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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I went ahead and scoped it
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You got a keeper! If it were mine, I'd install new springs and a new firing pin because of its age. The firing pin wore out on my 10/22 after decades of shooting. Replacing the firing pin fixed the occasional misfire and tightened up groups with all ammo.

Cheap insurance to keep your rifle in tip-top condition.
 
Mine has morphed a bit since I bought it
upload_2021-2-21_10-32-42.png
Boyds stock, ER Shaw barrel , 3X9,
I did the mod to the bolt release shown here.
https://www.instructables.com/Ruger-1022-DIY-Auto-Bolt-Release/

You can buy a bolt release but the mod is fairly easy. (I managed to do it so it can't be to hard;))

That's a fun thing about 10-22s all kinds of things you can do if you get the urge to.
 
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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

I have set up dozens I've owned. I'd put a set of Tech Sights on it. Accurate, durable, increases sight radius and even on my 57yr old eyes very usable. Around $60. I also like the Hogue overmolded stocks.
 
I was never that happy with the trigger on my stock 10/22 so I dropped in a Ruger BX trigger group, this cut the pull weight in half to about 3.5 lbs. :D
 
When in my early teens, I had a Stevens semi-auto and put a LOT of ammo through it plinking and shooting rats in dumps. Except for sighting-in a scope I never shot targets, until one day, I decided to see how it would group. (If you heard about this before, sorry.) Anyway, the rifle shot about a 6" group at 50 yards, so it got traded THAT DAY. I don't remember what I bought to replace it, but remember buying a bunch of rifles and doing lots of trading, until getting a Marlin 39A Mountie, which I had into the first several years of marriage. The first summer of our marriage, I used it to shoot red squirrels out of the trees behind the family camp on Webber Pond in Vassalboro. I don't remember when I traded it, but it was about the worst decision I've made regarding guns.

Many years later, I bought a "Deluxe 39A that had lots of manufacturing errors and I sold it. It was a sad example of what happens when companies lose sight of quality control. I was very happy to see that one gone.
 
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I have set up dozens I've owned. I'd put a set of Tech Sights on it. Accurate, durable, increases sight radius and even on my 57yr old eyes very usable. Around $60. I also like the Hogue overmolded stocks.
My Marlin had a Williams 5D sight on it and I loved it, but my eyes were probably better back then.
 
MacAR:

did you describe how good either your Vision is, or whether you’re good with the 10/22 iron sights in typical lighting conditions?

I only read your first remarks.

None of my numerous rifles or handguns Ever had any type of scope, as I enjoy guns for what they are (a tiny bit of Zen : you-gun-target) , and eyesight doesn’t require them.

Isn’t simplicity usually it’s own reward for most activities?
Modern life doesn't require unnecessary complexity, except as a “Golden Calf”.
 
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Shooting with a scope properly requires the same zen-like devotion to fundamentals that iron sights do. A scoped .22 is a joy to stretch out
 
did you describe how good either your Vision is, or whether you’re good with the 10/22 iron sights in typical lighting conditions?

To be fair, I did not. But I will say that iron sights aren't my first choice anymore. However, of my ten 22 rifles, I have all sorts of sighting options. I have standard irons, Marble's Bullseyes, two different types of peeps, and scopes ranging from K2.5 Weavers to 3-9x Bushnells. They all have different purposes as well. Some are for close range plinking, some are for squirrel hunting, and some are outfitted for longer range shooting. And a couple are just as they came, and are enjoyed as much as possible. For squirrel hunting, I like glass on a gun. Peeps are my second choice, my first when running dogs, and I really like using my 39A with Williams 5D for that job in conjunction with 22 shorts. The reason I chose to scope the carbine in this post was that I wanted an "all-round" 22 for varmint control on the farm, plinking, and as a truck gun. I think that the way I've got it now best fits those needs, and I am looking forward to stretching it out to 50 yards and seeing how it does off a proper rest, and not just the kitchen windowsill.

Shooting with a scope properly requires the same zen-like devotion to fundamentals that iron sights do.

