Is the Ruger 10/22 all it's cracked up to be?

CountryAndCalibre said:
Looking to buy a .22lr for rabbit and squirrels. My research keeps bringing me back to the Ruger 10/22. There's so many variations of it I'm not sure where to start or which one would work best. What's everyone's experience with a 10/22?
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My grandfather used to say; "if a knife isn't sharp when you go to buy it, DON'T buy it". I think of 10/22s this way-they'll go "bang" every time, but most need some help to get them shooting accurately. "Accurately" is subjective, as others have pointed-out. "Plinking" accurate, or "hunting" accurate? If I could put it very simply, I'd ask this; How many people posing in this thread would take a new, unmodified Ruger 10/22, put a scope on it, take it squirrel hunting....and say they'd be able to make ethical head shots with it?" I think I know the answer.

My personal experience?

Owned? 1 Ruger 10/22 carbine, bone stock
# I've shot belonging to others? at least 10
Plans to buy another some day? Absolutely not.

I don't hate the things, but like Savage...prices seem to go up faster than QC does. Rather, doesn't. I'd love to try an older one, but should the day come when I'm flirting with semis again, I'd likely get a T/CR22 instead. Other than the stock, I'm intrigued by them.

With all the hype surrounding aftermarket options, custom builders (great Canadian ones too)..I can see why the OP is asking about 10/22s, but even my kids grew tired of flying brass and would choose one of my bolt guns before long. I'd say that if the OP wants a gun for plinking, casual targets, having fun, etc.-10/22 all the way. (amazing magazines) If putting bullets where you want them matters more, and, if you want to have a gun that has fewer moving parts, a better trigger, easier to clean, etc..grab a bolt-action for crying out loud. lol Most will deliver that out of the box, at least decent ones. (CZ, Tikka, Anschutz, etc.)

My most recent 22 purchase (over a year ago now?) was a Tikka T1x, 20" barrel. Unlike many members here, I'm no expert on these matters...but having been a "serious enthusiast" for over 30 years, I've never owned a .22LR rifle that shot so well with so many different ammo types=both HV and SV. Trigger was great out of the box, but a $15 trigger spring upgrade ($15 all in/less than 10 minutes of effort to install) and it's a gem now. I realize that sometimes the people asking are not fudds like me that over a half a century old.. :) ....BUT, allot of rifles have come and gone in that time..so my opinion comes from somewhere. lol
 
My 10/22 is an older one, I got this one for Christmas from my parents in 1980. I've shot thousands of gophers with it over the years and for the purpose of pest control and all-round fun plinking, I think the 10/22 is hard to beat. I've never changed anything on my 10/22 other than add the scope and sling. It's about as accurate as I expect this type of rifle to be (about 1" - 2" at 50 yards, depending on the quality of the ammo), which makes shooting gophers out to 75 yards or so pretty easy. It seems that people have more issues with the newer 10/22s than the older models, but maybe that's just the impression I've been left with, right or wrong.


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Scott_N said:
My 10/22 is an older one, I got this one for Christmas from my parents in 1980. I've shot thousands of gophers with it over the years and for the purpose of pest control and all-round fun plinking, I think the 10/22 is hard to beat. I've never changed anything on my 10/22 other than add the scope and sling. It's about as accurate as I expect this type of rifle to be (about 1" - 2" at 50 yards, depending on the quality of the ammo), which makes shooting gophers out to 75 yards or so pretty easy. It seems that people have more issues with the newer 10/22s than the older models, but maybe that's just the impression I've been left with, right or wrong.


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I have the same model, and, from the looks of things, the same sling and swivels, LOL!

Bought it (in 1984) thinking I'd start playing around with modding it. So far, most significant mod has been to take the bolt hold open out, drop it on the ground, and keep on walking. Found it a PITA as I like to hold pretty short on the stock, and had way more troubles with it accidentally engaging, than any other issue.

Made enough first round hits on Gophers out around a hundred and beyond, that I got no complaints about accuracy. So I never did bother to put an aftermarket barrel on it.

Try one, or even a couple, if you can. Try the others too. Pick the one you like. I'm keeping mine...

Personally, after trying a bunch of different Hi-cap mags, starting with the 50 round belt driven thing, on through most of the others, I just went back to the factory 10's and stopped having any issues. Have not yet found myself in a sustained firefight where I was so hard pressed by the rabbits or gophers, that I did not have time for reload...
 
Lots of good advice and info here. Seems like I'm no further ahead than when I posted lol Will look into some of the models suggested and find what works best for me. I read all the posts thanks for everyones input!
 
LarryG said:
Ok, so in my opinion, the 10/22 is a great squirrel/rabbit gun. It is light, accurate enough, shoots well, is generally very reliable and you can always add stuff to make it shoot even better. They are not perfect but most folks are very happy with them, in my experience. I personally prefer the ones with the aluminum trigger housing over the later plastic ones, but apparently they shoot about the same. Put it another way, the 10/22 is my favorite gopher gun ever (and many love it for that purpose). And if you can use one for gophers, it will do just as well for rabbit and squirrels.

