Building a .22 LR for Appleseed AQT

[radioflyer]

After shooting my first Project Appleseed, I'm hooked on the idea of precision self-stabilized shooting. The only .22 I had at the time of the shoot was a Savage MK 2 designed for bench-rest shooting. I did somewhat decent but the manipulation of the bolt after each shot cost precious time on the AQTs.

I'm planning a 10/22 based platform specifically for timed events like this and would like to keep the entire package in the $700-800 range.

So far the only thing I'm dead-set on is I would like a Victor Company Titan 1022 stock, short travel 2-stage trigger and I'm a fan of the Nikon ProStaff Rimfire II 4-12x scope.

I'm looking for recommendations for barrel, trigger (make/model) and any other modifications that would help with speed and ease of manipulation particularly in the prone position.

Thoughts?

[Rob228]

That looks like more of a benchrest stock by the shape of it.

You might want to check out any local silhouette and/or sporterrifle leagues. Two different sets of rules but it is all shooting from the standing (sporterrifle is unsupported, meaning your elbow cannot touch your body, I believe silhouette is supported). Once you get good at shooting in the standing, kneeling sitting and prone are a lot easier.

[kymasabe]

I did an Appleseed years ago and still have my Rifleman patch from it.
Earned it day 2 with my 10/22. You don't need anything fancy to shoot well at an Appleseed shoot.
Mine is a Wal-Mart bought Ruger 10/22 carbine, stock barrel and furniture. I installed an extended mag release, a Power Custom hammer and a Yellow Jacket bolt buffer...and that was it, besides sling mount studs.
She's been wearing the same cheap Barska 3-12x40AO scope for over a decade. The whole rig's been thru two daughters and thousands and thousands of rounds and still holds zero and shoots well. It's short and light and it works. Only recently have I considered changing the stock, and am considering a Magpul stock for it.

[Road_Clam]

Shot an Appleseed back in 2014, had a lot of fun, great learning experience both marksmanship and history. I shot very well with a 4x scoped 10-22 and CCI high velocities. Unfortunately couldn't make Rifleman resulting from sand ingestion and FTF's in the magwell from shooting prone on a very windy day. Too much lube on the bolt.

[pblanc]

The Nikon Prostaff Rimfire 4-12x40 has a fixed parallax setting at 75 yards. Since most Appleseed events are shot at 25 meters, you do have the potential for parallax error at shorter ranges. You might want to consider a scope with an adjustable objective, or side parallax adjustment.

An extended charging handle is a little easier to manipulate when you have a scope mounted. I use a Kidd extended charging handle on my 10/22. I would definitely suggest the bolt "auto-release" modification for the 10/22. This can easily be done by either swapping the stock 10/22 bolt catch lever for an aftermarket part (that usually runs around $12 or so), or by a simple modification of the existing lever.

In order to mount the ocular of your scope far enough forward to have the correct eye relief in the prone position, you are likely going to need either an extended accessory rail or extension scope rings. I use the stock Ruger 3/8" dovetail/Weaver combo accessory rail with extension rings, but a Picatinny rail that extends out over the barrel is probably a better choice.

Have you given any consideration to what type of sling you want to use? The USGI web sling is of course the popular choice at Appleseed events and is a cost-effective option. For sitting and prone I happen to prefer the leather model 1907 type sling.

For what it is worth, my Appleseed rifle is a basic Ruger 10/22 with a plain Jane synthetic stock to which I have attached a Limbsaver recoil pad to extend the length of pull, and a Beartooth comb riser to allow for a better cheek weld. My trigger group has undergone a Tier 2 trigger job by Brimstone Gunsmithing and I modified the bolt catch lever to provide for the "auto-release" function. I have installed a Volquartsen extractor and a Kidd extended charging handle. I am using a Hawke Sport Optics Vantage 3-9x40 scope with an adjustable objective mounted on the stock Ruger accessory rail using extended Weaver quad-lock rings.

[Mobuck]

Appleseed is a fairly basic course. What is required is FUNCTION and moderate accuracy. A good 10-22 with a trigger upgrade and a "moderate" magnification scope should meet the minimum.
A 4-12x scope ????????????? Don't see the need for that.

