need some help with an ultra light Ruger 10/22 rifle build

[Sheepdog1968]

I want to build (within reason) the lightest possible Ruger 10-22 rifle for carrying, plinking, shooting squirrels. I'm sure I'm not the first to do this. Could you please help me by providing some of the lightest weight components (ideally with weight) that you are aware of?

I've own and have read "Customize the Ruger 10/22" by House so I have an idea on some parts

barrel: Magnum Research carbon fiber sleeved 17" barrel at 13 oz
stock:McMillan Custom Sporter at 24 oz (Hogue's 32 oz; wood typicall higher weights as well)
sights: some sort of micro red dot as don't plan to shoot past 50 yards

Do you know of anything lighter?
Any thoughts on the lightest trigger group assembly?

Many thanks for the help.

 

[greyling22]

pac-lite makes a barrel that is 2 oz more, looks different, has color options (if you're into that sort of thing) and might be cheaper (?) than the carbon fiber option. just a thought.

 

[TomADC]

Good source for 10-22 info here: http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/index.php

 

[SeekHer]

Get a carbon wrapped barrel and do this to your stock

 

[TXHORNS]

I like mine and its light enough for me. Hogue stock, tactical solutions 16in barrel, $75 Sight Mark holosight (works good but its no eotech). I wouldnt want it any lighter, but I prefer a little weight on my rifles. If you want REALLY light you could customize a Charger.

 

[easy]

Going too light will affect handling. You need some barrel weight for stability. With A Hogue stock and TacSol bbl I can "see" my heartbeat with only the slightest physical exertion, such as hikig around while looking for squirrels, prior to a shot.

 

[Jubjub]

This is what I came up with for more or less your spec. The barrel is the Volquarsen 16.5" carbon fiber THM barrel, the stock is a Fajen synthetic, and the scope is a fixed 6X Weaver that has had the parallax adjusted down to 50 yards. With a nylon sling and a loaded magazine, it comes in at 5 lb. 13 oz.



The Volquartsen barrel is amazing. With just the 6X scope, and my lousy eyesight, it shoots well under half an inch at 50 yards with ammo it likes. These groups are with SK subsonic hollow points, which don't shoot nearly as well as Eley.

 

[JonF]

You're in luck, i did a project like this just a few months back and came up with the lightest possible rifle with only off the shelf parts and the price was quite reasonable. I have the weights of all the components listed so you can see the savings of the various parts over the OEM ones. In the end, the rifle had shaved about 2 lbs going from 5+lbs stock to a little over 3 lbs as it is now. Adding a scope adds additional weight of course but still over 1 lb less than a non-scoped oem rifle.

http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=285710

 

[DBR]

I've built several light 10-22s.

Last one I built:
Volquartsen shrink fit aluminum sleeve barrel with chamber relieved for reliable feeding
Hogue nylon stock hand fitted for free float barrel
Burris FastFire dot sight
Power Custom shimmed trigger group.
Extended mag release

Good for less than .5" ten shot group at 25yds with ammo it likes and less than .75" group at 50yds with Wolf Match ammo.

Probably more accurate than that with a scope.

 

[rangerruck]

you may try Majestic Arms, out of new york, and ask them about the lightness of their bbls.

 

[TXHORNS]

Yall have some nice 22's! Thanks for the pics. Now I want to upgrade. Unfortunately I cant because Im currently fighting a 1911 addiction. I will say that my rig, while not as fancy or refined, has never let me down. Its my lightest rifle and i can make earhole shots on squirrels at 50 yards. Anything up to 100 yds gets the 17hmr. And past that its barrel burning 220 swift time! God Bless America!!

 

[czarjl]

Going too light will affect handling. You need some barrel weight for stability. With A Hogue stock and TacSol bbl I can "see" my heartbeat with only the slightest physical exertion, such as hikig around while looking for squirrels, prior to a shot.

+1 on what easy said, If you go too light offhand shooting is mush harder… I’m always looking for something to steady my self with my light weight 10/22 (Butler Creek composite barrel, I don’t think they make them any more, and a light weight synthetic stock, brand escapes me at the moment), . It’s a breeze to carry all day but I lose a bit of accuracy in the woods because it hard to steady with out some from of rest.

 

[Sheepdog1968]

Wow Seker. This is very beautiful. How much does the stock weigh? Any advice on what size bits you used?

 

[Sheepdog1968]

You're in luck, i did a project like this just a few months back and came up with the lightest possible rifle with only off the shelf parts and the price was quite reasonable. I have the weights of all the components listed so you can see the savings of the various parts over the OEM ones. In the end, the rifle had shaved about 2 lbs going from 5+lbs stock to a little over 3 lbs as it is now. Adding a scope adds additional weight of course but still over 1 lb less than a non-scoped oem rifle.

http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=285710

Thank you very much. Also, thanks for all of those who have posted as well. I've seen some beautiful light weight rifles.

 

[LRaccuracy]

I have a 10/22 barrel that was made by RamLine back in the early 90's. I have never weighed it, but I'll bet it is 16 ounces or less. It has the same contour as the standard Ruger barrel but is a fiber barrel with a stainless steel liner. As far as I know, RamLine does not make these barrels any longer... Maybe they were junk. But I wanted to let you know they exist.