Since you want to introduce your son to it someday, it will be a good choice for that, as they are generally light, short and point well. However, a semi auto is not really the best gun for a young boy to start with, and you will do well to start him on a little single shot or something and leave the semi automatic for a later time.

Good luck
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Thanks Larry! Appreciate your input and great post!
 
CountryAndCalibre said:
Lots of good advice and info here. Seems like I'm no further ahead than when I posted lol Will look into some of the models suggested and find what works best for me. I read all the posts thanks for everyones input!
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That would probably be for the best.

Fit and function is a pretty personal thing, sorta like what kind of women we might like. Some guys are looking for heat in winter, shade in summer, and not good enough looking to have to worry about while they are away, others want some skinny little thing 'cause she don't cost so much to feed, and so on.

In the grand scheme, you gotta go with what makes you happy, not me. And, face the fact that coming home with a new .22, isn't gonna cause you to have to sleep behind a locked bank vault door because the other 22 is jealous, eh? :)
 
The one I've owned for almost 40 years is very accurate. Had my old timey gunsmith give it a $20 trigger job and used it to get started in Smallbore Metallic Silhouette. Shot 9 out of 10 turkeys once and one AAA score. A few years ago decided to replace the stock, barrel, trigger etc with aftermarket stuff & started gathering up parts but I just can't bring myself to do it.

Check out Rimfirecentral - lots of info on all things rimfire. Good luck!
Tom
 
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Scott_N said:
My 10/22 is an older one, I got this one for Christmas from my parents in 1980. I've shot thousands of gophers with it over the years and for the purpose of pest control and all-round fun plinking, I think the 10/22 is hard to beat. I've never changed anything on my 10/22 other than add the scope and sling. It's about as accurate as I expect this type of rifle to be (about 1" - 2" at 50 yards, depending on the quality of the ammo), which makes shooting gophers out to 75 yards or so pretty easy. It seems that people have more issues with the newer 10/22s than the older models, but maybe that's just the impression I've been left with, right or wrong.
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Mine is from 2015 and I get the same accuracy.
 
I really like the 10/22 and have quite a few in various flavours. While out of the box they are generally much better than minute of squirrel at 50m, as others have posted you can upgrade as much or as little as you like; from a few dollars to a few hundred. You really can’t go wrong with one.
 
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I have the 50th Anniversary with the stainless barrel.
Meh. It's a semi-auto 22.

P.S. I've got a Remington 597 around here somewhere. I've got to get around to shooting it some day,...after I find it.
 
Buy a Browning BL-22.
Don't change a thing.
Install a decent scope, nothing fancy needed.
Will out shoot and outlast and be far more reliable than any 10/22.
And you can shoot short, long or long rifle.
Capacity of 15 to 22 rounds.
I've owned them both. The 10/22's ain't worth the money. Not even the modded ones..
The Browning's are.
 
I recently purchased a new 50th Anniversary Commerative Edition for no other reason other than I liked the style of stock and it came with peep sights.
The front sight came from the factory off center, the rear aperature was turned and secured about 15 degrees off the normal plane, not very good quality control.
I checked the serial number on the Ruger website and it was recorded as being made in 2015!
But considering the price point it is still a pretty good firearm.
 
I bought mine early 2000's when I made an ammo stop at Wholesale before heading to the range. Impulse buy. They were like $250 then. It was a fun plinker but I never got serious use out of it until I took my son to the range this year for the first time. With a crappy Scorpion 3-9x scope and rings mounted on the factory base he was able to put a magazine bulk Winchester 333 ammo into 5" on the 100m range. I can get it down to 3" myself which is plenty accurate and Mini-mags will shave even more off. And that's with a full 10-round magazine, albeit off a nice rest.

Somewhere in my pile of shot out targets I have a 5-shot, 25m group you could cover with a toonie. Plenty for bunnies and aggressive clay targets and reacting bouncing targets. Been a great first rifle for the kiddo, too.
 
not really a fan of the 10/22 but for some reason I always seem to have at least one in my safe. I sold a few of mine in the last couple years only to end up buying another one last week. Ordered a 10/22 compact for my son after he asked for a 22 with a “clip” for his birthday to upgrade from his Savage Rascal.

In my opinion the Marlin 795 is a way better option if your talking magazine fed semi auto rimfires. More accurate, more reliable, less money. Not as many options to modify it, but it also needs less mods to work good.
 
The factory gun leaves lots to be desired. Poor trigger just ok accuracy. Good for pooping cans and close range stuff. I do like double tapping gophers. As a plinker they are good and reliable. If a 1” at 50 is ok then they are good. Just better autos ( lots of older cooey,mossberg,savage etc ) out there. JMHO
 
Kinda a staple of gun owner at least to try one. I've owned a couple. An older wood one and the first gen Take down models. Used to enjoy them more when shooting 25 round mags weren't in grey unknown status
 
Hey Country - A couple have mentioned the Savage 64 and I agree that for $219 (cabelas sale price now) it's prob the best semi I know of. I've had one for about 5-6 years and it shoots under .75" if/when I'm patient (Ha - semis aren't conducive to that). Just keep $2-300 for a good scope, with MOA or MIL and 3-9 or better. Here's last Fall's pic - only 2 under 1" here :

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