Which is more accurate/ expensive

[MISFIRE]

I have access to an older model 10/22 for customizing. I am wondering if I wouldn't be better off accuracy wise with a dedicated S&W AR 22.
What do you think, both accuracy and cost.
Thanks Bill

[P5Ret]

I have limited experience with the Smith, the one I shot was fine accuracy wise, a bit picky on ammo though. I've owned a Ruger for about 30 years and it shoots like a champ, accurate enough for what I do with it. Now if you want to improve accuracy on the Ruger, there are a ton of upgrades, that can be done. It just depends on how accurate you want it to be as far as costs, you can spend a little or a lot depending on you needs.

[AR22]

I am not really understanding the decision you are contemplating. You either want a 10-22 Platform or you want the completely different AR type Platform, you cannot really look at the two simply from a accuracy standpoint. They are completely different Firearms all together. Of course both can be customized. But in completely different ways..

I am sure both out of the box they will compare about equal as far as accuracy. The SW would be alot more fun to shoot. The AR Platform is just plain FUN.

We only own .22 dedicated uppers, no SW. But I will say this. The poor old 10-22 has not seen daylight since we discovered the dedicated .22 upper Platform.

Whenever anyone shoots our dedicated AR22 uppers. They all say "I have to get me one of these". I have never had anyone say that about our 10-22.

Personally, I would not get either one. I would build another dedicated .22 upper

Yes you are going to pay more for the AR Platform over the 10-22. But well worth the extra money in my opinion.

[kenl]

Cool thing about the 10-22 is that you can do anything you want with it. Don't like the trig, replace the hammer and/or sear. Want a heavy barreled target shooter, you can do that. Want a light weight tack driving squirrel gun, get an AI or Kidd barrel, put it in the stock of your choice, add optics, and your GTG. Want to tackticool it, go for it.

Love the AR platform, but it will never replace my 10-22

My rifle with a Butler Creek target hammer, a Kidd lightweight barrel, modified Black Hawk Knoxx Axiom stock, and Simmons 22 mag scope. It started out life as a $80 pawn shop pickup with a bent barrel. Its now a tack driver that weighs in at about 5.5 lbs. I have ~$400 into it, including the original price of the rifle.

[AR22]

Actually there are alot more options for drop in aftermarket trigger groups for the AR Platform than the 10-22. You can get adjustable aftermarket ones for any trigger pull you desire and lots of options.

As far as appearance wise, literally 1000s and 1000s of aftermarket goodies for the AR Platform..It never ends what you can get aftermarket for the AR Platform.

Many aftermarket barrel options for the AR Platform too. If you want lightweight. That barrel in the photo of mine above, weighs just over a pound. The whole thing as shown is right at 5 pounds. That is with the Magpul Stock and rifle length JP Hand Guard.. That is light.

If you want really great accuracy from a AR22 style rifle. Spend the money on a Clint Beyer barrel. But for most of us plinkers. The standard barrels will suffice just fine.

I would say 80% at least of a barrels accuracy is going to come from the shooter himself and the quality of the ammo he is using.. The barrel Quality does contribute some of course. Most cannot even shoot to the full potential of a barrel. Or even want too in a rimfire. To me rimfires are about Fun mostly. And reasonably cheap to shoot too.

I have heard of some shooting better than 3/8ths groups with a Beyer barrel. That is dang good for a Semi Auto in the AR Platform. Or any semi auto for as far as that goes.

[ptgarcia]

The 10/22 will end up costing a lot less than an AR platform .22 and most likely be a better performer.

[Jimi Jah]

A 5.56 with a .22LR conversion bolt will be the most expensive, least accurate option, but perhaps the most fun.

Switch to 5.56 and you really start to hit stuff. I like the option of shooting both.

[AR22]

I would not do the drop in conversion with the 5.56 barrel. That is how we started out though. We quickly turned that drop in bolt to a dedicated one with a new collar to replace the chamber adapter.

The great thing about a dedicated upper is we can switch uppers back and forth on the same lower in seconds and shoot either .22 or 5.56 on the same lowers. You cannot do that with the SW MP 15-22. Or a 10-22

[71MUSTY]

As others have said there are a lot of tried and true accuracy upgrades for the 10/22. People have been shooting them in competition for a long time for a reason.

Now given enough cash you can probably build a really accurate AR in 22, however how do you know what components are going to work best together to give you the accuracy you want? Trial and error? Lots of $$$ and trips to the range experimenting?

If you want accuracy in a 22 rifle I'd stick with the 10/22 and do the upgrades.
Just like if you want accuracy in a 22 pistol I'd stick with an upgraded Ruger MK I, MKII, MKIII because someone else already spent the time and money to get them right. My lil MKII will out shoot most 22 rifles.

