Rimfire - Bang for the buck vs. fun...

[Bo Hunter]

I currently own a Ruger 10/22. I'm somewhat happy with it. I bought it used. First, I will say, I've been lazy with it. Since I've purchased the gun, the spring on the "Bolt Release?" has been broken. I apologize for my lack of knowledge on terminology. Basically, the little lever that you push to release the bolt/slide, just kind of flops around. You have to turn the gun sort of upside down and and at an angle to get the bolt to close. Anyway, I'm sure that is a simple repair.

My question is, I'd like to either get a good barrel for this gun, or purchase something new. The conversion kits for the 17 Mach 2 look very interesting to me. I'm not big on making it look "scary". I want a functional rimfire rifle to plink around with, and possibly hunt small game like woodchucks and squirrels.

I can purchase a new CZ 452 Varmint for under $400, OR I can buy a new barrell for this gun. A regular .22 barrel would be around $150-$180 right? Plus a stock, so I'm at about the same price. However, I could also buy a Volquartsen .17 Mach 2 barrel and bolt kit, for around $350. Which money is probably better spent do you think? How is the accuracy of the .17 Mach 2? I know its MUCH more expensive to shoot than a .22LR. Definitely a downfall. Do I have any longer effective range with the .17 Mach 2? How is that caliber?

This is more of a kick around topic and I'm open to suggestions.

Oh, another thing, if I buy a new barrel for my ruger, I'll have to get a new stock too....

[1BadF350]

You can get a Savage 17HMR rifle for $180 and a barrel for your other gun and be at about the same price for 2 functioning rifles.

[Dakotan]

On your spring problem, pull your trigger group out and make sure that the spring is on top of the small "tab" on the Bolt Lock itself, and the other upper part of the spring is under the pin above the tab; or just make sure it still there at all! This is a problem that comes up every now and again, especially if the trigger group has been disassembled before; maybe before you got the gun.
You'll find the 10/22 to be a very "modular" and easy, and enjoyable to work on firearm, and you won't believe what a barrel, and few new or modified action parts will turn this gun into!
http://www.weaponkraft.itgo.com/images/rfccolorcuda.jpg

Come visit us at www.rimfirecentral.com sometime! You'll see! :D

Take Care! - Dakotan

[ethernectar]

Ditto - RFC will have all the answers. Here are my two ultimates. Without that community I wouldn't be shooting. The first is all aftermarket parts, not a single Ruger part. The second is my 10/22 that's more than 15 years old, but I've added a new stock, barrel, hammer, etc.

http://www.themirrorpool.com/guns/u1022_camo_1.jpg
http://www.themirrorpool.com/guns/u1022_brown.jpg

matt

[Bo Hunter]

I'll definitely check it out! Do any of you guys know anyone thats done the 17 Mach 2 conversion? Do they like it?

That striped stock with the floating barrel is pretty sweet! One step at a time I guess!

[WillBrayjr]

Those are some freaky looking 22s!!!

[Dakotan]

Thanks Will! We try! :D

Bo, I know of one 17 Mach 2 conversion first hand. One of the guys at my favorite gun shop did it by simply installing a Volquartsen 17M2 Barrel, and a Wollf Extra Power Recoil Spring, and one of my WeaponKraft Bolt Recoil Buffers on a new 10/22 action, and nothing more needed to be done.
Your mileage may vary, but in this case he used NO extra mass bolt, NO extra mass bolt handle, or any other high $$ mods (aside from the VQ Barrel), and it worked.
He dropped the action into a Hogue Overmold stock and started blazing! He freakin' LOVES IT!
Last time I talked to him he had 1500 rounds through it without so much as a bulged case head, or any signs of "pressure curve" related problems.
In fact, he's now discovered that the .17 HM2 rounds are a perfect fit for 25 round Butler Creek magazines, and feed flawlessly! Obviously he gets his ammo wholesale! :eek:

FWIW! ;) - Dakotan

[ethernectar]

Bo, thanks,

That's one that I painted. Pretty straightforward actually. Here's pics of the process: http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=81811

matt

[PsychoSword]

Do not convert a standard 10/22 to a .17 Mach2, your reciever will probably crack and you will probably also run into other problems. I would just wait for Ruger to come out with the real deal. I assume it will be similiar to their .22 magnum.

