Reasonable accuracy expectation for 10/22 take down?

[PerpetualStudent]

Now that 22 Ammo is available for 5 cents a round I'm finally getting my take down 10/22 broken in. I've had it for 3 years, still have less than a brick of ammo through it, most of what I've put through it has been the last couple of months.

The quick version is I'm getting big groups and I don't know if I just had unreasonable expectations of what it would deliver. The best group at 75 yds was 3 inches. 4 inches is more regular. And that's from a rest.

The long version: Last fall I did a quick and dirty sight in. I tried to go squirrel hunting and just got the sights on target and figured out how close I had to be. It was ridiculously close I felt from a kneel. Off a bench 25yds was the max I could go and keep it in an inch. This spring/summer I finally got to spend more ammo. Got it sighted in at 50 yds (4-6 in groups with support under the receiver not the fore-stock). Pushed it out to 75 yds (shot with support under the fore-stock) and from a rest I got 3.5 inch groups to 5 inch groups. These are all 5 round groups and I shot 6 good groups in the last outing.

I haven't replaced the sights yet or tried many brands of ammo. I haven't fiddled extensively with the tightness yet either. But I wanted to make sure my expectations were reasonable. I'm not expecting 1 inch at 100 yds. But an inch at 50 struck me as a reasonable expectation. What kind of accuracy should I be expecting?

EDIT:
There apparently was an issue with my 10/22. Ruger fixed it and now I get about an inch at 50 yards.

[Jack Stanley]

If you haven't scoped the rifle yet you may want to try that first . Not seeing the target well is a good way to make big groups and bead sights at that distance don't help much . After that try different types and brands of ammo , the rifle will like one better than the other . If it still doesn't act right consider how good or bad the trigger is . It's tough to shoot a rifle well when the trigger pull is more than the weight of the rifle .

Jack

[Multigunner]

Try CCI Stinger ammunition. I got sub MOA groups with this cartridge from several Marlin and Glenfield .22 autoloaders. The cartridge seems very well suited to autoloaders especially hand guns and short barreled rifles. I always used the plated case version, apparently they also have a bare brass cased version, though I haven't seen it in stores.

Takedown rifles seldom display the same high grade accuracy that the same model will deliver in standard non takedown form. The fit of the fore end is if anything more important than the fit of the barrel.

[country gent]

You might try the way Holland and Holland sights in regulates their double rifles. Use the offhand between rest and support insulating the rifle from the rest. This may help with consistency at the take down joint. H&H found many years ago the doubles didn't shoot the same or as consistant from a normal bench set up do to the hinged action. ( theirs are standing so recoil can be handled better but that's not an issue here. The shorter sifght radious of the iron sights on this rifle will make sight alighnment more critical also. If possible test with a scope. or use a triangle point down about 3" on a side point down and set the point in top of the front sight.

[NSB]

If you want to know how well your gun shoots, put a scope on it and get some better ammo. Rimfires are really particular about what ammo they like and what works well in some might now work as well in another. That being said, all target ammo will usually shoot much better than the cheap promo ammo. Get something like CCI std vel. 40 ammo which is readily available and works pretty good in about any rifle. Sight the gun in at 25yds and measure some groups and then go to 50yds and then 75yds. I've owned several 10/22s and I've seen them shoot very poorly and reasonably well. Most are 1.5-2.0" five shot guns at 50yds. I've seen one that never did better than 6" at fifty yards and I've seen one that had the bore off center and shot like do-do. After you find out how it shoots you can take the scope off and use the brand of ammo that it likes best......unless you like shooting with the scope. Right now you're not in a position to determine how well it shoots without a scope and better ammo. Good luck.

[williamwaco]

The problem is probably the take down design. I have fired upwards of a dozen 10-22s all would shoot 1/2 to 3/4 at 50 yards with good ammo. I have fired only 2 takedown. Both were scoped and neither could beat 3" at 50 yards.

