10/22 build?

AllaSnackbah

AllaSnackbah

NES Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2009
Messages
8,274
Likes
11,443
Feedback: 2 / 0 / 0
A friend of mine was showing me his new 10/22 the other day and it got me thinking. I have an ancient (70's) 10/22 that I almost never shoot anymore, along with a newer one that I use for hunting plinking etc.

I was thinking how fun it would be to build a sweet little bull barrel, suppressed, accurate 10/22 for cheap long range plinking. Am I dumb investing $ into a 10/22 or is it a good idea? I could spend money better surely, I want a semi auto 12g for competitions... But the 10/22 is cheaper and looks fun...

I'm thinking of getting a green mountain or tactical solutions bull barrel, threaded for a can of course, a timney or other trigger group, and a hogue stock. Throw it all together, get some cheap, but quality glass on it, and having a decent <300 yard plinking gun. I've never done it though, never messed with a 10/22, do I need to replace the bolt as well to optimize this setup or will the 30 year old bolt do? Do the threaded receivers work well for mounting your weaver rail on? Scope recomendations?
 
10/22 builds are a lot of fun. I built one for steel shooting with volquarten carbon fiber barrel. Super light and surprisingly accurate. The receiver and bolt were from the 80s, no need to change yours.
 
I don't see it as a waste .
If you use lock tight on the screws or peen them it's a rock soild mounting setup. My American rim fire is setup that way .
Scope check out the Nikon rim fire . Those are nice and don't break the bank.
Green mt gas done me well with the barrels I've used from them blanks/ar.

Bolt should be fine if it's not worn out.
 
10/22's are the easiest to modify. I would use the new one and keep the old one as is. They were made much better back then. I just bought 2 of them from the 70's and 80's. Now I'm going to modify my newest one.
I doubt you are going to get an accurate 300 yard .22 no matter what you do.
 
For me it came down to wanting another project to do - I have as much fun (or maybe more) working on my guns as I do shooting them. I used a Green Mountain bull barrel on my build (but no threads), replaced all the internals (except the bolt) with Volquartsen parts, and got a Hogue stock. For a scope, I got a Nikon Prostaff 3-9x rimfire scope, which I really like a lot. I haven't tried it out past 100 yards, but I have a lot of fun with it.
 
There is no limit to the amount of money you can spend on a 10/22. Many buy a receiver just for the build, or a beat up old truck gun just to salvage the receiver for a build. Personally, I'd go with a new barrel and a stock to start with. This alone can yield MOA groups easily. Then when you start fighting for those sub MOA groups, and getting smaller and smaller groups, that's where the money comes in with the custom aftermarket bolts, trigger groups and even receiver's themselves. They are silly easy to work on yourself, giving them even more popularity. For glass, you can get great glass for the money largely due to it being a .22lr, it's not like you need a nightforce for 1000 yard shots. I use and really like the Nikon series of rimfire optics. Very adequate for the application at hand and very friendly on the wallet. That's my .02 anyway.
 
No it's not dumb at all. They're even more accurate once you throw on a decent bull barrel, trigger, stock, and scope. But to get the most accuracy/fun IMO, you need to use decent 22 ammo. Subsonic CCI SV works best out of my 10/22 build. Mine is a GM 20" blued barrel, Kidd single stage trigger group, Boyd Tacticool stock, bipod, and a Nikon Rimfire pro-staff 3-9x40. I have a couple other small parts that I swapped out like the extractor, charging handle, guide rod and springs. It is stupid accurate at 100 yards, can blast shotgun shells all day.
 
i built one a few years ago, Bull barrel, nice trigger, thumb hole stock. It shoots great and is one of my favorite guns for summer time plinking
 
There is no shame in building a good 10-22. Check out this thread I started last week on my experience with my son's newest acquisition. Ruger 10/22 "target tactical" with 16 inch bull barrel.........details are in the thread about what he picked up. It was not cheap at $575 but look at the accuracy we got out of it.....for reference the "stock" target tactical model runs $420 with no optics. The scope he got new woudl have been $150 and the Volquartzen trigger group is $230. So he got $800 worth of gun/optic/trigger for $575. The proof is in the shooting.......worth every damn penny. I recommend the volquartzen trigger group though.....that thing is unreal! And the nikon 3X9 rimfire prostaff is an amazing scope for a rimfire rifle.....the quality is amazing.

http://www.northeastshooters.com/vb...urate-little-damn-rifle?p=4219098#post4219098

The short answer: "just do it"
 
Last edited:
You might do well by threading the barrel and doing accuracy tests with and without the can. The can may change point of aim (no big deal) but may also affect group size, and you seem to be wanting to shoot at long ranges. Jack.
 
