Market for a "do it all" 10/22?

[TAKtical]

Im wondering if there is a market for a "do it all" 10/22. I built one a while back and I absolutely love it. By "do it all", I mean that it is capable of basically anything that you would want to do with a .22LR rifle. Here is a list of things Ive done to the rifle.

1.) Replaced plastic parts with metal. (trigger, mag release, and trigger guard)

2.) Lightened up the trigger to about 2lbs for best accuracy.

3.) Added hogue stock, volquartsen hammer and springs, auto bolt release, oversized charging handle, 16 inch (for best velocity) threaded and fluted bull barrel, bipod, nodak spud iron sights with one piece rear sight/picatinny scope mount.

4.) Added 3-9x42 scope on quick detach see through riser so that the irons are usable even with the scope mounted. Riser maintains 100 yard zero even if removed and then re-attached.

The rifle is incredibly accurate at 100 yards with decent ammo, light weight, and extremely reliable (1000 rounds of cci mini mags without a cleaning).

If I built these to sell, do you think people would buy them? At what price do you think these would sell?

 

[Certaindeaf]

You could put yours up for sale and find out. Personally, I'm happy with the standard $200 new ones.

 

[jmr40]

http://s1129.photobucket.com/albums/m513/jmr40/?action=view&current=001-5.jpg


http://s1129.photobucket.com/albums/m513/jmr40/?action=view&current=22s001.jpg

All I did to this one is replace the stock with a Hogue and add a scope.

Now the 2nd one shoots a bit better with a heavy target barrel, but other than the barrel and scope it is factroy.

http://s1129.photobucket.com/albums/m513/jmr40/?action=view&current=018.jpg

http://s1129.photobucket.com/albums/m513/jmr40/?action=view&current=017.jpg

 

[wyohome]

If you are providing a skill that is not common, then you may have a winner. I know little about 10/22 rifles, but isn't everything you have done simply bolt on additions?

 

[TAKtical]

 

[TAKtical]

I dont think "Bolt on additions" accurately describes what ive done to this rifle. The stock, bipod, sights and scope sure, everything else? Not so much. The only Ruger parts left on this rifle are the receiver and bolt. I could be wrong but i dont think most people will want to try replacing their trigger housing and trigger group. I know that plenty of guys here are handy and willing to do their own work but 90% of people I run into at the range or elsewhere cant even detail strip a glock.

 

[wyohome]

Then if it makes sense, you have answered your question. Any task that is tricky or undesirable is a candidate for making money.

 

[Davek1977]

The 10/22's populrity stems largely from the fact people can make them into whatever "THEY" want them to be. In my experience, those that want a semi-auto .22 they cn buy and take out and shoot that afternoon...and be happy with it....buy a Marlin 60. Those that want more options as far as customization, tend to buy Ruger. Tht baeing said, most of the "customized" 10/22s I've seen on the shelves of local shops tend to carry a sticker price lower than the sum of the parts put into them, and generally don't carry a premium over that of a standard used 10/22. I know when I built my 10/22, I enjoyed deciding JUST what I wanted, and what I didn't want. I think I'm fairly typical when it comes to people who want a "custom" 10/22.... the allure of the platform is that anyone can work on them, and as such, many do, making basic customizations something typically done at the user level, eliminating the need for a service like you are proposing.

 

[TAKtical]

Thanks davek. I just recently sold the 10/22 I posted pics of above for $1200. I was mainly wondering if this was a fluke or if there was actually a market for these. I agree that the allure of the 10/22 has something to do with user customization. But after the recent sale, I felt I should ask for some opinions. Thanks everyone.

 

[Davek1977]

No offense, but I think was definitely a fluke rather than an indication of what the market for such a rifle would generally be like. To be fair, at that price point, one can do an AWFUL lot of customization to a 10/22.....and likely trick out one or two more with the same budget!

 

[TAKtical]

Well yeah. $1200 was a ridiculous offer and I gladly accepted it. I put $400 into a $200 rifle. I just wondered how many people would pay a little extra for a rifle that was already customized the way they wanted it. Im guessing it wouldnt be enough people to make it worth my time.

 

[conhntr]

The general consensous on my states guntrader board is that NO 10-22 is worth over 300$ (plus optic cost) regardles of what has been done to it. With the expection of some big name gunshops thatnspecialize in 10-22 i agree!

 

[NeuseRvrRat]

go look at the 10/22 section of www.rimfirecentral.com and you'll see that your rifle isn't all that unique. no special tools or skills are required. everything bolts, screws, or snaps together and there are nearly limitless online tutorials on how to do it all.

but, hey, a sucker is born every minute.

also, how's the cheek weld with that scope way up there?

 

[TAKtical]

Thanks for the constructive criticism Rat. Like I said, the rifle is sold. I was just asking if it would be profitable to put together a few more. The general opinion here is that it wouldnt be. Thanks so much for your opinion.

 

[CraigC]

1. IMHO, replacing the plastic parts with aluminum is a waste of money.

2. 2lbs is a good general purpose trigger letoff.

