Ruger 10/22

This is the 2nd Ruger 10/22 I've had. The first was one my father picked up from a renter in lieu of delinquent rent, or some such a deal way back in the '70's. It served me well through my late teen years, and on up until I was in my thirties. It was a standard, blue rifle, and I suddenly decided I wanted a new, stainless one. I sold it to a friend, and went out and bought the new stainless rifle.

About a year later, I figured it just wasn't good enough, when in all actuality it was a fine rifle out of the box. That didn't matter. I was single, making a lot of money, and turning into the type of shooter where nothing is ever "good enough" out of the box. A few weeks, and a couple hundred bucks later I ended up with the rifle shown in the picture above. Except then it had a nice, stainless Simmons Deerfield 4x32 scope. This turned out to be a fine scope for the .22, and coupled with the fluted Kimber of Oregon bull barrel, and the laminated thumbhole stock, it was really a tack-driver. No kidding, this thing was amazingly accurate as I proved to friends time and time again, and I'm not that great a shot.

Then one night, as I was preparing to go hunting/camping/adventuring/something up in the mountains, I noticed the Deerfield was getting kind of dinged up. "Hmmm", thought I, "That won't do. Let's see what else we have lying around here".

I had a Bushnell 4-12x scope which had previously been on a 24" fluted AR-15 upper, which I had since cannibalized, and the scope was just sitting there getting dusty. "Aha!", said I, "This will do nicely!"

Well, it did. It fit. Just barely. The scope mounts allow just about a baby's hair of relief between the front scope bell and the barrel. I have always planned on getting slightly taller mounts, but just haven't gotten around to it.

The fact is, I am reluctant to tamper with perfection. This configuration rocks. What was a tack-driver is now sub-minute of barn door fly. I don't know how any rifle can be more accurate. I'm sure there are plenty that are, but those are way beyond my ability. The only thing I would do to this rifle now, to attempt to further purify it, would be some trigger work, but then again, I am not so sure I would appreciate that much, as I've never shot a rifle with an ultra-fine trigger, and I wonder if such a grace might be lost on me?

Regardless, this is a great rifle, and has served me well for years. Whether it's shooting pinecones off a tree, plinking pop cans, or shooting the eye out of a chucker, this one has done it all, and I can't recommend this series of rifles to everyone who can legally own one. Buy a 10/22. Now.

Oh, and in case you're wondering? My friend still has, and shoots the crap out of the original one and it is still working hard too! These things run forever!

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