Thursday, May 10, 2012

Gun Review - Ruger 10/22

When I was a boy, my dad bought a brand new Ruger 10/22. My brother and I liked it. My brother liked the box magazines a bit better, so I got more time behind the Marlin 60. Maybe that fact has caused the persuasions I hold to this day, maybe not.

Here is the rifle as it is today:


Anyone "in the know" will immediately recognize the setup - a "LTR" (Liberty Training Rifle). It has tech sights, a muzzle flash hider (which is useless except for looks), and a USGI sling for carrying / looping up to shoot.

As pictured, I have shot a 249 on an Appleseed "AQT" with this rifle. 

Here's a close-up of the rear tech-sight, which gives the same sight picture as an M1, M14, or M16:


Here's a close-up of the front tech sight and flash hider:


To get the rifle to resemble an M14 a bit more, I added the flash hider. It came with "ears" which I had to grind down so the device would fit alongside the tech-sights.







Not pictured, but definitely bought to add on:
- Volquartsen bolt (the rifle was painfully unreliable with the factory bolt).
- Volquartsen hammer (this lightens the trigger pull from horrible to very nice)
- Auto bolt release (the factory bolt release is a pain).

The serial number indicates the rifle was made in 1987, which would make perfect sense given the timing (my dad got it new when I was 12 - 1987).


What's this cost? 
Well, that's tricky, since I do not know the 1987 price tag... so I'll use the 2012 price tag for similar:

10/22 Rifle - $249.99 + tax + background check = $283.11
VQ Hammer / auto release: $40
VQ Bolt: $45
Muzzle flash hider: $20
Tech-Sights: $75
Sling: $5
Sling swivels and installation hardware: $20

Total: $488.11 (give or take)


Summary:
Reliability - With the bolt, hammer, and auto-release, the 10/22 is as reliable now as my Marlin 60, give or take.

Accuracy - The 10/22 is not as accurate. Period. Accuracy approaches the Marlin 60 when you use match grade standard velocity ammo (extremely accurate ammo) in the 10/22 and Remington Blunderbolts Thunderbolts (extremely inconsistent and inaccurate ammo) in the Marlin 60. However, using the same standard grade match ammo, the 60 is a sub-MOA gun, and the 10/22 is about a 2 MOA gun.

Other criteria - the 10/22 is heavier and larger than the 60, which makes it more comfortable for me to shoot, since I am a large, strong man. It balances well, and now (thanks to the aftermarket bolt) it will eat most kinds of ammo. Extra mags are about $20 apiece. Cleaning the gun is easy. Disassembly is easier than a Marlin 60.


Recommendation -
Would I buy one now: NO.
Do I enjoy this one: YES.


.

2 comments:

  1. You can't go wrong with this gun and the additions you are making, like the VQ gear will only help it shoot that much better. The key thing is to make sure the rifle is fit to you and comfortable to shoot. Enjoy!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Scott,
    Thanks for reading. I'll admit, I still like the Marlin better, but the 10/22 is a fine rifle.

    As for fit, given my stature, it is actually hard for me to get a rifle large enough. :)

    ReplyDelete

Your comment will be displayed after approval.
Approval depends on what you say and how you say it.