10/22 Advise

[CLaw]

So... I have this 10/22 that my father passed on to me which doesn't hold really any sentimental value. 10/22s are a joy enough to shoot, but I rarely take it out to the range. At some point, my father must have used some break cleaner or other harsh cleaner on the receiver, as the silver is discolored to a yellow slightly in some spots and there are fine almost sand like sized indents across the finish. Doesn't seem to cause any functional issue, it is just an eye sore. I can post a picture if anyone is interested.

It also has a standard weight barrel, but at some point my dad had removed the sights and lost them. lol Again, it isn't that big of a deal because I have a small pic rail on top to mount a red dot. I was looking to clean it up by seeing if it was possible to refinish the receiver and add a lightweight barrel for my son. However, when I started looking at barrels, it became apparent that this endeavor might add up to being the cost of a new 10/22. lol

Any recommendations on a good cheap barrel and a cheap shop that might do a decent refinish to the receiver, or should I just try to offload it and buy a new one for my kid? I can't imagine I would get hardly anything for it without the sights and the finish issue, not to mention that a new 10/22 is like what... $230.00? I'd probably be lucky if a shop gave me $75.00 with the way things are on the used gun market. They might not even take the thing.

[Suvorov]

Brownells Alumahide can give you a decent spray on finish. The 10-22 is easy to strip down to the point that it will be able to get good results. There are several options for aftermarket sights and the standard weight barrel is a pretty good place to start for a beginning shooter. They will grow into it.

[HeavyDuty]

I would just get a can of Rustoleum and go to town on it. Used barrels are easy to find, or get a new one without sights. Be warned, 10/22s are addictive.

[Beat Trash]

I came into possession of a 10/22 that was doused by the fire department during a house fire. The gun wasn't exposed to heat, but the bore was soaked and never cleaned. In time it rusted severely.

I bought a new Ruger OEM barrel from Brownells. Currently it's listed there for $57.99. Replacing the barrel is insanely easy on the 10/22.


https://www.brownells.com/gun-parts/...?sku=780000001

[awp_101]

A 10/22 is the quickest way to dump $1000 into a $300 rifle. And you'll have loads of fun doing it.

Years ago I used Citristrip and green scrub pads to strip the paint off a "blue" 10/22 receiver (poor boys use poor boy ways). I stripped it to the bare aluminum and polished it up. That would be an option or you could rattle can it after polishing.

Around here, $300-$325 seems to be the bottom asking price for a new OR used 10/22. Unless you're patient enough to play the waiting game to part it out or you're willing to let it go dirt cheap, I'd just build it up into whatever you or the boy wants.

[1slow]

Shoot it and see what the accuracy is. If it shoots OK to well, just paint it and use it.

[mmc45414]

It also has a standard weight barrel, but at some point my dad had removed the sights and lost them.

Don't know exactly what removing the sights amounted to, but I have a skinny barrel stainless with a set of these, and it is way cool.

[HeavyDuty]

Don't know exactly what removing the sights amounted to, but I have a skinny barrel stainless with a set of these, and it is way cool.

I put those on one of my kid’s, and the brass bead version on the other two’s - they are a huge improvement over the factory sights.

[NuJudge]

On Rimfire Central about 15 years ago, I saw described an accuracy improvement program for the 10/22, and used it on 3 different rifles with excellent results.

The Ruger 10/22 comes in several versions, including the stainless barrel/bright aluminum receiver that you appear to have. The barrels are hammer forged and the rifling is almost always of excellent quality. The chambers are ridiculously loose, which is bad for accuracy. These rifles are set up for high speed .22 LR, which is also bad for accuracy.

The accuracy improvement program involved facing off the rear of the barrel 0.200" and rechambering with a reamer which was both smaller in chamber ID, and also lightly engraved the bullet on chambering, both of which support the cartridge better support the cartridge better.

The accuracy improvement program also involved modifications to the bolt and recoil rod such that they absorbed less energy during the firing cycle. The bottom rear corner of the bolt was rounded & polished, as was the recoil spring guide rod.

Finally, the bolt face was faced off to reset headspace to minimum, and a pin was placed above the firing pin channel to keep the firing pin from causing squirrelly ignition by kicking upward.

The receiver is just aluminum. If there is some yellowing, I would try some acetone.

I have used the three rifles in Civilian Marksmanship Program .22 Sporter competition. One of them left with factory irons, which make accurate shooting very difficult. If you are going to shoot decently you will need a sling, which I attached through a spud that slipped into the cut in the bottom of the barrel band (I never found the barrel band to affect accuracy).

After my father's death, I found a 10/22 in his safe that had everything that VQ can do, done to it, and it does not shoot significantly better than my 3.

[Tannhauser]

Brownells Alumahide can give you a decent spray on finish. The 10-22 is easy to strip down to the point that it will be able to get good results. There are several options for aftermarket sights and the standard weight barrel is a pretty good place to start for a beginning shooter. They will grow into it.

+1 for Brownell’s AlumaHyde.

I’ve used it as a “poor man’s Cerakote” on several firearms, including a LCP slide that was suffering from sweat induced rust.