Accuracy for the buck
David L. Burkhead
I've got a Ruger 10/22, bought new early this year to which the following
modifications have been made:
Power Custom hammer & sear set.
Power Custom titanium extractor
Tech Sights TSR200 sights.
Sling
Some polishing (400 & 1500 grit emery paper) of the recoil spring guide rod.
I have about $300-500 to spend.
How can I spend that to get the most accuracy out of the rifle using iron
sights in "three position" (standing, sitting/kneeling, prone) shooting?
Please, no suggestions on classes, coaches, Appleseed, more range time and
the like. That's a separate line item on my budget. I'm specifically talking
hardware here.
And, yes, serious suggestions to "buy X rifle" are acceptable answers to
this question provided that whatever suggested rifle "X" is a step up in
accuracy within the budget that I have proposed.
The Ruger 10/22 was bought as a "learning" gun--inexpensive, readily
available (usually those two are linked), good enough for my needs at the
start, and with the idea that I could upgrade it or move on as my skills
improved. Truth is, at this point the "long pole in the tent" is still me
rather than the rifle. OTOH, I've been surprised by how quickly my group
sizes have come down (and how much new glasses, including a pair especially
chosen for focussing on the front sight, have helped) and I have the budget
so....
--
--
David L. Burkhead -- Cold Servings, a webcomic
mailto:dbur...@sff.net -- http://www.coldservings.com
http://www.cafepress.com/coldservings <- OSHA for criminals
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sta...@prolynx.com
Anschutz Supermatch. Then you get to buy the $20+/box Eley stuff to
feed it. I know a guy that got into NRA Highpower because he couldn't
afford to feed the smallbore habit...
Otherwise, get an aftermarket barrel if the factory one is duff, go
get a bunch of premium standard velocity stuff, bench rest it and find
out what it likes best. And don't get too carried away. You can dump
so much money into a 10/22 that you could have bought the Supermatch
to start with. Just saw a 10/22 this last weekend with a laminated
stock and other "custom" touches that had a $1250 price tag on it.
I'll have to see if it's still on the guy's table at the next show to
see if he got any suckers, er takers.
Stan
Dirk Bruere at NeoPax
Gerald "Brick" Brickwood
news:g7c8sk$rk3$1...@grapevine.wam.umd.edu...
# Here's the situation.
#
# I've got a Ruger 10/22, bought new early this year to which the following
# modifications have been made:
#
# Power Custom hammer & sear set.
# Power Custom titanium extractor
# Tech Sights TSR200 sights.
# Sling
# Some polishing (400 & 1500 grit emery paper) of the recoil spring guide
# rod.
#
# I have about $300-500 to spend.
#
# How can I spend that to get the most accuracy out of the rifle using iron
# sights in "three position" (standing, sitting/kneeling, prone) shooting?
snipped:
Start by sending the rifle to Connecticut Precision Chambering and have them
give it the works. They'll recut the chamber, do a complete trigger job and
re-crown the barrel and a few other nice things. They do have a website so
you can google them and read about their services. They'll send you back a
minute of angle 10/22. After that just add good sights and if you really
want to dress it up, a target grade stock.
Gerald "Brick" Brickwood
LTC EN USA(RET)
Rubaiyat of Omar Bradley
do is to add a heavier barrel and corresponding stock. That is
available in kit form within your budget, example:
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=723143&t=11082005
There are higher quality barrels and stocks available at higher prices
- "the sky is the limit"
Rubaiyat of Omar Bradley
<bric...@frontiernet.net> wrote:
# Start by sending the rifle to Connecticut Precision Chambering and have them
# give it the works. They'll recut the chamber, do a complete trigger job
He already took care of the trigger - why does he need a trigger job?
# After that just add good sights
He already took care of the sights - why does he need to change them?
Bill C
wrote:
> ...
Just bought a plain jane for my son last week and was amazed at how
good the accuracy was right out of the box with the new one. Hadn't
owned or shot one is 20 years, and they used to be pretty good for
squirrels, plinking, etc..., the new one with a 3x9 Bushnell scope,
right out of the box with bulk ammo was firing 3 shot groups that were
touching at 25 yards and about 4" groups on a windy day at 100 yards.