[Dakotan]

You do realize that we're referring to the .17 Hornady Mach II, and NOT the .17 Hornady MAGNUM Rimfire, correct? VEEEEERY different rounds, and easy to confuse.
The 17HM2 (.17 Hornady Mach II) has virtually same OAL as a .22LR, and virtually identical chamber pressures, just very different pressure curves. The 17HM2 builds to max much more quickly than the .22LR, therefore requiring the bolt to remain closed for a longer interval than the .22LR to contain chamber pressure until it drops to levels safe for ejection. The conversion methods allow the round to operate safely in a semi-auto, and have been solved in several different ways, by several different people/manufacturers.
Also, a properly performed 17HM2 conversion will certainly NOT crack a 10/22 receiver. If that were the case, I doubt that Volquartsen would be offering three different .17 HM2 barrels and an Extra Mass Bolt for the 10/22 LR Receiver.
The 17HM2 I spoke of above is only one of several 17HM2 conversions I know of, and one of two I've seen firsthand.
The "oh my God, don't do that the gun will blow up!" type of problems that the ammo manufacturers warned so virulently about have just never really surfaced. I'm not saying that there haven't been any problems, but they certainly haven't turned up on a "noticeable" basis; at least not yet. Who knows what some people will screw with on any given day!? :eek:
Heck, I think I've seen more problems with bulged cases, case head separations and the like on early .17 HMR conversions done on 10/22 MAGNUM receivers than on .17 HM2s on LR receivers!
Actually, I don't really have much interest in either of the "new and improved" .17 cals in any platform, personally! Just a .22 purist at heart I guess! To each his own! :D

Take Care! - Dakotan

[PsychoSword]

You do realize that we're referring to the .17 Hornady Mach II

Yes. The 10/22 also has problems with hot .22lr ammo. The problem with cracked receivers is quite well known, especially with .17Mach2 conversions. I'm assuming they will beef the 10/22 up for the .17Mach2 cartridge.

[Dakotan]

Yes. The 10/22 also has problems with hot .22lr ammo. The problem with cracked receivers is quite well known, especially with .17Mach2 conversions. I'm assuming they will beef the 10/22 up for the .17Mach2 cartridge.

And thusly the "Bolt Recoil Buffer" was born and, over the years, refined.
While receiver damage isn't as widespread as some would have you believe, it is an occasional occurrence. Although in 20 years of rimfire work, I still haven't seen one firsthand. :confused:
One always seems to just "hear" about cracked 10/22 receivers as in, "I Know a guy who said another guy he knew at the range cracked his receiver!" :eek:
Seriously, if someone has actually seen a cracked 10/22 receiver with their own eyes, I'd really like to hear about it, where the crack(s) were, and what the circumstances were. PICS would be great if possible.

One of my own 10/22s (1983 production, which wandered into the shop I managed in 1992, and just had to come home with me) got the "assault weapon" treatment in '93, has had a steady diet of Stingers (10K - 12K rounds worth) using Butler Creek 25 round mags since I acquired it, and looked like it hadn't exactly had an easy life before then. It's never had any issues since I've owned it. If there was a receiver that would crack, this one should have been it!

10/22s have a reputation for eating scopes as well. This I have seen firsthand.
The 10/22 can be VERY hard on scopes simply because the transmitted shock of the bolt smacking into a steel Bolt Stop Pin is transmitted directly to the receiver and therefore to the scope on every shot. Again, a problem solved by the installation of a quality Bolt Recoil Buffer.

It'll be interesting to see if Ruger ever actually fields a .17 caliber semi-auto. For some reason I, for one, am not exactly holding my breath. :rolleyes:

Take Care! - Dakotan

[Moe Mentum]

I have both of these rifles. I do prefer the Ruger 10/22. My Marlin model 60 does jam quite often, (all different ammo) while my Ruger runs like a clock. I also prefer the mag route over tube feed, (it feels like loading a muzzle loader with the tube) I carry 5 mags for the Ruger, and loading is much easier. As for accuracy, its a toss up, but the Ruger is much more balanced.

[Jseime]

if you head over to rimfire central they really really know their stuff but i like to keep it simple so only change what you want to change to make it shoot how you want it and look how you want it and then stop. there are so many options you could build 20 ultimate 10-22s and not have two the same. its all about building YOUR rifle. have fun