Which 10/22 to customize

[sta500rdr]

I am in the market for a 10/22 that i would like to customize and turn into an all around plinker/shooter/target/varmint rifle. My only question is this. Which model should I start with?

If I get the stainless, I have to stick with stainless for any customization. Just curious what you guys suggest.

 

[benzy2]

If you are modding it, buy the cheapest one you can find. If you don't plan on a barrel and stock swap I have always liked the lines of the DSP stocks though you may be better off with the target model.

 

[sta500rdr]

I do plan on modifying it, however I am curious if its worth getting the stainless so that I will have a stainless receiver for building off of. There is about a 50$ difference between blued and stainless, just curious if its worth it in the long run.

 

[benzy2]

I don't believe it is actually stainless. Isn't it just a grey coating? Either way, I would go with the cheaper one and spray it whatever color you wanted.

 

[Jubjub]

You might want to look at the new Target Tactical model. It has pretty much all the useful upgrades already. Hogue stock, 16" bull barrel, target trigger, adjustable v-block, even comes with a bipod. They go for about $450, which is a lot cheaper than building one to the same specs.

 

[highorder]

The Ruger factory receiver is aluminum, coated with silver or black paint.

It can be stripped to bare metal and coated in a variety of ways, usually more paint.

 

[benzy2]

You might want to look at the new Target Tactical model. It has pretty much all the useful upgrades already. Hogue stock, 16" bull barrel, target trigger, adjustable v-block, even comes with a bipod. They go for about $450, which is a lot cheaper than building one to the same specs.

What chamber do they use on their heavy barrels? Also, when they say target trigger, what does it break at? Is it a clean pull or is there a bit of creep? Who makes the bipod? Is it a Harris or a knock-off?

I have been thinking about trying one but I fear they use the same chamber as their sporter barrels, use a lawyered trigger (even if better than the standard), and use a knock off bipod. If that were the case, it really isn't much of a deal. If they are using a better chamber, a trigger that is on par with the drop in volquartsen parts, and a harris (or even a knock off) it becomes a much better value, but knowing Ruger, I fear the worst.

 

[ThePunisher'sArmory]

With one of my builds I went with an old used carbine I got for $100. I went with the olive green Hogue stock $75. For the barrel I opted for the 18" non fluted Shooters Ridge Bull Barrel $129. Optics consists of a factory weaver rail and Tasco 4X scope $40. To finish it off I put on a "knock off" harris bi-pod for $40 and a nylon sling for $15. I Have not done the trigger as I am quite use to the well broke in factory trigger. I cant see spending $250+ on a trigger group for a .22lr.

 

[t george]

rimfirecentral.com is your friend... there are a few ways to get a nice crisp trigger without a huge expence

 

[Ditch-Tiger]

As someone who owns 2 built up 10/22's...

First off, pick a direction and figure out which receiver color you want because in the end, that's really the only thing your gonna use/keep.

Second, buy used. If in fact all you are gonna use is the receiver/bolt/trigger group and throw the rest of the parts in the closet for X many years...then as long as it's cheep, and is the color you want, then that's the "model" you should buy.

Hope this helps and enjoy the build.

 

[Red Cent]

The 10-22 comes with a sloppy chamber. Buy the rifle, buy an adjustable sear and do some polishing. The sear will get rid of most of the creep and if you do some careful stoning you can get a 3-4 pound trigger ( or better). After you get the barrel back, "glass" the first two inches of the barrel and float the rest.
"Get back.....". Have the barrel faced of at the breech end, Bentz chambered, and ejector slot cut. You will need to shim the v-block, but if you do it right it can and will shoot 1/2" at 50yards. You might spend $150.00 plus the rifle.
Careful, it is addictive.

Homemade. about $250.00 including barrel. Have a couple 10-22s. This one will shoot about 1/2" at 50 with CCI Mini Mags.

 

[Red Cent]

OOOOPss!

