Custom Ruger 10/22, Part II

In Part I last week we looked at the new-used 10/22 I found at Gander Mountain for $208. Since then I've made several mods. First was the installation of a 16-1/4", 0.920"  Feddersen bull barrel ($145 plus postage). The Hogue stock I had planned to use turned out to be for the 10/22 MAGNUM, so that plan went down the tubes. I was going to order a new Boyd stock, but my friend Ric made me the offer of buying or borrowing a customized Ruger Target stock he'd done, and I decided to buy it. Along with the visible change (adjustable Kydex cheek rest) Ric added double pillar bedding and filled some areas with JB Weld. There's a provision to add a rear block to the receiver so it can be anchored at two points, but I'm going to test it using the unmodified receiver before I consider trying the double anchor.

Today the mail brought a KIDD recoil buffer, which it just a piece of Viton fuel tubing with a steel pin running down the center. I almost made my own, but the smallest piece of Viton I could buy would cost more than the assembly from KIDD! I also have a KIDD barrel block that I may or may not install, depending on the results from my first long distance test shoots- which, given the current winter weather, may be a month or more away.

I've added a scope, too, a BSA Sweet .22 3-9 X 40 scope that was sitting on my Stevens 25. It's not really adequate for shooting tight groups at 50+ yards, but it'll do for indoor testing for now. I also have a BSA 6-24X44 AO scope here that has enough magnification but it's a bit beat up. Ideally, I'd mount a Weaver Target T-36X40 target scope, but that's a bit rich for my blood right now. I might compromise for now on something like the Simmons .44 Mag 6-21x 44mm scope I used to use in Airgun Field Target.

The last planned mod is a rebuilt trigger assembly. We measured the stock trigger at 6.5lbs, and that's way too high for precision shooting, even though it breaks pretty cleanly. While I decided what route to go, I'm borrowing a trigger Ric worked  on (new trigger, new hammer/sear)  that breaks very crisply at about 2.5lbs. Right now I'm leaning towards the Tier 2 trigger mod from Brimstone Gunsmithing, which runs $70 plus postage.

I'm still thinking of buying a Boyd stock and doing a pillar bedding job on it, but with about $420 invested so far, I may wait a few weeks before making any more purchases. ;-)

(On to Part III)