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I was at the Garland range last Friday plinking with my completely stock 10/22 with a 3-7x20 rimfire scope. I was shooting 3 different brands of cheap ammo from sandbags with the best giving me 3" groups with a few fliers. A nice guy with a modified 10/22 came in beside me and laid down a hundred rounds of cheap ammo in a 1" group with no fliers. After talking with him, I found out that he had an upgraded trigger group, bull barrel, bipod, and synthetic stock. He did all the mods at once so he didn't know which mod gave him the biggest accuracy improvement.

With these mods, you're one receiver away from a new gun, so I don't want to do that, but I would like to know if there is one upgrade that gives most of the benefit. Any experience?

one more thing - Maybe he's just a better shot (no ego here), but the upgrades have to give some improvement.

I've kept my 10/22 stock for two reasons: It can get expensive with all of the upgrades available; and I'm perfectly happy with the stock accuracy of the Ruger. I'm not looking for a .22 tack driver. Just something to dispatch the odd varmint or two, and an all around good plinker.

That being said, a floated bull barrel will most likely give you the results you desire. This will help eliminate the effects of a stock's natural tendency to swell and shrink given the humidity and temperature at any given time. A synthetic stock would also be a good way to go, but I like the looks of a good wood stock.
I like the trigger that come with the gun personally, and a bi-pod can easily be replaced with a sand bag or two.

Just my .02.

The bull barrel will be the single biggest improvement, but also one of the pricier ones.

The Annoyed Man wrote:The bull barrel will be the single biggest improvement, but also one of the pricier ones.

I have an older 10/22 Deluxe (circa 1974) and in this particular instance must take exception to TAM's usually stellar and spot on advice.

If your 10/22 is like mine and most others, it has an abominable trigger fom the factory. I sent my trigger assembly to Clarks Custom Guns in Princeton, LA (check 'em out) and a couple of weeks and $75 dollars later I had a 10/22 that was a pleasure to shoot and will shoot 1/2-3/4" groups all day long at 25 yds - using the cheapest bulk Winchester .22 LR's that Wal-Mart sells. My 10/22 does not like Federal bulk ammo.

After the trigger job, if you need further enhancement, follow TAM's suggestion and change out the barrel. You might also look into the 10/22 forum on http://www.RimFireCentral.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

Oldgringo wrote:

The Annoyed Man wrote:The bull barrel will be the single biggest improvement, but also one of the pricier ones.

I have an older 10/22 Deluxe (circa 1974) and in this particular instance must take exception to TAM's usually stellar and spot on advice.

If your 10/22 is like mine and most others, it has an abominable trigger fom the factory. I sent my trigger assembly to Clarks Custom Guns in Princeton, LA (check 'em out) and a couple of weeks and $75 dollars later I had a 10/22 that was a pleasure to shoot and will shoot 1/2-3/4" groups all day long at 25 yds - using the cheapest bulk Winchester .22 LR's that Wal-Mart sells. My 10/22 does not like Federal bulk ammo.

After the trigger job, if you need further enhancement, follow TAM's suggestion and change out the barrel. You might also look into the 10/22 forum on http://www.RimFireCentral.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

I must be in the minority then. I had not problems with the stock trigger whatsoever.

CaptWoodrow10 wrote:

Oldgringo wrote:

The Annoyed Man wrote:The bull barrel will be the single biggest improvement, but also one of the pricier ones.

I have an older 10/22 Deluxe (circa 1974) and in this particular instance must take exception to TAM's usually stellar and spot on advice.

If your 10/22 is like mine and most others, it has an abominable trigger fom the factory. I sent my trigger assembly to Clarks Custom Guns in Princeton, LA (check 'em out) and a couple of weeks and $75 dollars later I had a 10/22 that was a pleasure to shoot and will shoot 1/2-3/4" groups all day long at 25 yds - using the cheapest bulk Winchester .22 LR's that Wal-Mart sells. My 10/22 does not like Federal bulk ammo.

After the trigger job, if you need further enhancement, follow TAM's suggestion and change out the barrel. You might also look into the 10/22 forum on http://www.RimFireCentral.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

I must be in the minority then. I had not problems with the stock trigger whatsoever.

That's swell.

I caught a sale on 10/22 heavy barrel/laminated stock combinations from Midway a few years ago. $100 made a lot of difference in performance.

when y'all are talking about 1/2"-3/4" groups...1" groups....2-3" groups, etc, it would help the rest of us understand the situation better if you qualified the "groups" with range distances in each example.....

.22 cal firearms are a very interesting breed....some, regardless of brand, are tack drivers right out of the box, and others may just be real dogs. I've experienced both conditions, multiple times.

surv

The groupings in the original post were all 50yds.

mr surveyor wrote:when y'all are talking about 1/2"-3/4" groups...1" groups....2-3" groups, etc, it would help the rest of us understand the situation better if you qualified the "groups" with range distances in each example.....

.22 cal firearms are a very interesting breed....some, regardless of brand, are tack drivers right out of the box, and others may just be real dogs. I've experienced both conditions, multiple times.

surv

I qualified my 10/22 shooting 1/2-3/4" groups as being at 25 yards with Win bulk ammo. My CZ's shoot these kind of groups at 50 yards again with Win bulk ammo. I further said my .22's do not like the Federal bulk ammo.

It would be interesting to see what these rifles would do with real .22 target ammo. This is another instance when a job would come in handy...so I guess I won't find out what they're capable of.

They also make ultra light bull barrel carbon fiber barrels..but they are NOT cheap!

https://www.volquartsen.com/products/98 ... black-ends" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The 10/22 is the AR of the .22 world..there are so many things you can do with it they are too many to count and list here!

Most guys that get tack drivers change the barrel, and get good crisp triggers and then use very good quality ammo because the plinker stuff can vary quite a bit in powder loading and bullet weight.

http://www.hawktecharms.com/barrels/bbls.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.cabelas.com/10-22-accessories.shtml" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.eabco.com/102201.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

WarHawk-AVG wrote:They also make ultra light bull barrel carbon fiber barrels..but they are NOT cheap!

https://www.volquartsen.com/products/98 ... black-ends" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The 10/22 is the AR of the .22 world..there are so many things you can do with it they are too many to count and list here!

Most guys that get tack drivers change the barrel, and get good crisp triggers and then use very good quality ammo because the plinker stuff can vary quite a bit in powder loading and bullet weight.

http://www.hawktecharms.com/barrels/bbls.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.cabelas.com/10-22-accessories.shtml" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.eabco.com/102201.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

My shootin' buddy just ordered a carbon fiber barrel for his Ruger MK II pistol and it was in the $300 range.

If there is only one upgrade that i can choose to upgrade my 10/22 then it will be trigger job.A guy in Kansas did mine for $25.It's a day and night difference compare with stock trigger.

Okay I'm gonna go out on a limb and say the bipod made the biggest difference, the ability to stop the gun from floating in 1 dimension (left and right) makes it much much easier to shoot tight groups. Even on a sandbag rest there is still some play left to right.

Or you could just buy a Marlin and get an accurate gun out of the box.

I personally don't understand the desire to play tinker toys with one's own gun. If you're looking for ways to blow money, then whatever floats your boat. I'd think that "more guns" would be a better use for the money, personally.