Hey there-

New to this forum, but I know that there are plenty of you that aren't. So here's what I'm thinking, I'm new to the whole Ruger 10/22 aftermarket scene, and was wondering if I could get some advice from people in the know. I've owned the rifle for about 6 years, and have been pleased with the performance, however I am currently looking to "step up" with the big boy toyz, and was wondering if you all could give me some suggestions as to combinations with stocks and bull barrels. I'm looking to do some recreational target and varmit hunting, but no one where I live can seem to help me out.

I know you all have probably seen a ton of threads like this before, but just humor me and throw some of that knowledge my way

P.S. - any scope suggestions would be readily accepted as well

I did it, seemed the thing to do at the time. Depending on what you want to do, it can get very expensive and I'm not to sure its really worth it. Mines all Volquartsen Custom and Power Custom Titanium parts inside, extended magazine release, BSA Contender 4x16 scope, Fajan thumbhole laminate stock, Butler creek bull barrel.

http://nimrodsplace.com/plinker.JPG

here's a site that specializes in the 10/22, http://www.rimfirecentral.com lots of info on the subject.

monty

IMHO the best return for the $$$ spent on tricking out a Ruger 10-22 is 1) A quality trigger job or aftermarket hammer or trigger kit to accomplish the same purpose and 2) a good quality after market barrel. Stainless steel is nice for a few bucks more than chrome moly. Green Mountain barrels have a great reputation for accuracy all out of proportion to their moderate cost. 3) Having your bolt resurfaced to minimum headspace, usually .042 to .043 for semi autos. 4) a custom stock such as the Hogue. My personal tricked out heavy barrel 10-22 printed noticeably better when I went to a Hogue stock.

Scopes cost versus quality are an item of great contention on the various websites. My own heavy barrel mentioned above will shoot sub half inch five shot groups at 50 yards with several types of non match high velocity ammo with a Tasco World Class 2.5 - 10X 44 MM scope I purchased for $79. On my income I can't see spending four or five times the $$$ for a premium scope for what little I might gain in accuracy. I would definately recommend you purchase a 1 inch diameter scope. A scope with an adjustabe objective which goes down to 50 feet or so is very nice for rimfire rifles. Good luck....

To improve the accuracy either float the barrel and remove the barrel band or replace the barrel with a Green Mountain bull barrel.
Reduce the trigger pull with a new Volquartsen hammer and buy the most expensive scope you can afford. Sightron makes several and they have a "Lifetime" replacement policy.(I've learned that once you buy a good quality scope it will last a lifetime)

This is a benchrest version I built a year ago.
http://img30.photobucket.com/albums/v90/shamus04/Rwb1022.jpg

Hey there-

New to this forum, but I know that there are plenty of you that aren't. So here's what I'm thinking, I'm new to the whole Ruger 10/22 aftermarket scene, and was wondering if I could get some advice from people in the know. I've owned the rifle for about 6 years, and have been pleased with the performance, however I am currently looking to "step up" with the big boy toyz, and was wondering if you all could give me some suggestions as to combinations with stocks and bull barrels. I'm looking to do some recreational target and varmit hunting, but no one where I live can seem to help me out.

I know you all have probably seen a ton of threads like this before, but just humor me and throw some of that knowledge my way

P.S. - any scope suggestions would be readily accepted as well

The neat thing about the 10/22 trick-'em-up scene is that you can do it a piece at a time! Very modular so you can break up (or hide) the associated expense. As mentioned in other replies to your request, the most important two things for accuracy improvement are trigger and barrel. I got a Volquartsen hammer and have done nothing else to mine. And, I bought a Majestic Arms "Acculite" barrel for $139.00, and couldn't be happier with it. Half inch, 5 shot, 50 yard groups all day long, not using pricey match/target grade ammo. My particular rig likes CCI's SGB's. On scopes, get a good one and a powerful one, if you're gonna get serious. Since I target shoot with mine, I put a Weaver T36 on it. A high, fixed power scope like this isn't appropriate for hunting, but great for paper punching.

