Certain distributors, and dealers if they are large enough, and Walmart is, can have the manufacturer to make special runs for them. The quality will be the same, the difference will be in the caliber, or cosmetically. As far as the Walmart 1022's go, I bought 2 last year when Walmart had their big sale going on. One was a synthetic stocked one, the other a stainless takedown model. They both shoot and function every bit as well as any other 10-22 I've ever fired.
