Is a 10/22 aftermarket bull barrel worth the money?

little_airwolf said:
Sounds like you need more trigger time.
Also what distance are you shooting at?
Sure there might be little difference @ 25yds, but when you're shooting 100+ yards, aftermarket barrels are king compared to a stock 10/22!
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^^^^^^^^^ this.... I have an 11.5" Dlask and will go toe to toe any day with a factory 18.5" 10/22.... it's not quite a laser beam but it will out shoot factory setups all day long when running Eley or CCI ammo.

Edit: that being said though, my two SS Takedowns and sporter will kill a pigeon just as dead at 100 yards as my DLASK Bull Barrel....
 
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Exactly what my match chambered NEA 12" barrel does in my SR22.

elimsprint said:
One thing no one has touched on is chambers. IMO most aftermarket barrels, no matter the taper, have better chambers in them than stock Ruger barrels. I have a Ruger SS Target barrel that wouldn't shoot worth crap (1.5-2"@50) but after I sent it to a member here to get re-chambered the groups were cut in half. It still isn't a "target" barrel by any means but it shows that the chambers have a lot to do with accuracy. The problem is that you need a tight chamber for accuracy but a loose chamber for reliability and Ruger goes for reliability with their chambers.
On my most accurate to date 10/22 barrel, custom chambered by the guy who went on to start Rimfire Technologies, the chamber is so tight that the only way to get a live round out of it after it has been chambered is to either discharge it or pry it out with a knife or chisel. It will rip the rim before a live round comes out using the extractor. That is the barrel I used for my spot on the 1/2" challenge so it does shoot.
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Some of you guys can't tell the difference between a factory barrel and an aftermarket one?? I've got barrels from Clark, Kidd and Lilja. These will all outshoot my CZ's and make my Anschutz rifles nervous. I think you need to spend more on an aftermarket barrel, and not one that comes in a blister pack that hangs on a peg in your LGS.
 
Anyone going to comment on the barrels crown?
This also effects groups.
Iirc the bullet chamber and crown are on the barrel. Thus aftermarket barrel have the advantage over stock.
 
PGW Steve said:
Some of you guys can't tell the difference between a factory barrel and an aftermarket one?? I've got barrels from Clark, Kidd and Lilja. These will all outshoot my CZ's and make my Anschutz rifles nervous. I think you need to spend more on an aftermarket barrel, and not one that comes in a blister pack that hangs on a peg in your LGS.
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Bingo!
Plus my guess is its installed wrong!
 
Short answer..... yes an aftermarket bull barrel is worth it. Not sure about comparing a ruger bull barrel to a ruger sporter barrel. Probably not as noticeable a difference as some other aftermarket high end barrels.
 
There are a number of gunsmiths who have specialized in making 10/22 rifles more accurate. They face off the Ruger factory barrel's rear by about .200", then run a new chambering reamer in which is not just tighter, but also lightly engraves a small portion of the Lead bullet. The barrel is re-installed with a .200" spacer in the clamping cut. They round the bottom/rear of the bolt, to improve functioning with the much more accurate standard velocity ammo. They drill a transverse hole through the bolt just over the firing pin, to prevent it from occasionally kicking up and giving squirrelly ignition. The bolt face is faced off until headspace is rather tight. They pillar bed the receiver in the stock.

I have had these things done to three 10/22 rifles. I was advised to try SK Standard Plus. Groups at 50 yards are remarkably small.

Doing this will not allow use of cartridges with longer than normal cases. Extraction of unfired cartridges will be difficult or impossible. One really new 10/22 rifle needed a small amount of lube on bearing surfaces, to cycle reliably with these changes and standard velocity ammo.
 
Thanks for taking the time to write all of that up, I was considering picking one up as well. Still fairly new to the 10/22, you've given me a little to think about!
 
little_airwolf said:
Sounds like you need more trigger time.
Also what distance are you shooting at?
Sure there might be little difference @ 25yds, but when you're shooting 100+ yards, aftermarket barrels are king compared to a stock 10/22!
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I agree that everyone needs more trigger time. Saying that, I'm just trying to get the most of my sr22. Most of my shooting with this gun is 50 meters, however it varies depending on what exactly I'm doing. Everyone and there dog seems to drop money on aftermarket heavy barrels for 10/22 so my question was more in regards to weather or not it's worth it. If someone says that they got group size down from 2" to 1" by simply swapping a barrel then to me, it's worth the money. If there is no noticeable difference in group size after swapping the barrel, then to me it's not worth it.
 
PGW Steve said:
Some of you guys can't tell the difference between a factory barrel and an aftermarket one?? I've got barrels from Clark, Kidd and Lilja. These will all outshoot my CZ's and make my Anschutz rifles nervous. I think you need to spend more on an aftermarket barrel, and not one that comes in a blister pack that hangs on a peg in your LGS.
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Thanks man. That's pretty much what I'm looking for.

Cheers!
 
84wh1 said:
I agree that everyone needs more trigger time. Saying that, I'm just trying to get the most of my sr22. Most of my shooting with this gun is 50 meters, however it varies depending on what exactly I'm doing. Everyone and there dog seems to drop money on aftermarket heavy barrels for 10/22 so my question was more in regards to weather or not it's worth it. If someone says that they got group size down from 2" to 1" by simply swapping a barrel then to me, it's worth the money. If there is no noticeable difference in group size after swapping the barrel, then to me it's not worth it.
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First issue you have is an sr22!
Sell it!
Buy an RX22 or mag research or volquartsen rifle.
Then you dont have a frankengun.
Sorry but by the time you drop money on upgrades, its cheaper just to buy a proper rifle!
Plus what happens if you buy a $200-$300 barrel and its crap?
Take your pick. Its your money!
 
little_airwolf said:
First issue you have is an sr22!
Sell it!
Buy an RX22 or mag research or volquartsen rifle.
Then you dont have a frankengun.
Sorry but by the time you drop money on upgrades, its cheaper just to buy a proper rifle!
Plus what happens if you buy a $200-$300 barrel and its crap?
Take your pick. Its your money!
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What specifically do you feel is wrong with an sr 22? The rifle itself is prob the best tactical style plinker with NR status.
 
Its an over priced 10/22.
What frustrates me is the 16" barrel is special to the sr22. Thus the extra cost. However once people see how it groups, they quickly want to upgrade.
So a $800 new rifle becomes over 1+k.
For that price you could just buy a MR or Volquartsen.
Then other issue is the the rem 597 and sav 64 outshoot the sr for a quarter of the price!
 
little_airwolf said:
Its an over priced 10/22.
What frustrates me is the 16" barrel is special to the sr22. Thus the extra cost. However once people see how it groups, they quickly want to upgrade.
So a $800 new rifle becomes over 1+k.
For that price you could just buy a MR or Volquartsen.
Then other issue is the the rem 597 and sav 64 outshoot the sr for a quarter of the price!
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No it doesn't. Same ammo, my stock 10/22 carbine barrel shot more accurate than my 64 TR SR. The 64 TR SR would shoot 2 groups from the same mag, 2-3 rounds would shoot low, than the following would shoot a inch or two higher. My 8" Dlask barrel shoots quarter size groups at 25. I didnt find the 64 that accurate at all. Heck my cooey more accurate.

Also not everybody into making their 10/22 feel like toys. You always discourage people putting anything but a light weight Tac sol. I like girls with meat and curves, Not sticks.
 
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Im sorry is a Dlask, MR or Volquartsen light weight?
Fact is I didnt bring weight up at all, did I?
Simply pointing out the fact that the sr22 is overpriced for what it is, nancy.
 
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