10/22 accuracy ?

[galt]

I am pretty new to rifle shooting. But here is the story.

When I started with handgun, I bought a KelTec P-40. After a lot of practice, I could keep most shots on the paper at 15 yards. Then I bought a Glock. My first magazine through the Glock were all 9's and 10's, so IMO I had reached the PRACTICAL (not ideal) limits of the KelTec and upgrading to Glock made shooting a lot more fun in an instant. When I have money, I may even buy a Single Action and take the next step.

SO now I have a 10/22 with a 2-7 scope. It is a SS model with Synthetic stock, so no heavy barrel, no heavy target stock, etc...

What is a reasonable accuracy goal for this rifle form different positions and ranges? I want to graduate to big rifles, but need to reach some level of competence with the 22 first. Yet I don't want to get frustrated, once I get to the point when buying something like a nice heavy .308 Remington 700 would make me instantly better.

Comments?

[Orion_VTOL]

Go to the following site. These guys talk nothing but .22lr type firearms, but especially the Ruger 10/22.

http://www.rimfirecentral.com/mainsite.htm

You'll get all the info there you need, and some help in things you didn't know you needed.

[RiverRider]

In my experience, a standard 10/.22 Carbine will put five shots into about 1-1/2" to 2" at 50 yards, off sandbags. That's why I got rid of mine and replaced it with a Remington 541-T.

However, I have seen the Ruger 10/.22T shoot as well as my 541 does. You can buy and install aftermarket stuff for a 10/.22 to get comparable results, but if I decide I want an accurate autoloader, I'll buy the 10/.22T for considerably less tyhan going the custom route.

[galt]

Thanks RIverRider. I guess you are saying if I get 1.5 inch groups at 50 yards, I am shooting to capability of the rifle. That was my question.

[Payette Jack]

with every gun you have. Experiment. My 10/22 will keep them all on a paper plate at 100 yds with decent ammo. In my experience, its best to avoid any ammo from Mexico.

[cheapshot]

Galt, When I bought my 10/22, I had heard about what great trifles they are, so I was rather disappointed to find out that it would only group at 1.5"-.2.0" also. After all, I still have my first Winchester single shot which groups at .5 to .75" with just about anything I shove into it. I finally tried some CCI Stingers and that instantly tightened my groups up quite a bit. I can't say whether they'll work in your rifle, but they're worth a try. They are more expensive though.

Payette Jack, have you tried Stingers in yours? At a 100 yards mine is grouping about 2", but about six inches low (because of the small bullet). And you're right about those Mexican bullets, tried some. Still don't know where some of them went .

[muleshoe]

Galt, earlier this year I bought a new stainless 10/22T with the lam. stock. With a cheap Tasco 3-9 scope it would shoot 1/2"-3/4" groups at 55 yards using the cheap Federal Lightnings and Winchester Wildcat ammo. I didn't like the shape of the stock so I auctioned it and got $70 for it, bought a Hogue overmolded stock for $45. I didn't care for the weight so I bought a Butler Creek carbon fiber barrel for it, $100. It will still hold 1/2" to 3/4" groups at 55 yards with the Federal's, the Wildcat groups were twice that size. I recently auctioned the heavy stainless barrel and got $70 for it also.

[galt]

Thanks to everyone who replied.

My goal is NOT to figure out how to make the gun a better shooter. It is what it is. I just want to understand at what point in my shooting proficiency more practice will be meaningless (or relatively meaningless).

So far, it sounds like if I can shoot 1.5 inch groups at 50 yards, it will be time for a better rifle, or heavier barrel, or better stock, or better trigger, or... Back to the range for a little while, cause I am not consistently there yet.

[taco]

galt:

Practicing with 22 rifle will NEVER become meaningless. I have some "heavy" rifles with which I can shoot 1/4" groups at 100 yards on any decent day but I still shoot my 10/22 at local indoor range to get my "trigger time". I find that if I don't shoot anything for about 3 weeks my groups get larger so I try to shoot my 10/22 at 25 yard indoor range after work once a week.

As for accuracy of 10/22 rifles, my 19 year old blued one is factory stock except for the crisp 3 pound trigger and with one particular lot of Remington Golden bullet I can usually shoot 1/2" groups at 50 yards. Needless to say I took every carton of this lot I can find from local gun shops. Only problem with this ammo is that about 1 out of 70 rounds will not fire on first strike (almost all will fire on second strike).

I'm sure you've heard this before but 22's are usually very ammo sensitive in terms of accuracy and reliabily. My rifle will only shoot about 1 1/2" group at 25 yards with CCI Stinger or Federal Lighting.