Couldn't be any happier.
Bill C
David L. Burkhead
# You've already done the trigger and the sights - all that is left to
# do is to add a heavier barrel and corresponding stock. That is
# available in kit form within your budget, example:
#
#
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=723143&t=11082005
#
# There are higher quality barrels and stocks available at higher prices
# - "the sky is the limit"
The sky may be the limit, but probably not with this gun. Mainly, I want to
make sure this gun stays ahead of me long enough so that I can eventually
have a basis for judging whether a high-end target rifle (thinking
competition) would be a worthwile purchase. After all, if _I_ can't get
good enough to shoot one-hole groups at 50 m, then there's no real point in
spending the money on a rifle that can.
Rubaiyat of Omar Bradley
# I want to
# make sure this gun stays ahead of me long enough so that I can eventually
# have a basis for judging whether a high-end target rifle (thinking
# competition) would be a worthwile purchase.
In that case, a used mid-quality bolt action *real* target rifle would
probably keep you busy for 20 years, maybe forever. There some for
sale at these sites:
http://www.thecmp.org/22targetcommercial.htm
http://www.thecmp.org/22targetsurplus.htm
You can also sometimes find these at a good price at a large gunshop.
You may have to look and wait for a while.
Chevguy
I also have a Ruger 10/22 that I have tweaked.
So far I have done the following:
- Volquartsen trigger, hammer kit
- Extractor
- Bunch of other stuff I am too lasy to list.
I would strongly recommend a Volquartsen target barrel (they have a variety
to choose from). I have used many of their products on my gun and am VERY
pleased with the results.
This is the internet site where I get all of that sort of stuff from:
http://www.rimfiresports.com/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=RSC&Category_Code=R1A
My factory barrel just doesn't seem to keep up anymore. And once you outgrow
the 10/22 for accuracy (even after a nice barrel and stock), you will still
have a kickass gopher gun!
Clark Magnuson
a) One get a stainless fluted Green Mountain barrel from Ebay, that I
had ream out the Bentz chamber to a standard chamber to get it to feed.
It had a home made trigger job. It had a Simmons 22 mag scope. I miss
that rifle.
b) Another got a Shilen Stainless bull barrel with Bentz chamber that
feeds with the expensive magazines. It has a Leupold scope.
c) Another has a Majestic Arms 17M2 barrel with Lothar Walther liner,
Power Custom handle, STS trigger. It has a Leupold scope.
----------------------------------------------------------
Here is a good book on customizing 10/22s:
Customize the Ruger 10/22 (Paperback)
by James E. House (Author)
http://www.amazon.com/Customize-Ruger-10-James-House/dp/0896893235
My review:
Chapter 1 History and Current versions of the Ruger 10/22 .....15 pages
Different models sold 1964 to 2005, chronology, pictures, features
Chapter 2 Design Characteristics and Concerns ......17 pages
Headspace, rifling, free bore, chambers, crowns, lapping, vibration,
lock time, installing a trigger kit
Chapter 3 Ammunition.......29 pages
General comments, Accuracy and Precision, Ammunition selection, a chart
of velocities and bullet weights, testing, internal ballistics, external
ballistics, concentricity, rim thickness, chart of rim thickness
distribution, matching ammunition to the rifle
Chapter 4 Performance with factory rifles .......20 pages
Charts of group size vs ammo type vs models tested
Chapter 5 How the 10/22 works .........32 pages
The autoloading action, tools, cautions, disassembly of major
components, bolt removal and disassembly, disassembly of the trigger
unit [16 pages of excellent photos], removal of factory sights
Chapter 6 Some Basic Operations, Tools, and Techniques...... 26 pages
What to use to do what [screwdrivers, hammers, drifts, calipers]
Smoothing and polishing the metal [sand paper and Dremels] Bluing Steel
[cold blue an old scope] Finishing non ferrous metals, finishing wood,
cleaning
Chapter 7 Stocks for the Ruger 10/22.......... 31 pages
[types of stocks, cost of stocks, modifying stocks]
Chapter 8 Barrels for the Ruger 10/22 .....12 pages
Factory barrels, changing barrels, installing aftermarket barrels,
Accuracy, types of aftermarket barrels, chart of barrel lengths and weights
Chapter 9 Fire control parts .....................12 pages
The authors and editors may be unaware that the meaning of the term
"Fire Control" is "sights" and not "trigger mechanism", and that would
explain why this is a chapter about trigger mechanisms for the 10/22.
