[Range Junkie]

I have a Ruger 10/22 Target model on the way along with a Leupold rimfire scope. It is the 20" heavy blued barrel version with the laminate stock. Just wondering if any of you guys have one and what you have found shoots best in it as far as bullet weights or brands. I know the match stuff is probably going to shoot the best but has anyone found any bulk buy rounds that shoot groups pretty close to the match stuff. This is going to be a plinking and small game gun but I also want to play around with it a bit just seeing what kind of accuracy I can wring out of it on targets out to 100 yards or so.

 

[Old Grump]

Mine will shoot most anything but as accurate as the gun is and considering I shoot competition with it the fail to feed and fail to fire rates of bulk ammo make it a dubious choice in my 10/22. 38 and 40 gr standard velocity loads work best for me. I like the boxes of 100 Golden Bullet for up to 50 yards, not the bulk stuff and Winchester Super X for 100 yards but that is my gun and yours may prefer something entirely different.

 

[RaySendero]

I have a Ruger 10/22 Target model on the way along with a Leupold rimfire scope. It is the 20" heavy blued barrel version with the laminate stock. Just wondering if any of you guys have one and what you have found shoots best in it as far as bullet weights or brands. I know the match stuff is probably going to shoot the best but has anyone found any bulk buy rounds that shoot groups pretty close to the match stuff. This is going to be a plinking and small game gun but I also want to play around with it a bit just seeing what kind of accuracy I can wring out of it on targets out to 100 yards or so.

Junkie,

My suggestion is to determine the chamber cut length of your barrel. Since the 22LR headspaces on the rim, the chamber cut length determines the bullet “jump” into the riflings. It’s kinda like the process a reloader goes through to determine max COL, but in reverse. Knowing this length can save much time and expense accuracy testing ammo!

 

[RaySendero]

Junkie,

Had a problem posting earlier today - Here's the details:

Get a box of CCI mini-mags. Take the barrel off. Then put them in the chamber.


If they DO go in completely - You probably have a standard cut chamber

If they WON’T go in completely - You have a shortened chamber, sometimes referred to as “match cut”.

The length I’m referring to is the distance from the bottom of the rim to the top of the chamber diameter ring on the bullet. Here’s a list of this for the ammo I on hand:

0.778" - CCI mini-mags
0.772" - CCI Blazers
0.771" - Wolf Match Target
0.764" - RWS Rifle Target
0.761" - Rem/Eley Match Target
0.760" - Federal Gold Medal Match
0.738" - Eley Tenex Ultimate EPS

Notice the difference between even the match/target ammo from 0.738 to 0.771”. I predict your rifle will show a preference for a certain length. Knowing this will greatly reduce the time and expense of accuracy testing different ammos!


PS: My rifle likes ammo in the 0.760 to 0.765” length.

 

[Range Junkie]

Ray,

There is a substantial difference in those lengths. Although I reload and shoot centerfire guns at distance and for accuracy I've never really messed around with a 22LR much other than just plinking. Good info guys, thanks.

 

[SD Handgunner]

Most every rimfire is a law unto itself as to what ammo they will prefer. With that said I have had extremely good results across the board with Wolf Match Target in several different .22's.

My Nephew and my future Son in Law both have Ruger 10/22T's (theirs are the stainless/laminated bull barrel models). Both have had their barrels free floated and both have had trigger work done to them (one sent off to TT Shooter for a trigger job and the other a Volquartsen TG 2000 replacement trigger group).

Not the best mind you but both of these rifles actually shoot quite good with Federal BULK AutoMatch Ammo. This is a 40gr. Solid Bullet load that is about midway between high velocity and standard velocity.

The best way to find out what your particular .22 likes or does not like is to buy a box or two of every brand and type of .22 LR Ammo you can find and shoot groups. Your rifle will tell you what it likes and dislikes.

Larry

 

[RaySendero]

.....
The best way to find out what your particular .22 likes or does not like is to buy a box or two of every brand and type of .22 LR Ammo you can find and shoot groups. Your rifle will tell you what it likes and dislikes.

Larry

Larry,

That was kinda my point, too. But I expect that if he was to keep track of the above length when trying different ammos - The rifle will tell ya it has a preference.

 

[Range Junkie]

I'm going to try a bunch of different ammo and see what it likes but I keep reading some really good things about the Wolf Match, so I will make sure I get a box from the start. Thanks guys.

 

[SD Handgunner]

Larry,

That was kinda my point, too. But I expect that if he was to keep track of the above length when trying different ammos - The rifle will tell ya it has a preference.

Yep I knew that is where you were going. Plus I think bullet lube will also have a bearing. My Custom Ruger 77/22 just does not like the Lapua Bullet Lube for some reason. No matter what Lapua I shoot the results are the same.

