Ruger 10/22...deal or ripoff?

Status
Not open for further replies.
C

Commander Guineapig

Member
Joined
Oct 8, 2007
Messages
230
Location
Colorado
went to the gunshow this weekend...
and finally decided to pull the trigger (*groan*) on a Ruger 10/22
that has seen it's share of the back of a pickup truck.
I negotiated the price down to $125 for this gun in this condition:

- stock is in fair shape, no deep dings or gashes.
Definitely has seen better days.

-sights are somewhat thrashed...back sight is broken,
front one has a few mash-marks on it.

-bore is perfect. Action looks great. Clip seems fine.
Trigger is normal for a 10/22.

-barrel has some blued worn off and scuffs.

I didn't have the ability to pick it up right then and I gave him no cash,
just said that I'd come by his pawnshop on monday...today...and give
him the $125.
I am having some second thoughts tho.

I recently also picked up the latest addition of the "Gun Trader's Guide"
and it says a 10/22 in "good" shape is worth $130.
However good is classified in the Guide as:
"In safe working condition, minor wear on working surfaces.
No broken parts, no corrosion or pitting that will interfere with proper functioning."

Realistically, it's condition is more like "Fair" which is:
"In safe working condition but well worn, perhaps requiring replacement of minor parts or other adjustments that should be reported by the seller.
No rust but may have corrosion pits that do not render the gun unsafe or inoperable." (being closer to $100 or less in price according to the guide.)

So a new one is $180. The difference of $55 is a lot right now, squeezing my
money to get a Sig P228, a guitar amp, and either an AR or a Remmy 700.
The REASON for looking at a 10/22 in this condition is that I wanted to clean
it up and perhaps do a very nice camo job on it, and add a scope on the
existing scope rail. I wouldn't really want to "bubba" a nice new 10/22...
I'd feel bad about that.
He did offer to swap out barrels for me, but I really liked the bore of the
barrel with the busted up sights.
According to the guide, the gun in the "fair" shape is worth closer to $100 even. I offered him $100 (down from $150 originally) and he griped that he had almost that much in it.
My thoughts are that he either bought it for too much in the shape that it's in, or he's trying to charge too much, or both.
Or is the Gun Trader's guide way out in left field?

ideas? comments? thoughts? snide remarks?

GP
 
Buying a used gun is always a risk.
Buying a used gun from a stranger is an even bigger risk.

No gun is worth one penny more than the buyer is willing to pay for it.

If the rifle is serviceable, and you like it, then you should buy it.

Those gun value books are no more than a rough guideline.
A VERY rough guideline - especially for high-end guns.
 
A new one isn't worth $180. I have one, and I paid $180 for it, before paying an additional $24 for sights that were remotely visible in lower light. And it wasn't worth it, since I haven't shot it in longer than I remember (I've shot 3 other .22's a lot at the range and hunting, so it's not that I haven't shot .22's). I put a scope on it, but the stock is WAY too low for a scope.

While I've become a fan of the 39 lever guns, my Marlin 60, purchased recently for $120 NIB, outshoots the 10/22 by a good deal, feeds more reliably, has some better features, and the stock fits much better with a scope.

So, what you paid is not a really bad deal, if you accept that premise that a base 10/22 is worth the retail price to begin with, which I no longer do.

That said, the price of used 10/22's is kept high not by those who want to shoot them as-is, but by demand for the receivers to customize. With a lot of aftermarket parts and enough cash, they can be a helluva gun.

Me? I'll just shoot my other .22's instead, and spend my money on other stuff.
 
I haven't got it yet...I need to go down there in a bit and
tell him to either pack sand or pay him $125.
I'd take it at $100, but...grr..I hate getting ripped off.
GP
 
Fer Pete's sake! It is a functioning 10/22 with a nice action and perfect bore. For $125 no one will ever say you got ripped off. The action alone is worth that and you can add what parts you like to make your own custom 10/22. $25 isn't worth agonizing over. :)
 
it's only on the PRICE, not on the gun.
It's a project gun, I ...just have my Jewish side kicking in, and it's screaming
"OY VEY YOU SCHMUCK! HE WANTS $25 TOO MUCH! WHAT CROCK!"
 
Hee...hee...

Many times I have walked away from a deal over a few dollars and almost always regretted it later. That's the bad thing about guns...they never get cheaper! If you want a 10/22 project gun, buy it. :)
 
I will suppress my inner Jew...just this once.
:D
I suppose $25 isn't worth agonizing over.
And I think Gator is right too...there's nothing on
gunbroker anywhere near that cheap.

GP
 
$25 isn't worth agonizing over, but thats a little pricey. $100 for a 10/22 in fair shape is about perfect. $125 is more than I would pay, but neither is it a massive ripoff. Just a little pricey, is all.

Commander, who is selling it?
 
