10-22 upgrades

Over the years I've mainly modified, worked with and shot the Ruger 77/22's.

However a couple years ago that all changed. Since then I have modified several Ruger 10/22's for buddies, including building one for myself.

The great thing about the 10/22 is you can "have it your way". There are so many different aftermarket parts available you can literally build a complete gun from custom parts without using a single Ruger part if so inclined.

As per the Trigger Groups for the 10/22 there again are several options. My future son in law sprung for a complete Volquartsen TG2000 Complete Trigger & Housing. Truth be know the Volquartsen TG2000 is not enough better than the Factory Trigger Group my nephew set out to TT Shooter for a complete trigger job to warrant twice the price.

Then again the Volquartsen TG2000 is not enough better than the trigger job I did myself on my 10/22 with the only custom parts I used were a Volquartsen Custom Target Hammer and Power Custom Spring Kit to warrent the price difference either. But then I spent hours polishing all the parts in my trigger group, including the Volquartsen Custom Target Hammer.

There are a few different postings on RFC on how to improved your factory trigger. The way I looked at it is like this, if I messed up I'd just then buy a custom trigger group, what I contemplated doing in the first place. In my case I didn't mess up so I didn't have to spring for a custom trigger group.

Larry

As Range Junkie has stated you can have a 10/22 your way. Build it mild or wild what ever suits you fancy. They can be a money pit though, but then again it depends on what you want as a end result.

On my own 10/22 I bought a used one from a buddy that had been sitting in the garage for years. The outside of the barrel was solid rust and the stock was all dinged up. I wasn't too worried about the condition as I was planning on a rebuild it anyway.

I completely disassembled the entire 10/22. I decided to see if I could get it cleaned up and shoot it before I started buying aftermarket parts. Once I had the barrel off of the receiver I spent an hour watching TV and working on the barrel with 0000 steel wool keeping the barrel wet with Break Free CLP. Believe it or not but it really cleaned up quite good.

I then went to work on the inside of the barrel (yeah I know I did this backwards as I should have did the inside first). There was a heavy coating of wax in the barrel and no rust. It actually cleaned up really good.

Then following the instructions on RFC I did a complete action job on it. I chamfered (radiused) the rear surface of the bolt where it contacts the hammer during cycling. This provides for smoother bolt operation especially with Standard Velocity Ammo. I also added a Tuffer Buffer Recoil Buffer.

I then removed the factory bolt release and did the auto bolt modification to it. This is done so once you have the bolt locked to the rear it does not take two hands to get the bolt back into battery. With the auto bolt modification once the bolt is locked to the rear it is a simple matter of pulling the changing handle to the rear and letting the bolt go forward into battery.

I then polished the hammer, sear and disconnector. Eventually I did replace the hammer with a Volquartsen Custom Target Hammer and used Power Custom Springs.

I also have the factory 18 1/2" Barrel shortened to 16 1/2" (removing the front sight and recrowning it in the process). When I started this project I had wanted a 16" Stainless Bull Barrel. Well this shortened Factory Barrel shot soooooooo good I couldn't replace it. So I went with the next best thing. I secured a Green Mountain Aero Shroud and modified my factory barrel (I had to turned down the diameter of the barrel immediately in front of the dovetail for the V block so the shroud would fit onto the barrel) to mount the Aero Shroud. Now it appears as though it is a 16" Bull Barrel without the weight.

When I bought this 10/22 I had a plan. Since I have two AR-15's I wanted to set this one up in a AR style stock. At first I used a Tapco T-6 Stock but in the end I ended up replacing it with a Nordic Components AR-22 Receiver Chassis Kit. To this I added a Stoner Buffer Tube & 6 Position Collapsable Stock, AR-15 Free Float Tube and AR-15 Pistol Grip.

The end result is a 10/22 with a slightly modified factory carbine barrel that shoots way better than I thought a 10/22 with a factory barrel could shoot. I am super pleased with my 10/22, and the kids at our local indoor shooting range just love shooting it. They say it looks cool, but the most important part is with the adjustable buttstock they can make it the right length for each one of them individually.

Larry