So...2.3 Kg for a complete (no mag or ammo) TUF-22 rifle with a 12.5" barrel in an aluminum chassis is perty light.
Anyone built lighter ? If you have, post your build specs here if you don't mind ? Curious on what you guys would use to make the ultimate little ninja ripper. . .( :
While I haven't done a specific light weight 10/22, I did put together a 10/22 takedown for grouse hunting with the idea of keeping weight down. It's a factory 18" stainless barrel model in a magpul x-22 backpacker stock, BX trigger pack with a shield SMS red dot on the magpul mount. I just went & weighed it. 1.95kg with no magazine. I could probably drop 1/3 lb by going with a aftermarket shorter barrel.
Back in the 2016 I did a light weight AR15. It ended up at 4.2lb (1.91kg) with optic, I could have gone a bit lighter but then it would have started to compromise function in my opinion. After a certain weight point, which is about 5lb for a AR15 you seriously start to loose features / function and the price goes up astronomically. I'm sure the weight potential for a 10/22 would be less.
For saving weight start with the biggest items first. Barrel, stock (chassis), receiver, pistol grip, optic & trigger assembly. Small items like titanium AR15 grip screws do save some weight, but cost a lot for minimal savings. I wouldn't bother messing with the bolt weight since a 10/22 is a blowback design.
A cast ruger 10/22 receiver will be vastly lighter than a tuf-22. All the extra material that makes a tuf-22 stiff / rigid / asesome adds weight.
Use a pistol red dot, like a Shield SMS / Trigicon RMR / Vortex Venom on a 10/22 specific mount that doesn't have a picatinny rail.
go with a pencil barrel, any carbon whatever wonder barrel will be heavier, since fundamentally all the light weight carbon fiber barrels have a pencil barrel under the carbon fiber. I wouldn't bother with a muzzle device, it's a .22lr, it doesn't have hellish recoil. Maybe a aluminum or titanium A2 style flash hider?
For AR15 compatible stocks, a MFT battle link stock is more than 1/4lb lighter than a magpul CTR. A Battle Arms Sabre Tube is lighter than a MFT. A smoke composites stock is lighter than a Battle arms Sabre tube. As you loose weight, you lose function in the stock.
I have no idea on 10/22 chassis weights or what is even available.
The magpul k-grip is the lightest easily available pistol grip. There are lighter, but cost 4 times as much for 2-3grams weight saving.
It's a interesting idea though. When I get some time I'll probably start a spreadsheet of 10/22 part weights, like I did for my AR15's. Maybe after my next couple bolt gun builds I'll do a uber light weight 10/22.