[Crash_Corrigan]

I grew up on a Savage Model 23 bolt rifle in .22 LR. I must have put 50,000 rounds thru that rifle over 15 years. It was very accurate with the iron sights at up to 50 yds. I could hit the head of a squirrel at that distance almost every time I tried. I acquired a Remington Nylon 66 many years later and it did not even come close to that old Savage 23. It was lighter and easier to carry and use but not as accurate at all. I sold it off recently for about 4 times what I paid for it on Ebay before they banned gun sales. A few years ago I bought a CZ 452 Varmint model .22 LR. With a decent Leopold scope it groups at less than 3/4 " at 50 yds with the right ammo. The ammo is key for this rifle. You need to experiment with different ammo and again a scope. However due to the cost of .22 ammo for the last 5 years I have hardly taken it out of the safe. I can load and shoot 9 MM or .45 ACP cheaper than .22.

[too many things]

operator is the cause . any will do 1/2in at 25yds . but the open sights they have is worthless . way to large for good use

[PerpetualStudent]

If it's an operator error, than that's great. I can get better. But I shot 3 position .22 in college, I'm not a total noob here. Off a rest, I don't think it's the bad trigger or operator error.

I've got enough data on the federal I was shooting, though the winchester hunting I used was also disappointing. I'll try all the brands I've got and see about upgrading the sights. I've been eying the williams peepsight for a while.

[jonas302]

mine standard non take down would never shoot good yours sounds like pretty average for a takedown trying different ammo is always a great idea with a rimfire I had my barrel set back and chamber recut to make it a shooter but it will never stack holes like my CZ

[GhostHawk]

I have to admit I was intrigued by the take down design by ruger. So I did some research. Now my 10/22 dates from 73, back when they had nice walnut stocks.

I have made some amazing shots with that rifle. 153 yards, paced, in the dark, at a Jackrabbit with a snowy field between us, in the dark, with half a beer in me, other half in the schmidt can.

One shot, aimed for middle of the ear as all I could see was head and ears. Bullet hit 1/4 from the eyeball, drt, couple of kicks. Iron sights. I made 40$ on that shot, 20 $ that I could hit it at that range with one shot. And 20 more that it was over 125 yards. Called em both right.

I have shot primers out of 12 ga shotgun hulls at 75 yards, offhand. With scope.

With my old girl accuracy was never an issue. Find the right ammo and stick with it.

But the more I read about the takedown model the more I heard of only so so accuracy. Lots of talk of larger than 3 inch groups at less than 100 yards.

A good rifle should do better than that with proper ammo, a decent shooter and reasonable care.

So I never bought one.

It pays to do the due diligence first. Nowdays it is so easy, everyone can google on their cell phone or tablet.

I suspect that if you are a little bit methodical about a couple of things that you could see improvement.

Start with ammo, then read up on putting it together, look at where variables can creep in and work to minimize them. Play with support in different ways, different locations.

When it all comes together, and it should. Write it down. Make a hand stopper, like a little piece of foam under a piece of tape, like the camo tape designed to go onto a gun and come off without damaging finish. Find the right spot, make a stopper so your hand goes there instinctively.

Take your time, let barrel cool between shots.

And if it never comes together and it does not meet your needs. Then sell it and rack the difference up to the cost of higher education. And consider it money well spent.
Education comes in many forms and tends to be expensive.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

The Ruger 10/22 Is a fun plinking gun if you want Accuracy get a CZ

[osteodoc08]

You need to scope it and get better ammo. Bulk ammo as a whole will never shoot as well as Match ammo. If just used for hunting, I've had good luck with Federal Game-Shock in my CZ 455 when looking and comparing most bulk to semi bulk ammo. I'll use it for squirrel hunting this year.

[PerpetualStudent]

I get that luckydawg. Hence the thread. It's not a CZ or an Anschutz (what I cut my teeth on). Even for a plinking gun though I expected more accuracy. At least squirrel accurate to 50 yds.

I'll try to wring more accuracy from it. I'll test other brands of ammo next range session. And check the attachment mechanism, I followed the directions and haven't messed with it. I'm not sure when I can pull the trigger on a new sight or a scope. And I imagine 50 bucks will buy better sights than scope so I'll do the williams peep sight.

