Fly Navy
Member
I'm looking at a Butler Creek drop-in bull-barrel for my 10/22 and a Butler Creek stock. I'm not looking for an uber-accurate tack-driver, just something to have fun with. Any comments on that brand?
Butler Creek
- Thread starter Fly Navy
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railroader
Member
http://www.rimfirecentral.com/ Here's where to ask. Mark
Fly Navy
Member
Have. Want you guys opinion too.
rbernie
Contributing Member
I and most everyone that I know has the Hogue/A&B combo from Midway and we've been very happy with it. No experience with the BC stuff, altho I doubt that they make the barrel themselves...
Fumbler
Member
If you don't want a tack driver and want to just shoot it for fun then don't waster your money on a Butler Creek. In fact, don't waste your money on any heavy barrel. A heavy barrel makes the gun very combersome and you'll find yourself leaving the 10/22 at home when you go out into the woods for some fun shooting.
Over at www.rimfirecentral.com the most popular barrels are made by Green Mountain and Adams & Bennett. Some people have reported poor results from Butler Creek barrels, especially their "carbon fiber" barrels which are actually made of injection molded plastic and tend to not be straight.
I had an 18" Green Mountain stainless barrel in a Hogue Overmold stock. It shot great groups, but I have since sold the barrel, stock, and scope on it. The gun was very muzzle heavy and if I got a heavier stock it would have balanced better but would still be heavy. I don't shoot of the bench much, so I ditched it all and have it in factory configuration now. It's much more fun to shoot.
Over at www.rimfirecentral.com the most popular barrels are made by Green Mountain and Adams & Bennett. Some people have reported poor results from Butler Creek barrels, especially their "carbon fiber" barrels which are actually made of injection molded plastic and tend to not be straight.
I had an 18" Green Mountain stainless barrel in a Hogue Overmold stock. It shot great groups, but I have since sold the barrel, stock, and scope on it. The gun was very muzzle heavy and if I got a heavier stock it would have balanced better but would still be heavy. I don't shoot of the bench much, so I ditched it all and have it in factory configuration now. It's much more fun to shoot.
I have a few BC drop in barrels and stocks on a few 10/22s. IMO, if you're just starting out and just would like to get to know your rifle better, that is work on it yourself, they're OK. The steel bull barrels are a little better than the stock barrels in accuracy from what I've seen so you'll get an upgrade going that route. The plastic outer lined Featherweight, IMO on the other hand, is an absolute waste. Others, like from Magnum Research, Volquartsen, Christensen, etc. might be better (I've never tried others), but the BC ones suck.
The standard stocks are OK. If you go with a CF barrel, the barrel channel is easy to modify to get the barrel to free float. (Don't try free floating steel barrels on the stock aluminum receiver.)
If you are really looking into getting very good groups but don't want to pay too much, IMO, get a Green Mountain barrel. If cost is no issue, there are plenty out there that will get you even better groups but they're at least $300+.
My best setup so far for a .22lr 10/22 is a GM barrel in a Bell and Carlson Anschütz-style stock with an old Leupold Vari-X III 6.5-20X on top. Kid trigger.
The standard stocks are OK. If you go with a CF barrel, the barrel channel is easy to modify to get the barrel to free float. (Don't try free floating steel barrels on the stock aluminum receiver.)
If you are really looking into getting very good groups but don't want to pay too much, IMO, get a Green Mountain barrel. If cost is no issue, there are plenty out there that will get you even better groups but they're at least $300+.
My best setup so far for a .22lr 10/22 is a GM barrel in a Bell and Carlson Anschütz-style stock with an old Leupold Vari-X III 6.5-20X on top. Kid trigger.
