I bought one earlier this year and sold it a couple of months later. It was very disappointing.
Mine was the stainless barrel in the sporter stock with no barrel band at the front. A very handsom rifle but very disappointing in use.
The trigger group wobbled in the receiver because the pins holding it in place were loose. I could order aftermarket pins or shim them -- so I shimmed them.
The whole barrelled action moved backwards when pulling the trigger when the stock screw loosened. It loosened frequently during shooting and required constant tightening.
It did not particularly like 333 or 555 ammo but did very will with Winchesters M-22 stuff.
When everything was solid, it was as accurate as I could want. But it needed constant fiddling and shims to make it solid. Not what I expect from a rifle that cost $400 or so.
Wife and kids did not particularly like the feel of the thing and really disliked the bolt release. With nobody falling in love with it, it got sold.
I suspect that earlier vintage 10/22's were better built. The modern batch just seems sloppy in comparison.
I also suspect that peer pressure plays a big role in everyone recommending the 10/22. It's like my friend who insists that his Honda Civic is the best small car ever made, even though he's had to replace the tranny under warranty, the rear window due to leaks, and it won't start when it's cold or wet. But hey, there's a lot of aftermarket parts for it and everyone else says it's great, so it must be.
I keep saying this but I will say it again. When I go to the range with my Savage 64, I spend the day shooting. The 10/22 guys around me spend their time dealing with failures to feed, fire, or eject. They spend more time farting with their magazines and clearing issues than they do shooting.
But other than that, it's the best rifle ever made.
Mine was the stainless barrel in the sporter stock with no barrel band at the front. A very handsom rifle but very disappointing in use.
The trigger group wobbled in the receiver because the pins holding it in place were loose. I could order aftermarket pins or shim them -- so I shimmed them.
The whole barrelled action moved backwards when pulling the trigger when the stock screw loosened. It loosened frequently during shooting and required constant tightening.
It did not particularly like 333 or 555 ammo but did very will with Winchesters M-22 stuff.
When everything was solid, it was as accurate as I could want. But it needed constant fiddling and shims to make it solid. Not what I expect from a rifle that cost $400 or so.
Wife and kids did not particularly like the feel of the thing and really disliked the bolt release. With nobody falling in love with it, it got sold.
I suspect that earlier vintage 10/22's were better built. The modern batch just seems sloppy in comparison.
I also suspect that peer pressure plays a big role in everyone recommending the 10/22. It's like my friend who insists that his Honda Civic is the best small car ever made, even though he's had to replace the tranny under warranty, the rear window due to leaks, and it won't start when it's cold or wet. But hey, there's a lot of aftermarket parts for it and everyone else says it's great, so it must be.
I keep saying this but I will say it again. When I go to the range with my Savage 64, I spend the day shooting. The 10/22 guys around me spend their time dealing with failures to feed, fire, or eject. They spend more time farting with their magazines and clearing issues than they do shooting.
But other than that, it's the best rifle ever made.
