Stock Ruger 10-22: How Accurate?

S

Stephen A. Camp

Staff In Memoriam
Hello. My main interests are in handguns and centerfire rifles. I have a Ruger 10-22 without any of the upgrades available from other sources. I understand that like centerfire rifles/pistols, rimfire guns can have ammo preferences, etc and I realize that some will really, really shoot and some really, really won't.

My question is: About what's the average accuracy one can reasonably expect from a stock Ruger 10-22 at 25 and 50 yards? I'll explain why I'm interested in this information and ammo recommendations a bit later.

Any and all hints or information are welcomed and appreciated. Thank you in advance.

Best.
 
Well, I don't know about the ammo, but I changed the trigger (2.5lbs now) and the accuracy improved greatly. I don't have to pull hard and jerk the trigger anymore, a light soft touch fires it.

I got some Williams Firesights for it. I got the peepsight set. Because the sight radius is about 8" further, the accuracy (again) went up. I put in a bolt buffer. http://www.buffertech.com and again accuracy improved. The gun is incredible, mine didn't like Winchester though, jammed every other shot. Eats the Blazers all day though.

With the light trigger, the improved sights (firesights at the time, the gold bead is impossible to see in low light) and the bolt buffer, the thing shoots like a sniper rifle, is easier and less recoil than my pellet guns, and I can shoot a brick of .22's for almost $0... It's like $9 for a brick of 500...

What more can you ask for?

Albert
 
Hello, Twoblink, and thank you for your information. The loads I tried were Remington "Subsonic," which did not group and Federal Match, which did much better.

Mine definitely needs a trigger job. I have a Ruger M77 in .22 mag that has had one and with ammo it likes, it shoots very, very well.

Best and thanks so much.
 
10/22 Accuracy

I'm on my second 10/22 for about a year. My first lasted 10 years but developed a serious misfire problem which after repeated returns to Ruger resulted in a replacement. The new 10/22 sent from the factory had much nicer wood and had better fit and finish however the trigger was atrocious. After 500 rounds it is much, much better.

I use a Williams Peep Sight and can get 1" at 25 yards however I am sure it would be much better with a scope and a tuned trigger. That said, this is my knock around rifle I carry for rabbits and general fun shooting. I use the 77/22 for precise shooting but amazingly enough at 100 yards the 10/22 is nearly as good hitting a clay pigeon as the scoped 77/22.
 
Gun Tests tested a pair of 10/22s about two years ago. With match grade ammunition (Lapua Dominator, RWS 50, Eley Target, Federal Ultramatch), the groups were from 0.7" to 1.7", with most under an inch. Remington Viper was from 1.4" to 1.9". All at 50 yards.
 
very good

just went shooting last week and wanted to find out that same question, but with stock sights. using cci mini-mag h.p.'s, i shot 10 shot groups at 25y and 50 y. 3 groups at 25 y measured .57"{personal record}, 1", and .88". at 50y, the best 10 shot group measured only 1.2", {another record} with 9 of 10 shots measuring .8"! using a scope [simmons], 5 shot groups have been averaging just over an inch at 50y, but i'm convinced i can get it better than that. usually 3 or 4 groups out of 10 will be 1" or less. trying to get it more like 5 or 6. fun shooting
 
My stock 10/22 would shoot about a 1" group at 30yds. I upgraded to the heavy barrel after 12 years of use and it shoots under 1/2" at 30yds.

I love it! It is so much fun to go out and eat a 1/2" hole in the paper with no problems at all.

I use the Rem Standards in mine. It seems to like them the best.

ChrisW
 
I have a scope and a trigger-job on my 10/22. About six weeks ago I sat down on the benchrest and fired three of each of quite a few brands of ammo lying around the house, at 25 yards. No ammo specifically intended for target use. Mostly Winchester, Remington, CCI; solids and hollow-points; standards, HV and hyper-v.

Most of it shot, oh, maybe 1" to 1-1/2" groups. The best in my particular rifle was the Quick Shock; 3 shots into 1/2".

FWIW, Art
 
Why I Wanted to Know...

Hello, and thanks so much for your help. The reason that I wanted to know kind of a ballpark accuracy figure for stock 10-22s is because I had a (NFA-legal, of course) suppressor fitted to mine. Before having the bbl threaded, and with the gun in totally stock form, I was getting 3/4" groups at 25 yards from a rest and w/scope using Remington "Subsonic."
Later, after being fitted with the suppressor, ammo from the same lot was doing good to stay in a 4" circle at the same distance. (No, the bullets did NOT touch the suppressor.) Changing to Federal Target ammo, groups remain about the same with/without the suppressor at about 3/4". I suspect that part of this is due to my rifle not having yet had a trigger job. I strongly suspect that with a better trigger, the groups will get a tad smaller and I see that my bbl's within the acceptable range. This is for "polite" pest control and is plenty accurate as is for that purpose.

