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Ruger 10/22 - what length of barrel to choose?

anavoli
Hi to all

I'm planning to buy a Ruger 10/22 semiautomatic LR rifle but I don't know what length of barrel to choose. Options are standard 18 1/2" barrel or 20" or even 22" barrel. I know that longer barrel means more precise rifle (that's why bull barrels are all 20" long, isn't it?) but I really need advice from you experts guys with lot of expirience.

I will use rifle for target practice but also for plinking and very probavly for small game. Don't laught, that is fun for me. I have intetntion to put scope on to make it even more precise.

Please, guys, what Ruger 10/22 to choose: standard 18 1/2" barrel or 20" or one with 22" barrel and why?

Thanks a lot
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Comments

11 comments

Date Votes
  • 1KYDSTR
    I would go for the "22 stainless myself. I have a couple of the carbines, and while really quite accurate, they don't have the overall dimensions to make me happy with them. A friend recently bought the "22 barreled gun (he has owned and shot to exhaustion about a dozen 10-22's over the years) and after the new trigger group was put in it, clainms he'll never buy the little ones again. I've shot it, and it is a really nice little autoloader, and will outshoot even my favorite old 10-22, which is plenty accurate itself! You could also buy the carbine (cheaper than the rifle) and put an Adams and Bennet or other after market bull barrel (the conversion is easy enough that the good folkes here at GB Forum could walk a novice through it, I believe)and get similar results to the rifle, but you would be spending about the same amount of money either way.

    Perhaps the thing that is getting lost here is that you would likely be better off having the trigger group worked on first (around $100 for the Volquartsen rig, and I would put it on whatever I bought, the rifle OR the carbine)) and see what that does for the accuracy. If you yearn for a flyswatter, with enough money and practice, the 10-22 is one of the most adaptable (read that to mean aftermarket parts) autoloaders you can buy. Good luck, stay safe and Practice, practice, practice!!!

    "When I cease learning...I'm dead"(Me)
    "When I was 14 I used to marvel at how ignorant my old man was...by the time I was 21 I was truelly amazed at how much the old bugger had learned in the intervening 7 years!" Samuel Clemens
    "History is written by winners"(Patton)
    "You get a lot farther with a kind word and a gun than you do with a kind word alone!"(Al Capone)
    "There is nothing lower than the human race...except the French" (Samuel Clemens)
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  • gunguy30_06
    If your not into spending lotsof $$$'s and your don't have a large body build then the standard short carbine will do you fine the added lenght won't get you a whole lot more accuracy, as compared to a aftermarket barrel. i put a compact 6 power scope of my rifle and i love this set up. don't think that you have to get a different barrel and new trigger just to have some fun plinking and shooting small varmints. Have fun with whatever you choose. Just a tip from exprience look for the ammo that works best with your gun. mine likes the remington golden bullets as far as reliablity goes. Have fun!
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  • He Dog
    In .22 caliber rifles velocity is lost in longer barrels, and barrel length is less of an issue with a scoped rifle in terms of accuracy. That said, I went with the 20" barrel because it balanced better for carry than the others for me. You have to watch these 10/22's though, there are a pile of after market goodies out there and mine is now a $600 rifle?[xx(][:p][8D]
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  • duckhunter
    get the 22 inch barrel.

    I WOULD RATHER BE DUCK HUNTING.
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  • CLINTF
    Everyone has made a good point but honestly you need to clean up the trigger, hammer, and sear first(could cost as little as $50.00) and accuracy is doubled and more than adequate for plinking or small game...but when you decide you want x-rings and head shots, then you can switch out to a heavy/bull barrel and a target/better fitting stock for another $100-150. The thing you have to remember is that someone who is a good marksman with a stock 10/22 can out-shoot a poor marksman with a $1000 custom gun. Practice and patience wins over amount paid!
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  • anavoli
    Thank you all for replaying with such good advices.

    I have to to tell you that I won't spend any money to buy new barrel - I will just buy new Ruger 10/22 but I don't know wich length of barrel it should have because in Walmart I can buy that gun with 18 1/2" or with 20" or with 22" barrel.

    So, I just don't know with wich barrel to buy Ruger with.

    Extra money I will spend for scope.
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  • gunguy30_06
    Just try handling all the different lenghts and shoulder the rifle and this will probably tell you witch one you will like best.
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  • RDT
    I just bought a 10/22 in stainless with the 18 1/2 inch barrel. I was able to shoot all of the shots inside of a 4 inch sqare in a sight in target at 25 yards with open sights. I thought that was good until I let my 20 something year old son shoot. He shot the one inch square completely out. It sucks to get old.
    You really don't need the longer barrel especially if you will be using open sights to plink.
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  • mpolans
    Regarding velocity, with the .22lr cartridge, you're basically losing velocity after about 16-18 inches.
    About the only reason to have a longer barrel I can think of right now is, if you're using iron sights, a longer sight radius.
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  • Old hickory
    I have 3 with 18" and one with the 22" stainless(WalMart) I definitely like the 22" the best. This diespite having a nice sporter from the mid 70's . If you spend extra money go with trigger work! I've kept everything stock myself because I do fine with things as they are. I think you'll find the long barrel with standard velocity ammo is very quiet in the woods for squirrels. Good luck with the greatest 22 ever( and I'm really partial to Win 69's)
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  • linemech
    Mpolaris is IMO 100% correct on the bbl length issue. If you are target shooting and useing a scope I would try to stay at or under 20" I have the 10/22t model and cant outshoot it offhands. Even off the bench under 100yds its hard to beat. Great littl gun.
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