[the possum]

Try shooting some groups when you get it. A lot of guys around here report better accuracy with their 10/22's than I ever saw out of either of mine. Both my rifles shot like 4-5 MOA with most ammo, so I finally bought a Green Mountain fluted sporter barrel for one, and it made a huge difference. Group sizes are now easily 1/2 to 1/3 the size overall compared to before. And I was lucky enough to discover its favorite ammo only costs 3.5 cents per round (less than 4 cents delivered to my door). Aguila copper plated high velocity gave several 10 shot 50 yard groups that measured 3/4" center to center.

I've read that Kidd barrels are generally considered even more accurate, but they also cost quite a bit more than Green Mountain. Got my barrel here, and they also sell lots of other accessories for 10/22s. http://www.rimfiresports.com/merchan...egory_Code=R1A

[ocharry]

go to ebay and type in 10-22 parts,,,,,,many pages of stuff there,,,including Kidd,,,,

i will say if you buy Kidd you will have in my and many's opinion the top of the pile,,,all of his stuff is top notch,,he has barrels and trigger sets too,,,single and double set,,,,but there are other things from other people that are very good also

there are several barrel makers out there green mountain makes a good barrel,,,and so do several others,,,just depends on how much you want to spend for a barrel

there are people out there that make what ever you want to change on a 10-22,,,

one of my builds has a stainless steel receiver and the barrel is threaded into the receiver just like a center fire rifle,,, it will do easy 3/8 groups at 50yrds with wolf match extra,,,but it will shoot anything i have shot out of it(14 brands to date) into 5/8 size groups,even the dreaded remington golden bullets,,i think it is because the barrel is screwed into the stainless receiver,,,very rigid set up,,,just my thought on that

there are lots of things that will help with accuracy and functionality

have the bolt worked over,,head spaced and slicked up,,firing pin reshaped,,better extractor,,(Kidd bolts are 4140 steel,,,machined and ready to go),,change the bolt stop,,bigger bolt handle,,recoil spring,,,,,have or do a trigger job or buy a trigger set up to put in,,,whether parts or whole trigger,,(again Kidd),,bolt release,,,,extended mag release,,,as for barrel,,,well any of the good barrel makers out there that make a barrel for the 10-22 will get you there,,,again what are you wanting to do??? but the cost is different and ,,,it all just depends on how much money you want to spend,,,fluted or not,,,,.920 dia.,,,i have read and heard that 18" is the optimum for 22 rimfire

so you see it is how ever YOU want it,,,,and what you want it to do,,,and your pocket book

i have 3,,all have ss receivers that i have built from scratch,,,,they all are shooters,,,but the screw barrel which was the last build is a notch above the other 2,,,not by much but it is,,,,i have parts for another one,,,waiting on the receiver,,,

i have 4 grandsons,,,,,ONE FOR EACH OF YA,,,as doc put it,,,,ahaha

hop over to RIMFIRECENTRAL,,,,they all will help you spend your money wisely,,,,lots of good rimfire info and a wealth of knowledge

my .02
ocharry

[T. O'Heir]

Appleseed is training not a competition.
12X with a .22 is way too much magnification. The scope is nearly as big as the rifle too.
"...self-stabilized shooting..." No such thing.

[pblanc]

Appleseed is more about instruction than training, but most people still want to do well on the AQTs. Stock Ruger 10/22 rifles do vary in accuracy quite a bit. I would say that they on average shoot around 2 MOA, some better and some worse.

While 2 MOA is quite good enough to shoot a perfect score on the AQT if your technique is perfect and ammunition is high quality, but nobody's technique is perfect so it doesn't hurt if your rifle can shoot 1 MOA or better. But you don't need a rifle that good to learn the fundamentals. An improved trigger and sighting system I think are the most important changes you can make on a stock 10/22.

I agree that a 4-12 scope is overkill for shooting at 25 meters, but it will certainly work. If that is what you are using, I would suggest keeping it near or at the lower end of its magnification range, especially when shooting standing.

[amd6547]

A couple years ago, I bought a like new 1965 10/22. With that stock rifle, I get consistent dime sized groups at 80yds, using Blazer bulk ammo and a cheap Barska 4X scope.

[Niner4Tango]

You're looking for a rifle for 4-position shooting (timed), if I understand your post. The stock you show is good for bench or varmint shooting. It's also designed for a heavy barrel. It's going to fight you in 4-position shooting.

Building on a Ruger is not a bad idea. You could start with a Sporter (model 1102) and add a Ruger BX trigger and a decent adjustable objective scope. A Bushnell Banner 4-12x40 AO (614124) would be good for .22 ranges, but you won't use much above 8x or 9x for position shooting. This will keep you in your budget.