I agree 100%. Shooting well is shooting well, regardless of the type or caliber of gun, and the sighting system it has. I wasn't always as good a shot as I am now, but I've put a lot of time and effort behind a rifle to get where I am. Shotgunning has always been my forte, but after 10+ years and a lot of rounds down range I consider myself a rifleman now. I don't really subscribe to the concept of "zen", but I do know that to shoot well, I have to have my mind in the right place. Regardless, I think that we're both in agreement re: the concept of shooting fundamentals.

Mac
 
Using Weaver detachable top mounts, it may be possible to have a receiver sight base also. A higher front sight is needed too. That system provides for either iron or scope and keep zero when detached/attached either, as it may not be possible to keep both on at the same time. However the scope base and peep sight can be on at the same time, and it's easy to maintain peep zero when swapping between scope and peep if the small locking peep "arm" screw is set to touch the base before removing the arm".

P.S. The receiver sight on a 39A should be mounted on the left side, using the existing screw holes, otherwise a scope with top mounts may not work when the peep "bridge" is removed and base left in place.
 
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My 10/22 has worn both a scope and red dot. With vast majority of the time being a 4x22 fixed power scope. Red dots certainly have their place and I use several. But a scope on a 10/22 just works better for that rifle in my opinion.
 
A buddy at my place of work asked me to mount and sight-in his new scope on his .22 rifle, so it would hit red squirrels that plagued his fruit trees, 20 yards from his house. I did, and he was tickled that he could shoot them in the head every time.
 
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
I never met a 10-22 that I wouldn't shoot the heck out of. It's made to be shot and shot a lot! Mine's also been tinkered into a great-shooting piece and it's been shot a lot, but doesn't show wear as much as other rimfires.
 
I have the takedown version and love it. My first rifle was a stock wooden 10/22 when I was sixteen - bought it myself in California of all places.

I hadn't paid them much thought over the years. I look now and see that this may become my new hobby - find a stock 10/22 and customize it.

Took my stepson out the other day for the first time to the range - he loved the 10/22 (almost as much as the Colt SP1).
 
I was never that happy with the trigger on my stock 10/22 so I dropped in a Ruger BX trigger group, this cut the pull weight in half to about 3.5 lbs. :D
Nice! I did a trigger job on mine and it has a very nice 2 1/4 lb. pull. It's among the heavier of my .22LR rifle triggers and is what I consider a "safe", repeatable trigger pull, being of sufficient length and having a hardened sear.
 
Scope and sling it. A scope and sling makes it more versatile. If you feel bad about drilling the stock, buy a used plastic or wood one off of ebay. But don't feel bad about drilling the stock. A '83 10/22 will never be collectable. You aren't going to hurt it's value.

LOL, should have read the whole thread before responding. I see now the OP did scope his 10/22.

I have 6 or 7 10/22s. Most are scoped. a couple have peep sights and one has original fiber optic sights on the barrel.
 
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Scope and sling it. A scope and sling makes it more versatile. If you feel bad about drilling the stock, buy a used plastic or wood one off of ebay. But don't feel bad about drilling the stock. A '83 10/22 will never be collectable. You aren't going to hurt it's value.

I don't have swivels on my 10-22, but I don't often carry it hunting. The holes are still there, so I can add them anytime, but can't remember the last time I had a sling on it. There are swivels on a couple of rimfire bolt actions and I've used them occasionally, especially, on my .17HMR CZ. the most over the past few years.

I carry a .223 bolt action rifle the most, always with a sling, when walking the roads and fields out back. Since having the .17 HMR, I tend to carry that with a sling a lot more than the .223, because I tend to plink with that rifle more than the centerfire and it will put down varmints out to 100 yards or so.
 
Has anyone else had experience with Ruger standard-weight stainless 10-22 barrels not shooting well? My BIL's rifle didn't respond adequately to my accurizing attempt, so I decided to get an after-market bull-barrel for it and suddenly, it shot under 1/2" groups at 50 yards. I had pillar-glass-bedded the receiver and a barrel uplift pad in the forend, but the barrel, and mods to fit it, made the difference.
 
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