Range Report: From the 10/22 Money Pit!!

[AKElroy]

Several years ago, I picked up a cheap marlin 7000 target, slapped a cheap Bushnell AO scope, and was amazed at the 1/2 inch groups that $140 package was giving me!

Obviously, spending REAL money on a 10/22 build would yield even better results, right? Not exactly--

I bought a Magnum Research MagnumLite 10/22 on GB for $600 ish. Carbon fiber barrel, Knox/Axiom stock. I was VERY unimpressed with the OEM trigger, and was shooting 2MOA at 50 yrds due to the heavy trigger and ultra light weight.

After that first range trip, I ordered a VQ 2000 trigger group, and I found an un-used OEM target laminte stock on Ebay. I also ordered a Kidd 18# target SS barrell, and a Bushnell Elite 3200 5X15 AO in Burris 6 screw rings. Yesterday I finally had my first opportunity to range test the new rifle, and I am pleased.

I used Wolf match 40 grn ammo, and even with the green barrel, the first 10 rnd group was MOA. The second two are just under @ 3/8ths" @ 50 yards; all groups are 10 rnds.

While this is not dramatically better than that cheap Marlin, the gun itself is far more enjoyable to shoot, and is much higher quality in both feel and function. I was able to recoup a good portion of my costs by selling all the OEM bits, so the investment was just ridiculous rather than insane.

For your viewing pleasure---

 

[Kymasabe]

I have a 10/22 carbine that I bought at Walmart. I put a PowerCustom hammer in it, an extended mag release and a YellowJacket bolt buffer. I added a cheap Barska 4-12x40 scope and shoot Wolf Match ammo with it. Here's a look at my target. Not quite as good as yours...but cost me alot less.

 

[AKElroy]

Not bad. Really opens the debate for why we buy guns. If it is just about accuracy, their are cheaper ways to get it than the road I took. That marlin 7000 of mine shoots nearly as well, but it jams freaquently, and just feels cheap in the hand. Happy shooting--

 

[FTSESQ]

Money Pit? I got my 10/22 for $125. It shoots 1 MOTC (Minute of Tin Can) all day long, Twice on Sundays. Especially when my nephews are in town.

 

[AKElroy]

It shoots 1 MOTC (Minute of Tin Can) all day long, Twice on Sundays. Especially when my nephews are in town.

Nice. I have a few plinkers as well, but I really was looking to build my first all-out target/hunting rig. I am hoping to get better results when the new barrel gets a little more wear, and the ammo selection gets played with a bit.

 

[shootr]

Well, I say - GREAT SHOOTING!!

AK, I'd say you found nirvana!! That's a real nice group and I'd be thrilled!

Kyma - that's a good-looking group too.

Both just demonstrate how good a 10/22 can be made to shoot.

 

[Red Cent]

Akelroy, I wish I had your money with my 10-22 addiction.

 

[NY Marksman]

I know all about spending money.
The 10/22 I built I invested over $1500.00. I wish I would have kept it but it paid for my AR15


Itis still one of the banner guns on Rimfire Central.

 

[dbb1776]

That is a beautiful 10-22. WOW. I love beautiful stocks like that. The best stock in my house is on an older marlin 336. Lots of figure and nice grain. All the others look like clubs.

 

[FMJMIKE]

It sure is pretty.............

 

[AKElroy]

That is a beautiful 10-22. WOW. I love beautiful stocks like that.

I have lusted after that rig on rimfire central many times. Welcome to THR--you find this forum loaded with info in a much broader way than RC's necessarliy narrow focus. I am also a member on both, but not with the same screen name.

Welcome.

 

[strambo]

Well...it is a shooter, so I think it was worth it.

 

[Red Cent]

I use the same screen name everywhere. They can see me comin'.

Narrow focus? Expand please.

 

[AKElroy]

No slight intended; I frequent RC for all my rimfire info. I only meant that rimfire is their focus. You will find a very wide range of RKBA issues on THR.

 

[gunnie]

http://www.auctionarms.com/closed/displayitem.cfm?itemnum=8596475.0

one of the real sleepers in the target 22 market. value impaired ONLY by the importer's name stamp.

an iron sighted, pencil bbld standard 10-22 i had long ago for the kids to learn on did very well indeed, with a less than ideal 3x9 bushnell no less. not match grade by any means, but about 10 shots running near 3/4" @ 50yds, repeated enough to not be a fluke. and same with brick ammo. but only after i had found it's sweet spot and rim gauged the brass in the prefered rim thickness range.

get a rim gauge, 10-22's are very sensitive to rim thickness.

gunnie

 

[Red Cent]

Bounce around between SASS (see signature), North Carolina Cowboys, Carolinasshootersforum, a Glock forum, a 1911 forum, and a couple of others.