Bolt stop, Replacement trigger Assemblies, Hammer and Sear, Magazine
release, firing pin [good pictures on how to remove the firing pin],
Extractor, High Capacity Magazines,
Chapter 10 Sights for the Ruger 10/22 ................38 pages
Open sights, Fiber optic sights, Peep Sights, Zephyr Sights, Scope
Characteristics, Scopes for rimfires, Scope mounts and rings, A closer
look at some rimfire scopes, Red Dot sights
Chapter 11 Testing some Custom rifles..................40 pages
Testing procedures and goals, Results of accuracy testing
Group size vs ammo with A&B barrel, Fajen Stock, Jard trigger, Weaver
V-16 scope
Group size vs ammo with Butler creek barrel and stock, Hornet trigger,
Leupold 2-7X scope
Group size vs ammo with Butler Creek barrel, Hogue stock, Kidd trigger,
V-16 scope
Group size vs ammo with Green Mountain barrel, Cabela's stock, Jard
trigger, V-16 scope
Group size vs ammo with Green Mountain barrel, Hogue stock, Kidd
trigger, V-16 scope
Group size vs ammo with Jarvis barrel, Hogue stock, Volquartsen trigger,
Scheels 4x12 AO scope
Group size vs ammo with Jarvis barrel, modified factory stock, Kidd
trigger, V-16 scope
Group size vs ammo with Kidd barrel, Revival stock, Hornet trigger,
Leupold 2x7 scope
Group size vs ammo with Lilja barrel, Hogue stock, Volquartsen trigger,
Scheels scope
Group size vs ammo with Magnum Research barrel, Bell&Carlson stock,
Hornet trigger, Leupold 2x7 scope
Group size vs ammo with Majestic Arms barrel, Hogue stock, V-16 scope
Group size vs ammo with Ranch Products barrel, factory stock, Hornet
trigger, Leupold 2x7 scope
Group size vs ammo with Shaw barrel, modified factory stock, Kidd
trigger, V16 scope
Group size vs ammo with Shilen blue barrel, Bell&C stock, Kidd trigger,
Cabela's pine ridge scope
Group size vs ammo with Shlen Stainless barrel, B&C stock, Hornet
trigger, Scheels scope
Group size vs ammo with Tactical Solutions barrel, McMillan Stock,
Hornet trigger, Leupold 2x7 scope
Group size vs ammo with Tactial Solutions barrel, Butler Creek Stock,
Hornet trigger, Leupold 2x7 scope
Group size vs ammo with Volquartsen barrel, Hogue stock, Volquartsen
trigger, Scheels scope
Group size vs ammo with Whistle Pig barrel, Revival stock, Hornet
trigger, Leupold 2x7 scope
Summary, Custom 17 Mach 2 rifles,
Group size vs ammo with 17M2 Majestic Arms barrel, B&C stock, factory
trigger, 3x9 Sightron scope
Group size vs ammo with 17M2 Magnum Research barrel, B&C stock, Factory
trigger, 3x9 sightron scope
Chapter 12 The Ruger 10/22 Magnum..............15 pages
Design and cycling, Stocks for the 10/22M, Barrels for the 10/22M,
Triggers, Testing the Custom 10/22 Magnum rifles
Group size vs ammo with 10/22M Green Mountain barrel, Hogue stock,
trigger modified by Hornet, Sightron 3x9 scope
Group size vs ammo with 10/22M Majestic Arms barrel, Hogue stock,
trigger mod by Hornet, Sightron 3x9 scope.