[country gent]

If you go with the receiver style sight at the back of the receiver you will gain 10"-12" of sight radious to use this makes sight alighnment easier. The draw back is the take down joint is now between the sights meaning that any play there will affect the sights alighnment also. Most take downs are more concerned with alighnment repeatability and ease of disassembly re asselmbly than a super tight lock up. How much play is in the joint when unlocked can ant be felt when locked? A loose joint affects harmonics of the barrel. the split 2 piece stock also does the same. The 10-22 in normal guise ( non Take down) is a very accurate rifle and easily tuned. Yours should be no different once the Issues from the take down are addressed. Maybe bedding the tennon in to a snug fit in the receiver ( coat receiver with 2-3 coats of paste wax and a little epoxy on the tennon assemble and let cure. Leave fore end off if possible to allow barrel shoulder to seat up tight.). This should make the joint more secure but will require more care assembling and disassembling. Next is to refit the stock joint lightly snug so its not putting under strain on everything. While this wont transform the rifle into a match grade shooter it should help to tighten up the groups . One of the first things when accurizing the 10-22 that was done was to thread the receiver and barrel tennon for a solid no give lock up on the barrel. Next was a match grade chamber, bedding and trigger tuning.

[Hannibal]

It's been awhile since I looked at mine, but if you have not already done so, there is an adjustment procedure for a nut that the barrel stub slips in upon mating the barrel/forend to the receiver/stock. If you have the owner's manual it's explained therein. Otherwise, it seems to be easy to find with a Google search.

If you've already checked this, then I can't add much to what's been mentioned already, other than to say I've not been impressed with the accuracy level of mine, either.

[robg]

Got a 1022 not take down .mine improved accuracy by putting a pad between the barrel and forend at the end of the forend a little bit of upward pressure halved the group size with its prefferd ammo .power custom hammer got Tigger pull down to 2.5 lbs .

[NyFirefighter357]

I have two 10/22 both are very accurate I have access to two others that are the same none are take downs. I've only use CCI stinger for accuracy.

[izzyjoe]

I bought one when they first came out, I have never sat down and tried to shoot groups. my daughter can hit clay pigeon at 100ys pretty frequently with it, I would like to scope it, but that take away from the compactness of it. I'd say it'll probably hold a 1.5- 2 group at 50, and that's what id expect from a rifle of this design. cci mini mags are my favorite, just picked up another 600rds for $49.

[PerpetualStudent]

So I got a scope and it was still shooting 4-5 MOA.

So I went to make sure the headspacing nut was tightened per factory recommendations. Loosened up fine. Followed the manual and made it finger tight. Went to do the extra click and the nut is well and truly frozen. Won't tighten or loosen. So I'll be contacting Ruger on Monday.

[Muskrat Mike]

I don't have any Experience with their take downs but after you solve the head spacing nut problem don't give up until you have tried the gun with multiple different shells.
I have sighted in probably 20+ different 22's and I refuse to use match ammo for plinkers. I have been amazed at what a change of ammo does to the groups a 22 will shoot and I have been shocked at some of the ammo that shot very well in certain guns when most others didn't like it.
If you take a bag of 10-15 different boxes of ammo and your gun is a picky one most likely it will like the one you have the least of or is the most expensive!:grin:

[The Governor]

I regularly score Rifle Man scores at Project Appleseed with my take down.

All I have done is Kidd trigger, a 2 - 7 scope and use CCI Blazer ammo.

[rbuck351]

I have only owned one 10/22 and it was a dog. This was a gun made about 40 years ago and was nearly new at the time. I scoped it and went to the range with a half dozen different brands of ammo. It wouldn't shoot under 2" at 25yds with anything. Thinking it could be me, I fired the same ammo using my Ruger MKI 675 with a 2.5x bushnell Phantom. It shot all of the same ammo under 1" at 25yds. I have never fired another 10/22 and probably never will. My favorite 22 hunting rifle is a 1919 Savage NRA target rifle that will shoot the right bulk ammo about 1/2" at 50yds. The 10/22s seem to be hit or miss in the accuracy department.

[Iowa Fox]

The 10/22 design can be made to shoot pretty good. My last one I used a TM receiver and McGowen barrel, there are only a couple Ruger parts in it, the trigger hsng & safety and the mag plunger & spring. You'll spend a lot more than buying a nice Win 52 and the 52 will out shoot it. But if your in a varmint colony by the thousands I don't want to be working a bolt for every shot.

[PerpetualStudent]

Just got my .22 back from Ruger.

