Do you own a Ruger 10/22 and want to customize it to your personal liking? Maybe you’re in the market to buy your first Ruger 10/22 solely for the purpose of modifying it.
I mean it would make a great project gun to tinker around with without having to invest half your retirement account.
Since its debut in 1964, the Ruger 10/22 has sold in the millions. That was partly due to the style of the gun resembling an M1 carbine. It’s also no surprise that there are a lot of gun owners out there upgrading their Ruger 10/22 due to a wide range of modified parts and accessories available.
My Ruger 10/22 and My Regret
I bought my first Ruger 10/22 rifle about 10 years ago. Even back then I was swapping out the factory mags for the larger capacity mags and swapped out the charging handle for a larger aftermarket one.
Hell, I even duct-taped a tactical light to the forend for skunk hunting at night. It was my skunk gun at the time and a damn good one.
After several years of the rifle more or less sitting idle in my closet I decided to sell it to move on to something else. To this day I could kick myself for doing that. So guess what? It was time to buy another one!
With all the available Ruger 10/22 upgrades and mods now available, how can you not want to own one? Listed below are a few of the popular options available in the main categories of upgrades and modifications you can do. Everything from stocks to triggers, scopes, and more.
Who Makes The Best Ruger 10/22 Barrel?
If you’re dead serious about making your Ruger 10/22 the most accurate rimfire rifle it can be, then you upgrade the barrel.
When searching for a Ruger 10/22 barrel upgrade, you’ll want to consider the barrel twist rate, barrel thickness, and threaded end.
The number of times a bullet completes one full revolution in the barrel is known as the twist rate. For example, a barrel with a twist rate of 1:7 indicates that the bullet will rotate once every seven inches inside the barrel. The ideal barrel twist rate for a Ruger 10/22 rifle is 1:16 or 1 revolution every 16 inches.
Barrel Thickness and Weight
The more rounds you send downrange the warmer your barrel will get. So when you rapid-fire multiple rounds downrange at once, your barrel will indeed heat up very quickly.
The bullet’s performance can be altered because of the heat conducted and the vibration of the barrel with each bullet fired. Faxon has perfected their barrel manufacturing in order to take heat dissipation into account without affecting the accuracy of the round downrange.
Threaded vs Standard
You may want to consider getting a Ruger 10/22 barrel with threaded ends, enabling you to add a rimfire suppressor. Factory-threaded barrels do exist for the 10/22, but they are not all that popular. This is why it can be worth spending the money to buy an aftermarket barrel for a 10/22 because you can get a threaded model if you choose to add a suppressor down the road. That and shooting a suppressed 10/22 is pretty damn fun.
Faxon Rimfire Ruger 10/22 Barrels
Faxon Rimfire Barrels are made from 416-R stainless steel, given 6 groove rifling at a 1:16 twist, and a Recessed Target Crown.
Barrels are Magnetic Particle Inspected and are finished in either Salt Bath Nitride or PVD. Both Tapered and Bull Barrel options are available.
The receiver is more or less the heart of the 10/22 which allows it to function correctly. It contains the trigger assembly, bolt assembly, and charging handle.
The OEM Receiver removed along with the bolt, new firing pin, new extractor, and the charging handle.
You can increase the accuracy of your 10/22 almost instantly by upgrading to a precision machined receiver.
While some upgrade purely for aesthetic reasons, the majority of 10/22 owners upgrade their receivers to improve function and performance.
For example, the ability to have a rail for accessories like scopes, red dots, or holographic sights. Most aftermarket 10/22 receivers have Picatinny rails to accommodate a wide variety of rail-mounted accessories.
Sure, the OEM Ruger 10/22 receiver gets the job done, but if you’re looking to take your 10/22 to the next level, here is our suggestion for the best Ruger 10/22 receiver.
Author’s Ruger 10/22 With Faxon Firearms FF-22 10/22 Receiver.
Faxon Firearms 10/22 Receiver Kit
We’re big fans of Faxon Firearms, mainly because they offer high-quality parts for a variety of firearms. They’ve already proven themselves in the shooting industry and have been producing some of the highest-quality barrels and components for years.
So, it’s no surprise why their 10/22 Receiver Kit is our preferred choice.
One of the things we really like about the Faxon 10/22 receiver kit is that it works with all Ruger OEM non-takedown parts, Faxon rimfire barrels, and most aftermarket chassis. Compatibility is a nice bonus and Faxon put some serious thought into that.
The 10/22 receiver is manufactured from 6061-T6 aluminum with a Chromoly steel v-block.
Maybe you’re not a fan of how the factory stock looks on your Ruger 10/22. Or, you’re looking for a stock that will better fit your body, shooting style, or purpose for the rifle. If you’re using the 10/22 for hunting, you’re going to want a different stock than if you were competition shooting.
By upgrading your Ruger 10/22 stock, you increase the stability, comfort, and accuracy of your shooting. We found two stocks that we really like and recommend.
Hogue Overmolded Rubber Stock
Another favorite of 10/22 enthusiasts who like to keep it simple is the Hogue Overmolded Stock. This stock feels superb in hand with just the right amount of rubberized grip. The Hogue Overmolded Stock also comes in Regular and Takedown depending on the type of 10/22 platform you own.
