About a year ago I posted a question on this forum regarding the Marlin Model 60 versus the Ruger 10/22 as a first gun for some father son shooting. I got some great comments and advice from the group, so I thought I'd follow up and let everyone know how things went.
I went with the 10/22, not just as a sentimental favorite, but also because I liked the feel over the Marlin. I think I said somewhere in the thread that I was going to keep it stock, iron sights only, etc., but the wind does blow, and I couldn't resist "dressing it up" a little bit (see below). I didn't go tacticool, but I did do some accurizing: Hogue overmold stock, EA Brown 97D 4x12 40mm scope, Talley rings, Volquartsen T2000 trigger group, v-bolt and recoil buffer, and a Tony Kidd bolt. I have been thinking about a heavy barrel, but haven't gone there yet.
Anyhow, this all took a few months, and by that time it was the dead of winter so we didn't get it to the range until April. The first time out, after dialing in the scope, I was shooting dime size groups at 50 yards, quarter at 100 (pretty good for me), and my son was shooting half dollar size at 50, and 3 to 5 inch with flyers at a 100. We shot about 250 rounds and really enjoyed it. We have been a couple of more times since, with similar results. I am thinking of getting another 10/22 for my son (now 12), as he has mentioned it and I have a lot of money in this one now.
I went with the 10/22, not just as a sentimental favorite, but also because I liked the feel over the Marlin. I think I said somewhere in the thread that I was going to keep it stock, iron sights only, etc., but the wind does blow, and I couldn't resist "dressing it up" a little bit (see below). I didn't go tacticool, but I did do some accurizing: Hogue overmold stock, EA Brown 97D 4x12 40mm scope, Talley rings, Volquartsen T2000 trigger group, v-bolt and recoil buffer, and a Tony Kidd bolt. I have been thinking about a heavy barrel, but haven't gone there yet.
Anyhow, this all took a few months, and by that time it was the dead of winter so we didn't get it to the range until April. The first time out, after dialing in the scope, I was shooting dime size groups at 50 yards, quarter at 100 (pretty good for me), and my son was shooting half dollar size at 50, and 3 to 5 inch with flyers at a 100. We shot about 250 rounds and really enjoyed it. We have been a couple of more times since, with similar results. I am thinking of getting another 10/22 for my son (now 12), as he has mentioned it and I have a lot of money in this one now.
