There are two ways to rock 'n roll a 10/22
First (and cheapest), buy a select fire conversion book from Paladin Press (for academic study only!), commit a felony and convert the gun in your garage. Beware when neighbors call the cops or the off duty cop at your range asks for paperwork. If you get busted, you will almost certianly see jail time. Your ass will then get the opportunity to be intimate with characters named Bubba and Leon.
Second (and most expensive), look around for a John Norrell conversion. He makes the best closed bolt conversion out there. Typically running $4,500 - $5,000 now. His sear is made of hardened tool steel and and will last forever. His own guns have fired over 300k rounds. His set up is truly stealthy: a small button drilled into the upper face of the trigger. Press the lower portion of the trigger and fire it semi, raise the finger to cover the button and buzzzzzzz. Cyclic rate is about 800-1000 rpm depending on ammo and whether a suppressor is being used.
John Norrell has also patented his modifications to the bolt and trigger pack to control bolt bounce. He adds a counter-weight to the bolt and a spring-loaded plunger to the trigger pack. A very neat and functional modification.
Add to it an integral suppressor and you have a gun that sounds like a muffled sewing machine on steroids. Best off, it looks like any other bull barrel 10/22. But when you get the urge you can step into the backyard and dump a mag into a phone book and the neighbors are none wiser. Plinking in the woods attracts no attention. Remember to always be sure of your target and backstop, especially if firing in the backyard.
The setup can be ammo brand sensitive. Look at it this way, a full auto sear has been added, modifications to the bolt have been made, a suppressor can be added and a variety of hi-cap mags can be used. A lot of new things relative to a stock 10/22 are going on. It generally likes quality CCI, W-W or R-P ammo. You may have to try a few brands of subsonics until you find one the particular gun likes. But hey, ammo is cheap and you and always shoot it in your semi.
It can be a pricey setup (welcome to the world of class 3!)
$4,500 for a trigger pack, $800 for an STW one-piece titanium suppressor (very trick) and $1,500 for two dozen hi-cap mags and $400 in transfer taxes for two stamps. Oh and lets not forget $150 at Walmart for the base 10/22 rifle.
You also open up the whole world of 10/22 aftermarket parts and accessories. I added a weaver rail so I can mount a Bushnell Holosight or a Trijicon compact ACOG. A Volquartsen bolt release and extend mag release are very functional. When I want to hear the gun, I slip on a Volquartsen THM carbon fiber barrel - full auto is when the 32-hole compensator seems to make sense.
If you can, make the plunge. This is a very controllable full auto, so it is accurate out to 50 - 100 yards, it is stealthy both sonically and visually. And it is cheap to shoot! It is a great gun to introduce non-shooters and non-class 3 folks to the world of full auto; very non-threating, sporter look, light/no recoil and again, cheap ammo. It will quickly become your favorite gun. It is a
It is that reason why you may have a hard time finding one for sale - owners generally love theirs and do not want to part with it. Try a WTB post on subguns.com
[Edited by psp on 03-09-2001 at 08:15 AM]