Whacko, I think your son sowed that seed in a lot of us. The heavy barrel target 10/22 ruger catalogs now looks interesting and would be where I'd start, and I think you're right, a decent trigger is key. Wondering how complicated changing the trigger group is in a 10/22. Cause I'm not mechanical by any stretch.
 
greencobra said:
Whacko, I think your son sowed that seed in a lot of us. The heavy barrel target 10/22 ruger catalogs now looks interesting and would be where I'd start, and I think you're right, a decent trigger is key. Wondering how complicated changing the trigger group is in a 10/22. Cause I'm not mechanical by any stretch.
Click to expand...

If you buy a whole trigger group from Kidd or Volquartsen, it's a drop in part basically. You just have to push out a couple pins that hold the trigger group into the receiver, slide the new trigger group in, slide pins back in, and you're done. Very easy.

This is the Kidd single stage trigger I have. 1.5lb trigger. Even says on the product page 'Drop-in'.

http://www.coolguyguns.com/KIDD-Single-Stage-Trigger-Unit-Drop-In_p_29.html

It's expensive but I had so many Amazon gift cards from hotel reward points, that it was basically free so I bought it.

I guess they don't sell on Amazon anymore.
 
Last edited:
greencobra said:
Whacko, I think your son sowed that seed in a lot of us. The heavy barrel target 10/22 ruger catalogs now looks interesting and would be where I'd start, and I think you're right, a decent trigger is key. Wondering how complicated changing the trigger group is in a 10/22. Cause I'm not mechanical by any stretch.
Click to expand...

The volquartzen is drop in from what I see. The bull barrel is actually important too.....the weight holds it so steady that you can see the bullet impact through the scope! Its insane.

- - - Updated - - -

ColdDayInHell said:
It's cheaper to toss a Green Mountain fluted bull barrel on a regular model. Plus you could do 18 or 20".
Click to expand...

I wont deny that........but.....we like the 16 inch.......its handy.
 
greencobra said:
Whacko, I think your son sowed that seed in a lot of us. The heavy barrel target 10/22 ruger catalogs now looks interesting and would be where I'd start, and I think you're right, a decent trigger is key. Wondering how complicated changing the trigger group is in a 10/22. Cause I'm not mechanical by any stretch.
Click to expand...

Funny! You guys want to hear something even funnier. My boy had decided on the rifle but I had to put it on hold and go back the next day to pick it up.....had to make a bank run for the boy to get enough out of his savings. On the way home he says "you know.......for only another $300 I could get my own M1 garand maybe I'll wait a little longer". After spitting dunkin donuts coffee through my nose from the shock I said "I'm not buying you your own M1 garand buddy even if you had the money!" My kid is a hoot!
 
whacko said:
Funny! You guys want to hear something even funnier. My boy had decided on the rifle but I had to put it on hold and go back the next day to pick it up.....had to make a bank run for the boy to get enough out of his savings. On the way home he says "you know.......for only another $300 I could get my own M1 garand maybe I'll wait a little longer". After spitting dunkin donuts coffee through my nose from the shock I said "I'm not buying you your own M1 garand buddy even if you had the money!" My kid is a hoot!
Click to expand...

Why not ? To young still ?

If that's the case it might be a better buy since when he's older they will cost much more.
 
warwickben said:
Why not ? To young still ?

If that's the case it might be a better buy since when he's older they will cost much more.
Click to expand...

