New (to me) 10/22, and a dilemma

What would you do?

  • Scope

    Votes: 57 82.6%

  • Red Dot

    Votes: 7 10.1%

  • Leave the darn thing alone!

    Votes: 5 7.2%
  • Total voters
    69
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MacAR

MacAR

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Hills of Home: The Ozarks
Well the old bug bit me again, and I made a trade today for a nice 10/22 carbine. Dates to about 1983 by the serial number, and judging by the metal trigger group and barrel band I'd say that's so. It's in about 80% condition and doesn't look to have been shot much. I bought it to use, though, and so would like to either put a scope or red dot on it. The only thing holding my back is that the receiver screws have never been turned (nor any of the others by the look of it) and I'd hate to hurt the "originality" of the gun. On the other hand, it's a 10/22 carbine. One of millions made, and every one of them made to work. To compound things even more, I'm undecided whether or not to top it with a good little Bushnell Sportview 3-9x32 scope I currently have, or try to find a small red dot. It's only use would be for plinking, riding in the truck, and just cruising through the woods looking for squirrels. It also doesn't have sling swivels, and while I'd like them I still hate to have to drill the stock. So having said all that, I thought I'd turn to you fine folks and ask for your opinions on the matter. What would y'all do?

Mac
 
Scope it. I don't care for dot sights and a scope does everything better than irons or a dot. Personally, I'd invest in an aftermarket stock with sling studs installed and lose the barrel band. I like the 10-22's well enough, but not the standard carbine. The stock design sucks.

I like this

Hogue Rubber Overmolded Rifle Stock Ruger 10/22 Standard Barrel (midwayusa.com)

It doesn't have any collector value so don't let that influence you if you to want to install studs.
 
I didn't vote:neener:

No right or wrong answer.

I think I picked up my 10/22 around 1980
It was either $79 or $89 back then.

It is still one of my all time favorite rifles ever.
I have put tens of thousands of rounds thru it.

It is plain Jane stock.

I like Irons.

Outfit it however you want and have a great time shooting it.
I highly recommend grabbing some 30 Round "Banana Clips". (Yes, I said Clip, not Magazine)
They are soooooo much fun!!!!
 
I voted scope only because iron sights don't look as good to me as they did years ago. Picked up my very lightly used 10/22 in 1998, and it's a 1987 made example according to the serial number, which you can look up on Ruger's web site to nail down the year of production. Didn't modify it at all other than screwing on a Weaver style base to the receiver and putting on a cheap 2-7x BSA scope in "old school" Weaver rings. For my plinking & small game hunting it works good and I like it so it's been there since 1999. I'm glad I left it stock other than scoping it. You can sink a lot of money into a 10/22 and they can be made into some really impressive .22's; but they are just so darn nice "as is" with maybe a scope or red dot or just irons, that I decided to sink that money into other firearms and related projects.
 
Scope it! Grab some Cci mini mag and let it rip. I grew up with a 10/22 and a single shot 410. I was a plague to the critters before I learned to appreciate them
 
I generally never counsel to immediately scope a gun unless that gun is specifically purchased to be scoped in the first place.

My own personal experience is that my satisfaction is deeper and more greatly appreciated when the ability to take things in increments is possible.

I tend to apply this to many things like guns, vehicles, etc... I enjoy the incrementally improved returns of taking steps upward at apace only after plateauing at the last modification.

Todd.
 
dredd said:
Banana Clips
Click to expand...

Jim Watson said:
nanner clips."
Click to expand...

Where did the term come from. Ive heard it for years. Even had a bunch of half functional steel lips and hot lips ruger mags back in the day. What was the origin of banana clips.

As far as the 10/22. Ive never seen one in anything close to factory form that really had the accuracy for a scope. But wouldn't care to put one on one either
 
Long and curved like a banana.

Go ahead and put fresh Batteries in your BS Meter for the following.

Back in the day, when I was much younger and had better eyes and probably better ammo...

I could pick which wing of a fly I was going to shoot off at 110/yards with my stock 10/22 and Iron Sights.
I spent countless hours and countless amounts of ammo with that rig, it was like pointing my finger.

