This 10/22 just wont shoot worth $#*%

[mstarling]

When I was in graduate school some 40 years ago, one of the fellas came back from break and told me that the private high school he was discontinuing its rifle team and was selling off the rifles. He did know much about them save that they were $35 each. I took a flier and sent him back on the next break with $35.

He returned with a bull barreled Winchester Model 52 bolt rifle in wonderful shape. Had no sights, but I had a Redfeld international sight in the junk box and a globe front sight cost me $10. Wonderful rifle.

My middle son got REALLY good with it and went on to be the Captain if the Coast Guard Academy rifle team. The 52 went with him.

Have bought two 10/22s since. They are both fun ... and with the right ammo are not shabby in the accuracy department but not quite the same as the 52!

[shotman]

Post number 60 was DEAD on. I have several friends that bought them . ALL spent 5 times what the gun cost to "make it work" No 1 its an auto not a target rifle. You can lead the horse in the barn and feed it well . when it comes out its still the same horse
Remington come out with the 66/77 it was a good rifle but you cant scope it. If you use open sights it was good for what they are for OPEN

[jh45gun]

I have shot Marlin 60 rifles that would put 10'22s to shame. Semi auto rifles can shoot but I do not know what is with the Ruger 10/22's in general. Their MK series pistols shoot well in fact I had one that shot better groups then any 10/22 did for me except the target model I had. For the record I have had 5 10/22's over the years maybe 6 and a Target version. so 6 or 7 I cannot remember off hand if it was 5 or 6 of the stock guns. The Target version shot excellent (It should have for the price but it was a boat anchor too darn heavy. The other standard ones shot ok for plinkers but were nothing to brag about. I now have two Marlin bolt guns now that will shoot I do not need to search for any others. Some folks say their guns are accurate stock with the Rugers better keep them then as they are all not that way. That is why there is such a cottage industry to make them shoot well.

[paul h]

The 10/22 was designed to reliably load and shoot lots of ammo w/o jamming and w/o cleaning. Hence the spec tollerances are on the generous side, which hurts accuracy.

You don't have to spend 5 times what one costs to get it to shoot, just put a good barrel on it and either tune the stock trigger or drop in a replacement. That's all that is really needed to make a 10/22 shoot tiny groups.

Yes, if replace the barrel stock, and pretty much everything in the trigger group you can drop that kind of money into the gun, but it's not necessary.

[uscra112]

The key factor that makes the 10/22 such an attractive thing to muck about with is that the barrel is not threaded into the receiver. Anyone with a screwdriver can change a 10/22 barrel. So of course they do, not knowing why except somebody said a new Brand G barrel is better than stock.

I will respectfully disagree with Paul is about swapping barrels.

Fact is, changing barrels on a 10/22 may or may not do a darned thing for you, except that it is guaranteed to empty your wallet. Why? Because the key to accuracy in every rifle is the fit of the bullet in the throat, assuming that there isn't any drastic damage to the crown.

Paul is exactly right in saying that the stock barrel has a loose chamber to assure reliable feeding without cleaning. But many if not most 10/22 aftermarket barrels boast of having a "Bentz chamber" or some such, and a "Bentz chamber" is actually just as loose as the stock one - nominal bullet seat is .2255" to .2260". Most ammo has bullet diameter of .2235 to .2245. Only by leaving the chamber short, so the bullet is jammed into the lands does a Bentz chamber have any advantage over the stock one. Which is why setting back the stock barrel actually would work, to some extent.

Might I reiterate here that by working with the ammo I feed it I have made a stock barrel shoot close to 1 MOA ? Make the bullet fit the stock throat, and good things happen, at far less cost than a new barrel. The only other things I have done is an aftermarket trigger and a card shim to tighten the action in the stock.

(You'll never see this written up in the magazines, because they'd lose ad revenue.)

[ROGER4314]

The guys were a little rough on the 10-22's so I'll post a different point of view to keep things interesting.

I like the old bolt action rifles from H&R M12 to the spectrum of Mossbergs from 42Mb to 44US and 144LSA, Remington 513T, 540X and even a Springfield 1922M2. Add to that a pile of Marlins from 1930's to about 1980. They all shoot great! One Mossberg 42Mb had the bluing turn brown. They call that "patina". I just call it OLD! That brown 42Mb is my favorite offhand rifle with factory peep sights.

