You’d be hard-pressed find a serious gun enthusiast who hasn’t owned at most one Ruger 10/22 at one time in their shooting career. There have been more than 7,000,000 copies of the rifle. The Ruger 10/22 rifle is a very popular firearm in America. However, many shooters overlook its beauty due to its simple design and pencil barrel. You can make it your own with its simple design. The 10/22 rifle is a great rifle in its stock form. But where’s the fun? The 10/22 rifle is a fine rifle in stock form, but where’s the fun? A rifle that looks like it belongs in some far-off country might be a Special Forces officer. One of the tactical chassis that makes a 10/22 look like an AR-15 or HK G36 might be the right choice. Most people prefer accuracy, so they build a rifle that is well-suited to Project Appleseed events. After shooting over a dozen of these rifles, I realized that a lightweight, rugged rifle is the best for me. I can carry it around with me in a pack, or just wandering through the woods. This is not to say that I haven’t owned a laminate stocked hotrod or an entirely stock rifle. However, this is where I am currently in my 10/22 journey.
Ruger has several models that look very similar to a home-built hot rod, even if you don’t want to modify your rifle. Ruger offers several models that look very similar to a custom-built hot rod, including the 10/22 Takedown Lite. It features an upgraded modular stock and a bull barrel with 1/2×28 threads that can be used for a suppressor. Surprisingly, even the top-end 10/22 Competition rifles are just a little over a grand MSRP. This is a solid value considering it comes from their custom shop.
A few companies have introduced rifles that are the next evolutions of the Ruger 10/22 design since the Ruger 10/22 patent expired. There are many innovative rifles available from Magnum Research, Magnum Research and Volquartsen. It accepts most 10/22 accessories, even though it’s not semi-automatic. You can make it very quiet by attaching a suppressor to the threaded carbon fiber barrel.
If you are a constant tinkerer, starting with a stripped receiver may be the best option. Brownells BRN-22 receivers are the best value for money. They can be stripped or barreled. The Brownells BRN-22 receivers come in two versions: a stripped or a barreled version. You can also choose from a modern integrated optics rail or a traditional drilled and tap style. The Volquartsen is a great choice if you are looking for a premium receiver but want something less flashy. The Tactical Solutions X-Ring is a good choice for those who want more flash, but they are all pretty similar to each other except for the Volquartsen Summit straight-pull bolt-action receiver. Magazines
To get the most out your range time, most Ruger 10/22 models come with a single 10-round magazine. It’s a good idea for you to have a few extra mags. It can get tiring to shoot 10 rounds and then reload a single magazine. Fortunately, there are many great options that you can choose from, including a single-shot magazine or a large-sized drum mag. Plastic feed lips on cheaper magazines will eventually wear out and cause feeding problems. For as long as I can recall, the Butler Creek Steel Lips have been the gold standard for non-Ruger magazines. However, unless you need a 110-round drum, there is no reason to not buy Ruger’s excellent BX magazines.
A few minor adjustments to an existing stock rifle can improve its reliability and accuracy for a small cash investment. You can make your rifle more reliable and accurate by making minor upgrades such as replacing the extractor with one that is more capable of handling bulk ammo. Also, you can install an aftermarket firing pin to improve the reliability of hot ammo. Triggers
It feels almost like someone was eating Fritos as the trigger was being assembled. There are a few options to fix the problem. The easiest is to replace the OEM trigger with Ruger’s upgraded BX Trigger. However, they will cost you almost the same as the BX Trigger making them difficult to justify. The Powers Custom kit has a slightly better trigger pull but is more difficult to install. You can spend a little more to get a high-quality trigger from Volquartsen or Timney, but it’s worth it.
Triggers and internal upgrades are nice but a new stock can truly transform a rifle. The type of stock you choose will depend on your rifle’s needs. A synthetic stock is great for rifles that are often used in wooded areas where moisture can cause swelling. The Backpacker takedown stock, which has a place for ammo and a frond that mates with the stock, is a special option. Laminate stocks are versatile. You can make something that looks like grandpa’s hunting rifle, or you can go for the neon pink thumbhole stock. If you intend to use a bipod, look for a stock with a sling-stud. It’s much easier to make a mistake on a factory-installed stud. You might be interested in some unusual stocks. Pro-Mag’s Archangel QuickTakedown Stock is a cool option. It turns a standard 10/22 into an assault rifle for around the same price as an aftermarket sock. Archangel stock and standard 10-22 Carbine (top: $400)
Magpul X-22 Backpacker Stock (bottom), Tacsol barrel, and 10/22 Takedown(bottom): $825.Barrels
Stocks can be set up for either a bull barrel of.920 inches or a shorter, skinnier profile. Thicker bull barrels are more precise and stiffer than thinner barrels. The thinner profile, lighter barrel weighs less often than the thick bull bar. Barrels made of aluminum or carbon fiber are an exception to this rule. A thin barrel liner is attached between the barrel’s muzzle and breech face. These barrels are lighter than full-on steel barrels due to the thin barrel liner that is tensioned between the barrel’s muzzle and breech. Tactical Solutions designed a shroud that can be added to the barrel of a 10/22 barrel to make it 16.5 inches in length. You get the benefits and ease of an SBR Ruger 10/22 suppressor without having to pay a second tax stamp.
The scope you use to fit your 10/22 rifle with an optic will depend on the purpose of the rifle. If you need small groups, a high magnification scope will work best. A lightweight scope or red dot is a good option if you plan to hunt with the rifle. Just one more
Modifying the 10/22 is possible in many ways. The hardest part of building a rifle is deciding where to take it. No one will judge you if you don’t have the guts to decide whether to build three, four, or a dozen rifles. Gun Digest’s social media pages can be viewed as a support group for those who succumb to the temptation. However, we might encourage you build more than one. Storm Tactical’s impressive target pack includes62 printable targets for rifle and handgun range usage. Target grids and bullseye sizes can be downloaded in MOA. Get Free Targets