They put a new bolt assembly in it and fixed the adjustment knob. They also tested the accuracy and sent me a copy of a target, after repair it can put 3 shots in one hole at 50 yards. I shipped it out on my dime, but they didn't charge me for repair or shipping back home.

I can't wait to test her out myself. Last 3 range trips have felt more like work than fun. Looking forward to some fun with an accurate gun.

[JBinMN]

Just got my .22 back from Ruger.

They put a new bolt assembly in it and fixed the adjustment knob. They also tested the accuracy and sent me a copy of a target, after repair it can put 3 shots in one hole at 50 yards. I shipped it out on my dime, but they didn't charge me for repair or shipping back home.

I can't wait to test her out myself. Last 3 range trips have felt more like work than fun. Looking forward to some fun with an accurate gun.

I would prefer that it made 3 holes in the size of a dime, than one hole, since I would not know from the target if they shot 3 shots thru one hole or a hundred. [^ I am cynical about the 3 shots in one hole deal.]
;)

I would ask them what ammunition they used for that sort of shooting though...

I am not a fan of "take-down" firearms. I hope it turns out the way ya want though. If I had bought it & it turned out to not be what I wanted, I would sell it & find another one I did like. Everyone is different though.

Perhaps their corrections to the issues will make it better for ya. If not, just go get another one, or something else. Otherwise , I would think it would be a disappointment to ya every time ya look at it or shoot it. It would me, anyway. I just won't keep one if it doesn't work out for me.

Thanks for filling folks in with your progress.
:)

G'luck!
:)

[PerpetualStudent]

They actually wrote on the target the ammo they used. Manufacturer and bullet weight.

I too am leery of 3 shot groups, I like 5 shot groups. Which is what I'll be testing next range trip. And, my thoughts exactly. If it's not performing, it's time to trade/sell.

[mac1911]

Now that 22 Ammo is available for 5 cents a round I'm finally getting my take down 10/22 broken in. I've had it for 3 years, still have less than a brick of ammo through it, most of what I've put through it has been the last couple of months.

The quick version is I'm getting big groups and I don't know if I just had unreasonable expectations of what it would deliver. The best group at 75 yds was 3 inches. 4 inches is more regular. And that's from a rest.

The long version: Last fall I did a quick and dirty sight in. I tried to go squirrel hunting and just got the sights on target and figured out how close I had to be. It was ridiculously close I felt from a kneel. Off a bench 25yds was the max I could go and keep it in an inch. This spring/summer I finally got to spend more ammo. Got it sighted in at 50 yds (4-6 in groups with support under the receiver not the fore-stock). Pushed it out to 75 yds (shot with support under the fore-stock) and from a rest I got 3.5 inch groups to 5 inch groups. These are all 5 round groups and I shot 6 good groups in the last outing.

I haven't replaced the sights yet or tried many brands of ammo. I haven't fiddled extensively with the tightness yet either. But I wanted to make sure my expectations were reasonable. I'm not expecting 1 inch at 100 yds. But an inch at 50 struck me as a reasonable expectation. What kind of accuracy should I be expecting?

I don't know what your expectations are but a few things to consider.
KIDD sells a $200 match barrel that has a 1moa guaranty at 50 yards or 1/2" groups.
Now if your new to 10/22s you might not know their quirks.
1. The tightness of the barrel V block , action screw and barrel band can all play into the "accuracy"
Then get into the ammo, barrel condition and what have you..
I have owned 10 10/22s over the past 20 years and none have been spectacular on accuracy. I traded a pistol for one few years ago and it came with a early Kidd trigger 1lb 8oz pull and it's crisp. On a good day with a 4x game view scope with aquila super extra it's a 2moa set up. Most days. It did not shoot any better with "better" ammo.
I now have a KIDD heavy match barrel and a factory stock modified for now bedded at receiver and a few inches in front of the barrel.
Also another thing to look at is your scope mount. Lay it on the top of the receiver and see how well it sits. Often they do not sit flat. So if you tighten the mount and mount/receiver is not square you create tension. That tension changes with heat and recoil and can cause scopes to shift.

I tighten my V blocks to 15-20inlbs
The action screw is set at 20inlbs to start with and I will play with that.
I hope to give it a good run tomorrow.

