Ruger 10-22

[ncpatriot]

I saw a video on the 10-22. The narrator said it needed a slight upgrade with the magazine release and the bolt hold open mechanism.

Other videos said nothing about this. Have any of you seen this or have you been OK with your rifle as is "out of the box"? What ammo do you do best with?

A friend is thinking of getting a 10-22 and I'm helping him check it out. I have also recommended the Marlin Model 60 to him. That's what I have and I've always liked it. It does need plated ammo, jams badly on lead nose.

[LilHog]

I have a 10/22 and straight out of the box it's a great rifle. The bolt release is a little tricky at first to get use to, but it works fine and a simple upgrade solves the problem. I've never had a problem with the mag release, it works fine for me. The rifle has literally thousands of upgrades options available and most people just upgrade the trigger with a very simple drop in unit and are good to go. I started with the marlin 60, it's a great rifle and I had mine for several years before switching to the 10/22. The 10/22 is just as accurate and so much easier to work on and customize. I only shoot cci ammo and I've never had any problems except when the rifle get dirty and needs to be cleaned, which happens to all rimfire rifles.

[kymasabe]

I've had mine for over a decade, has a few thousand rounds thru it. Was a cheap carbine model I bought at Wal-Mart. Only mods I've made were extended mag release, a yellow jacket bolt buffer, and a Power Custom hammer, all easy and affordable mods. I had a marlin 60 and hated it, Ruger 10/22 is much better gun.
Regarding ammo, cci minimags work well, zappers, most high velocity works fine, but it loves Wolf and SK match ammo. The cheap remington and winchester bulk dont work so well. Mines wearing the same Barska 3-12x40 AO scope i bought 12 years ago.

[jmr40]

I've had both, the Ruger will hold up and still be working long after the Marlin is worn out. I have one Marlin left that hasn't worked in years. Too much sentimental value to let it go, not worth the expense to get it fixed. There are 3 Rugers in the safes.

Older Rugers could be hit or miss as to accuracy, pun intended. But Rugers made within the last 10 years or so are much better. At least as good as the Marlin.

Newer rifles come with an extended mag release which I do like better. It isn't hard, nor expensive to add one to an older rifle. The factory bolt release is fine with me.

Plated ammo is cleaner and will probably let you go longer before cleaning. But I've shot lots of plain lead ammo in mine.

I don't like the standard Ruger Carbine. The stock is too short for an adult, it has too much drop to use effectively with optics and the barrel band hurts accuracy.

Ruger shows 92 different versions of the 10-22 on their website and many of them are better choices than the standard carbines that Walmart carries. It may be a little more trouble to track one down, but they don't cost much, if any, more and are worth the effort.

The Sporters are my favorites

https://ruger.com/products/1022Sporter/models.html

Especially this one

https://ruger.com/products/1022Sport...eets/1234.html

The stock fits an adult, the 20' medium weight target barrel is a tack driver that balances well. No barrel band, and at the time it was $20 more than the standard carbine.

[ThomasT]

I have three 10-22s and three Marlin model 60/75c and like both models. Never had any issues with them except the last 10-22 I bought. It wouldn't completely throw the empty out of the ejection port. I thought the extractor wasn't holding the case well enough.

So I bought a Volkquartsen extractor and spring and installed those. That fixed that. I think the fix was a stronger spring than the factory spring. Anyway no more problems. And thats the only part of any sort I have ever bought for a Ruger. I had to buy a new buffer for one of the Marlins.

If I needed a gun to go survive in the woods for 6 months I would pick the Ruger over the Marlin. But my Marlins are not for sale. And a Marlin model 75c carbine is one of my two truck guns. Bought it for $50 from someone in the local paper. It has never jammed or failed in any way. And my 22 ammo of choice is the Federal Blue box 550 round bulk packs I bought so many of at Walmart when they were $15 or less.

[imashooter]

Absolutely no upgrade is required or needed to enjoy a lifetime of rim-fire shooting. There are upgrades and changes one can do for personal preference but it's quite the leap to categorize them as a requirement. For funnin' and gunnin', the little 10/22 is hard to beat.

[riffraff]

You really can't go wrong with a 10-22 and if there's something you don't like about it, they are common enough there very well may be an upgrade.

I'm not sure I'd buy one (or a .22 for that matter) if I was gonna be all about accuracy - guess some people expect more than I do maybe, but for me a .22 is great for short range within it's capabilities (light duty).. Sure you might be able to defend yourself with one against humans (who wants to get shot - not me!).. Sure you can hunt small game with one, but if I really want to be accurate at some distance I'm not gonna pick a .22.

If your buddy likes tactical, S&W 15-22 is another one to checkout - very light AR .22 LR sort of thing.

[pblanc]

I own two Ruger 10/22s. Accuracy is about 2 MOA at 50 yards from a bench using good quality, but not match grade ammunition.

