I am interested in purchasing my first 10/22 in Sporter configuration. What degree of accuracy can I expect out of the box and what alterations should I first undertake short of replacing the barrel? I can do my own bedding and I think my own trigger work.
Is 1.5 inches at 100 yards a pipe dream?
Thank you for your helpful commits. John

I find that Ruger 10-22 barrels are accurate. With the ammo the rifle likes, I think 5 shots at 50 yards will give 1/2" to 3/4" groups.
The very first thing I would do with a new 10-22 is replace the Hammer in the trigger assy. I prefer the Hammers that Power Custom makes. That alone will give you a 2 1/2 pound pull, down from the 5-7 pounds with the factory hammer. No need replacing the sear or trigger springs as the factory sear and springs work best. I've tried themn all, and went back to factory sear and trigger springs. I now grind my own Hammers for 10-22's.
I have eight 10-22's and have tricked out all of them. I think that installing a .920 barrel adds too much weight for my liking for general use, like Squirrel and Rabbit hunting. The heavy barrels are fine for bench shooting.
The sky is the limit for add on's for the 10-22, but, that factory triggers is the first fix as the trigger you get from the factory is BAD.

Don

i cant remember how accurate the factory bbl was but i found a deal on a stock and 920 bbl for about 100bucks, super good groups better than my anshutz
if you want lite weight try carbon fiber920

take the factory barreled action and send it to Randy at CPC for the abreviated tuneup. It will then shoot less than an inch at 100yds.

Jeff,
You're having a pipedream.
Butch

If you really want it to shoot, get a Kidd trigger and a barrel from him also. As for stocks, Clark is the only place I have found recently that makes a decent looking wood/laminate sporter stock.
As for accuracy, if you get 1/2-3/4 at 50 yds you should call yourself both lucky and a good shot.

aliveincc you are correct. I have one of the rare Jewell trigger assemblies, A Shilen test barrel that was just an outstanding one from their tests, a McMillan stock, and other mods. Now occasionally it will shoot a 3/8" group at 50, but I would call it a true 5/8" rifle with good ammo. That is adding in the so called fliers to the good groups. The best 10/22 will not touch a decent BR rimfire bolt rifle.
Butch

The 10-22 was my first rifle.I still have it and can shoot it well even with the stock trigger.The whole gun is dead stock so accuracy at 100yds is not great but any squirrel that gets my attention within 50yds is not long for this earth.

KIDD Triggers are THE best.
Have two on target 10-22's.
Randy at CPC does EXCELLENT work. He did the bolts on my 10-22's.
Been thinking about sending him a factory barrel for a Bentz chamber job. He sets the barrel back and rechambers it.

VOLQUARTSEN CUSTOMS.......... i bought a target hammer and took my 1022 custom there in CARROLL IA to have it put in..... while there they reworked the thing so it has the best trigger i've ever felt on a 1022..... thanks SCOTT!! sent my bolt to RANDY AT CPC and had redone and jeweled on the bolt face.... it will shoot less than 1/2 in at 50 yds......... the barrel is not the stock barrel tho.........

REDFEAT COMMUNISM IN 2010................

What will jewelling the bolt face do for it? You say it is a 1/2" rifle at 50yds? Is that an average of all the 5 shot groups? What ammo do you use?
Butch

actually butch that 1/2 in is about as big as it shoots off a bench with bipod attached..... a lot of times (most of the time) it will shoot groups i can cover with my fingertip....... I LIKE IT!!!!!!!!!!! it likes the federal bulk 550 round ammo.... the barrel is one of the heavy fluted ones from midway..... i'm pretty sure green mountain made it.... under the midway logo on it it says the same thing in the same engaveing as green moutain barrels.... WARNING: UNFIRED ROUNDS MAY NOT ALWAYS EJECT .22 LONG RIFLE........... it is a ball to shoot..... as someone once said "only accuate rifles are interesting"...............

the jeweling on the bolt cost nothing extra and it makes the rifle more PRETTY................

LIFE IS SHORT.....

Tasco 74,
I shouldn't respond to your post but what you claim is absurd! Read Saeed's ammo report with a real rifle, a climate controlled tunnel, and a rest. You can blow smoke all day with your buds at the range or the bar, but it don't happen.
Butch

yes it does butch.... i was surprised as hell the first time i took the 1022 custom out to sight it in.... i shot 3 rounds at a target about 33 yds out.... looked through the spotting scope and i was pissed... i thought crap .. only hit the target once... upon closer inspection at the target i found the bullet holes just a little out of round... upon further investigation i found all the bullets went into the same hole!! I LIKED THAT!! i went back to the bench and carefully moved the crosshairs in the scope to where the holes were and three more shots.... they were all in the same hole in the middle of the bullseye... you can believe it or not but this thing will shoot moa or less at 50 yds..............