Okay... maybe not 110/yards, but at least 107 :D
 
MacAR said:
What would y'all do?
Click to expand...
It would depend on my use for the rifle, if chasing jackrabbits I would use open sights or try a dot. If I am doing mostly target shooting I would scope it, when I was thirty I could hold a 10 shot group to 5/8" at fifty yards from a rest with my 10/22 but not anymore:(
 
dredd said:
Long and curved like a banana.

Go ahead and put fresh Batteries in your BS Meter for the following.

Back in the day, when I was much younger and had better eyes and probably better ammo...

I could pick which wing of a fly I was going to shoot off at 110/yards with my stock 10/22 and Iron Sights.
I spent countless hours and countless amounts of ammo with that rig, it was like pointing my finger.

Okay... maybe not 110/yards, but at least 107 :D
Click to expand...
Using 22 shorts no less at night with only lighting bugs for illumination :rofl:
 
I've got a cheap 4x weaver on my 10/22 carbine. I can hit just about anything I can see out to 100yds+ with it. I regularly pick up clay pigeons that got missed with shot gun and set them up on a dirt pile 100yds behind my house.
I've got a 10/22 take down with a little scope called a "bug buster" that I would probably also buy for the carbine if that weaver ever malfunctions.
 
dredd you are right back when eyes were good and reflexes like a mongoose could pierce a rats ear at 50 paces. Still today my original 10/22 is the only gun I can really shoot.

OP if I bought it today I would put a decent reflex red dot on it. Can see that better and would be perfect for shooting steel and soda cans at the range. Don't sweat any turning of screws, the value of the 10/22 is the memories you have with it.
 
I have my 10/22 scoped for squirrel hunting as I have trouble picking up the sights in the dim light. While I love to shoot with irons I think an fixed 4x Or a 3-9x kept on low power unless your trying to reach out there is good for an all around use gun.
 
MacAR said:
To compound things even more, I'm undecided whether or not to top it with a good little Bushnell Sportview 3-9x32 scope I currently have, or try to find a small red dot.

Mac
Click to expand...

It seems like you don't have to turn that little carbine into a bench shooter like many folks stuck with public paper punching ranges have to do. So, I voted Red Dot for a standup plinker and close range squirrel shooter. But, don't get some high mounted red dot meant for an AR. Get a super low mount akin to a Bushnell TRS-25.
 
I'd scope it. But I'd use a lower power scope. A leupold 1-4x20, or a 2-7 rimfire or a vortex diamomdback 1.5-5x32. Something low powered and compact
Large scopes look goofy on little rifle.
Red dots and my astigmatism don't play well together.
 
Last edited:
I just recalled that you frequently go looking for varmints at night that would bother your livestock. If this gun will be used for dropping raccoons out of trees then i would definitely go with low power scope. Pretty easy to see the crosshairs when also holding a flashlight hahah
 
I would leave it alone IF you have good eye sight. When I was young, with nearly perfect vision, I could not understand how people could possibly miss a squirrel with a .22. Perhaps I'm missing the good old days, but if I could do it now, I would never put a scope on a knock-about .22. They are just too much fun to shoot with open sights. Of course, all my squirrel rifles have very good scopes now, except my Marlin 39A. Wahtever you decide, have fun with ii.
 
Set it up how you want it. No worries about originality or what anyone else thinks. Aside from that, I'm not gonna be a whole lot of help. I have them with a little bit of everything, depending on their intended use. You can change the stock or easily add studs to yours.

Iron sights.

10ex22%20Takedown%2001.jpg

Red dot and irons. This is a really good utility stock.

10ex22%20Carbine%2001.jpg

Traditional scopes.

10ex22%20French%20Walnut%20Sporter%2001.jpg

One with a prism and irons.

Green%20Machine%202020.jpg

And a massive Vortex Razor.

011.jpg
 
Make the rifle work for you. For me, I NEED a scope. I cannot see well enough anymore to shoot without unless I am just playing. I have no use for red dots. A sling is needed if you plan to field the rifle. As long as you are not defacing the rifle or hacking it up, go set it up for your needs. Swivel studs of good quality, properly installed are not going to detract from the rifle and a good quality scope rail, especially if it is a scalloped see sight through/over type, will not limit your use of the iron sights if you pull the scope but leave the rail.
 
I use a Red dot, Scope and green laser on my 10/22. With quick release scope mounts why limit yourself?

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