Not Woodworking, but Wood was Involved

Vaughn McMillan

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My mom and dad gave me this Ruger 10/22 for my 16th birthday...


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I used the $20 I got that year from my grandma to buy the cheap 4X scope at Woolco...


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Most of you already know this, but the Ruger 10/22 is probably the most common .22 semi-auto plinking rifle in the world. Great little rifle. Very simple, reliable, and when properly set up, accurate. There are a bazillion after-market parts and upgrades available for it. For a number of years I had a folding polymer stock on mine, but it broke about 8 years ago. Tonight I finally got around to doing a few mods on the gun that I've had in mind for a long time.


First, the factory stock had to come off...


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Then I removed the barrel so I could replace it with something a bit more accurate...


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Once I had the new barrel installed, I put everything in a new laminated stock...


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Then I added a Nikon 4X-9X scope to finish it off...


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This is officially my first purple and charcoal black rifle...


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In the tack driver new configuration, I expect the ol' Ruger to be capable of dime-sized 3-shot groups at 50 yards. Now, whether I'll be capable of those kinds of groups is yet to be seen :D
 
Put a bipod on it and you will easily achieve your goal! Sweet looking conversion. I have a list of mods to do to some 10/22's I own. The double gatling gun is still on top of the list even though it will be the most useless item! How tight was the barrel? Use one of those rubber strap wrenches to take it off?
 
Nice job Vaughn. Let me know if you think the big hunk O steel barrel is worth it. I've got a couple of these lying around. Super guns.
 
Nice thing about the 10/22 is that there is a pretty good sized industry out there devoted to making accessories for them.

Here's one of mine. Stock barrel, different stock and a little bushnell scope. Really need to get a better scope, but even in this configuration, I can hit a 4" circle at 50 yards from a standing off hand position.

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... How tight was the barrel? Use one of those rubber strap wrenches to take it off?

I was expecting to have a wrestling match with it, but it slid right off. The new one was a bit tighter, but still no problem getting it installed.

Very cool! Were these easy mods to do or do they require some gun smithing skills?

Very easy. A straight screwdriver, an Allen wrench, and about 10 minutes on YouTube was all it took.

Cool...The one eyed, new barreled, flying purple varmint eater :D me likes!

Ken wins the Internet for a day! :rofl:
 
Been thinking of doing something with mine for years. maybe restock it with curly maple or birdseye with a bull barrel. Former co-worker of mine had a friend who was plinking prairie dogs with his out to 400 yards.
sounds crazy far for a .22 rim but I won a beer once shooting a clay bird at 400 yards with my bolt Remington 541-S .22. I scored hits of 4 out of 50 tries and got real close many of the others. dime size groups shouldn't be a problem if yer lookers are still workin.
 
Thanks Vaughn! Lou saw your rifle and wants one of her's to look like that! Cool, love spending money on guns at the request of the wife!!! So, maybe this winter a purple one for her and maybe a red one for me. Great timing!!! And did I say, "thanks!"?
 
Vaughn I hate to say it but it is cool.............. but it's not the old Ruger 10/22
My son bought that same style stock for his bird gun. I made him hunt on the other side of the field LOL
 
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