Why not? Because my M1 garand is a "beater" and aint no way my 13 year old is gonna have a better one than his old man! Oh.....and ammo is too expensive for him to be able to feed an M1 (when I told him 30-06 is a dollar a bulelt he realized I was right)......I have all I can do to shoot mine a few times a year :)
 
whacko said:
Why not? Because my M1 garand is a "beater" and aint no way my 13 year old is gonna have a better one than his old man! Oh.....and ammo is too expensive for him to be able to feed an M1 (when I told him 30-06 is a dollar a bulelt he realized I was right)......I have all I can do to shoot mine a few times a year :)
Click to expand...

Fair enough .
 
warwickben said:
Fair enough .
Click to expand...

I have no problem with him "owning" just about anything. He shoots my big bore rifles all the time and even rocks my 357 magnum very well......at 13 years old that is pretty good. The whole process of him saving money for the 10-22 was an exercize in saving for a goal......and also some thought into budgeting. .22 ammo is "affordable" for a 13 year old to shoot and enjoy.......an M1......not so much.
 
whacko said:
I have no problem with him "owning" just about anything. He shoots my big bore rifles all the time and even rocks my 357 magnum very well......at 13 years old that is pretty good. The whole process of him saving money for the 10-22 was an exercize in saving for a goal......and also some thought into budgeting. .22 ammo is "affordable" for a 13 year old to shoot and enjoy.......an M1......not so much.
Click to expand...

I can barely afford to shoot .45 lol
 
warwickben said:
I can barely afford to shoot .45 lol
Click to expand...

Yeah I hear ya! He had no idea 30-06 cost a buck a bang...........now he knows why I only bring my baby out 2 or 3 times a year......and only bring 32 rounds (4 clips) when I do bring her out. I gotta get into reloading :)
 
whacko said:
Yeah I hear ya! He had no idea 30-06 cost a buck a bang...........now he knows why I only bring my baby out 2 or 3 times a year......and only bring 32 rounds (4 clips) when I do bring her out. I gotta get into reloading :)
Click to expand...

Order some Greek HXP ammo from CMP, 65 cents a round delivered to your door and you get a 30 cal ammo can. And yes, start reloading lol. Although my 30-06 reloads are running me about 43 cents per round, not dirt cheap but better than buying new ammo. I found some new m1 Garand Prvi Partizan 30-06 ammo in 50 cal can (500 rounds) for $347 shipped. Little over 69 cents a round which isn't bad for new 30-06 ammo safe for use in the garand.
 
Last edited:
andrew1220 said:
Order some Greek HXP ammo from CMP, 65 cents a round delivered to your door and you get a 30 cal ammo can. And yes, start reloading lol. Although my 30-06 reloads are running me about 43 cents per round, not dirt cheap but better than buying new ammo. I found some new m1 Garand Prvi Partizan 30-06 ammo in 50 cal can (500 rounds) for $347 shipped. Little over 69 cents a round which isn't bad for new 30-06 ammo safe for use in the garand.
Click to expand...
Thanks. I know there are cheaper options on 30-06 by purchasing through CMP or reloading. Problem is I only one the one "beater" M1 so with only one rifle in my collection chambered in 30-06 I'm having a hard time justifying a bulk purchase. I try to keep my fire arms "consolidated" so the ammo I stock up on can be used in multiple guns. Like my wife and my carry guns are both .38/357 magnum. I have a few rifles in 7.62X54r and now three that are .22lr and many that use 12G or 20G. SO for those I don't mind stocking up on. If I ever by another "short range" rifle it would more than likely be a lever gun or bolt action in 357 magnum for the ability to cross level ammo.

Know what.....now that I think of it.......maybe I just need a 1903 srpingfield to keep the m1 company.....yeah.....that makes sense :)
 

Similar threads

Gopher hunting with a 22
Replies
24
Views
413
timbo
timbo
a .22 lr question
Replies
8
Views
264
Asaltweapon
Asaltweapon
Study Confirms 10+ Firearm Magazine Capacity Is 'Standard'
Replies
8
Views
445
tuna
tuna
Recommend barrel length for best accuracy out of 10/22
Replies
24
Views
726
dcmdon
dcmdon
LTC Renewal / EFA-10
Replies
15
Views
478
DeadEyeDan
DeadEyeDan
Back
Top Bottom