Testing 10/22M converted to 17HRM
Group size vs ammo for 17HMR Butler Creek barrel, Hogue stock, trigger
mod by Hornet, Sightron 3x9 scope
A custom 17HRM auto loader from Clark Custom Guns
Chapter 13 Sources for the 10/22 Shopper............8 pages
What does it all mean?
You want to buy this book so you will know the effect on your group size
caused by different ammo, barrels, triggers, stocks, and scopes. You
also want to know how to take your 10/22 apart and change out the parts.
-----------------------------------------------------
A big part of 10/22 accuracy is the ammo.
This is great book on the subject:
Rifleman's Guide To Rimfire Ammunition
by Steven Boelter
http://www.zediker.com/books/rimfire/rimfiremain.html
My review:
He tests 90 types of 22 long rifle ammo, 5 types of shorts, 19 types WMR
ammo, one type of 17 Aguila, 3 types of 17M2, 8 types of 17HRM, a
chapter on chambers, and a chapter on barrel tuners.
This book is obviously a labor of love.
If I were to assign a technician and technical writer to the task of
compiling this data and writing this book, I would estimate the cost to
be a few hundred thousand dollars and the schedule to be a few years.
That is more money than this book will ever make. The difference is John
Boelter's gift to the readers. Thank you, John.
Rick Corey
rest competition will be more accurate than much more expensive rifles based
on any other cartridge, even if no longer quite accurate enough for bench
rest tournements.
Of course, that was written by BR afficianados who swear by the 6PPC, as if
Moses brought back The Ten Cartridges.
On the other hand, they may be right, since they have to measure their
groups in thousandths to determine the winners!
They may have been assuming that you would reload your own ammo, using
componments and a recipe the prior owner developed over months of testing
for that specific rifle.
If the original poster just wanted to test his own "intrinsic accuracy",
these BR books had some adivce. Show up early for a BR match. Hang around,
be polite and look wistful. Somone is bound to offer you a chance to try a
"a REAL accurate rifle".
If you're buying a used BR rifle, you might have to have the last few inches
of the barel sawed off and rethreaded becuase the throat is brunt out.
However, then you would have to tweak the reloading formula to 'tune' it to
the shorter barrel.
My total knowledge of BR is from reading books and newsgroups, so take this
with a grain of five of salt.
Rick Corey
Bob Holtzman
#
# If you're buying a used BR rifle, you might have to have the last few inches
# of the barel sawed off and rethreaded becuase the throat is brunt out.
# However, then you would have to tweak the reloading formula to 'tune' it to
# the shorter barrel.
Depending on what level of accuracy you're looking for you may be able to use
the barrel as is. If the rifle is only 3000 or 4000 rounds old it will still
shoot in the twos or threes instead of the zeros or ones. Not competitive in
bechrest but plenty good for varmints.
lancemc...@gmail.com
wanted to give you the specs of mine.. Maybe it will shed some light..
Basically it's a stock stainless 10/22 action with the hogue
lightweight fiberglass/rubber stock mated with the Butler Creek
polymer/stainless Bull barrel..
I'm not sure of what kind of accuracy you're looking for, but with
mine i can put 3 rounds of 36g CCI Mini-Mag HP's into a dime at 50
meters..
Maybe I should get a custom trigger/hammer/polishing.. How much better
do you need a 22 to be? lol
Regards,
Lance
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SaPeIsMa
<lancemc...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:gbt75a$mfe$1...@dailyplanet.umd.edu...
# Hey David... Not sure if you've built your 10/22 yet, but I just
# wanted to give you the specs of mine.. Maybe it will shed some light..
# Basically it's a stock stainless 10/22 action with the hogue
# lightweight fiberglass/rubber stock mated with the Butler Creek
# polymer/stainless Bull barrel..
#
# I'm not sure of what kind of accuracy you're looking for, but with
# mine i can put 3 rounds of 36g CCI Mini-Mag HP's into a dime at 50
# meters..
#
# Maybe I should get a custom trigger/hammer/polishing.. How much better
# do you need a 22 to be? lol
#
And what did this cost you ?