10/22 Questions

D

DougB

New member
I have a fairly new stainless 10/22 in standard configuration. I came across three older "blued" 10/22s in a pawn shop today. I'd like to take the receiver from my stainless 10/22 and add about a 16" carbon fiber bull barrel and a plastic stock (maybe the Butler Creek one with the cheesy built-in bipod).

Which brings me to the used ones. I'd like to take my nearly new stainless barrel and install it on one of these receivers to make a plinking/loaner/beater type rifle. I don't care too much about the looks, but it would be nice to have the receiver match the barrel and scope I have (both stainless).

Has anyone bead or sand-blasted the finish off a Ruger 10/22 receiver? I don't think any of them are really stainless - just matte aluminum.

Also, were any significant changes (good or bad) made to the 10/22 over the years? The three I have to choose from were made in 1976, 1988, and 1992.

Also, I noticed that the trigger guard/assembly on the two older ones seems quite loose. I'm not sure if its just a loose screw, or if this is something serious.

All appear to be in pretty good shape and are priced fairly close. Any advice or insights will be appreciated.

Doug
 
The receivers on the 10/22 are aluminum.

As for looseness of the trigger unit (casted aluminum), that may suggest that either the holes for the retaining pins on receiver or the trigger group are worn. The addage, Tight is Right, should be followed in selecting the used 10/22.

I don't recall a spring being used as a retention device for the pins, but if there is one, the spring could be shot. Goes to show how long ago it was since I took my 10/22 apart.
 
If you take apart the receiver often (like me), in a short period of time the pins will get loose to the point of falling out if the receiver is tilted (out of the stock). The stock holds all of the pins in when the receiver is placed back into it. There are a couple of pins that are held in place by some kind of binding force in the receiver (spring, lateral forces from mag release/bolt stop), but the pins that hold the trigger assembly to the receiver will loosen. (I don't really think this is too big of a deal, to me anyways, and it helps speed disassembly.)

As for refinishing, I had sent one of my 10/22 out to be customized by D&J a few years back (receiver was blue). As I recall, they sanded or blasted the blue off (but not the the point of obliterating the engravings and S/N). They then either epoxy painted or powder coated it silver/grey to match the barrel. I have seen receivers just sand blasted and left in the white without any coating. I'm not sure how well they would hold up over time.

I've noticed since buying my third or forth 10/22 that when I bought the next one, the trigger shape had changed from slightly rounded trigger face surface to completely flat. This seems to be the only major modification that I have seen since I started buying 10/22s in the very late '80s. I usually replace the trigger anyways.



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- Ron V.
 
The 10/22 has a clear-coat finish over natural aluminum. If you are to refinish it, I'd suggest merely PLASTIC MEDIA BLASTING it and not bead blasting. Glass beads are harder than the aluminum and will wear the metal fairly quickly. No matter what you do, I'd suggest you get some quality epoxy or polyurethane clear-coating and coat it again.
 
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