Thread: Ruger 10/22 - Tricks, tips and modifications

After 50 years of tuning 10/22's (I did my first one in 1966) I can tell you that they are accurate and reliable rifles, head and shoulders above any other semi-auto on the market. There have been more unneccesary gizmos offered on the aftermarket for them than any other rifle, with the exception of the AR15. These following things are ALL that is needed to bring out the full potential of the 10/22; a good 2.5 lb trigger job, permanently fit the barrel to the receiver, replace the factory 'scope base with a Weaver (or similar), fit a buffer pin, drill a cleaning rod hole in the back of the receiver, modify the bolt release to trip when the bolt is retracted slightly, learn how to strip, clean and reassemble your magazine correctly (about once every 2-3,000 rounds). If you intend to run subsonics through a suppressor then the return spring needs to be clipped by 12mm. Most of these jobs need to be done by a professional who is TOTALLY familiar with the work (especially the trigger job and the return spring job). These few (and inexpensive jobs, less than $100) will give you an accurate (12-15mm groups at 50 metres) and totally reliable rifle that will last a lifetime. There is no need for all the expensive and superfluous aftermarket junk that seems to be all the rage!

Originally Posted by gundoc

If you intend to run subsonics through a suppressor then the return spring needs to be clipped by 12mm.

Can you please elaborate on this? What's the reasoning, advantages, etc? I would have thought you'd need to increase the spring pressure rather than reduce it for subs. You've got me perplexed here.

Originally Posted by planenutz

Can you please elaborate on this? What's the reasoning, advantages, etc? I would have thought you'd need to increase the spring pressure rather than reduce it for subs. You've got me perplexed here.

The weight of the bolt and the strength of the return spring combined is too much for the low recoiling subs to push the bolt back far enough to reliably eject the fired case, and feed a new round. The 12mm off the spring (it involves disassembling the return spring assembly, cutting and reshaping the end, assembly and re-riveting) is just the right amount to allow reliable cycling with subs, and in conjunction with a buffer pin, is safe to use with supersonic loads. Increasing the spring pressure would make it even harder for the bolt open.

PS. ALL extended mag release catches make it easier to lose your mags! Press the standard button up with your left (or right if you are sinister) third finger and the mag will drop into your hand while your other hand retains control of the rifle.

Originally Posted by gundoc

PS. ALL extended mag release catches make it easier to lose your mags! Press the standard button up with your left (or right if you are sinister) third finger and the mag will drop into your hand while your other hand retains control of the rifle.

I should have listened to you.

I purchased one of these the other day:



I figured this would be the ducks guts as it sits in close to the trigger guard and I THOUGHT it would be a good way to prevent accidental magazine release. Boy was I wrong. I went for a walk last night with my daughter and both of us managed to eject the magazine accidently - and on more than one occasion. Bugger.

So it looks like I'm going back to 'PLAN A', which was to find an original "flush" magazine release. If anyone has one they would like to sell me, let me know.

Originally Posted by planenutz

I should have listened to you.

I purchased one of these the other day:

Attachment 62042

I figured this would be the ducks guts as it sits in close to the trigger guard and I THOUGHT it would be a good way to prevent accidental magazine release. Boy was I wrong. I went for a walk last night with my daughter and both of us managed to eject the magazine accidently - and on more than one occasion. Bugger.

So it looks like I'm going back to 'PLAN A', which was to find an original "flush" magazine release. If anyone has one they would like to sell me, let me know.

God to know, saw these and was tempted but found a different model lying in the parts draw, should have the flush one somewhere but no idea where I will have put that!

Originally Posted by planenutz

I should have listened to you.

I purchased one of these the other day:

Attachment 62042

I figured this would be the ducks guts as it sits in close to the trigger guard and I THOUGHT it would be a good way to prevent accidental magazine release. Boy was I wrong. I went for a walk last night with my daughter and both of us managed to eject the magazine accidently - and on more than one occasion. Bugger.

So it looks like I'm going back to 'PLAN A', which was to find an original "flush" magazine release. If anyone has one they would like to sell me, let me know.

