Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires Ruger 10/22, another project

I found a 242 series Ruger 10/22 at a good price.

Today, I ordered a scope mount and rings, and will put on a Swift 1.5-5X 20mm scope that has been sitting in the closet for years.

Should be a fun plinker, and I know I will use it some for rabbits and squirrels out at the farm.

You'll have even more fun if you buy a 17 HM2 barrel from Green Mountain. They are closing out the 96/22 barrels in 17 HM2. I bought 1 of the 19" sporter contour barrels and really like it. The 17 HM2's flat trajectory out to 100 yards makes it a fun gun to shoot targets of opportunity in the field.

You can find them at www.gmriflebarrel.com under the Internet Specials for $64.98. I liked the 1st of these so much that I bought 2 more for sometime down the road.

Jeff

If I understand correctly, there are some after-market options available for the 10/22. Someone here at the fire may be able to supply information on this.

There is almost as much aftermarket stuff out there for a 10/22 as there is for the AR platform.
I am sticking close to stock though, just adding the scope and a sling.
I have no use for a .17, and will use this mainly for plinking. There is already a <cough> few rounds of .22LR in the safe, I really don't want to start stockpiling another caliber.

Despite the cost of 17 HM2 ammo, around $3.50 per box of 50, it is so much fun to be able to point and shoot flat to 100+/- yards with a 10/22 conversion that you can burn through a lot of ammo in a short time. Shooting a 10/22 conversion is like the old Lays (or was it Pringles?) Potato Chip ad, "betcha can't eat just 1!". If you ever shoot a 10/22 to 17 HM2 conversion, betcha won't be happy until you have 1. I have yet to meet anyone who has spent any time with the 17 HM2 and not be impressed by how much performance is in that little package.

And, if you think about it, $3.50 per box is actually less than the average cost of Eley, RWS, or Wolf 22 LR match ammo and the Eley/Remington 17 HM2 is built to those specs.

EDIT: Florida would be a great place to shoot a 17 HM2 10/22 conversion, as there are so many frogs, snakes, turtles, and other reactive targets just waiting to be wacked with those little .17 caliber bullets!

Jeff

At the risk of asking a dumb question, what does '242 series' mean? Older model?

No, it is the SN prefix, 242-xxxxx, probably from around 1996/97.
The last Wal-Mart K10/22-22 that I bought had a 259 prefix.
Jeff

Why would you want to stockpile ammunition? It just gets old, if not used right away.

You should always stop by the store and buy new ammunition, for your shooting purposes. This way you are always shooting freshly manufactured ammunition.

This makes good sense, right?

Bill

to some degree, yes. If you don't want to stock any for a rainy day, thats fine with me.
Note that ammunition does not really 'get old'. Stored correctly, it will be effective long after you are dead and buried.

I've had 2 Volquartsen barrels on mine one in 22 LR, the other in 17 HM2. When it had the 22 barrel on it, it was the most accurate 22 I ever fired with match ammo. Then I put the 17 barrel on. (You have to change the bolt also. It needs a heavier bolt for increased inertia, so that it stays closed just a tad longer.) Once I shot that 17, I immediately sold the 22 barrel. I just realized I'd never be putting it back on. The 17 is that much better.

I haven't gone to a heavier bolt (yet), just the 10/22 Magnum recoil spring and a TKO synthetic buffer. I have 2 10/22 to 17 HM2 conversions; 1 with a relined factory barrel and 1 with a 19" Green Mountain 10/96 barrel. I'm not getting any bulged cases, so far, so I haven't seen a real need to go with a heavier bolt or heavier bolt handle.

Jeff

Pretty much finished this one. I mounted a Swift 1.5-4.5X 20mm scope that was sitting in the closet, and then I bore sighted it.
Outside in the back yard, at 25 yards, it gave me two .75 inch groups. I'll take it to the farm tommorrow, and try it at 50 and 75 yards.
Total cost of the rifle, Leupold rings and SquareB base was under $150. Ammo I have

I have a 1022 that I bought used in 1982. It had a cheap 4x20 scope on it that went miky so I took it off. I put on an old 3-9x40 Bushnell Banner that had seen duty on every rifle I owned, and just this summer I bought a cheap (like $40 cheap) Busnell Rimfire scope for it. I sighted it in the other day and off the hood of my truck at 25 yards, rapid fire, I was able to keep a 10 round mag full in one hole. I emptied another 10 round mag into the same hole. After 20 rounds, QUICK rounds, the hole was still under 3/8" For me, that'll qualify as a grouse gun. Happy with it, and too much fun to shoot.

I just started my 10/22 project a week or two ago. I bought the base gun and have ordered new stocks and barrel for it. Can't wait to get all the pieces and try it out!

A couple of mine. I call them the Twins. Stainless Twin:

Blue twin:


Both rifles will avg just under .8 MOA @ 100 yards. Stock appearing but highly modified with Green Mountain Heavy Sporter barrels (.750" @ muzzle), glass bedded, highly modified trigger assemblies. Both have Mueller APV scopes and Talley mount/rings.

Targets shot last week with the Blue Twin:

Vincent,

I like your twins.

You seem to be raising them well.

Thank you very much Brad. I am proud to have built these two.

Here is a couple I messed with. The two stocks on the outside are Evolutions and they feel so good. The one in the middle is a Barracuda and it is very uncomfortable. I had few buddies try both and no one preferred the Barracuda.
I installed an adjustable sear, a competition hammer, shims and springs. I also installed a bolt release and extended mag release.
I haven't had the chance to give them a good workout, but the few shots I have fired they did great. If one or both are not shooters I will replace the barrel.