So expectations are tough.
I can shoot close to MOA with my 513t with some of the middle ground match ammo. The rifle might be capable of sub moa ?
Try some different ammo and if you find something that shoots magical RUN and buy as much of the same lot# as possible!

[country gent]

I have also found with the 10-22 adjusting the magazines tension can and does affect accuracy.

[jonp]

Couple of inches. They are pretty finicky with ammo type and velocity. You need to do a great deal of experimenting to find the best for your gun. I've found every one of my 22lr's like that

[PerpetualStudent]

Tested a few types of Ammo Saturday. I had planned a Sunday trip but the Weather forecast changed and I had a more hurried trip on Saturday. The best ammo for my gun seems to be a little wider 1 inch at 50 yards. So a ~2 MOA instead of the 5+ MOA I was dealing with before. Good enough.

She sighted in fine. Then I tested 4 types of Ammo at 50 yards. There were a couple of 3 bullets touching each other but the complete group was always wider. Some of it was doubtless me, the center reticle was too thick for my hastily thrown together targets and my form wasn't perfect. Even with those limitations it's a marked improvement and I'm confident she can take squirrels out to 50 yards. If I find a perfectly matched ammo, and get the trigger time in, maybe further.

[Mr_Sheesh]

The usual reason for 3 shot groups is the rifle heating up if you're impatient. If you do 5 rounds take a 5 minute break between the first 2 or 3 and the last few, let 'er cool back towards ambient temperature, it will help.

And the "pretension the barrel upwards" trick someone else mentioned can work too (Depends on the rifle.) So can the "free float it with a couple thin pieces of cardboard fit to raise the action out of full contact with the stock", on some designs at least (Non TD 10/22 barrel band "might" make this harder. LOL)

I've had 2 really odd ones too; Had a scope that was a tip-off mount that had become loose so a quite accurate rifle went to shooting off the paper (Easy to fix once I spotted the cause. Still have that old mount, bought maybe 1960ish I think by a family member.) And a Rem 700 long action that was a tack driver that suddenly started stringing horizontally; Well, while that nice pretty Remington stock WAS pretty, it also ended up pretty warped in the fore end and was contacting the barrel. I need to probably put a good synthetic stock on that. So look for anything like a high point or something bent out of shape or touching the barrel that should not be; Same as if you touch a car antenna with the barrel & fire, your rifle's barrel can whip side to side and often change impact point, anything else that's not consistently the same can do that.

(I need to improve my 10/22 as well, its still stock basically; Ruined raccoons' night when they tried to eat the feral cat at the last place I lived, despite the gritty trigger pull etc. - You can work around some things :) )

And very glad PerpetualStudent's gun is fixed up, now it's practice time & you'll get there :)

[GhostHawk]

As for life expectancy of a standard ruger 10/22 I have one I bought in the early 70's which is still going strong today.

From the 70's through 96 it hunted LOTS every fall, plus lots of target and plinking shooting. In the early 80's a brick of ammo every paycheck was the rule. And towards fall I would be buying 2 every paycheck just to stay stocked up.

Rifle still shoots as good as ever.

That being said, I have heard of a lot of take down customers being not so happy with the accuracy of their guns. Enough so that I do not think I would ever buy one.

With anything mass produced you have the stuff that comes off the line Monday mornings when everyone has to be retrained, and friday afternoons when no one is thinking about the job at hand. That is just luck of the draw.

[sparkyv]

EDIT:
There apparently was an issue with my 10/22. Ruger fixed it and now I get about an inch at 50 yards.

Sufferin' Succotash, PerpetualStudent! That is awesome. Best I could do yesterday was 2.7" with Blazers and 2.7" with Win M22 at 50yds, shootin' 20 shot groups. Still, mine doesn't come close to one inch at 50 yds, and I'm really impressed with mine. Sounds like you've got a real winner in your hands. So what was the issue that Ruger fixed?

[PerpetualStudent]

Ruger didn't provide what was wrong only what they did to fix it. They replaced the bolt entirely as well fixing the nut that was frozen.

It is worth noting that I didn't shoot 20 round groups, only 3 groups of 5 rounds per ammo type. Some types were certainly wider than other ammo types. I was in a bit of a hurry and need to do more slow careful testing. More time between shots and better targets.