[saigarocks]

i've got 6 22 rifles and the 10/22 is by far the most accurate

[TMB 1]

71MUSTY is right about the Ruger Mk II. My Mk II is a tack driver, only upgrade it has is steel trigger. Both my old 10/22s are tack drivers too, only upgrades they have are scopes. Oldest made in 1972, newest made in 1987.

[AragornElessar86]

Accurate, cost effective 22lr is a 10/22, hands down. I know you can make an AR22 accurate, but it is spendy. My 10/22 was shooting unsupported .5" groups at 25yards with irons after replacing only the stock. I've since spent more on upgraded components (wife didn't clean it after an appleseed and the charging handle rusted, so good excuse for a KIDD, etc), but you can get 75% of the way there or better with a dremel and some barkeeper's friend.

[MechaDad]

Having kids, I appreciate this thread. It's got me thinking I'm gonna build me a dedicated upper. They get to train with the smaller caliber 22, while developing familiarity with the same AR lower they'll eventually be shooting 556/223 with.

As for the 10/22, I agree with all of the positives listed above. However I've always feared the cost of an endlessly customizable 22. I'd be like Bilbo Baggins when he sees the ring again.

Actually the same could be said of the AR. Ok, like op said... AR or 10/22?!

[AR22]

MechaDad. They will love a dedicated .22 upper. That is one of the biggest reasons I decided to build them the First CMMG dedicated upper.


I knew then that when they were ready to move up. We could assemble a 5.56 upper to throw on the lower and they could have both at the ready depending on which one they wanted to shoot at any particular moment. Well under a minute to swap the uppers.

You buy them a 10-22, and a dedicated .22 upper. I 100% can guarantee you which one they will want to take to the range. Only problem is you will have to build a upper for each one to avoid the in fighting. The one that gets the 10-22 at the range would not be happy Trust me I know.

A 10-22 is a good little plinker. But a AR type is just so much more fun. Yes a 10-22 is cheaper, if that is what you want and can afford. Buy one.

If you really want to shoot a .22 for accuracy in competition then spend the money and get a quality Bolt rifle.

Want to have fun and very, very acceptable semi auto accuracy that will satisfy any Plinker. Get a AR22 style rifle.

Mecha look at CMMG and Taccom if you decide to build.

[Merc1138]

Having kids, I appreciate this thread. It's got me thinking I'm gonna build me a dedicated upper. They get to train with the smaller caliber 22, while developing familiarity with the same AR lower they'll eventually be shooting 556/223 with.

As for the 10/22, I agree with all of the positives listed above. However I've always feared the cost of an endlessly customizable 22. I'd be like Bilbo Baggins when he sees the ring again.

Actually the same could be said of the AR. Ok, like op said... AR or 10/22?!

Depends on which AR .22 you're talking about.

The s&w 15-22 is a great low cost option. However it is no target rifle. Great for plinking, getting someone familiar with firearms, etc.

The 10/22 gets to be ridiculous if you go the full custom route, but they turn out pretty nice. However it is very easy to end up with a $1000 rifle, not including the optic. You'll want a nice barrel, a nice trigger, a nice bolt, a nice stock, possibly a nicer receiver than a ruger factory model, etc. That being said, it'll never be as good(pretty damn close) as a dedicated .22lr target rifle like an anschutz even if you spent as much money upgrading a 10/22 than if you just bought an anschutz in the first place. At least it'll look better than an anschutz?

If we're talking about AR conversion kits, drop ins aren't the way to go. Yes they're cheap, but you'll end up with a plinker. Most of the uppers aren't much better than a drop in kit(well, you will get a more appropriate twist rate, and don't have to worry about fouling up your gas port or anything). The base model stuff like the CMMG uppers are kind of "meh", if you can get a nordic components style upper(JP-22 would be what you can currently buy) they're way better than the "normal" style unless you want something lightweight(then go with taccom). You mention getting the kids familiar with an AR-15, that would be the way to do it, as they'll have the same stock/trigger/grip/safety and already be familiar with the rifle when it's time to swap out the .22lr for the 5.56 upper.

edit: To further clarify why I said to go with the nordic/JP upper, is that the CMMG basically uses the same bolt assembly as the drop in kits, which when they work, work well. When they don't want to work well, they are quite headache inducing. The nordic style upper uses a bolt that is a bit closer to that of a 10/22 and since the inside of the upper receiver is cut square to fit the bolt rather than rely on the flimsy rails like the drop in kits and CMMG dedicated uppers do, they simply run smoother(externally they look the same).