I'm planning to get a Lilja 10-22 barrel and now I'm wondering if I should also be getting a custom action to get the best accuracy out of the barrel. Does anyone with experience know if custom actions give better accuracy than Ruger produced actions or are people buying the custom actions for other benefits?

some are a lot better than others. try the kid lineup . great triggers and pro. set up parts.

I second the choice of the Kidd . Other than Volquartzen, no other aftermarket 10/22 parts maker knows the 10/22 design better.

The reason most folks go to a custom 10/22 action is pretty much the same reasons people buy a custim Rem 700 clone action over a factory one- better machining tolerances, materials and more features.

In a good custom 10/22 acition you generally get a little truer and tighter bored barrel shank hole and trigger housing pin holes. Features like intregal picatinny rails, extra stock bedding supports etc also may be had.

Does that always equate into better accuracy over a factory action?

In my observation- no.

A good barrel , trigger , scope & mount ,ammo are all just as important as the action to creating an accurate gun.

Even the custom action must have all the other parts fitted to it by someone who knows their way around the 10/22 rifle to make it shoot reliably and accurately.

Fraser: About 27 years ago I bought a Lilja stainless heavy barrel with match chamber for my Deluxe Ruger 10/22. I also, at the time, had a trigger spring installed that was an improvement on the factory set-up.
Other than the barrel channel being opened up for the Lilja barrel the Rifle is the rest of the way stock.
It shoots VERY well! It is my main, go to, high volume Ground Squirrel Hunting rig. And I am guesstimating it has at least 100,000 rounds down the tube!
For my uses the standard action has been fine for everything I need.
I have shot a lot of friends Volquartsen 10/22's in the field and admire them greatly - but are they worth the money considering the uses I want and the limitations of the 22 L.R. round (Hunting ammunition) itself.
So far my answer has been no.
Best of luck to you which ever way you go.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I went with a Kidd action with a Kidd barrel. I have no idea if the action made a difference. Probably not with hunting ammo but it couldn’t hurt and my thinking was even though I probably will never sell it the Kidd action probably adds a few bucks over a donor Ruger action in resale value. Enough to offset the price of the action anyway.

After I decided on a Kidd barrel, then figured in the mods I thought necessary for good function, plus the added cost of a donor, it no longer mattered about additional accuracy as much as dependability & resale value.

I went all, Kidd, glad I did.