Build a .22

[theduece]

Ok so been pondering for awhile about building a new 10/22. Kinda put the feeler out there to my oldest son about building one/some up together during the gunshow. My original intent was to buy a couple prob. 3 80% tm's and go from there(have another younger son also). Kinda father and son project that builds memories and firearms(WINNING). So it would seem simple enough but, I noticed at the gun show what was catching his eye more and more were not the 10/22's they were the bolt actions. So I asked which he would prefer given 0 budget considerations. Three options laid out, 10/22, an AR with either a dedicated .22 upper or conversion bolt, or a bolt action.

His honest choice... Bolt action! Ok so here is where you guys come in... Lol does anyone make an 80% receiver for one? Or do you recommend buying a complete new, used, c&r .22 . I don't really want to buy a new or otherwise complete gun then strip and replace the majority of it. Only to have a pile of parts to ALMOST complete another....

[ojisan]

The 10/22 is the lego gun....lots of options and easy to build and change around 20 different ways.
Bolt actions not so much (the CZ452 seem to be the modern favorite these days).

[BSlacker]

The 10/22 is the go to gun for customizing.
Bolt rifles are separated into two main groups. One is the inexpensive rifle like the Savage and Marlin lines. Some aftermarket parts and stocks and sighting options are available. There is a small industry around the Savages. CZ makes a upper grade rimfire that there is limited aftermarket support for. Its pretty good right out of the box and aftermarket support is growing.
Next are the high end parts guns. Like Stiller 25X, Hall, Falcon These people make very good actions which you build into a nice rifle. Think complete rifle to run about 3K.

[theduece]

Whoah! not looking to drop 3k on a bolt rimfire for junior. I had no idea they got so pricey. Saw a few threads lately about the marlin, going to have to look into the savage.

[joefreas]

Whoah! not looking to drop 3k on a bolt rimfire for junior. I had no idea they got so pricey. Saw a few threads lately about the marlin, going to have to look into the savage.

I started building a 10/22 steel gun and felt the same way. I couldn't believe that I was about to spend 2K on a 10/22.

[sholling]

I agree with the others the 10/22 is the customizing platform of choice while CZ/Savage/Anschutz are the out of the box bolt action tack drivers. I've built 6-7 10/22s and you need realize what you're getting into. You can start with a 10/22 or buy an after market receiver and start from scratch. You can make a build as simple as upgrading the stock, trigger, and barrel; or you can go nuts with an after market receiver, bolt, and high-buck trigger group. You're probably looking at bedding the receiver and possibly the barrel. Cost including a buying new 10/22 will usually run $$220 for the rifle and $300-700+ in parts not including the scope depending on how nuts you want to go.

Honestly you can do a full parts swap in an hour or two but depending on the whims of the 10/22 gods you may spend weeks tuning and tweaking to get a 2-3 MOA rifle to consistently shoot sub-MOA, and weeks more tightening it up a bit more - or it may shoot like a lazer the 1st try. The nice thing is that other than matching the barrel and stock you can space your upgrades one piece at time over as long a period as you want. Oh and it's like eating peanuts - you can't stop after just one.

Barrels $80-500
Trigger parts/whole trigger groups $80-300
Good stocks $120-200

Contrast that with a ready to rock $250-400 Savage, $300-550 CZ, or $900-2000+ Anschutz, not counting the cost of scopes. The CZ453 is often called the poor man's answer to an Anschutz. Maybe make the father/son fun weekly trips to the range and finding a local monthly rimfire (22lr) match to compete in.

[theduece]

Well the 10/22 I was leaning towards was to do an 80% and build from scratch. I figured
Receiver=100
Barrel=@150ish
Stock=150+more like 175
Trigger= I was confused on seems that the camps are pretty divided on this, with one saying kidd,timney,VQ,etc... With the other saying used metal kit with an aftermarket hammer. with costs somewhere between 150-300
Bolt kit,recoil spring etc.= 40-300ish
Glass=150ish?

685-1100+glass is about where I was figuring to end up at. Now some nicer parts pushes me higher while some used or good deals will drop it some. Although I am sure he would be stoked with it at the end of the day, he wanted a bolt action....

So now I'm on the hunt for a pair of reasonably good shape .22bolt actions. The 10/22 I will build for myself after. Any ideas? As for the furniture Grandpa is a woodworker hobbyist and I'm sure would love to help the boys refinish/repair. Refinishing/repairing metal work I can handle here.


btw I know the jig will increase my base price. To me that is tooling and is not counted towards gun cost.

[theduece]

Also the purpose of this is not to be building jr a superwazoo .22. It is Time building cool crap in the garage. With an end product he/we can be proud of.

[davek8s]

I put about $300 into my 10/22. Funny considering I paid $100 for it. That didn't include the scope. It went from 3" groups at 50 yards to dime size groups with federal bulk. Smaller groups with Eley or Wolf MT. Tricking out a 10/22 is easy and a lot fun. My son and I had fun doing the research and waiting for each part to come in. You should build it and then get him his bolt action.

[evolution1974]

So now I'm on the hunt for a pair of reasonably good shape .22bolt actions. The 10/22 I will build for myself after. Any ideas? As for the furniture Grandpa is a woodworker hobbyist and I'm sure would love to help the boys refinish/repair. Refinishing/repairing metal work I can handle here.

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=530409

Here is a CZ 452 Trainer for sale in your neck of the woods. I don't know the seller but $250 is a decent deal. I have my share of CZ 452s and they are great guns. Good luck.

[theduece]

Good catch. Thanks for the heads up.

[22popnsplat]

for the price of building a decent 10-22 build you can buy a classic bolt rifle that will shoot with the very best 10-22s if not out shoot them . look at the remington 40x winchester 52s or the anschutz 54s and spend the time at the range shooting instead of putting together a lego rifle. one of the those classics will last and be a shooter for your grandsons.

[sholling]

Well the 10/22 I was leaning towards was to do an 80% and build from scratch. I figured
Receiver=100
Barrel=@150ish
Stock=150+more like 175
Trigger= I was confused on seems that the camps are pretty divided on this, with one saying kidd,timney,VQ,etc... With the other saying used metal kit with an aftermarket hammer. with costs somewhere between 150-300
Bolt kit,recoil spring etc.= 40-300ish
Glass=150ish?

My second most expensive 10/22 was based on one I bought new years ago but figure a factory receiver is $100 if you can find one. Once in a while Shooters Discount will buy a 10/22 and part it out so there is a possibility. The Volquartsen THM barrel was about $260 and the Volquartsen trigger group was about $220 (Kidd 2-stage is better). The stock less than $150 and the bolt (the least important mod) and misc parts came out to maybe $150. The scope (highly recommended) was another $370. Figure $800 plus receiver and scope. She's more accurate than I am.

So now I'm on the hunt for a pair of reasonably good shape .22bolt actions. The 10/22 I will build for myself after. Any ideas? As for the furniture Grandpa is a woodworker hobbyist and I'm sure would love to help the boys refinish/repair. Refinishing/repairing metal work I can handle here.

I'll want to keep in mind scoped vs open sights when picking their rifles. Both Savage and CZ make rifles with stocks optimized for iron sights and rifles with stocks optimized for scopes. If you're looking to get them into matches I'd look at a Savage MkII BTVS or a CZ452 or CZ453 Varmint. Of the two CZs the 453 has a better trigger but the trigger reach is longer. I've owned a 453 and have shot the Savage and the 452. CZ452 Varmints are really nice but you'll want to install a trigger tweaking kit or after market trigger.


Note that this CZ453 Varmint's stock is made for a use with a scope.