Then get a variety of ammo and find what works best for your setup. Wolf Match Extra, Federal 510, Eley, Lapua...etc. The ammo is really most important part for what you're doing.

If you want to get a little crazier, mount a Green Mountain sporter barrel and install a Jard 1 or 1.5 lb trigger. The trigger is the most important rifle upgrade for position shooting. Add a Leuplod EFR 3-9x33, you will not miss your Nikon. Now you're talking some bucks but you have a no-excuses rifle

[ocharry]

or i guess you could just buy one of the target 10-22 rifles ruger offers

but the fun is in the build for me

appleseed is not a competition,,,that is true,,,it is rifle instruction and training and a history lesson,,,,,for me it was a competition with myself,,,,along with the other things

hmmm 4-12 scope is not needed on a 22....i aint buyin that,,,,,definitely get a scope with adjustable objective,,,,whether front or side to help control parallax ,,,but 4-12,,,,i like 4-16 or 6-24,,,you dont have to use all of it all the time,,,,it is adjustable you know,,,,but it is there if you want it,,,,but normally ,,,again for me,,,,i run in the 10 power range,,,,if you want simple,,,straight 8 or 10 power with AO would work too,,,,,again YOUR rifle...YOUR budget

i think you can put together a very nice rifle set up for around $650 that will do a great job for appleseed,,,if you just want a stock rifle probably way less than that,,,,,but like said,,,,,start with the trigger,,,and a good sling

then go get that patch,,,,you are going to have a great time

just my .02 again

ocharry

[Niner4Tango]

I like higher magnification, too. Off hand I generally use 10x, if the scope has it, and if the range is more than 40 yards or so. From a bench, 24x is great. We don't have much heat mirage up here though, but mirage is no big deal at .22 LR distances.

[Road_Clam]

One simple mod I do highly recommend on the 10/22's is the extended mag release. You will be required to perform a mag change during the timed rapid relay, and the extended mag release helps when you are shooting prone.

[Shootrj2003]

I made up a Remington 597 for Appleseed ,it's got a good barrel from the box,though others are available,and a keep shooting mag was for me a necessity,as mine is early the rem mags are crap ,I understand the newer ones have been better,and the newer metal mags I have are better,none beat the Keep shooting mags.that and a 4-12 A/O scope,or peep sights( I modified the scope rail for a U.S. GI .30 carbine sight and a eared front sight of my own making it gives a sight picture like the m-14,in the spirit of Appleseed shooting,I also use the GI web sling ala VietNam era,this is the simplest and easiest sling to master ,I have several for hunting as well. Not a lot of money in this set up but it will do a capable rifleman quite well hunting or target,
You could get the Volquartson trigger and hammer mods and still be way below $300.there is no need to spend scads of cash on Appleseed or Sporterifle,just enjoy it!

[kymasabe]

...all those fancy 10/22's and expensive barrels, and I earned my Rifleman patch with a Walmart carbine, a $4 bolt buffer, a $40 hammer, and a cheap extended mag release. You don't need to dump a ton of money into a rifle to do well at Appleseed.

[idek]

This is not a specific recommendation for an Appleseed gun and I did not get these things for the purpose of an Appleseed shoot... It's just a list of some things I've put on my 10/22s that might be worth considering.

Magpul Hunter X-22 stock: most reviews and videos I see about this stock have people using them with bull barrels and bipods, but I use mine with a tapered barrel mostly shooting from field positions, and I think it works well in that capacity (and should be good for Appleseed). I like the grip angle from all shooting positions, and being able to change spacers and cheek pieces for desired stock length and comb height is nice. It's got multiple options for sling placement. It IS a bit heavier than the factory stock and will shift weight toward the butt end.

Green Mountain 20" Blue Sporter barrel: I paired this with the Magpul stock: didn't want the weight of a steel bull barrel, but this is a little thicker, longer, and heavier than a factory carbine barrel. It balances out the stock nicely. I can't give specific numbers for group sizes, since I don't do much shooting from solid rest. I can only say it's noticeably more precise than the factory barrel (which wasn't too bad), and the extra weight out front probably keeps me steadier.

I have this Volquartsen trigger kit on one gun and the Hornet Black Max assembly in another. The kit trigger still has some creep, where the Hornet assembly really doesn't, but I like both.

Kidd bolt handle assembly: I feel like it's mostly a cosmetic change, but it improves function a little. The handle extends farther out than the factory handle, and the sliding of the bolt is slightly smoother.