Have fun!

gunwriter

Ok, here is the inexpensive way to have a shooting machine.
About now the combo pack is on sale at
www.Natchezss.com
I bought the butler Creek bull barrel and stock pack for @130
I bought a volquartsen Hammer kit. That has gone up in price btw. You get a hammer, and a bunch of washer like bushings. I tried that and the **** thing wouldn't work, so I threw the washers in the weeds, and just put in the hammer. TheTrigger feel is now consistent, and perfectly acceptable.
If you hop on down to Wal-Mart and buy Federals brick of 550 rounds for 8 bucks, and buy a $20 Tasco fixed power(3X, or 4X) scope you are set. That exact combo, with the gun sitting on the hood of my pickup will put five bullets touching @ 50 yards. Is it as flowery as some of the pics listed above? No. Is is as expensive? No. Is it as deadly? Yes.

Happy plinking

Well,

I took the low road...

The first thing I noticed is that a lot of the guys around here buy lots of aftermarket stuff and when the rifles don't shoot then trade them off for Cz, Anshultz etc. Well....one of the guys I shoot with is a preacher who has some of the uglest 10/22s I have ever seen. The big deal here is that he ROUTINELY bangs spinners at 150 yards and more! His rifles are amazing...so I bought one that had been traded in...paid way too much for it....$85 -100 is about right for a tradein...I spent over a $100.....I immediately found out why it was traded...it grouped at about 3 inches at 50 yards.

The first problem is that there is only one action screw and the action rocks on it like a pivot point. I solved this by adding a locator to the stock where it would mate with the hole in the rear of the trigger guard. I then relieved the barrel channel and built a fence with putty (play dough works), mixed up some Acuglas and made a pillar one inch in front of the action screw.

I disassembled the trigger , added a Wolf spring kit and honed the sear and disconnector until I got the light trigger I needed.

I the reassembled the rifle and went to the range. I bought a box of cheap uncoated .22 ammo and cycled it though the action (not shooting) catching the expended rounds in a towel. I then inspected each round for shaved lead. Using a dremel tool and VERY light abrasive, I smoothed the feed ramp and underside of the bolt until I was no longer shaving lead. The magazine sometimes needs attention here too. On this rifle the extractor needed to be refiled.

I recently upgraded from the standard barrel to a Butler creek carbon fiber item that was traded in along with a 10/22 Target that wouldn't shoot (I checked...not modified- he should have talked to me)

If you keep the stock barrel it is often necessary to machine the chamber face and lap the bore...(we can talk about that in another thread too if you are interested).

Note- Most used rifles are damaged at the muzzle and need to be recrowned...I use a bore snake to clean this rifle.

I mounted a Weaver rail and used Weaver scope mounts to mount a Tasco 3 x 10 variable with MIL DOT reticle. It is important to lap the rings...I used Clover valve grinding compound.

This rifle likes .040 rims best...more on that in another thread if you are interested...but the rifle is way more accurate than it has a right to be....I routinely wear out a coke can at 150 meters!

Commercial parts...

Wolf spring kit
Extended mag release
Lace on cheek piece
Weaver rail
Butler creek barrel (not necessary but is an improvement)
Cushioned recoil pin


Good shooting....Mike

Mike,

Yeah - keep going. What are you doing to the back of the barrel, just truing it up?

Have you adjusted headspace at all? I'm kind of in the middle of a few things with mine.... still with all the factory parts. I bedded the barrel channel & floated the receiver, though.

Wow, I'm kind of embarressed with what I did to mine. I was shooting in a bench rest league and shooting regularly 212-220 out of a possible 250 points. I had a trigger job done $75 and switched to Federal Gold cup match ammo put a nice Buschnell sportview 4x12 scope and can shoot235-245 pretty regular. The nice this about this is setup it is still handy to take out for squirrels every fall.

Mike,

Yeah - keep going. What are you doing to the back of the barrel, just truing it up?

Have you adjusted headspace at all? I'm kind of in the middle of a few things with mine.... still with all the factory parts. I bedded the barrel channel & floated the receiver, though.


Originally I cleaned up the face of the barrel...I actually but the barrel in a vice and used a mill file and a spirit level to file the face. I filed once, rotated the barrel 180 degrees, filed again..then rotated 90 degrees...then 180. This cleaned up the roughness on the face and improved the grouping of the stock barrel. I did nothing to the Butler creek barrel...initally it didn't shoot as well as my modifed stocker....but after lapping it now is very tight. I haven't milled the bolt yet but intend to do so bringing it down to .042. This has been the magic spot in the past.