"than RC's necessarliy narrow focus"

sounds like ownership to me. But hey, I have been through IPSC in the 80s, archery (indoor and outdoor) in the 90s, Cowboy in th 2000s, and now learnin' about Glocks and IDPA. Build a 10-22 once in a while. Time now spent on learnin' about a G34. Waiting for the Ghost.

 

[Red Cent]

Gunnie, creating the correct headspace will help some. Most 10-22s come from the factory generously headspaced at about .0450 or more. 10-22 smiths will face the bolt at .0425. Add this to your rim selection and I believe it will improve the groups.
Another problem with the 10-22 (as posted by quite a few) is the firing pin moves vertically (just a tad) in its groove striking the rim at different places (erratic ignition). A bunch of us pin the firing pin using a number of methods. I tooka cold rolled pin that did not quite fit the groove and tapped it into the groove "pinning" the firing pin vertically without restricting its horizontal movement. Hits the same place on every rim. "Course ya gotta figure the consistency of 22 ammo into the equation.

 

[Red Cent]

Akelroy, I think a big lightbulb just came on. RC and RC looks alike. By your response, did you mean Rimfire Central? If you did, I apologize.

 

[browningguy]

I think you did just fine. Accuracy is like anything else, to get just a little bit better costs a lot more money. Mine is still at the intermediate stage, I've changed the barrel (Green Mountain) and stock (Fajen) but still using the stock trigger. Those changes make quite a difference as these 15 shot groups show, these are at 50 yards with the second group shot on a pretty blustery day, with Eley Match Rifle.

Before:



After:





If I want to get better than that then I need to step up and get some trigger work, and perhaps go to a more expensive barrel. But I think it's worth it, and I can go just as far as I want to with it. I've owned Marlins in the past and currently have a Browning takedown Semiauto, and none of those will consistantly shoot with the 10-22 as currently set up.

PS: when I was a kid my uncle gave me one the Savage Anshutz .22 single shots with a Mannlicher stock on it, what a fine little rifle that was. When his oldest son turned 8 I passed it on to him as his first very own gun.

 

[AKElroy]

RC, yes I was referring to rimfire central. I did not even notice your username.

 

[gunnie]

..."Gunnie, creating the correct headspace will help some. Most 10-22s come from the factory generously headspaced at about .0450 or more. 10-22 smiths will face the bolt at .0425. Add this to your rim selection and I believe it will improve the groups."...

red cent,

no idea of actual measurement of prefered rim thickness for the aforementioned 10-22. my rim gauge was the old steel sliding taper gauge with a scale of graduations on it that had no actual inch/mm thickness relationship that i can recall. don't remember mfgr name for sure, but keep thinking "lee" or another name that started with L. if it was "lee", not the reloading company.

i suspect this went the way of the dinosaur because it was used by placing a 22lr bullet in a "chambered" tube, and gently applying force to the slider for measurement. it is easy to see where a functional illiterate owner(s) could have a discharge from it by not reading/following the destructions.

anyway, sold it and the ruger when i got a 540XR remington bolt action that loved wolf match, each and every one of 'em. it also no longer in the vault.

a genuine mistake letting that one go, but some of us are like kids at the candy store when a new flavor presents itself. would without hesitation recommend a used 540X, or XR for high precision informal target work. about 400 to 500 hundred on the used market, IF you can find one that hasn't had the wrinkles burned outta the bore. have seen 4 of them for sale at various gun shows that had the bore relined, buyer beware.

gunnie

 

[shaggy430]

I must just be lucky, but my $120 factory 10/22 will shoot groups just like the ones being posted. It's exactly the same as it came from the pawn shop.

 

[AKElroy]

I must just be lucky, but my $120 factory 10/22 will shoot groups just like the ones being posted. It's exactly the same as it came from the pawn shop.

It may not be luck at all; you may just be a better shot than me. The three groups posted are the first through the new kidd barrel. A few thousand more & a little load experimentation and I might just challenge you to see just how far your luck holds--

 

[browningguy]

I must just be lucky, but my $120 factory 10/22 will shoot groups just like the ones being posted.

Your are more than just lucky, we should all be sending you money to buy lottery tickets.

 

[kd7nqb]

To each their own but for me the only advantage to .22lr's is the low cost to shoot them. So the idea of putting lots of cash into one seems counter productive to me. BUT I have to say that both of the pictures posted are nice guns just not my cup of tea.

All that being said my .22's see FAR more rounds that my center fires so the enjoyment of shooting a .22 is something that I can agree with.