My DIY 10/22 on a steep budget

[mds2004]

The gun was bone stock so I modified it a little. While building one of my ARs I was watching the forums 24/7 for parts. I happened to fall onto a Tactical Solutions mag release for $15 shipped.

I bought an extractor but is NOT needed. I read that 10/22s like to stovepipe and this is the fix for it. I bought the extractor without even shooting the gun as I was already making a purchase from Midway.

The stock 10/22 trigger is known to be less than desirable (8-9lbs) so I was browsing through the "Tips & Tricks" section at RFC and found THIS thread. After some fine tuning the trigger pull is light. I don't have a trigger pull scale, but I do have an AR15 with a 3lb trigger done and I can say the Ruger's trigger is lighter.


I also did the auto-bolt release mod with the dremel. What this does is let you release the bolt by just pulling it back and letting go, and not having to mess with the pesky release. This is how you do the auto bolt release:


Auto-bolt release FREE
2.5-3lb trigger FREE
Mag release $15
extractor $10 - Not needed unless it is stovepiping

For now, $25 into the entire gun and Im a happy man.

[Arteel]

Congrats!

[mds2004]

Making your own bolt buffer

To update I also made my own buffer. I did post this on RFC too, but figure some of you arent over there and could use all my information to work on your own trigger.

I had some 7/32 line around, and then found some 3/16" rivets. I stuffed one end of the rivets in the line and dremeled the ends off, making them fit perfect in the receiver width-wise. The line fits in perfectly. I fit it into the receiver and tested it out and it works great. For $3 after tax you could have easily made 10 or so with a foot of tubing and a pack of 10 rivets that costed $2.






$3 to make 10 of them

[mds2004]

Polishing + chamfering bolt for MUCH smoother action and less stovepiping

Finished chamfering the bolt and it comes back without effort. I can barely feel it ride back on the hammer.
After chamfering, the bolt should look like this:

I took the picture from here

I did this with just a dremel I already had. $0 dollars spent.

[mds2004]

Removing the stock trigger plunger and return spring with an internal spring

New update:
I did the bobby pin trick and WOW. Much much better. What this does is remove the stock trigger plunger and return spring with an internal spring making the action much smoother and arguably a lighter trigger pull.

Here is the link I got it from: http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums...d.php?t=167898

You notice he made a little "u" at the end. I attempted so and it actually broke off. I tried it anyways and it still works great.
Here is the after pic w/o the plunger:



No gritty trigger for $0 if you have a bobby pin around the house. Otherwise you can find them at the dollar store. $1 package of 20.

[mds2004]

Overtravel screw

Now here is a post how to use the existing trigger plunger hole for an overtravel screw: link

From this:

to this:

and if cleaned up it looks stock!:

I could not find 3/4" screws and ended up with 1/2" which worked fine for me.
When I did it it costed $5 for bit + tap and $.80 for screws that I got at Home Depot. Lowes did not have the screws.
Total was $6 for overtravel screw installed

[Stringer]

Awesome work, MDS.

FWIW, in my experience, the ABR mod doesn't need to have a hole that big. A flat-filed hole has not failed me yet.

[1022rimfire]

Nice work! Can't beat the price, hehe. RFC is a great resource for 10/22's!!

[shmeddie]

I know what I'm doing on my next days off...

[mds2004]

Awesome work, MDS.

FWIW, in my experience, the ABR mod doesn't need to have a hole that big. A flat-filed hole has not failed me yet.

I tried making it flat and it still would not work for me. I had to open it up just a little more.

Thanks for the kind words guys. As I am between jobs atm, these cheap tricks are fun and consuming my spare time. Plus the gun fires 100x better than stock

[CHS]

Finished chamfering the bolt and it comes back without effort. I can barely feel it ride back on the hammer.
After chamfering, the bolt should look like this:

I took the picture from here

I did this with just a dremel I already had. $0 dollars spent.

NICE!! I would never have thought of this one. I've already got a nice trigger in mine, as well as a buffer and auto bolt-release. But this is next, I can feel it

Time to take that bolt to a belt sander!

[Quinc]

How are the mods holding up after a couple years of use?

*Yes I know this thread is old*

[Gem1950]

It's also easy to free float the barrel and band if one is inclined to do so.

[Quinc]

I polished all the trigger parts and bolt to a mirror finish like in the first post. I put EWL lube on after and it beads up now. Anyway the trigger pull is not changed at all. Going to have to take a file to the sear and hammer.