[RiverRider]

Taco, I wonder if there is something inherently better about your older 10/.22, or maybe something exceptional about the particular ammo you have found. I tried every type of ammo I could find with my 10/.22 (made in '92), and it never shot better than 1-1/2".

Galt, my honest opinion is that you are ready for a more accurate rifle. I am happy to suggest a Ruger 77/.22, a Remington 541-T, or if you can really lay out some bucks, a Kimber. If you think you gotta have an autoloader, you'll be pleased with the Ruger 10/.22T.

Have fun!

[GunFool]

I don't know...I always thought 1 1/2 to 2 inch groups with my 10/22 was very good accuracy for such a small semi-auto low-powered carbine. That's what I shoot my standard 10/22 at rest without any magnifiction and I have never been displeased with that. I don't really expect pinpoint accuracy with a .22 except maybe out to 75 yards. Maybe my standards aren't held high enough...?

[brianidaho]

I sold a Remington 541 bolt action when I bought a 10/22. The little Remingtion was accurate, at the 50ft NRA target shooting prone I was always 95 or better with this rifle, about 1/2" at 50 yards depending on ammo. My 10/22 is also about 1-1/2 to 2", I was somewhat disappointed. Sure is a lot of fun though. This may be enough reason to drop the bucks on the heavy barrel and stock, I've got a Butler Creek folder on it now. Too many toys, too little money, which one next, upgrade the 10/22, build a FAL, or a compact 1911....

FWIW

Bri

[MrBlonde]

Short answer to your main question: Very.
I don't want to go into a long answer, because I will be here all night.

[MountainGun44]

You are not the weak link in this accuracy chain. You are shooting it as well as it can be shot.

Isn't that what your question was?

Oh yeah, my Ruger 77/22 will put three shot into the same hole at 25 yards and you can literally pick the spot on the squirrel at 100 yards where you want to hit him.


(We don't just answer questions around here! We talk and talk and talk. We love this stuff!)

[Gewehr98]

The sky's the limit when it comes to accurizing your 10/22, but before you plunk down all that cash for a new barrel and stock, try a bunch of different ammo types. You can easily shave off from 1/4" to 1" in your group sizes just by changing ammunition. Believe it or not, while my best groups (1/4" @ 50 yds) for this 10/22 come from Eley and RWS, it does very well with PMC Scoremaster, too!

[NVCDL]

My Walmart Special 10/22 (Standard size, stainless with laminated stock) shoots 10 shot groups under an 1" at 50.
That is with the Russian 22 Jr Brass ammo.

[taco]

RiverRider:

I don't think my rifle is "special" compared to others. I have seen few other 10/22 shoot about same size groups with some particular brand/lot of ammo. I use a good quality scope with sandbags to shoot tiny groups and that trigger job was a big help.

[Mic]

My 10/22T Shoots very well with PMC Scoremaster also (better than eley) It does not shoot Hi-Vel stuff well.
I can hit one inch spinners at 125 yards with it very well. I can expect MOA out of mine with the right ammo (out to 125 yards) it is fun to shoot and you have to adjust for bullet drop from 50 yards out.

[RiverRider]

Taco and NVCDL...I am convinced that a rifle comes off the assembly line once in a while that just happens to shoot better than the one before it and the one after it. I think you guys each got one.

I've had three 10/.22s, and none of them would shoot anywhere near an inch at 50 yards with any ammo I ever tried. But, they would nearly always hit a beer can at 50 yards. Since my game in those days was shooting jackrabbits, they suited me very well.

I still like to shoot jackrabbits and coyotes, but I like to punch paper now and then too. In fact, I now live in an area where paper-punching opportunities far outnumber jackrabbit shooting opportunities. For me, an accurate bolt-action is the ticket, but I might snag a 10/.22T one of these days.

I guess they make all kinds of different guns because we don't all want the same thing---a GOOD thing, in my opinion!

[Ledbetter]

It's a brand new, box-stock, stainless, hardwood-stocked 10/22. Still in the plastic wrap, never even been dry-fired. Took it out, cleaned the bore, put on a Weaver rail, oiled it and boxed it back up for, ahem, my ten year old daughter. She's been shooting my slabside Mk II.

I'll open a new thread with a report on it's accuracy. Oops, she's here, gotta go!

Ledbetter

[MP Freeman]

What's up with the 20X scope on that 10/22? that thing is more expensive than the gun it's on.

Regards,
MP