Thread: Which model of the 10 /22 ?

Originally Posted by mudgripz

Are you sure you want a 10/22 Viper? Good little carbine design but you will have to deal with the accuracy limitation, and sooner or later everyone starts to want accuracy.

Have had 5-6 10/22s (old and new) and have bench tested others. Result is clear - its the least accurate model stock of any standard barrel make/model of rimfire I've owned/tested - and that's over 100. The older ones were more likely to produce a better shooter as Ruger outsourced their barrels for a time (so my gunsmith mate - also a rimfire hobbyist tells me) - and you got occasional examples with Shilen barrels etc. But from my off the bench records the best 10/22 recorded 1.04" for a set of 4 x five shot groups at 50m. Most were round 1.5", and that's bad. Occasional good groups mean nothing. Principal causes of inaccuracy we found were loose barrel connection, sloppy chambers, and bad rifling. In slug test 22 projectiles were pushed down barrel - they were tight then almost dropped out of barrel due to inconsistent rifling. Path to improvement is trigger work then new barrel and Kidd/Volquartsen parts etc - prepare to spend alot.

The little Marlins are also a basic entry level semiauto - but the difference is accuracy. Of maybe 15 marlins I've owned the wee 60s and 795/995 etc were all very sharp shooters. To my huge surprise the two most accurate (standard barrel sporter) shooters off the bench at 50m are model 60 Marlins. One in my closet averaged 0.29" for four consecutive 5 shot groups at 50m, and the other averaged 0.39". That's extremely accurate - and the fruit of this is field accuracy. They will bowl bunnies consistently and accurately to 100m, whereas 10/22 accuracy is more for 60m shooting. We sold all the rugers and went to ther Marlins - solely for field performance.

In one 22 semiauto comparison write-up I did few years back I had a new Toz 99 semi and a new Model 60 given to me by marketers for test, and compared them to a Ruger 10/22 and a model 795 Marlin. Thorough test with up to 15 types of ammo first to determine what they shot best with, then tested side by side at 50m. Results very clear. Toz 99 least accurate, Ruger second worst (and this was the best Ruger I've tested) - and the two marlins well ahead in class of their own. I remember it was a relief coming back to the little 795 after shooting the other two. 795 was sub half inch at best and averaged round 0.6" for group sets at 50. Much greater consistency and accuracy. My own model 60 then shot 0.29" average at 50m - almost match rifle class. Oddly enough the marlins were also the most reliable over the ammo tests - though they generally prefer all things CCI.

So the question mate is what do you really want? If its out to 100m accuracy then don't get a stock Ruger. You can spend more for a heavy barrel T10/22, or buy something someone else has modified up as we did. But for alot less dollars (a Mcarbo trigger kit for about $50) a mint Marlin 60 or model 7000, or 795 will give you much greater shooting consistency. Keep them clean, run them near dry and with right ammos and they are little precision shooters to 100m.

The euros can be nice but if used heavily you will soon run into the issue of parts supply - bits are often very costly if available at all. Of the available stock semiautos I'd suggest Marlins. Basic little entry level 22s but with very good barrels. There was a model 60DLX with a good Jap Vixen scope on it recently on trademe for $500 - crazy price. That model was the nicest semi sporter I've come across and very accurate. Might poss still be available. That's the kind of setup I'd be suggesting.

@mudgripz
hey mate, I was wondering when you would pop up. No discussion would be complete on Rimfires without the "guru" having some input.
As always your thoughts, observations and opinions make for interesting reading.

There's no doubt the Marlins seem inherently more accurate out of the box.
However I do high volume shooting and a gunsmith has raised the point that the Marlin triggers can give problems with a lot of use and barrels can become loose.
He can also tweak the Ruger for me to attain better accuracy. At least 1 inch at 50 mtrs so it should in theory still get out on a rabbit at 100 ok.

Must admitt it's becoming a tough decision . I could go heavy barrel 10 /22 but do I want to be lugging the extra weight around.

Thanks again for the input.