Thank you all.

Best.
 
Midway has (had) a traget trigger/hammer group for about $40 or so. Pretty quick drop-in & made a huge difference. For a few extra bucks, throw in the extended mag release & bolt hold-open thingy (very handy l'il add-ons for pretty cheap).

I had pretty good luck with Rem's sub-sonics - seemed to be the most accurate out of a few I've tried. Ended up switching though to CCI minis just because my revolver likes them better. Still the 10/22 stays well within minute of rabbit head well past 50 yds.
 
Wow, Steve! I wanna shoot it! I'll give you a call! Or better yet, I know where the cats are getting a bit thick... :)

Just kidding, everybody! ( ;) to S.Camp...)

I didn't think that 10/22 factory triggers were adjustable? I know that the Ruger M-77 MkII triggers certainly aren't, now...

--BTW, to those of y'all who don't know him, S.Camp's got quite a reputation for accuracy-- if he can't get better than 4" out of a rifle, you can bet your hat that the rifle needs work... :)

--L.P.
 
Hello, LongPath. The triggers on both the rifles you mention must be made better by qualified 'smiths. IF one has this done and the rifle has to go back to Ruger, expect them to replace your "doctored" sear, etc with factory parts. I had my M77's trigger worked over. This .22 mag shoots exceptionally well with the suppressor. One gets the ballistic crack, but it's not bad, not bad at all. I actually prefer it for pest control as it's substantially more effective than the lr.

Best.
 
4" is not acceptable from any factory 10/22. The suppressor could have changed the preferences, but that's a lot of change for such a short distance. Have you chrony'd any of them with the suppressor?

I have shot several and customized every one of mine. The worst I've ever seen at 50 yrds was 2". Drop in parts are wonderful and plentiful. Try http://www.sportables.com for lots of upgrade info.

My next build will be something new & different. A carbon fiber bull barrel with a Holosight on the stainless receiver at the previous website. Of course, I'm saving my Ben Franklins for that one. It'll probably become one of the boys' rabbit/squirrel rifle and with the stainless receiver, it'll still be around when their grandkids want to pass it on.

Has anyone tried out one of the new Titan barrels? They claim target ammo accuracy with the cheap stuff as a result of a redesign of the chamber. They say there's a money back guarantee if you don't get 1/2' at 50 yds.

Here's the quote from their website:

"All Titan barrels are un-conditionally guaranteed to shoot 'under' one half (1/2") inch at 50 yards with most in-expensive ammo. Any Titan barrel that fails to accomplish this task; return it to Titan Arms, Inc. for a no-hassle instant replacement. Proof of purchase by the original purchaser is the only requirement, regardless of what dealer or distributor it was purchased from. No time stipulations or Warranty expiration dates.... ever!"


I'm intrigued.

ERRainman
 
I have had a 10/22 for 11 years. I love that gun - cheap to shoot and quite accurate. The last time I checked mine it was shooting a 1 1/4" with Rem Yellow Jacket. Mine must be a fluke but after testing various kinds of ammo, it was obvious it preferred the hyper-velocity stuff.

I have toyed with the idea of a Volquartsen barrel with a cantilever scope mount and a trigger job. The gun is so good I am scared to screw it.

My next purchase is 10/22 Magnum...however a Rem 597 Magnum comes with factory bull barrels now. G&A tested a 10/22 Magnum and got 1 1/2" at 100 yards if I recall.
 
I haven't really shot this rifle all that much, haven't even zeroed the scope yet. But I like it's "intimidating" factor packed in a mini-sized .22 rimfire package. I use it as my home defense gun...

BTW, the only thing I've modified is the trigger/hammer/bolt release all from Clark Custom Guns and purchased here http://www.ontargetguns.com. The trigger now pulls at 1.5lbs!

View
 
Ooooh! I'm telling!!

Let's see now:

flash supressor - 3 pts
folding stock - 5 pts
pistol grip - 7 pts
sniper scope - 10 pts
the ubiquitous hi-cap magazine - 75 pts

He scores 100 out of 100!

Yessiree Bob, that qualifies him for induction into the gun-totin' fool hall o'fame!

Sign him up!!!

ERRainman
who used to have a 10/22 like that, but added a Hogue overmolded stock, bull barrel, and lots of internal goodies. It doesn't really look any better, but it shoots circles around the old one.
 
Did the muzzle get boogered up?

Just a little armchair second guessing here, but with the remarkable decline in your 10-22's performance after having a suppressor fitted, I would be suspecting damage to the muzzle. That part of the barrel where the bullet comes out is fairly important.
 
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