10/22 accuracy woes

S

shrewd

New member
i've been shooting with my buddy pretty much every weekend for the last few months, probably longer.

we made the switch to almost exclusive .22 shooting the last 2 or so months to prepare for our first appleseed, where my bro earned his patch (highest i could manage was a 194..burn..)

anywho i figured whatever, swapped my tech sights for a nice little 4x scope and have been having some plinking fun with that. i brought it home with me for the weekend to go shooting with my stepdad, who brought his remington 597. now i've heard lots of bad things about those rifles about jamming and so on, but we didn't have a problem and, dangit, that thing shot like a champ!

at 25 yards i was getting a ragged hole in the bull, and not much worse at 50, from sitting on a bench.

excited, i pull out the ruger, thinking hot darn, i must be on a roll today. i ended up shooting high (scope was zeroed for federal automatch, and we were shooting mini mags) but what struck me was the groups. i was getting 6 or 7 holes with 10 rounds in a rough inch and a half grouping with the ruger.

is the ruger just not as good a shooter (before hundreds in upgrades) than the remi? cause shoot, i might have to trade up (and get that patch... :) )?
 
Two things I could think to recommend perhaps 3 is

1. have a smith work on the trigger. This by far is the Rugers biggest short coming.

2. Remove the barrel band and have the smith make another screw to anchor the receiver in the stock.

Only other 2 things I could recommend is mounting the scope to the barrel for better accuracy also what brand is the scope? I used a cheaper scope on my 10/22 because I wanted mil dots for shooting longer ranges but I found I could not hold a proper zero. Switched back to my better one the thing shoots groups size of a finger nail at 50 yrds... I do have a different barrel.
 
Could merely be an ammo problem.

Many .22's (not just Ruger) are notoriously picky about which rounds they shoot well.
 
thanks for the info guys.

part of me wants to buy a 597 like my stepdads and be done with it, as i know its easy to start upgrading/modding the ruger and suddenly find yourself 500 in the hole (and why do that when i could buy a whole new rifle to play with?)

right now im using the fed automatch, though i do recall putting 100 rounds of winnie super x and finding the groups a bit tighter.

i took off the barrel band awhile ago, someone told me it would increase accuracy, though now the single screw holding her together is locktighted down.

i also recall seeing quite a few cheap used bolt gun .22s at the LGS while i was looking for what would become my 'liberty training rifle.' i might just drop a quick 80 on one of those and see what happens. switch the scope to that and put the tech sights back on the ol' ruger. iron sights are just more fun :)


oh, on that note, the scope was fairly cheap job from midway, perhaps a the barska? i cant quite recall but after buying a weaver base and rings the whole package was like 40 or 50
 
Most 10/22's won't shoot mini mags with any kind of accuracy. Most will literally shoot in a hole using standard velocity ammo. Try a different ammo preferably standard velocity.
 
First thing is to get the trigger improved. That improved my wife's basic 10-22 from a 1.5 inch shooter at 50 yards, to about 0.6 inches. Then I went to work and got it to average just about 0.5 inches with a new barrel and higher power scope.

Try Wolf Match Target and see if it does better in your rifle.
It isn't that expensive for your matches and it generally shoots pretty well in all the 10-22s that I am familiar with.

One thing you will find as you try other ammo, every rifle tends to like different ammo, even if it came off the same production line on the same day. Change barrels, stocks or amost anything else and it may change its preferences.

Over about 2 years we tested of 50 different ammos for 22LRs using 7 different rifles shooting over 21,000 rounds of ammunition. Wolf Match Target and the more expensive Match Extra were in the top 7 with every rifle. Match Target surprisingly was always in the top 5, even if the particular rifle shot Match Extra better or worse.

I have a 10-22 with a Butler Creek Match Barrel and Hogue stock and Volquartsen trigger that has averaged 0.415 with 5 shot groups of Match Target at 50 yards for 177 measured groups. It also shot Lapua Center-X to the same average but Center-X is about twice as expensive. It shot Match Extra to an average of 0.460, so more expensive ammo isn't always the most accurate in a particular rifle. Just because someone else's rifle shoots one ammo really well doesn't mean that your rifle will.
It's very best group average is with a discontinued Eley Match EPS USA version that was produced for the US Olympic Team. None of the other 10-22s liked it but this particular one averaged 0.382. Go figure.