Take it .. You can never have too many 10/22's

Rimfirecentral.com has all the info you would need to mod the 10/22
 
If you want a project, start with a custom receiver.

Volquartsen or Magnum Research will be happy to oblige.

Not much in a stock 10/22 is worth keeping, if you're going to spend good money on customizing it. Might as well go the whole hog.
 
If he put away after talking to you and it was not for sale for the rest of the gun show, I think you owe him the sale.

But if you said something like, "I'll buy it next week if you still have it," and it stayed for sale, then I would feel better about not buying it.

Bruce
 
I agree, a bit pricey.
apparently I cannot pick it up till I get my CO DL...blah.
So down to the DMV I go tomorrow.

I have held a Mag-Research "10/22" ...I instantly loved it, as did my wife.
She wanted that instead of an ipod for her B-day...but ipods are cheaper.
Finances are the ONLY reason I am taking it easy on trixing this out right away.
Otherwise, I totally agree...trix it out and make it a REAL toy. :D
GP
 
If he put away after talking to you and it was not for sale for the rest of the gun show, I think you owe him the sale.
Click to expand...
I did

If you told him you would take it, you should keep your word, no matter what.
Click to expand...
I agree. Wanting a 10/22 doesn't make it too hard. :D
I woulda paid him today and went home with it...darn this drivers license thing.
 
the truth is, 10.22's are overrated, but there is something extemely satisfying about that flush fit, semi auto mag. donw here in houston, you cannot get a used one for under 150 bucks, ever. i just sold a used one, that was 25 years old, and unfired, but with no box, for 200 dollars to a DEALER. He knows he will have no probs getting his money back on it. so if you bought that one, fixed it up, a little rebluing, etc., you will not lose money on it, ever.

The thing is, everyone knows these are very addicting, and if someone wants to buy it,
by God, they are gonna do it. And there are a lot of these sick 10.22 weirdos out there.
 
I do think that paying $125 for one not in great shape is not a good idea. I saw an all-weather ("stainless") variant for $110 at a pawnshop one day. It looked like it hadn't had more than a couple hundred rounds run through it...

what's one or two parts or kits I could add to lighten the trigger?
I see a million parts on Midway and other sights...
Click to expand...
\

I hear adding a target hammer will do the trick. $30.

Best iron sights are Techsights. They even have an adaptor for bull barrels.

Factory, Butler Creek Steel lips, and Tactical Innovations magazines are good.

I'd also add a better extractor, an improved bolt release, a buffer, an an extended magazine release at the minimum...
 
And last shot bolt hold open. No particular reason, as long as you don't forget to check the bolt stop pin when you reassemble the gun. I just can't stand "click" instead of a locked-open bolt like every other semiauto rifle, pistol or shotgun I ever shoot, including the cheaper, more accurate Marlin 60.
 
And last shot bolt hold open. No particular reason, as long as you don't forget to check the bolt stop pin when you reassemble the gun. I just can't stand "click" instead of a locked-open bolt like every other semiauto rifle, pistol or shotgun I ever shoot, including the cheaper, more accurate Marlin 60.
Click to expand...

Rockstar.esq and you are in exact agreement, whereas I could care less about the last shot hold open feature. It's somewhat nice on other guns, but it's just never been a dealbreaker for me.

what's one or two parts or kits I could add to lighten the trigger?
I see a million parts on Midway and other sights...
Click to expand...

On rimfire central, someone figured out how to lighten up the trigger by using a bobby pin, which is a neat trick.

http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=167898&highlight=Bobby+pin+trigger+return
 
Commander,

I love buying beater guns that no thinks much of. Sometimes a pay to much. But i have a lot of fun going through a gun and cleaning and repairing it. When i'm done and it shoots well it is a satisfaction.

I use to fly RC model planes. I would sometimes buy wrecks that looked impossible to repair. Their former owners were always impressed how well their rebuilt planes flew and looked.

I bought a CVA 50 cal from a pawn shop for $50.00 bucks because the barrel had stalagtites growing in it. After a soaking with marvel mystery oil and some brush work it turned out to be a fine shooter. I have several more stories like this. One is a Taurus 66 that if you weren't careful the cylinder fell out. Bought for &125.00 out the door. The crane screw was loose. Repaired in the parking lot.

Buy the gun and have a hoot making it yours.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

nwilliams
  • Locked
Swedish M38 Good Deal?
Replies
11
Views
640
eastbank
eastbank
V-fib
  • Locked
Ruger 10/22 price check
Replies
19
Views
1K
22-rimfire
2
S
  • Locked
Ruger 10/22 lever action?
Replies
7
Views
1K
tuj
tuj
D
  • Locked
10/22 Rebuild
Replies
4
Views
472
pgeleven
P
A
  • Locked
10/22 Night Sights
Replies
16
Views
4K
ArmedBear
A
Back
Top