There is no last round bolt hold open on the Ruger 10/22. The bolt catch lever that can be used to manually lock the bolt open is a bit tricky to master, especially when releasing the bolt. There is an easy modification that can be done to the bolt catch lever that will allow you to easily release the open bolt by simply pulling back and releasing the charging handle. You can find a number of how to videos on youtube. If you don't want to modify parts on your own, you can get an aftermarket bolt catch lever that does the same for around $10-12.

Earlier 10/22s had a magazine release button that was a bit hard to find quickly. More recent models have an extended magazine release lever that works fine. But if you don't like it for some reason, there are a ton of aftermarket replacement options.

The stock on the carbine is a bit short. I have two carbines, one with a wood stock and one with a synthetic stock. I added a slip-on Limbsaver recoil pad to the synthetic stock, and a John Masen recoil pad to the wood stock and now the length of pull is ideal for me.

In my opinion, the two biggest shortcomings of the stock rifle are the sights and the trigger. If you are young and/or blessed with excellent vision, you might find the sights satisfactory. But I cannot focus clearly enough on the small front bead to achieve consistently accurate sight alignment. The elevation adjustment on the rear sight is rather awkward to use, and there is no windage adjustment short of drifting one of the sights in its dovetail with a punch.

The stock trigger is pretty heavy. It is functional, but for accurate target shooting many Ruger 10/22 owners will have their triggers worked on, or buy a drop-in trigger assembly. Fortunately, there are a ton of aftermarket options available for the 10/22 and virtually every part can be replaced with a non-Ruger part.

A recoil pad, a Brimstone Gunsmithing Tier 3 trigger job, and a pair of TS-200 Tech Sights made a world of difference in the shootability of my first 10/22. The second one had a Brimstone Tier 2 trigger job and wears a riflescope mounted on the factory Ruger accessory rail.

[Pahoo]

Absolutely no upgrade is required or needed to enjoy a lifetime of rim-fire shooting.

This is true and as I've said before, they have gone through a number of changes but they are still that good and I would recommend them. As far as upgrades, there are a few low-cost ones that can be made but not absolutely necessary. If you do history check in this forum, you will get a lot of input.

The narrator said it needed a slight upgrade with the magazine release and the bolt hold open mechanism.

Wish you could send me that link. I'm sure it is his opinion and he's entitled to that …..


Be Safe !!!

[KnightofCydonia]

I have a stock 10/22 carbine that I made into a Liberty Training Rifle for Appleseed shoots. Tech Sights TRS200, polished the internal receiver of spray paint overspray, buffed the guide rod spring, auto bolt release mod, and USGI sling. It's accurate enough for field shooting.

[TheGunGeek]

I have a 10/22 target which is set up for Appleseed's. I personally only recommend two changes, which I used Volquartsen parts. Both are also very easy part swaps. First is the bolt release. This isn't a reliability issue, however it's just so much easier to manipulate, especially when you're on the clock. The second is the edge extractor. Once I replaced this, the failures to eject went completely away.

[Mobuck]

"I saw a video on the 10-22. The narrator said it needed a slight upgrade with the magazine release and the bolt hold open mechanism."

To make it more suitable for what purpose?????????? Millions of users think the 10-22 is the best of it's class right out of the box.

[Rifletom]

jmr40, you're gonna cost me some money! Here I am looking for either a Henry or Marlin in .357/.38 and now I see this 10/22 with that medium heavy barrel. Damn, that is nice!
Not one rifle, but, possibly two. And I still keep looking at the CZ 455 "Trainer" with that 25" barrel. This is getting bad. Hmm.

[raimius]

Nothing needs to be upgraded, but with a 10/22, you can upgrade just about any part you want. It's got SO many aftermarket parts! Start basic, and when you run into something you think should be better, feel free to upgrade.

[DaleA]

Like everybody has said there are lots and LOTS of upgrades available to the Ruger 10/22 but I'd say shoot it just the way you bought it for a while before you go changing things around.

A friend of mine didn't like the bolt release at all and was going to get a replacement (although, as others have mentioned, you can file the Ruger bolt release to get the same results) but after about his third outing with the rifle he came to terms with it and it doesn't bother him at all now.

Here some sites though if you do want to check some stuff out:

Volquartsen (maybe the gold standard of upgrades)
https://volquartsen.com/departments/1022_parts

Brownells (the goto place for all things firearms related)
https://www.brownells.com/parts/Ruge...zz22/index.htm

Tandemkross (I like them)
https://www.tandemkross.com/Ruger-1022_c_14.html

Midway USA (they used to regularly have sales on Ruger magazines as well as everything else firearms related)
https://www.midwayusa.com/s?userSear...temsPerPage=48

Might as well add a link to one of the DIY Youtube videos for modifying the bolt release.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIOn_8NJI8E

[marine6680]

The older 10-22s had a mag release that was flush and a bit tricky to use without looking at it.

The new ones have a better designed and extended release. But there are upgrades available if one wants.

The bolt catch is a little odd, just requires knowledge of how it works. The rifle doesn't lock open on an empty mag, so it's not like you are using it all the time.

The catch must be pushed to engage, and pushed to release after you pull the bolt back... The catch does not drop out of place automatically when you pull back the bolt.