The point is that out of all of the .22's that I've owned, I like the 10-22's the best! I tinker and fiddle with the rifles and couldn't estimate how many 10-22's that I've owned. If YOU like the 10-22's, that's all that is necessary. Have a great time with them and tinker as much as you please. Cost of that tinkering is small so just get after it and enjoy the little rifles! There are millions of fans who feel the same way and you can count me in on that bunch, too.

Similarly, I've owned 30 motorcycles in 49 years of riding and have been all over the US on bikes. I got my FIRST Harley last year and like it the best of any of them! Two cylinders and push rods are a huge step down from the dual overhead cam, drive shaft, multiple cylinder, 800 pound monsters that I've owned but I like that Hog twin just fine!

Summed up.....Do what YOU like and don't worry about differing opinions. If you like 10-22's then get after them. I will, too.

Flash

[ROGER4314]

A couple of additional words might be worth sharing for the OP.

That rifle ought to shoot bug holes at 50 yards. The guys covered a lot of important factors so I'll shoot at something different. I do NOT float the barrels of a 10-22 especially when I install the heavy, bull barrels. The aluminum receiver is simply not strong enough to support the weight of that barrel. Do you have another stock to try?

Secondly, most folks tighten the barrel to receiver clamps with far too much torque. Kidd recommends 10 INCH pounds torque on the two bolts. I don't have a torque wrench that will go down to 10 inch/lbs so I use 20 inch/lbs. That is 1.6 foot pounds and NOT a lot of torque!

Having mentioned the torque specs, it's possible the threads were stripped in the receiver. Is it ruined? Heck, no.....install some Helicoils and party on!

Good luck with it.

Flash

[hithard]

Even pressure on those screws is a must

Bed that action and free float that barrel, shoot for groups. If the results aren't good. Then pressure bed the barrel, and shoot for groups again. Remember that adjusting the pressure on the barrel when bedding can change your groups.

[TCLouis]

If yours has the barrel band, remove it and see if the accuracy improves.

[docone31]

There are two things I do with the barrel band.
First, if it is for a standard barrel, and they will shoot, I open the barrel portion with a sanding drum. Dremel makes one. Short time and no contact with the barrel. I bed the action with Crazy Glue. Makes it hard and fast.
Second thing I do, on an heavy barrel, I remove the barrel portion of the barrel band. I then counter sink two #4 oval head screw into the remaining band, two on each side. Looks great, sling still works, same with bipod, and no barrel contact. I also bed the reciever with C/A. In each case, I open up the channel so there is no contact.
They target real well.

[farmallcrew]

Mine wont shoot groups well, but it will tear the hun out of beer cans. Plus doesnt help that i horded 22lr ammo when it was cheap. because when id go to the range, i would keep the big rifles at home because the cost of componets.

[wallenba]

I installed a number of Volquartsen parts in mine, but I believe the one that helped the most was this simple kit https://www.volquartsen.com/products...&q=bedding+kit

My 10/22 is a sporter type stock without the split stock. The barrel ring can make a difference.

[SHOOTER IN EXILE]

Buck 1

During all my shooting life of 50 years, I have bought, sold, traded, gave and received firearms as gifts. The most regretted one is letting off the 10/22. The fact that may be You don't consider is that the 10/22 does not qualify in the high precision category. I believe that whatever improvements or accesories added or designed are due to its popularity and may be commercial benefits. Have you ever thought of a 22 L.R. machine gun or assault rifle ? The so called improvements in no way may enhance its accuracy. You are thinking right. At 50 yards 3/4 is excellent. Many years ago a friend of mine decided to get rid of his about 40 roosters that had grown beyond the commercial weight and got loose from the designed area. In about a couple of hours, the 10/22 solved the problem with 90/% head shots. Distance was between 30 to 50 yards.

I never had a problem with the 10/22, of course considering the performance expected from it. I'm sure no accesory could improve its capabilities with the exception of a scope for shooters with some sight problems like myself. Please allow me to insist that the 10/22 is not a precision designed rifle. It is a small game hunting, plinking and introducing youngsters to our wonderful sport

I wish I can get a 10/22 but it is quite difficult where I live.
Think again.

[spotsboss]

If I wanted 'best accuracy', I wouldn't buy a semi-auto ... period.
For tiny groups, I have an Anschutz with a bolt.




CM

My Annie 64 has a 10 oz. trigger. When I took it out the first time, I didn't want to stop shooting it.