Ruger 10/22s can be incredibly accurate. DMB has given you good advice. Without an improved trigger, it won't shoot very well. Do the trigger first. (I just buy the hornetproducts.com replacement unit for mine. I tried replacing parts in them, but I do not have the manual dexterity or patience for that.) And see what you've got then.

A .920 barrel is not very useful for a hunting gun. Get a larger barrel only for a bench gun or stand hunting. If you don't like the stock barrel, there are some replacement barrels that aren't behemoths.

More likely you will want to replace the stock. There are many good aftermarket choices for standard barrel contours that you may like better than the stock one.

LWD

My Ruger 10/22 International would shoot into at inch at 25 yards and 2 inches at 50 when fitted with a Leupold 4x RF Special. I didn't spend much on mine though. The only thing I did was install the Volquartsen hammer for a much improved trigger pull, and the improved bolt hold open and magazine release for easier operation. I used the Weaver one piece base and traditional rings kit when it was scoped but installed the Williams receiver sight kit when when the Leupold moved to the CZ452. I sold the International to a vet on my team who likes it better than his other 10/22s - one is box stock, the other a heavy barrel target model.

quote:

Originally posted by butchlambert:

Since the BS flag is flying proudly after my post, I can't help but wonder if it's directed my way.

Butch, is it?

LWD

Of course not LWD. Tasco knows what the flag is for.
Butch

I think 1.5" at 100 yards out of a stock 10/22 would be a real stretch to say the least. Then again you might get lucky and find one that will do that but the odds are against it.

I've put together 5 10/22's and enjoyed all of the work. The route that I have gone is a trigger job (have a client as a gunsmith), replace the stock (I like the Hogues) and move on to a bull barrel in the .920 mode. Finish it off with a moderate priced scope and it's a shooter. If you can do you own trigger work perhaps you'd be interested in seeing how that works then move to replace the stock and save any barrel changes to the end.

I've just bought a stock 10/22 carbine and tossed the barrel and stock immediately and proceeding with the changes above. I've used Butler Creek and Green Mountain barrels and they both have been great.

Some folks complain about the cost of tricking out a 10/22 following the outline above and the $$$$ can add up. Figure $200-225 for the 10/22, a stock for $50-75, and a barrel from $75-???? plus a scope and it can add up to $500-600 real fast for a .22lr. Then I stop to think that I'll probably put 10,000-15,000 rounds down the tube and have a ball hitting stuff and it doesn't seem that bad. You can certainly spend the $$$$$ on a 10/22 if you wish.

Saeed did some testing on the .22 ammo with a very expensive shooter and it was interesting to see some of the groups that he got at 100 yards. He was using some spendy ammo for the most part and a awesome rifle and when he got to the stuff that most of us shot he was bumping around that 1.5" area.

I would be tickled to death if I could shoot 1.5" at 100 yards with my remaining 10/22's; they will be great at 70 yards but at 100 things start to open up and the wind comes into play big time. Most of my shooting here in Idaho is at those longer distances that are starting at 50-70 yards and then stretching beyond and that's why Butler Creek has those marvelous 25 shot clips!!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by butchlambert:
Of course not LWD. Tasco knows what the flag is for.
Butch

i had 2 witnesses at the range shooting with me and they were indeed impressed..... fly your flags all you want but it did happen.........................

quote:

Of course not LWD. Tasco knows what the flag is for.
Butch

I didn't think so, but thank you for clarifying.

LWD

With the right ammo, it's possible.

When I bought my 10/22, many years ago, I took it to the range with every kind of .22 ammo I could find, and found a few that would easily shoot sub 1/2" at 50 yards. Tom Volquartson gave me a really good deal on a conversion and when it came back, I could get 1/4" groups at 50 yards with ammo it liked.

RH45, you are like your buddy Tasco, I can shoot one hole in hole all day long!! You're making a fool of yourself making those claims. You can luck out every once in a while, but .250-5shot groups every time. Wake up in the real world.
Butch

Every barrel/rifle is different. Just because you've never been lucky enough to get a good one, or because you can't shoot, doesn't make other people liars.

You think I arrived on a turnip truck? Go to a real rimfire match with your popgun and they will send you home with your tail tucked between your legs. The best rimfire shooter in the world will not shoot .250 groups with your rifle every time.
Get real guy!
Butch

Did you maybe read it wrong? It was only 50 yards.

I didn't read it wrong and it probably wouldn't be .250 every time at 25 yds.
Butch

I have a near stock 10-22, removed the barrel band and added some up pressure to the barrel. Stoned the trigger and sear. It is smooth, but has creep.

I clean it when it jams,,,,bought in 1966.

Enough history.....I bought one of the BSA 2-7 Sweet 22 scope with BDC. Sighted it in for 50yds, then shot it at 100 just to try and see how close the "settings" are.

Link to target.
10-22-Target