There are upgrade parts available that will release the catch when you pull the bolt back... Or you can modify the existing part. You just file a bit on it.


None of that is necessary...

You can modify the heck out of a 10-22 if you want... But they work fine out of the box.

[imashooter]

pblanc

...... I own two Ruger 10/22s. Accuracy is about 2 MOA at 50 yards from a bench using good quality, not match grade ammunition.

Goodness. My only 10/22 and my 15-22 will easily do less than an inch at 50 meters with box ammo. Guess I'm lucky. The 10/22 with its nothing hard sights or my "throwaway" 20.00 Field Sport red dot. The 15-22 is the same with its MBUS and Vortex Venom (3 moa) reflex. Bench with a front sandbag.

[zukiphile]

Goodness. My only 10/22 and my 15-22 will easily do less than an inch at 50 meters with box ammo. Guess I'm lucky.

If yours did that out of the box, I'd say you are lucky.

My first 10/22 has such a heavy trigger that I could cock it and swing it holding it only by the trigger without the sear tripping. I can't recall a stock ruger barrel that would reliably shoot under an inch at 50 yards.

NCPatriot, someone makes a replacement for every bit of the 10/22. That doesn't mean they need replacement, but it can be hard for some of us to resist the lure of improvement with parts replacement.

[imashooter]

I agree my stock trigger is a bit on the heavy side however no way could I dangle the rifle by the trigger. Mine is just the basic stainless / plastic model I purchased in late 80s / early 90s. Just saying a very non-boasting way; 1,000s of rounds through it over these several years and it got its first (and only thus far) cleaning around a year and half ago. Wasn't all that nasty though perhaps carbon and other residue are now part of it.

Now my ARs and 1911s; pretty much spit shine them regularly. No safe queens. I just keep them well cleaned and lubed.

[TruthTellers]

I have the Charger, which is the pistol variant of the 10/22. The magazine release is a bit finicky and I plan to get the upgraded lever in the future.

I also bought the BX trigger because I want as light a trigger as possible. I'm hoping that 50 to 100 yards out it will tighten the groups a bit. I've tried the trigger in the packaging and haven't noticed much difference, but I'm going to install it tonight to see how it feels in the gun.

If it doesn't meet my approval, I'm probably sending it back. $70 for meh is not money well spent imo.

Actually, I think I only spent $45 on it after a coupon from Brownell's.

[Fishbed77]

I have 10/22s that I have upgraded significantly, and ones that have remained pretty much stock.

I do agree that the bolt hold-open modification mentioned in the OP is a worthwhile change. I have made this to all of my 10/22s, and have found no downside to it.

.

[zukiphile]

I do agree that the bolt hold-open modification mentioned in the OP is a worthwhile change. I have made this to all of my 10/22s, and have found no downside to it.

And if you own a file or a dremel, it's free.

[Pahoo]

I do agree that the bolt hold-open modification mentioned in the OP is a worthwhile change. I have made this to all of my 10/22s, and have found no downside to it.

I too have to be critical of Ruger for not providing this change, a long time ago. It's actually less safe to manipulate the OEM bolt release. I've seen shooters fidgeting and losing muzzle control just trying to lease the bolt. Whenever I work on one, I automatically make this change. It's easier and safer, just to pull and release the cocking handle.…


Be Safe !!!

[FITASC]

I have both the 10/22 and the Marlin 60. IMO, the Marlin is better out of the box. It always amuses me to see folks bragging about how great their 10/22 is and how it shoots - and then you find out the only original piece still on the gun is the aluminum receiver shell that has the serial number. Most have spent so much in upgrades, they could have simply bought an Anschutz for less money.

[P-990]

We would need to see the video to see what the narrator is describing as needing "slight upgrades." Newer Ruger 10/22s come from the box with an extended magazine release, which is easier to manipulate than the old flat magazine release button Ruger used. Downside: the extended magazine release is easier to inadvertently trip if you're carrying the rifle out small-game hunting.

Ruger does still use a manual bolt-hold open that can require both hands to manipulate for some people. Not a deal-breaker in terms of pure functionality, just something that's a little fussy to learn. As mentioned, easily overcome with a file, Dremel or aftermarket parts. Or you can learn to live with it stock.

As far as the Ruger versus the Marlin 60, the 10/22 is a much more robust design from what I've seen come through my hands. It's very common to see well used Marlins with broken recoil buffers and other small parts. Rugers typically just need a good cleaning and maybe a new magazine, unless they have been subjected to VERY HIGH round counts. I've heard, but not witnessed, that it's possible for the stock steel bolt buffer to wear an elongated hole where it passes through the aluminum receiver, after enough firing cycles.

imashooter, 2-MOA at 50-yards IS just about an inch for group size. MOA doesn't mean a group is 1-inch, though people frequently declare a 1" 50 yard group "1 MOA". MOA is a geometric measurement; 1/4" at 25 yards, 1/2" at 50 yards, 1" at 100 yards, 2" at 200 yards, etc. And frankly a stock, non-target 10/22 that will reliably do 1" at 50-yards is a great shooting 10/22.