Ruger 10/22

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Ruger 10/22
10/22 Carbine
Type	Rimfire semi-automatic rifle
Place of origin	United States
Production history
Designer	William B. Ruger, Harry H. Sefried, II
Manufacturer	Sturm, Ruger
Number built	over 5 million, 1964-present
Specifications (Standard 10/22 carbine)
Weight	5.25 lb (2.4 kg)
Length	37 in (940 mm)
Barrel length	18.5 in (470 mm)

Cartridge	.22 lr
Action	Auto-Loader
Feed system	10 round rotary box magazine

The Ruger 10/22 is a semi-automatic rimfire rifle chambered in .22 Long Rifle. It has a removable 10-round (or 5-round) rotary magazine which allows the magazine to fit flush with the bottom of the stock. High capacity magazines are also available. A magnum version, chambered for the .22 WMR cartridge, was made from 1998 to 2006^[1], and a .17 HMR version, the 10/17 was announced in 2004, but this model is no longer in production.^[2] The standard version has been in production since 1964.^[3]

1 Variations
- 1.1 22 Charger pistol
2 Uses and customization
3 Modifications
4 Magazines
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Variations

The 10/22 is available in a wide variety of configurations. As of 2008, the Ruger catalog shows nine current and two discontinued variations, all in .22LR.^[4] Wooden stocks are available in standard, deluxe versions and International versions, in addition to laminated wood and black synthetic. The standard "Carbine" barrel length is 18 1/2 inches, while the "Rifle" version has a 20 inch barrel, and the "Compact Rifle" has a 16 1/8 inch barrel, and a shorter stock. A target model is available with a 20 inch bull barrel with no sights. There is also a 22 inch barrel version, but Wal-Mart is the exclusive dealer for this model. The .22 Long Rifle version uses an aluminum receiver, while the .22 WMR version uses a steel receiver with integral scope bases.

Ruger 10/22 International model, which comes with a full length Mannlicher style stock

[edit] 22 Charger pistol

The 22 Charger target pistol, introduced in late 2007, is a target handgun based on the 10/22 action. The 22 Charger comes with a black laminated wood pistol metallic silhouette style stock with forend, a 10 inch (25 cm) matte blued heavy barrel with no sights, a bipod, and a Weaver style scope base. Overall length is just under 20 inches (50 cm) making it quite large for a handgun. As it has an integral bipod it is likely to be used from the prone position. The bipod attaches to a sling swivel on the stock fore-end, and is easily removable.^[5]^[6]

[edit] Uses and customization

Ruger 10/22 highly customized by Clark Custom Guns. Clear/red magazines are 40th anniversary edition. The clear body of the 40th anniversary magazines shows the unusual rotary operation of the 10/22 magazine;^[7]^[8]^[9] the red part is the magazine follower.

The 10/22 is very popular for small-game hunters, and among those who just like to plink or target shoot.^[10] This popularity has led to many after-market modifications being available to improve performance, augment the rifle's looks, or increase its magazine capacity, leading the 10/22 to be one of the most customizable firearms made^[11]. Custom manufacturers also make "clones" of the 10/22, which are similar in design (most parts will interchange) but built to much higher tolerances and costs. The 10/22 barrel is pinned rather than screwed into the frame, making removal and replacement of the barrel (which would require a gunsmith's work with most other rifles) much easier. This, when combined with the simple construction of the rest of the components, means that the average person can easily replace any part in the gun with nothing more than a screwdriver and a hex key.

In fact, every part of the 10/22 can be purchased from aftermarket makers, and it is possible to spend many times the original cost of the gun buying aftermarket parts.

[edit] Modifications

Standard Ruger 10/22 Carbine, and a highly modified Ruger 10/22

The image at right shows two 10/22 carbines, the top one in nearly stock form (a 4 power magnification scope has been added, using the factory supplied scope base) and the bottom one in highly modified form. The modified version includes an 18 inch steel bull barrel, a muzzle brake, a laminated wood silhouette style stock, and a scope with a lit reticle, in addition to internal modifications to the trigger group to improve the trigger characteristics. See the entry on accurizing for more information on the reasons for these modifications.

[edit] Magazines

Ruger 10/22 10-shot Rotary Magazine

There are many types of magazines for the Ruger 10/22: the 10 round magazine, the 25 round magazine, the 30 round magazine, a 50 round magazine (which is in the category of a tear drop magazine), banana magazines, and the new drum magazine.

The standard 10 round 10/22 magazine stores the cartridges in a rotary fashion, rather than stacked, as seen in a box magazine. This allows the magazine to fit into the weapon without sticking out from the stock. The action of the rifle strips a cartridge from the magazine with each shot, allowing the next cartridge to rotate into place.