Questions on Ruger 10/22

[NOLASHOOTER]

Hey Everybody,
I am new to all this and I love 22lr's. I have been seriously considering either the Sig 522 or the S&W 15-22 but I have also thought of undertaking a build project beginning with a Ruger 10/22 upper.
First, do you think someone on here would be wanting to sell a 10/22 for really cheap? I would just want the upper and would not even care about the stock.
Second, how easy or difficult is it to field strip and clean a 10/22. One of the reasons I am looking at the two above guns is I believe they are relativley simple to break down and clean.
Third, how is the Archangle kit? I have been looking at the Cabela's catalog and the ATI stock package and the Tapco stocks look pretty good but I am partial to the AR look. Also, once that kit is on does it make cleaning it difficult?
Fourth, I am a cheap bastard and need to know if the 10/22 is fine with cheap bulk ammo. I love to go to the range and run a 550 box of Federals from Walmart through my guns. I am a man of little means.

Thanks

 

[AK shooter]

Here is my 10/22, Hogue overmolded stock, Tactical solutions threaded barrel both in OD green. It only weighs 3 lbs at the most. I only shoot bulk ammo through mine with no problems.

 

[LACamper]

Nolashooter, welcome to the site!

First, used 10/22's, especially cheap ones, sell almost instantly. If you're in a hurry you might as well break down and buy a new one. If you're patient you might get lucky.
Second, if you're trying to build a super accurate .22, you'd probably come out cheaper buying a good bolt gun than rebuilding a 10/22. I bought a 10/22 with that plan in the back of my mind. To do what I want I could buy a good savage. So instead I did a trigger job on my 10/22 and stopped there. Other projects (like my AR) have absorbed my spending money for now. I almost lost control one day at Nick's over a used Anschultz one day though...
If I do go the 10/22 rebuild route it would come out very close to AKshooter's. It will be a tactical solutions threaded barrel for sure. It'll eventually be supressed though. I haven't decided on the stock, though Hogue is in the running.

Good luck!

 

[SKYWLKR]

A DIY jig trigger job and a Re-chambered and crowned barrel on a 10/22 with drive tacks for under $100!

add a DIY extended mag release, an auto release bolt hold mod and a DIY silicon buffer for another $5.

 

[XD45ACP]

I built an ar look alike 10/22, I got a base 10/22 and changed the factory stock with a tapco, after a trigger job, and a utg quad rail it looked pretty good. Next I added a vertical foregrip and a cheap red dot and for about $425 i have a good .22 that takes cheap 10/22 mags and eats anything ( mostly federal bulk 550). And is really easy to work on and change anything on. However, things that look cool like that utg quad rail adds 4 (I think) screws to the take down process but I think its worth it.

Just my .02 cents

 

[dbolemiss]

My little toy does pretty good out to 100yds.
I need to build another one,pretty fun but you can find yourself spending a good amount of money before you know it.

 

[Trickasabrick]

A DIY jig trigger job and a Re-chambered and crowned barrel on a 10/22 with drive tacks for under $100!

add a DIY extended mag release, an auto release bolt hold mod and a DIY silicon buffer for another $5.

Any info on the DIY stuff you mentioned? I have a couple of 10/22s that I'd love to clean the trigger up on. My Charger is decent, but my old rifle has a horrible, gritty trigger.

 

[LACamper]

Paul at Nick's did my trigger job for only a few bucks. He did it while I was on the range shooting my AR, so no waiting. It is much improved!

 

[tupperware9mm]

I think the 10/22 has to be the best plinking gun ever made and I shoot that more than any of my other guns, I love it. I bought mine with the TAPCO stock already installed and later put on a $20 BSA wally world scope and shoot spinner targets at 80 yards.I have used nothing but the wally world bulk, federal is better than the winchester. My wife picks up a box when she is shopping as part of her grocery list and we dump them into a small ammo can which will hold 3000 rds an inch from the top. The downside is that I find the bulk to be very dirty you have to keep the gun clean. I did not have time to clean it once after shooting and when I got back to the range I could not hit the side of a barn. A look down the barrel explained it, the rifling was totally full of crud and the bullets were tumbling out! I do have plans to go for a bolt action for long distance at some point but whenever you start that you start a money pit.

 

[SKYWLKR]

Check out rimfire central.

Look for the "drill bit and vise trigger jig", "auto bolt hold DIY" and nemohunter for the barrel work.

 

[TonyAngel]

Maybe a little late, but if you are considering getting a 10/22, just get it. It is a fun little rifle and the upgrade path has no end. There are also lots of upgrades that you can do for little or no cost, if you search around the rimfire forums.

The only word of caution that I can offer is that if you can find an older one (I don't know how much older) you might want to go that route. It's been a long time since I bought a new 10/22, but I recently checked out a new one and wasn't impressed. The finish on the barrel wasn't nice at all. It didn't even look like bluing. I also noted the use of plastic parts. If you can find one with a real blued barrel or maybe one in stainless, grab it and go have fun.

I've never been crazy about the ArchAngel kits. All of those kits that cover the reciever make it a pain in the butt to strip the rifle. If you really want the AR15 look, you might be better off with a Smith 15-22. I have one of those as well. The mags are cheap and well built and the rifle runs well, although it's a bit finicky about ammunition. Mine won't run worth a crap on Federal Bulk, but runs like a clock on Winchester Expert and all of the "good" ammo. It will also take standard AR parts in the lower receiver, most notably the fire control group, so getting a sweet trigger won't be hard. I've never done any accuracy shooting with mine, but I can hit clay pigeons at 100 yards with boring regularity. I have a little Weaver V3 on mine now, but was considering getting one of the Simmons 3-9X rimfire scopes to see what it will do.

Good luck.