I have been lucky with the accuracy of mine. The beauty of a Ruger 10-22 is that if you don't like it you can change everything on it. Like an AR it's like a tinker toy. More aftermarket support than any other rifle except maybe an AR.
I don't know if this is fantastic by 10/22 standards but I shot this at about 50 +/- yards. It's a 10 shot group rested on a tree branch. I was quite pleased with it. Using CCI MM .22lr
I lusted after one forever until my father in law won one as a door prize. That particular one is about the lousiest shooter I've ever seen in terms of accuracy. I don't expect stock 10-22's to be target rifles but that one is the only 10-22 that I've ever been disappointed in.
If you end up with a Compact and want a wood stock, I have a take-off that I'd be willing to part with.
Have you nosed around to see if you can find a magnum research? they're not cheap, but you get carbon fiber barrels and nicer receivers. https://www.magnumresearch.com/rimfire-rifles/
Last night I took my grandson to the range to shoot his new 10-22. The sights were about 2 inches high at 25 yards and a little to the right. At first it didn't group but after about twenty shots it started to shoot pretty well for a 11 year old anyway with open sights. Roughly an inch at 25 yards open sights. A scope would improve it a great deal as the sights were hard to see.
I bought a stainless all weather one in 2019. Than I acquired a 40 year old one like I had when I was a youngster in bad shape, hardly any bluing but no rust or pits. I'm in the middle of upgrading the stainless and putting those parts on the old one. Waiting on a BX Trigger group and flip up scope lens covers to do the final Desert Tan color.
JCooperfan1911: That's a very good question. A plinking buddy (we mostly shoot AKMs and my VZ-58) told me that I should buy a 10-22. Always loved the small bead sight and overall looks, especially with a wooden stock. If both the really old .44 version and ammo had (somehow) remained at much lower prices, that also would have been fun.