My other 10-22 with a cheap Butler Creek Combo barrel and stock averaged 0.491 for 99 measured groups with Match Target.
It shot Eley Club even better at 0.444 and Wolf Match Extra at 0.448.
But it really loved Lapua Center-X averaging 0.403 with that ammo.

I've given up predicting what 10-22s will shoot, but the probability is that it will shoot Wolf Match Target (or Lapua SK Standard Plus) pretty well, maybe not the best, but pretty well.
 
As others have said, I would try lots of ammo types first. Go to all the stores in your area and get as many different 50 round boxes as you can, then go to the range and try them out.

When I did this a few months ago, I found out two things:
1) My 10/22 likes 40 grain ammo, especially CCI Velocitors
2) My Remington 597 jams (a lot) no matter what ammo or magazine I try
 
I wouldn't spend a lot of money on it to make it more accurate. I would put a Volquartsen target hammer and bushing in it @ Midway for $40 dollars. That will drop the trigger pull down to around 3 lbs. you don't need to change any of the springs. Go to youtube and you will find video's on how to install it. It's an easy install if you just change the hammer & bushings.

Like others have suggested try a bunch of different brands of ammo to see which will group the best and then adjust your sights. Before I bought a good scope and mounting system I would see if it grouped with the iron sights.

If it grouped good and I wanted a scope, then I would get a good scope, Weaver Rimfire 3-9x32 or Muller 4.5-14x40 APV and mounting system.

The 10/22 has a slight hump in the receiver so I would use a 2 pieace mount like a Talley or a 1 pieace like the DNZ, it is cut out in the center for the scope mount.

If I didn't get good groups, I would sell it and get a CZ or Savage bolt. I wouldn't put a lot of money in it to try and get it to group, when you can buy a Savage that will out shoot it for about the same price stock as a stock 10/22.

Or a Marlin 60 if you want a semi. It still has a bad trigger but usually is more accurate than a 10/22. You could probably sell your 10/22 and buy a new 60 and still have a few dollars left in your pocket.
 
mostly good suggestions above...

#1 is trigger
#2 is try different ammo
#3 (new) is a cheek rest.... when using a scope your eye needs to be in exactly the same place each time you sight in and shoot.

197 appleseed score: you are only 13 points away from the magic 210. that's just one and a half 'X's on the last set.
 
A friend bought a new Ruger Deluxe model (no barrel band) and it shot about the same as yours before I worked on it. I did the trigger, bedding, upward pressure pad in the barrel channel, bolt milling, firing pin staking and nose job, but it didn't shoot all that much better.

After he got a new Green Mtn. Barrel, it shot half-inch groups at 50 yards with CCI Standard Velocity, and Wolf Match. My older factory sporter barrel shot about 3/4", but after more mods and a Shilen barrel, it averaged .37" for 10 consecutive groups at 50 yards (on a submitted Prove-It target).

If you can find any semi-auto that will shoot under 3/4" at 50 yards, as it came from the factory, buy it! They are very rare indeed.
 
I think it's funny that you would have to get a new trigger, a new barrel and a new stock after you buy a ruger 10-22 to make it have acceptable accuracy. Why buy a $200 rifle and spend twice as much to get it right? Makes no sense. :confused:
 
I can see why some people do it. They are building a personalize rifle that you can't buy off the shelf and they get pleasure from working on it. It can be done in stages when you have the time and money.

It's kind of like working on a race car.
 
First we have to define accuracy. The norm for a stock 10/22 is 1" - 1 1/2" groups at 50 yards. At least it has been in my experience (6 or 8 different 10/22's). The Remington's seem to do a little better and same for the Marlins. But even then we're only talking dropping the average groups down 1/2" which if your target shooting is a good thing, for most other shooting it's virtually irrelevant.