 

[madcratebuilder]

Good advise from Red Cent. Adding a set screw to the sear is the most important mod you can do for trigger improvements. If you apply some basic gunsmithing skills to the oem parts you can have a fine shooting rifle that well shoot as well or better than the 1K+ 10/22's.

 

[CraigC]

Bear in mind that you do not need a heavy barrel to shoot tiny groups but you do need a "good" barrel. I built my first with a .920" steel Clark barrel and it didn't last long. Just too heavy and too poorly balanced for field work. 14yrs older and a lot smarter I built my latest with a 21.5" Clark mid-weight barrel and it is about perfect and still shoots well under an inch at 100yds. Shilen also has a heavy sporter profile and Green Mountain has a large selection of sporter and mid-weight barrels. Any of which would shoot better than a cheap bull barrel.

I cant see spending $250+ on a trigger group for a .22lr.

Why wouldn't you want a good trigger on the rifle you shoot the most???

 

[Red Cent]

Individual preferences, but I would not spend that much either. After the sear is perfected, take out the trigger return spring and cap and put it away. Take a safety pin, cut off the sharp pointy side leaving the circle and clasp (I cut the clasp in half length wise). Put this on the right side of the trigger group. Put the pin that holds the bolt release through the circle, put in the hammer assembly, depressing the modified pin under the hammer pin. The upside down clasp rides "sledlike" on top of the trigger. Provides good reset and drops resistance significantly. Some make their own with piano wire or other stuff.
I spent about $40.00 modifying the stock trigger group. My trigger pull is 2.7# (Lyman digital) no creep, and an intentional 2 stage trigger. Touch it and it moves a couple 100s, next is 2.7#s to fire.
I gotta buy another junker. Talking about this is making me jittery.

 

[Red Cent]

....

 

[CraigC]

My point was that some folks will spend $1500 on a centerfire that they use once or twice a year but scoff at spending more than $200 on the .22LR that gets used all the time. It makes no sense. It's the "it's just a .22" mentality.

The Volquartsen target hammer is a good value at around $40, got the pull on one of my rifles down to about two and a half pounds but still creepy. Works fine for that particular setup. Another got all the Power Custom goodies and I have to say that I much prefer their extended mag release and bolt release. Both are long and serrated and easy tomanipulate. Without any tuning the pull is still four and half pounds but nice and crisp. Most of my guns, handguns and long guns, have around 2-3lb triggers. Some factory, some home `smithed, some professionally tuned. I thought I knew what a good trigger was until I got my 14oz KID two stage. Now I "know". It's worth it on a sporter that shoots so well.

 

[Red Cent]

That mentality is alive and well. I just bought a G34 and I flinch at a $70.00 holster. Go figure.

CraigC, the adjustable sear will do away with most, if not all, the creep. Be aware that the sear requires a very small hole to be drilled in the top rear of the triggerguard to access the set screw. At the range, you can adjust as needed. I am function, so I drilled a hole starting from the bottom of the triggerguard and through the top rear of the triggerguard. I get very upset fooling with scope rings if you get my drift.

 

[browningguy]

Mine started off as the Walmart special in silver finish, I added a Green Mountain fluted blued barrel on sale for $129, then the Fajen target stock on sale for $89 and I am happy with the results. Next up is either a Kidd or VQ trigger.

 

[benzy2]

While I agree that spending money on the things you use the most is a good idea (Kidd trigger), the law of diminishing returns is still present and for a rifle that may only shoot low-midgrade ammo it doesn't always equate as a value. I can't say a single bad thing about the Kidd trigger. It is certainly a top tier item. I have a problem justifying using a $200 trigger to shoot cans that a $40 hammer and a modded sear could have shot as well. That is a personal thing. I would much rather spend the $200 towards an Anschutz with a better trigger than spend it on my 10-22. While the 10-22 is accurate, potentially more so than I, it isn't a match rifle. I get "close enough" with the cheap route that I personally won't spend the money on the Kidd. Well worth it if you feel the need as again it is an amazing unit.