Burris Droptine 22LR 2-7x35 scope: For the kind of shooting I do, 7x is enough, an the 2x is nice for a wider view on close targets, moving targets, or switching between multiple target. It's not too bulky or heavy. Parallax is set for 50 yards. I don't notice much error at 25 yards, but I'm no expert on the matter.

Leupold 4x28: It's under 9 ounces in weight and can be mounted low. I like it when I want some magnification while still keeping a rifle trim and handy. It's got really nice non-critical eye relief. The distance from my eye to the lens can vary more than an inch without getting "blackouts" or "tunnel vision". That's nice when shooting from different positions that tend to change your eye-to-lens distance. I believe the parallax is set at 60 yards. Again, I don't notice much error at 25 yards.

Another thing you might try for Appleseed (if it's allowed) is connecting two 10-round mags for faster changes. There are products made for that purpose, but if you buy two Ruger 77-22 mags (which have a flat bottom instead of rounded), you can epoxy them together and have a little less bulk.

[Mobuck]

"Off hand I generally use 10x, if the scope has it, and if the range is more than 40 yards or so."

Using high magnification for an unsteady position such as off hand is actually counter-productive because it exaggerates the wibble-wobble.

[Rob228]

Using high magnification for an unsteady position such as off hand is actually counter-productive because it exaggerates the wibble-wobble.

I agree with this 100%. When I shot sporterrifle it was all unsupported offhand, but scoped. I used a 6X and it sure got wobbly when my arms got tired.


I enlisted in 2001 when we were still shooting irons for annual qualification. The 200 yard standing felt a lot easier when all I had to do was cut the black circle in half with a front sight post and squeeze, standing with the 4X RCO gives you closer pic of the bullseye but it also plays with your head and makes you try to muscle the rifle in for the "perfect" shot instead of putting it on black and squeezing.

[Niner4Tango]

Slow response but want to clarify.

Competitive shooters practice their "hold". You aim at a target without firing and watch how closely you can stay on target. Yes, we all wander around. Some of us can stay on the black all the time, some can't. Competitive shooters will practice this for hours each day. Just the hold, without shooting.

Higher magnification does not reduce your hold. It only shows you more clearly that your hold is wider than you like. Your wibble wobble is not magnified by a higher magnification, you just see it more clearly. It becomes disconcerting and makes shooting more difficult.

As we get older (I'm in my 60s), we lose that steadiness. But, if you can hold on your target at 10x, your shooting will be better at higher magnification, not worse. If you can't hold at 10x dial it down.

It's up to the individual.

[pblanc]

My great weakness in three-position shooting is offhand standing. I find that magnifying the arc of wobble by using too much magnification increases my tendency to try to "snatch" the shot resulting in trigger jerk and a pulled shot.

In reality, my sights may not be moving across the paper any more rapidly at higher magnification than lower but it sure looks as if they are, and my brain seems to say "quick, pull the trigger now".

[Tad_T]

The only thing I did for Appleseed to my 10-22 carbine was put Tech-Sights and a sling on it.

That’s the same thing I did with my wife’s Marlin 795, Tech-Sights and a sling.

Did the same thing with a Mossberg 702 Plinskter.

We both have shot Rifleman multiple times.

If you want to build a rifle that’s cool, but that’s not really the point of Appleseed.

[MarkCO]

Agree that Appleseed is training, not a match or competition. There are other places though where accurate .22s can be used in competition. Good sights and a sling are all you need for Appleseed.

My most accurate 10/22 for shooting precision uses a TacSol receiver and trigger, PMACA chassis with AR15 grip and stock with adjustable cheek riser and LOP, and a Kidd barrel.

[Aguila Blanca]

If you want a .2 rimfire AR, then why don't you buy a .22 rimfire AR? They make them -- and there are .22 Rimfire uppers to convert a "real" AR-15 into a rimfire -- as well as conversions that just replace the bolt group in a standard 5.56x45 AR upper.

That said, I agree with previous comments about Appleseed. I shot an Appleseed with an out-of-the box Marlin 795. My big mistake was having a scope on it -- the scope didn't have adjustable parallax, and the eye relief that worked perfectly standing or sitting (or at a bench) didn't have enough eye relief for me to see through it from the prone position without rather extreme vignetting, and having the scope trying to shove my shooting glasses through the back of my head.

In retrospect, I probably would have done better with open sights -- which is the way Appleseeds used to be shot.