stock about 1/8" as the action/stock bolt is tightened fully. I use a shim under the barrel to provide the necessary upward pressure while the epoxy pressure pad fully sets up.

Picher said:

The Ruger 10-22 is the only rifle that I use a pressure point in the forend. That's because there's only one stock screw and the pressure point is needed to stabilize the barrel. The aluminium receiver is pretty flexible, so I don't want to install a rear screw in lieu of a barrel pressure point. I also like a bull-barrel for forward weight and good pressure point. Upward pressure causes the action to sit down in the stock about 1/8" as the action/stock bolt is tightened fully. I use a shim under the barrel to provide the necessary upward pressure while the epoxy pressure pad fully sets up.

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I have no idea what the 10/22 as it comes out of the box would do with using a pressure point under the barrel. Both of mine were so inaccurate out of the box that I didn't think they could be made to shoot decently and remain as they were. Enter the wonderful world of using a 10/22 receiver as the basis of a custom 22 and all kind of possibilities emerge. All it takes is time, money, and a certain amount of skill and to be truthful I didn't intend anything else for mine. I don't like the stock, trigger pull, or much else except the action and magazine and also the fact that it's the leggo of firearms.

Both of mine have extensive modifications and I've done some experimenting during the several years of working with them that I've done. The most satisfactory and simplest method I've found is to bed the entire action and the first 2 inches of the barrel. I've tried pressure pads at various places and different points, added a rear tang, and more or less amounts of barrel bedding and nothing has worked better than the complete action and 2 inches of barrel bedding for me.