Coyote Hunter: There is plenty of time in your future to find a compelling deal on a Ruger 10/22 of one model or another. Or maybe a used customized 10/22.
I was chasin guns way east of my home here in SW Montana yesterday and came across a gunshop with 13 (thirteen!) different models of brand new Ruger 10/22's on their shelves/racks!
And that is not counting any of the used models they were re-selling!
I probably should have bought one of the used 10/22's they had that had an "off brand" scope on it and someone had added an adjustable butt pad to the factory original birch stock along with an additional front sling swivel stud (for a Harris Bi-Pod?).
It was priced VERY low ($139.00 IIRC) and would have been a good donor action for a custom - after selling off the cheapy extras on it.
I may go back there in a few days and show cash?
I have Hunted with probably 20+ Ground Squirrelers so far this season and all but two of them brought along their various model Ruger 10/22's - some of them more than one!
Obviously most people in the know consider them "classy" enough to own/Hunt with!
I just checked my online firearms inventory and I am down to just 6 (six!) Ruger 10/22's (4 Deluxe Model's, 1 heavy barrel factory model and 1 Deluxe custom Shilen heavy barreled model).
Triggers on Ruger 10/22's are often in need of "aid" - luckily this is easy to do and relatively inexpensive.
Long live the Ruger 10/22 - being "classy" for 54 years now and still going strong!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
P.S.: "To date, more than 6 million Ruger 10/22 rifles, in all variations, have been sold—a number that no doubt would have pleased the late Bill Ruger. Indeed, the 10/22 has taken the traditional Christmas "kid's rifle" to places where no rimfire rifle has gone before.
(From an article by "Shooting Illustrated" on Ruger 10/22's - that's "classy" in a "class" by itself!).