Harry Paget Flashman
Member
I ordered a Butler Creek stock for an SKS I had on order too. Nice stock. I was satisfied with the quality of the product but as luck would have it the SKS I ordered from Aim Surplus came with a beautiful teakwood stock. I left the rifle as is. Now I am considering buying another SKS if I can find a place that sells them with cheap birch stocks.
railroader
Member
I have an 18" adams and bennett heavy barrel with a corelite stock. It shoots good but as Fumbler said the heavy barrel are just that "heavy". Also my rifle would no longer work with my butler creek 25 round mags because the barrel has a tighter chamber. That said I really like it. 
If you want to improve the way you rifle shoots for little cash install a volquartson targert hammer which will really improve your trigger pull. I put one in my rifle and the differance is night and day. They have blemished ones cheap right now in their bargin bin. https://www.volquartsen.com/vc/public/ListItems.do?familyID=21. If you still have your heart set on the bull barrel whistle pig makes lightweight aluminum barrels. http://www.wpgbc.com/ Mark
If you want to improve the way you rifle shoots for little cash install a volquartson targert hammer which will really improve your trigger pull. I put one in my rifle and the differance is night and day. They have blemished ones cheap right now in their bargin bin. https://www.volquartsen.com/vc/public/ListItems.do?familyID=21. If you still have your heart set on the bull barrel whistle pig makes lightweight aluminum barrels. http://www.wpgbc.com/ MarkI agree with Fumbler, leave the heavy barrel out if you want a quick handling rifle. My modded 10/22 with BC stock w/ bipod + heavy fluted match barrel + BSA scope (6-24X) tops out at 9 lbs..
After putting together some .25" groups at 50 yds with std hi-vel ammo, I find I usually leave the 10/22 at home these days. Usually its the iron-sighted Henry that goes to the range or squirrel hunting.
After putting together some .25" groups at 50 yds with std hi-vel ammo, I find I usually leave the 10/22 at home these days. Usually its the iron-sighted Henry that goes to the range or squirrel hunting.
Fly;
I don't like the Butler stock too much. I particularly dislike the BA-WANNNGG sound from the recoil spring that the hollow stock ampifies. I've got a Hogue on a 10/22 & am very happy with it.
As for the barrel. I'd first make damn sure I could out-shoot the stock barrel before I spent money on a bull barrel. If you don't like the stock barrel you got, other people's take-offs are easy to find and CHEAP. I've seen some pretty good shootin' stock barrels. The trick is to do a lot of ammo testing. When you find what that barrel wants to shoot, you could very well be amazed at how good it'll do for ya.
Or, you could invest in a Volquartsen TensionLite bull barrel. It's .920 bull diameter & weighs less than the stock barrel. And there ain't no flies on what one of those will shoot. The big advantage is you will have, with a Hogue/TensionLite combo, an extremely light and highly accurate gun. However, you will have spent some money & will almost certainly want to do the action job to complement the rig.
For what you've stated you want to do, I'd go stock barrel, Hogue, and spend more money on just about every different kind of .22 ammo I could lay hands on.
900F
I don't like the Butler stock too much. I particularly dislike the BA-WANNNGG sound from the recoil spring that the hollow stock ampifies. I've got a Hogue on a 10/22 & am very happy with it.
As for the barrel. I'd first make damn sure I could out-shoot the stock barrel before I spent money on a bull barrel. If you don't like the stock barrel you got, other people's take-offs are easy to find and CHEAP. I've seen some pretty good shootin' stock barrels. The trick is to do a lot of ammo testing. When you find what that barrel wants to shoot, you could very well be amazed at how good it'll do for ya.
Or, you could invest in a Volquartsen TensionLite bull barrel. It's .920 bull diameter & weighs less than the stock barrel. And there ain't no flies on what one of those will shoot. The big advantage is you will have, with a Hogue/TensionLite combo, an extremely light and highly accurate gun. However, you will have spent some money & will almost certainly want to do the action job to complement the rig.
For what you've stated you want to do, I'd go stock barrel, Hogue, and spend more money on just about every different kind of .22 ammo I could lay hands on.
900F
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