10/22 bolt buffers and their uses

halfdar

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Good day.

I see numerous ads for 10/22 rifles and their ilk on these pages all the time. Often the bolt buffer has been replaced with something made of a different material. This is pointed out as an advantage. I am wondering why.

What is the rationale for this sort of part upgrade? I have two of the beasts, and neither has ever indicated such a requirement.

I thank you for your thoughts.

Halfdar
 
From Brownells:

Durable, abrasion resistant bolt buffer prevents contact between the bolt and stop pin to eliminate battering. Acts like a shock absorber to provide smooth, quiet cycling without the metal-to-metal contact that so easily damages the bolt stop pin holes. Replaces bolt stop pin at rear of receiver. Polyurethane construction is resistant to most solvents.

n.b. reduces noise if the 10/22 is suppressed. Alas, not a Canadian option at this time...
 
They make the gun a lot smoother and get rid of the annoying "clank" in your ear when the bolt hits the steel bolt stop. The steel bolt stop pin is in no way a buffer and after a few thousand rounds the pin holes in the alloy receiver start to peen into ovals. One of the best and cheapest mods you can do to a 10/22 IMO.
 
Ah. I had wondered about the clank. I have two of the beasts, so I shall respond accordingly.

Ruger has to know about the deficiencies of this rifle, yet they do little to address other than to constantly reinvent the wheel with new models.

A lack of new models ain't the problem.

thanks for this information.
 
It's a small but decent upgrade you can do. I use the KIDD bolt buffer in mine because it is much easier to remove. I had a full polyurethane one and I have to oil it and use most of my force with a punch just to get it in and out. The 10/22 is a tinkerer's dream gun though. There are tons of mods you can do by yourself to improve performance and even more upgraded parts to choose from. Remains my favorite gun to this day.

Best Regards,
Anthony Haines
Inside Sales Specialist
 
It's a small but decent upgrade you can do. I use the KIDD bolt buffer in mine because it is much easier to remove. I had a full polyurethane one and I have to oil it and use most of my force with a punch just to get it in and out. The 10/22 is a tinkerer's dream gun though. There are tons of mods you can do by yourself to improve performance and even more upgraded parts to choose from. Remains my favorite gun to this day.

Best Regards,
Anthony Haines
Inside Sales Specialist

couldnt have said it better myself.
i had converted all mine to the rubber ones but i actually clean my guns from time to time and i was not enjoying having to wrestle that rubber band like pin in and out so i upgraded to the KIDD one that has the metal pin with the rubber sleeve.
so much nicer.
 
Does anyone have pictures of ovalled out pin holes? Or this damage that so easily happens? My 1989 10/22 has its original bolt stop pin and receiver, there is no damage whatsoever to the whole system and that rifle has tens of thousands of rounds through it. I've never seen a 10/22 receiver, bolt or bolt stop pin damaged by the bolt hitting the pin. Ruger designed this rifle in the 60's and haven't upgraded that part. There's a reason for that.
 
Does anyone have pictures of ovalled out pin holes? Or this damage that so easily happens? My 1989 10/22 has its original bolt stop pin and receiver, there is no damage whatsoever to the whole system and that rifle has tens of thousands of rounds through it. I've never seen a 10/22 receiver, bolt or bolt stop pin damaged by the bolt hitting the pin. Ruger designed this rifle in the 60's and haven't upgraded that part. There's a reason for that.

I agree. I have a similar vintage one and thousands upon thousands of rounds through it with the stock pin with no signs of issues. That being said I like the idea of a buffer but dont think its a necessity.
 
Does anyone have pictures of ovalled out pin holes? Or this damage that so easily happens? My 1989 10/22 has its original bolt stop pin and receiver, there is no damage whatsoever to the whole system and that rifle has tens of thousands of rounds through it. I've never seen a 10/22 receiver, bolt or bolt stop pin damaged by the bolt hitting the pin. Ruger designed this rifle in the 60's and haven't upgraded that part. There's a reason for that.
Bwahahahahahahaaaaaaa...........
Well, somebody had to say it loud on cgn
(on some other websites they did it long ago...).

Yeah, that's right. Can somebody post pics, please?
Did anybody experience this first hand?
Did anybody measure (with calipers) the wear of the hole?



I've seen and worked on hundreds of 10/22's
(because I don't want to say thousands),
some of them from the 60's and 70's according to the serial numbers,
and I can't remember to have seen even ONE with those holes elongated.

Allegedly, quite a few people used their 10/22's
for hundreds-of-thousands of rounds, some claiming over 1 mil rounds.
I know people who shot only stingers, velocitors,
or whatever hot ammo, obsessively and compulsively for years.
And yet, nobody was able to take a pic of an oval hole. Pity.



The steel pin bolt stop will NOT elongate the holes in the Ruger 10/22 22LR.
It is not physically possible to do so, because basically,
that pin rests not only in the holes,
but also rests against the rear wall of the receiver (go ahead,
take your gun apart and look inside to see if I'm bullsh!ting).
That is the reason the plastic "buffer" is not getting warped and
subsequently taken out of the holes (or broken)
when is being kicked by the bolt right in its middle section.
So, getting back to the steel pin,
theoretically speaking, in order to elongate the holes,
it would have to dig into the rear wall at the same time,
and that would be a hell of a job for the steel pin.
But it never happens. If it did, attention whores would have been
more than happy to start threads, post pictures,
whine, snivel, swear, ask for advice, etc.

So, to answer the OP, the plastic buffer makes
the action run smoother and quieter when it cycles.
And some say it makes people feel better about themselves.


But it was a nice thread.
 
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Poly buffers kill the noise, and for those with the SR-22 in particular, they tend to prevent the top rail screws from loosening.
 
gun goes clang clang clang or it doesn't
im tempted to go get my old early 80's ruger out and put the metal pin in and out and film the noise while cycling it
but that seems like far to much effort for a argument over a $5 part
 
I put one in but don`t really notice a difference. Have to wear hearing protection anyway. I certainly don`t agree that ruger should include them from the factory. Just going by my own experience and not by what the internet reviews say.
 
I wouldn't spend the money on the buffer and shipping, but if I found a 1/4" nylon bolt in a plumbing store for 99 cents, I'd buy it and try it.

Edit: I'd probably get one for $5 shipped (too lazy to go check CanTire for one), but I haven't seen any that cheap.
 
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