Larry

 

[Range Junkie]

Well, I picked up the rifle today. Gave it a good once over, broke it down, checked it all out, lubed critical areas, and installed the scope base. Now, I'm just waiting on my scope to arrive, and once it does I'll start the search for the perfect load. Although, I know I will never find the "perfect load", the search sure will be fun.

 

[Range Junkie]

Well, I just couldn't wait for my Leupold to get here so I mounted an old Redfield I had lying around on my new rifle. I went to the range with several different types of ammo. The CCI mini-mags and the Federal Game Shock both shot really well. They would both shoot one ragged hole at 50 yards. However, I also had picked up a box of Eley Tenex Ultimate EPS. That stuff grouped unbelievable. Of course, the downside is the price, don't think I will be shooting it very often since I can get the other two for less than $40.00 per brick. I couldn't find any other match grade ammo other than the Eley here locally. I also shot some high velocity Winchester and some Remington Vipers. Neither one of those shot worth a darn.

I really don't know how Ruger gets these little guns to shoot so well. The action doesn't really seem to lock up that tight and the tolerances don't seem that great but I guess they don't have to be on a 22lr as long as the barrel is good.

I shot a few 100 yard groups also. I never could get all five in a little cluster, as each time I seemed to throw one about 1/2" to 3/4" of an inch from the other four but the other four you could easily cover with a quarter. There will not be a safe squirrel anywhere around here anymore. I can't wait until the Leupold gets here. The crosshair is a little thick on that Redfield for trying to shoot tiny groups. I'm gonna have a lot of fun with this rifle. My only worry is once my wife gets her hands on it I might not get it back. Oh, well I'll just get her one too.

 

[MikeG]

There isn't any lockup. Just the weight of the bolt. So, yeah, the action sloppiness doesn't matter much on a blowback. It's all about the barrel and chamber. Sure you want headspace to be correct so the depth of the boltface recess comes into play on a 10/22... and you want good firing pin strike and a decent trigger. The thick heavy barrels take stock bedding out of the equation for the most part as well.

Anyway good for you as I've thought about getting one of the target models.

 

[Range Junkie]

Mike,

I just used the wrong choice of words there. I realize there is not any "lock-up" I was more so referring to the spring pressure of the bolt face against the breech, but like you said it really doesn't seem to matter much. This is the first semi-auto rifle I have owned. I usually only shoot bolt guns and I have a 22 mag. that is an absolute tack driver. I really thought it would be a stretch for a semi-auto to hold a candle to it but I stand corrected. This little Ruger might just give it a run for it's money. Once I get the trigger tuned up a little I think the groups are going to tighten up even more.

 

[Jim H]

one ammo to stay away from if that rifle has a match chamber is CCI Stingers. they are just a tad too long to be used in any match chamber. generaly i have had mini mags shoot very well in about all of my rimfire firearms.

 

[Range Junkie]

Yeah, I had read that about the stingers. I think I'm going to stick with the Federal Game Shock for plinking since I can get it here locally by the brick. I really can't see anything shooting tighter than it did without stepping up to match grade stuff and spending a lot more money. I mostly got this gun to do some accurate shooting for cheap and it's going to serve it purpose quite well.

 

[MikeG]

I have shot a few stingers in my 10/22, before I knew better. They shot fine but were no more accurate than Mini-Mags and cost more. Gave them up well before the current warnings came about.... then again, mine is a standard model and long predates the target models.

 

[Range Junkie]

Leupold came in today and i got it mounted up. Man that little 2-7x33 makes for a great combo with this gun.

 

[Range Junkie]

Well, I went to the range today and burned up a couple boxes of ammo getting the new scope zeroed and just doing some plinking. Man this thing shoots. Heres my best five shot 50 yard group using Federal Game Shock 38 grain.

 

[SD Handgunner]

That looks like that'll work. Good shooting.

Larry

 

[Range Junkie]

Well, I couldn't take that trigger any longer. I put a scale on it and it was breaking at about 4 1/2lbs on average. It was pretty creepy and not vary consistent. Sometimes it would break right at 4lbs or just under and other times it would break at almost 5lbs. Not really the target trigger the Ruger claims it to be IMO. So, I spent a little time polishing and tweaking it a bit. I got about 95% of the creep out of it and got the weight down to about 2lb 12oz. If I get time tomorrow I'm going back to the range to give it a good workout.

I can see this getting addictive. I'm already eyeing an older 10/22 I saw in a pawn shop. Thinking about getting it as a project rifle. If I would have known how easy these things are to customize I probably would have done that to start with.