I think I do - and I'll buy that extended release from you.
I've used that particular one on my rifle for a couple years and never lost a mag

Originally Posted by gundoc

After 50 years of tuning 10/22's (I did my first one in 1966) I can tell you that they are accurate and reliable rifles, head and shoulders above any other semi-auto on the market. There have been more unneccesary gizmos offered on the aftermarket for them than any other rifle, with the exception of the AR15. These following things are ALL that is needed to bring out the full potential of the 10/22; a good 2.5 lb trigger job, permanently fit the barrel to the receiver, replace the factory 'scope base with a Weaver (or similar), fit a buffer pin, drill a cleaning rod hole in the back of the receiver, modify the bolt release to trip when the bolt is retracted slightly, learn how to strip, clean and reassemble your magazine correctly (about once every 2-3,000 rounds). If you intend to run subsonics through a suppressor then the return spring needs to be clipped by 12mm. Most of these jobs need to be done by a professional who is TOTALLY familiar with the work (especially the trigger job and the return spring job). These few (and inexpensive jobs, less than $100) will give you an accurate (12-15mm groups at 50 metres) and totally reliable rifle that will last a lifetime. There is no need for all the expensive and superfluous aftermarket junk that seems to be all the rage!

How do you permanently fix the barrel to the receiver

Originally Posted by Martin358

How do you permanently fix the barrel to the receiver

I put the barrel in the lathe and run a light knurl on the barrel shank to increase the diameter to a firm push fit, smear retaining grade Loctite on the shank and press in place (taking care to get correct alignment) then refit the barrel clamp with some normal grade Loctite on the screws. The barrel can be removed with heat to break down the Loctite, but no real reason exists to ever take the barrel out again unless it has been damaged. The standard Ruger barrels are perfectly accurate but minute movement between the barrel and the receiver (that has the scope attached) are the cause of their mediocre accuracy as they come from the factory. The late model 10/22's have a tighter barrel fit than the early ones. The standard triggers are also perfectly good subject to being given a good trigger job (not a job for amateurs).

Originally Posted by gundoc

The standard triggers are also perfectly good subject to being given a good trigger job (not a job for amateurs).

Shame you're retired then ain't it

Originally Posted by gundoc

I put the barrel in the lathe and run a light knurl on the barrel shank to increase the diameter to a firm push fit, smear retaining grade Loctite on the shank and press in place (taking care to get correct alignment) then refit the barrel clamp with some normal grade Loctite on the screws. The barrel can be removed with heat to break down the Loctite, but no real reason exists to ever take the barrel out again unless it has been damaged. The standard Ruger barrels are perfectly accurate but minute movement between the barrel and the receiver (that has the scope attached) are the cause of their mediocre accuracy as they come from the factory. The late model 10/22's have a tighter barrel fit than the early ones. The standard triggers are also perfectly good subject to being given a good trigger job (not a job for amateurs).

You worked over the trigger and did a barrel chop, thread and put one of your suppressors on my fathers 10/22. Its a fantastic shooter. When you were still in the city.

,Gundoc did you use to bed them and put a crossbolt in through the rear trigger group pin?l posted elsewhere in the thread about the custom rugers we used and they were bedded and the cross bolts fitted and the front barrel band removed.

Originally Posted by bunji

,Gundoc did you use to bed them and put a crossbolt in through the rear trigger group pin?l posted elsewhere in the thread about the custom rugers we used and they were bedded and the cross bolts fitted and the front barrel band removed.

No, never bothered with bedding unless a customer specifically asked for it. I found the standard front action screw was perfectly adequate for good accuracy, and the barrel was sufficiently stiff to allow the use of the barrel band without problems. With the standard system the action is floating, and with the barrel permanently fitted they shot well.

Yes l was always dubious on it and in the end my rifle like a few others l heard of with that mod succumbed to cracking at this point,but it must be said they were shot 10X as much as a regular owner would in a life time over the 5 yrs l shot pro and we would totally strip and clean once a week,l have looked at a few of the high end modified 10/22's over the years and seen that none seemed to do this so figured it was of little real value.I have always thought the rugers got a bad rapp from owners neglect more than anything else.