Most 10/22's won't shoot mini mags with any kind of accuracy.
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This is a bunch of bunk. Again define accuracy? MiniMags are my go to ammo for testing a hunting .22. Will they shoot as well as SV or sub-sonic ammo? Better than some, not as good as others. But 99% of the time it is more accurate and consistent than bulk or ANY other high velocity ammo. You have to compare apples to apples. IMO, there 3 grades of .22lr ammo: Target v. Hunting v. Plinking. Can you cross over and use them for other roles? Of coarse, but if you're gonna compare ya have to keep it in their perspective grades. I have a sporter barreled 10/22 that will shoot one hole groups at 25 yards with MiniMags.

The OP brought up Remington's reputation for reliability issues and they are deserved. The OP's father got a good one and they are out there. Most of the issues can be attributed to a magazine and IIRC Remington will send you a replacement (magazine that is) if you call them and tell them you have an issue with one. At least they used to when they were having BIG issues with them 8 or 10 years ago. BTW, the Remington stock trigger is worse than any 10/22. Volquartsen can fix that for you too.

It doesn't take $200 to make the Ruger shoot as well as the competition. There are many upgrades that are cheap to free and as stated, do some ammo testing. If you do spend $200 on a 10/22 you should end up with a gun that will shoot circles around the Marlin and Remington and will shoot as well most guns costing, well............$400-$500. Imagine that.

LK
 
I think it's funny that you would have to get a new trigger, a new barrel and a new stock after you buy a ruger 10-22 to make it have acceptable accuracy. Why buy a $200 rifle and spend twice as much to get it right? Makes no sense.
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You expect Ferrari performance from a Honda Civic?
Mass produced rifles are subject to parts tolerances. On rare occasion, the tolerances stack up produces a fine shooter. In other occasions, a poor shooter.
 
Both my 10/22's are so accurate that it is scary. Primers out of shot gun shells at 25 yards by my 13 year old daughter. They are awesome rifles. I would go with others here and try different ammo. I got box after box of ammo a few years ago during the hard times. All mixed between fed,rem cci. They are all mixed in 2 ammo boxes.When i load the thing it's a mixture of all and i notice no difference in accuracy.
 
Blume was about right.

On the cheap (and y shouldn't you be)?

Ammo -- Match Target. U r there!

Trigger -- I no longer recommend 10/22's to people WITHOUT a firm understanding they must replace trigger parts and consider it part of the purchase price of the gun. Personaly, at the time they were $65 and I went with:

http://www.clarkcustomguns.com/clk743d.html

While there you might buy their 10/22 "pull" bolt release.

The Volquartsen product(s) are also very well regarded.

FYI, I bought a new Marlin 795 very recently. NOT an alternative anymore IMO. What cheap trigger group design and construction! Absolutely the worst trigger pull I have ever taken out of a box (other than a Ruger 96/22 Lever Action and that I bought barely used from a friend). For $114 I'm not gonna bother returning it -- I'd rather give it away to a non-shooter.

The 10/22 barrel's adequate.

The Tech Sights are what they are. Scope? Should be small objective (20 mm or so) to help keep it as low as possible to the receiver/barrel -- and don't be too cheap (like use a 15mm disposeable scope! Expect to spend half what the investment in the rifle was for the scope and proper (read: lowest possible you can use) rings!

You -- practice from the basics on up. Challenge yourself. Score the right targets, honestly, at the right distances.

Good Luck.
 
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It's kind of hard to discuss 10/22's in general because of all the different models. Carbine, target, compact, sporter, tactical and probably some others.

Some have the barrel band, some do not. The target version already has a 'target trigger' and extended magazine release and a heavy barrel.

Here's the target, the compact and the tactical:

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You can have about the same amount of confusion discussing Remington 597's as they have several variations too.
 
The stock standard Ruger 10/22 carbine is regarded as one of the most reliable, handy , pointable .22 semi autos on the market. Sub MOA grouping however is not one of the attributes of a standard 10/22 carbine. As others suggest, you must try different brands of ammo to get the best out of any .22, but even with prefered ammunition the best I could ever get out of my 10/22 "unworked" carbine was around 2 MOA, with a 4X scope.
You can certainly buy more accurate off the shelf .22s than the Ruger 10/22, but you would be hard pressed to find a more reliable semi auto .22 than the Ruger.
 
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