3. Everything there is fine but the barrel. I general purpose rifle that will be carried much should not have a steel bull barrel. There are sporter and mid-weight barrels available that are every bit as accurate as their untapered counterparts without all the excess weight.

4. This is your biggest mistake. See-thru mounts are an abomination. It ruins the elegant lines of any rifle. They are hardly ever usable and it jacks the scope up so high that you can never get a decent cheek weld. The Nodak base was never really intended for standard rifle scopes.

A 3-9x scope is really too much for a general purpose rimfire. Especially one that's supposed to be light and handy. I think you would've been better off with a lighter weight barrel and a red dot from Primary Arms.

I just recently sold the 10/22 I posted pics of above for $1200. I was mainly wondering if this was a fluke...

Definitely a fluke! I'm not knocking your idea. I think it would be a hell of a lot of fun to build 10/22's all day but I really don't think there is a market for it. Most folks want to build their own, which is almost too easy with common hand tools.

 

[hardluk1]

You mean like these- http://www.1022rifle.com/rifle-ruger
http://www.clarkcustomguns.com/1022con.htm

Not unless you have a better prices for the same quality. Clark does have a mid weight 16" that makes it very light.

Taktical You had a one time fluk sale. You can buy a truely great shooters from KIDD for less that that and still have money for a better scope.http://www.coolguyguns.com/Rifle-Supergrade-_p_59.html

 

[silicosys4]

$1200?!? LOL, you are pumped and someone didn't know crap about 10/22's. I hope that rifle came with some actual gunsmithing though and wasn't just a rifle with a bunch of parts bolted on and 50 rounds pumped through it to make sure it "ran". That was a fluke, and quiet frankly, for a bunch of bolt ons that anyone could have installed, you found that proverbial sucker. I don't want to break you down but you took a rifle that WAS do-all from the factory, and turned it into an mall-ninja range toy, and unless you did some major tuning, I'd STILL be happy to go head to head with my factory 10/22T....that set me back a whopping $250.

 

[CraigC]

You can buy a truely great shooters from KIDD for less that that and still have money for a better scope.

I agree. I have about $900 in this one and it has a Clark mid-weight barrel, aftermarket CNC Nodak receiver, R/T accurized bolt, Superior Concepts bolt handle, KID two stage trigger and a set of Nodak/Tech Sights iron sights.

 

[cougar1717]

It does sound like you found the right buyer.

 

[mdauben]

I agree. I have about $900 in this one and it has a Clark mid-weight barrel, aftermarket CNC Nodak receiver, R/T accurized bolt, Superior Concepts bolt handle, KID two stage trigger and a set of Nodak/Tech Sights iron sights.

Wow! Is there actually anything left of the original rifle? Its a handsome custom, none the less.

 

[CraigC]

Is there actually anything left of the original rifle?

I pretty much went into it knowing that I would replace everything so I started with a Nodak stripped receiver instead of a Ruger. I think it's really the way to go. The Nodak receiver is all CNC machined, has a real anodized hardcoat finish and is setup for a Marlin 336 scope mount which uses heavier 8-40 screws. The only Ruger parts are the barrel clamp, screws, pins and the bolt, which was accurized by Rimfire Tech.

 

[holdencm9]

TAKtical,

To answer your question, IMO, there is not enough of a market for it. Don't go quitting your day job to invest in a custom 10/22 business. As others have said, most people that want to, are able to figure out how to do most of those mods. Even the trigger can be easily upgraded with a drop-in kit, so you aren't fussing with every tiny little spring in there, you just pop out the two main pins and put in the fresh trigger housing, all one piece.

That said, if you enjoy doing it, and looked out for good sales, I bet you could recoup most of your money. It is fun to modify the 10/22, and if I could get someone to pay me a 0% profit, I'd probably do it. Keep an eye out for when the 10/22 is on sale for $189 or whatever and buy a few, then trick them out each a bit at a time, but you'll get diminished returns the more you spend, so limit the upgrades to $300 and try to sell them for $500. Breaking even wouldn't be too tough, and small profits maybe, but not enough to justify your time, unless it is something you enjoy doing anyway. No way you get too many suckers to get you a $600 profit per gun.

 

[mr.t7024]

do it all .

Put it up for sale. I am happy with my Marlin 60. I have two 10 -22's they are dust dust collectors. I would be intersted in in sellig them for a fair price. Cliff 978-424-7024

 

[drsfmd]

IMO, 2lbs is too light for a "do it all" gun.

 

[mshootnit]

my ruger 10/22 is an lvt which comes closest to what I though one should be.

I too like the idea of replacing the plastic parts but I would leave the rest alone except I would like (really like) to see:

Deluxe checkered walnut stock.
20" open sights sporter barrel with gold bead. Blued or satin stainless
4 lb crisp trigger.
Pillar Bedding.
Sweet little railed base included.


I don't really care one way or the other about over sized charging handles.