Thread: Which model of the 10 /22 ?

7mm's point is a good one. If you're going to use a 22 for volume shooting including 100m stuff, then its gotta be an accurate rifle. Most rugers aren't which is why we dropped them. The exception was the little Ruger model 96 lever action 22 - alot more accurate (my 13 yr old could put 10 shots in a one inch black dot) and no real weaknesses. A little sleeper - absolute gem of a 22.

We used the wee marlins heavily for several years (over 1000 bunnies a night at times) and never had trigger wear issues or barrel loosening. What I valued was their sharpshooting accuracy - hate missing!! Any rimfire I keep has to pop sub half inch repeatably at 50m. Its about one shot kills, not filling the air with lead as some tend to.

Yes we tried a 10/22 with heavy Green Mountain barrel and lots of Volquartsen parts - was a fine shooter but only bit of ruger left from memory was trigger blade. Young fella liked it but also sold it on - found it a bit front heavy and weighty to carry round hills. If you've got a gunsmith (Gundoc?) who's had experience accurizing Rugers without replacing most of the rifle then it could be a plan. Yes the Ruger flush mag is useful though frankly I never noticed mag issues with the M75 or tubed M60. Tube mag 60 less convenient if you need to use suppressor.

Originally Posted by mudgripz

7mm's point is a good one. If you're going to use a 22 for volume shooting including 100m stuff, then its gotta be an accurate rifle. Most rugers aren't which is why we dropped them. The exception was the little Ruger model 96 lever action 22 - alot more accurate (my 13 yr old could put 10 shots in a one inch black dot) and no real weaknesses. A little sleeper - absolute gem of a 22.

We used the wee marlins heavily for several years (over 1000 bunnies a night at times) and never had trigger wear issues or barrel loosening. What I valued was their sharpshooting accuracy - hate missing!! Any rimfire I keep has to pop sub half inch repeatably at 50m. Its about one shot kills, not filling the air with lead as some tend to.

Yes we tried a 10/22 with heavy Green Mountain barrel and lots of Volquartsen parts - was a fine shooter but only bit of ruger left from memory was trigger blade. Young fella liked it but also sold it on - found it a bit front heavy and weighty to carry round hills. If you've got a gunsmith (Gundoc?) who's had experience accurizing Rugers without replacing most of the rifle then it could be a plan. Yes the Ruger flush mag is useful though frankly I never noticed mag issues with the M75 or tubed M60. Tube mag 60 less convenient if you need to use suppressor.

He, he. Mate with the 10/22 in our crew was a frustrated with his semi shooting from the truck. By the time he got within his accuracy range everything had been cleaned up with the JW15's and Marlins. If we did let him have a go there were so many misses.

A late mate of mine did rabbits on a very large high country Marlborough station for 5 years and accounted for approx 50000 during those years. He used a 10/22 mostly and his back up was a Krico semi and a Marlin 22mag for longer stuff. To him it was a tool that was reliable enough for the task.

I still own a older model 10/22 which must be 30 + years old, shoots well but certainly no tack driver but more than adequate for rabbits out to 80 yards +. I have shot a lot of pests while night shooting over the 31 years doing pest control and never ever felt I needed a better rifle. I did use Marlins, Browning, Norinco, Krico's, during those years as well but always had a 10/22 which was my preferred rifle. For your type of shooting a 10/22 that can do around an inch at 50 yards will be fine. Cleaning is easy, I cleaned mine about every 5000 rounds which was reasonably often, especially when I shot 500 rounds a night ( the thumb gets a bit sore loading the rotory mag when using those volumes) Function was fine using sub sonic and most the time it was the 40 gr Winchester that we used as it killed well and shot pretty good and was quite clean burning. Good luck Viper sounds like you are up to your neck in rabbits down there, the virus has left you a few.

@Mooseman, you pretty much echoed two guys who told me about the rugers from their shooting in the 70's-80's.
One guy shot goats (amongst other things)with subsonics and a silencer when he was culling/pest board work-2 shots to the neck and go to the next, the other dude shot a power of rabbits when he was in Kaikoura. It was the reliability especially the rotary mag and acceptable accuracy that were the main factors.
Sounds like nowadays this isn't the case without spending coin

Originally Posted by csmiffy

@Mooseman, you pretty much echoed two guys who told me about the rugers from their shooting in the 70's-80's.
One guy shot goats (amongst other things)with subsonics and a silencer when he was culling/pest board work-2 shots to the neck and go to the next, the other dude shot a power of rabbits when he was in Kaikoura. It was the reliability especially the rotary mag and acceptable accuracy that were the main factors.
Sounds like nowadays this isn't the case without spending coin

It sounds as if there are good and bad examples around so I suppose you have to be luck with what you get, The other great feature is the shortness and flush magazine especially when using a scabbard on a motorbike, that was one of the main reasons I liked them along with the other reasons I have said. Shot a few deer and goats with the sub sonic round but wouldn't recommend doing so as no margin for error. But on Rabbits, Hares, Possums and Wallabies the combo worked a treat.

There's a guy selling 3 old 10/22s on TM at the moment. They look to be in good knick but he wants plenty for them.

Originally Posted by viper

So after two blistering nights spotlighting my thump is looking raw and sore from constantly reloading a 5 round mag in my JW15. Also being a leftie I am getting sick of reaching around the spotlight and cranking the bolt.
I am thinking seriously about going down the Ruger 10 / 22 track .
I had a mate who had one and it was a total piece of shit and it;s put me off them for over 30 yrs.

I know they all share the same action but stocks and barrels vary, is there a certain model that seems to perform accuracy wise better than other versions.
The basic barrel band type never floated my boat but they maybe ok.

Feel free to jump in and let me know your thoughts.

And yes the Marlin 795 is also on the list and any other suggestions on Make and models will be taken on board.

While I dont shoot nearly the number of rounds to some of these guys do mine is a work gun, its shoots most things but unlike R93 I dont use it on deer.
I rate my 10/22 maybe 7 years old has a can and a vx1 lives in the side buy side almost every day has never been cleaned has never jammed or had any other issues and the only time I miss something it's my fault, at 50 meters it dumps the mag into one big ragged hole. Would I buy another yes.


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i still love both of my 10/22's. both do one shot kills at 70m and group well at 100. unfortunately i had to sell my "ultimate ruger" built bu gundoc many years ago. that thing was a tack driver that made some target shooters jealous

@BRADS and @gonetropo, thanks guys that is the kind of constructive feedback I am after to make a decision.

Back when we were shooting big numbers (1000+ a night) the Marlins showed their usefulness. Anything out to 100-110m was toast, averaging over 95% first shot hit rate. Before I bought I checked out the US forums. Of those that had both Ruger and Marlin the vast majority would pick up the Marlin for small game hunting because they functioned better and had the accuracy for better kills. There is a reason that worldwide the Marlin have outsold the Ruger over 2:1.

Go the 10/22. Plenty of options on mags and availability at most outlets.

My offer is still there @viper

I'm travelling overseas next week and won't be using it. Wife is travelling to DN this afternoon, if you're quick we might be able to arrange a drop-off.

PM me if you're interested.

Thanks again for the offer mate, really generous .
I am all good though but let me know once your back and we can try to sort a time for that coffee.

Have a safe trip.

flush mags with 10/22........way back I can remember using one off back of ute with a 50 shot banana clear plastic mag fitted.....it was accurate and reliable but my norincos were just as good . recently used a marlin with full overbarrel suppressor and was very impressed with the wee rifle,my son was happily dropping wallabies with it before the other fellas could line up with centrefire...cheeky young shit.