RE the receiver...with the trigger group on...locate the "hole" to the rear of the trigger guard.....now.....look inside the stock and located the spot opposite the position of the hole when mounted in the stock.....slightly bend a pan head bolt and screw it into the stock opposite the hole....since it is bent...you can adjust it to precisely mate with the hole. Now....build a dam one inch forward of the barrel/action junction with Acuglas...the combination will totally stop all of the "rocking" of the action and should improve your groups...

Interesting, thanks. I milled the bolt face down to get headspace at 0.0425".... as I read that it should be between 0.042" and 0.043" :) Haven't had the opportunity to see if that affects things. I did notice that the back of the barrel was a bit rough, might lightly smooth that up in the lathe with a tool post grinder.

Mike,

Yeah - keep going. What are you doing to the back of the barrel, just truing it up?

Have you adjusted headspace at all? I'm kind of in the middle of a few things with mine.... still with all the factory parts. I bedded the barrel channel & floated the receiver, though.


OK...well..you can spend a lot of money for a custom made lapping kit or take this approach...

1. Go to the Auto parts store and buy the following.....

- Aerosol brake cleaner..big one....
- Colver brand valve lapping compound

2. Go to Wal-Mart or a similar store.

- buy some Maas metal polish.
- buy a box of .22 pellets for an air rifle
- A small diameter hardwood dowel

dip a pellet into the fine side of the clover compound and insert it into the barrel from the chamber end with your finger...use the hardwood dowel to push the pellet through the bore using the handle of a screwdriver as a mallet.

Clean the bore with brake cleaning fluid...(this gets carbon out like a big dog....remember that...) now...run an oily patch through the bore...from the chamber end....and repeat the process using not less than ten pellets, cleaning and oiling after each pass...

After the last pass....put a dry patch through the bore and coat a clean patch with the Maas compound...The Maas is a very mild abrasive that will take the final roughness out of the bore....

always clean from the breach....use a bore snake whenever you clean......now....for the really tough cases.....like extended shooting sessions of 500 rounds or more....

a brush is needed and you won't want to take the barrel off the action...so.....run a cleaning rod down the bore from the muzzle end...being careful to not bugger the crown.....make a mark on the inside of the action and drill a pilot hole opposite through the rear of the action. Enlarge the hole so that a cleaning rod can slide through and presto..now you can clean from the breach without taking the barrel off.

Wanna talk about the crown?


1. Dope

Interesting, thanks. I milled the bolt face down to get headspace at 0.0425".... as I read that it should be between 0.042" and 0.043" :) Haven't had the opportunity to see if that affects things. I did notice that the back of the barrel was a bit rough, might lightly smooth that up in the lathe with a tool post grinder.

You are on the money there....I used a lathe too..but it isn't absolutely necessary if you are careful....now...the crown is another story..if you don't have a crowning bit you can actually do a pretty good job with an RCBS case prep tool.

You are on the money there....I used a lathe too..but it isn't absolutely necessary if you are careful....now...the crown is another story..if you don't have a crowning bit you can actually do a pretty good job with an RCBS case prep tool.


Now there are two more components to my 10/22 story......

The Hanned tool...
and rim thickness tools...

Mines doesnt have nearly as much moeny as some of the other guys have into theirs...i started out with a basic stainless 10/22 and put a hogue overmolded stock and an adams and bennett .920 bull barrel. I bought a volquartsen trigger/sear/hammer/spring kit and it dramatically improved the trigger and now breaks at about 1.5 pounds. For a scope i opted for a cheap simmons fixed 4x...i dont need 12-16 times magnification for punching paper or tin cans at 25-75 yards so why get such an elaborate scope for a .22?? I saved my money for the leupold on my .223. As for how it shoots...when i bought it last year it would shoot about a 1 inch group with just the scope at 75 yards...now, it will cut about a 1/2 inch 1 hole group at the same distance. I think most of the accuracy came out of the trigger job...the stock ruger trigger was horable and no gun should ever come out of the factory with a trigger that bad. If i can find a fajen silouette stock stock for a reasonable price i might put one on it too. http://img41.photobucket.com/albums/v126/Jeffro426/130_3031.jpg