10/22 why so popular

[NATEWA]

Like a Remington 870 - there are a ton of them out there, making them cheap. A lot of aftermarket products are made for them so you can customize for its purpose. Once you have one, you have mags and ammo so when looking at another .22 rifle, I got another 10/22 because I have mags, parts, and familiar with the platform.

[NATEWA]

Was at SW in Rancho Cordova and the sales guy was saying how he didn’t like .22’s. What’s not to love? Lightweight, quiet, cheap, and fun.

A different salesman thought he was trying to overcompensate for something because he didn’t like the small .22’s. ��

[AR22]

Because you can do this to it.

And all that will still not make it out shoot a stock Marlin Model 60

[ARDude]

I originally bought mine in 1973 because it resembled an M1 carbine. It was my first firearm. All original parts still. Many 1000's of rounds thru it. No problems...still shoots. I can knock soda cans over at 50 yards all the time. Stock sights.

[MARKFP]

Well, all of the above. I'm sure the Marlin is a superb rifle, as I've never owned one, but as the owner of a few 10/22's, some modified, some stock, you can't deny their cost , dependability and after market support. They're just plain fun.

[gwanghoops]

love the old school Ruger stuff.

10/22, 44 carbine, PC9/40, mini14 are all-time fun guns with iron sights.

[golfish]

The guns that seem to be the most enduring and popular, are guns that have huge aftermarket support. They're also easy on the wallet and are easy to work on and upgrade.

.22 rifle: Ruger 10/22

9mm handgun: Glock 19

.45 ACP handgun: 1911

Semi auto rifle: AR-15

12 ga. shotgun: Remington 870

Bolt action rifle: Remington 700

What! No .357 lever gun ?


OP, I'm with you, I prefer the model 60 over the 10/22. The model 60 is easier to load and you don't forget your mags.

[ojisan]

The hidden advantage of the 10/22 is it can be completely taken apart with common hand tools on your kitchen table.
For those who like to tinker and modify, this is the deciding factor.
For those who want to buy a gun and leave it as is, the 60 is a great gun.

[WWDHD?]

Well, all of the above. I'm sure the Marlin is a superb rifle, as I've never owned one, but as the owner of a few 10/22's, some modified, some stock, you can't deny their cost , dependability and after market support. They're just plain fun.

Nothing wrong with variety or competition but- the market has spoken. The 10/22 is the best all around semi-auto .22lr.

[Verdha603]

Widely available, large market of Ruger and aftermarket parts to make modifications to it, they're easy to maintain and clean compared to other .22 semi-auto's I've shot and handled, and frankly once I got out of California the detachable 11+ round magazines were a selling point for me. Got a large stack of 15 round Ruger magazines for mine that make reloading a breeze compared to having to deal with the almost two-handed affair of yanking a flush-fit 10 round magazine out.

['ol shooter]

I put together a 10-22 for myself and liked the results.
I also wanted to give my kids their own rifles, personalized to their likes.
The 10-22 is just the ticket for that. Using bare receivers and a mix of new and lightly used parts
I put them together and tuned them for reliability and good triggers.
All have had the bolts modded by a pro gunsmith for reliable operation.
Mine:

Oldest Daughter:

Son:

Youngest Daughter:

I own stoning jigs and many other gunsmithing tools so I feel confident in maintaining and repairing my stable of long and short guns.
The 10-22 is a good gun to get a feel for whether you are a tinkerer or not.
I own several older Marlin single shots and repeaters and like them very much, some needed considerable TLC.

[RNE228]

I would respectfully disagree with the first part. Out of the box, I would replace "Outstanding" with "Average".

I've shot too many single shot, bolt, pump and semi-auto 22's that shoot better than 10/22's out of the box.

Your second point is correct; if you throw away most of the parts and get aftermarket, the 10/22 can be made in to a tack driver.

They are fun to shoot; I have one. But Outstanding is stretch(IMHO after 50 years of shooting)

Ruger made an outstanding, cheap to make, design with the 10/22. There are two primary reasons for its popularity: 1) cost and 2) the magazines. Instead of making cheap magazines that wear out quickly, Ruger put a steel insert for the feed lips. Hence, the magazines feed until the spring wear out, or it is filled with wax and powder residue.

If an excellent trigger and barrel are fitted, the thing is as accurate as an Anschutz target rifle, no joke. At some level of barrel quality, ammunition is the difference in accuracy. In large part due to its long manufacturing life, since the early 1960's, there is a huge aftermarket of parts for the things. I am quite certain there is a turbo charger that can be fitted on top!

[Full Clip]

Price, parts and nostalgia.

[Creampuff]

Peer pressure. CG's said I wasn't one of the cool kids unless I did it too


I bought it because of the takedown model. I was running out of space in my safe. The takedown meant I could shove it under the bed.

[CSACANNONEER]

Why would anyone only own one 10-22?