The Magpul Hunter X-22 stock has a comfortable grip angle for your firing hand and a great overall feel. The X-22 also offers multiple sling mounting options and inserts to dial in your length of pull. On top of that, the Magpul Hunter X-22 accepts both regular OEM barrels and heavier bullpup barrels.
We’ve found two trigger systems for the Ruger 10/22 that are great upgrade options to the stock OEM. One is a more affordable option, while the second is considerably more expensive.
Both of these triggers will offer better accuracy by way of lower pull weight and trigger reset. If you’re a recreational shooter or hunter, then we suggest the first option. If you’re competing in precision rimfire shoots, then the second option is going to be your jam.
Ruger BX Trigger
If you still want to stick with Ruger parts, the BX Trigger is the way to go. Compared to the 6-pound factory 10/22 trigger, this has a pull weight of 2½ to 3 pounds. You’ll definitely notice an improvement with that much difference in pull weight. It’s a drop-in trigger, so installation is simple and will not need a gunsmith or specialized gunsmithing tools.
The BX Trigger is made of polymer, so it’s not as durable as metal, but it is well-made and reliable.
Timney has been making high-quality, match-grade triggers for decades. Their Ruger 10/22 Drop-In trigger is no exception. Each component of the trigger is handmade and tested. Each component is also heat-treated 6061-T6 billet aluminum for durability and longevity.
Additionally, this is a complete trigger assembly so, like the Ruger BX Trigger, it’s incredibly easy to install. Additional features included are the improved trigger guard, magazine release button, and bolt hold-open feature.
The Crimson Trace Brushline 3-9x40mm scope with the BDC Rimfire reticle has been optimized for the small-game hunter. This scope boasts a 1" tube made of aerospace-grade aluminum, making it lightweight yet durable.
It has passed extensive environmental testing and is nitrogen-purged, waterproof, and shockproof. It boasts MOC-coated ELD glass, and the aggressive knurling on the magnification ring and turret ensures effortless adjustments.
The Simmons brand is a popular consumer brand of riflescopes. The Simmons Rimfire scope is especially popular among hunters looking for affordability and durability in the same package. This scope was also designed specifically for the .22LR round, so it only makes sense to mount it to your Ruger 10/22.
Some other notable features of this scope that hunters will like are that it’s waterproof, fog-proof, and shockproof.
The glass has a HydroShield coating applied to it, providing you with a crisp clear sight picture in any weather condition you find yourself hunting in.
The TANDEMKROSS Guardian Bolt Release for the Ruger 10/22 allows simple and automatic release of the bolt mechanism by eliminating the tedious step of manually manipulating the bolt lock with one hand and releasing the bolt with the other on the Ruger 10/22 rifle.
Release the bolt by pulling back slightly on the bolt handle and the bolt simply releases. This steel drop-in bolt release plate features a black oxide finish for enhanced durability.
The Tandemkross Eagle’s Talon Extractor is a much-needed upgrade that replaces the stamped factory OEM extractor. Often the factory extractor won’t maintain a secure enough hold on the spent casing as the Ruger 10/22 is cycling and will cause stove pipes and failure-to-eject malfunctions. With this simple-to-install and affordable upgrade, you can greatly improve the reliability of your Ruger 10/22.
Tandemkross Eagle’s Talon Extractor is machined with a positive hook that will grab and secure each round until it needs to be extracted. Eliminate your frustrations at the range today!
A common reliability issue with .22 long rifle rounds is the rim of the case not getting a solid strike to cause the round to go off. With a high-quality replacement firing pin, you’re almost guaranteed that if there is any priming compound in the area that is impacted by the firing pin. Replacement firing pins are usually thicker so they aren’t sloppy in their channel and have a precision ground head. While you’re upgrading your extractor you might as well take care of this. These two upgrades alone will skyrocket your Ruger 10/22 reliability.
The Volquartsen SureStrike Firing Pin is designed to minimize and or eliminate a light hit that almost always results in a misfire, the SureStrike is a precision EDM (Electrical Discharge Machine) crafted from A2 tool steel. Then, the firing pin’s impact end receives a surface ground to create a SureStrike hit each time.
Although not really considered an internal part, it’s still a small part worth mentioning. The Tandemkross Twister Takedown knob is a 1-for-1 swap with the factory takedown screw that allows tool-free disassembly of your 10/22 rifle in the field or at home for cleaning and maintenance.
Other than the factory 10 rounds magazines, the best Ruger 10/22 magazine to use is the Ruger BX-25. Because they are also Ruger-made, you don’t have to worry if they’re going to fit or not. One of the parts that can make or break a semi-auto 22LR is the magazine. Poor magazine quality will lead to failures to feed. Not the case with either of the Ruger branded options.
The Ruger 10/22 mods and upgrades take can be taken to extremes making it a great firearm for those who want a project gun or are looking to get their feet wet in gunsmithing.
Do you have any favorite Ruger 10/22 mods that we didn’t cover in this article? If so, let us know what those are in the comments below.
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