10/22 Facts for 2019

This is our fourth year in a row providing you with facts about the 10/22 that you might not have known....see the previous episodes at the links below

2016
2017
2018

Here is the Featured Gun post I did on the 10/22 back on October 22nd (10/22/2018) 

At the SHOT show this year. Umerex unveiled an air gun modeled after the Ruger 10/22, it is said to be slightly larger than the real thing, but the looks are spot on, see it here

Last Year Thompson/Center Arms (owned by rival Smith & Wesson) introduced a copy of the Ruger 10/22 rifle called the T/CR22. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery....see more here

Traditional Bowhunting and Wilderness Podcast says that everyone should own a 10/22

Below is the information packet sent to dealers in 1964 introducing the 10/22

This one of a kind 10/22 was a gift to Ruger collector Charlie Davis for helping out at a shooting match in which Ruger was a sponsor.

This is what he says makes his 10/22, s/n 246-78842, a true "One-of- a-kind":
1) A laminated Rosewood Burgundy stock (a prototype and the only one known).
2) A factory "Jeweled Bolt" (the only one known to have been jeweled at the factory).
3) Shipped with a Ruger sling with Ruger Logo.
4) A factory letter by Gerald Bersett, Ruger COO, and the factory test target shot with the gun.  See the story here

In October of 2018 Ruger announced the opening of it's Custom Shop. One of the first models offered was a special Ruger 10/22 Competition Rifle.
You may notice the forend of  the stock resembles that of the Finger Groove Sporter model.

 
The Ruger BX magazine has changed over the years, the early ones had a slotted screw head instead of the Allen head.
The picture below from Rimfire Central, shows four magazines from (L to R) 1968, 1976, circa 2000 and 2014

This is the actual rifle used by Chief AJ in 1987 to break the World Aerial Target Record (this was the last of the 18 rifles that was used)

photos courtesy of rimfire central forum

The NRA Blog has called  the 10/22 the "King of Rimfire"

The original Hogue overmolded stock for the 10/22 was partly based on the Finger Groove Sporter model that was made from 1966-1971

The Finger Groove Sporter stock

The Hogue, you can see the pistol grip and forearm are very similar to the FGS

As of this writing, there were a total of 94 different 10/22 models in eight categories available, this is down from 100 at this time last year.

The current sights on the 10/22 are made by Renal

In November of last year Kidron Sports Center in Ohio, created a one of a kind 10/22 dedicated to our President Donald Trump

On June 19th, 2015 Ruger announced a special "Collector's Series" for the 10/22 starting with the 50th Anniversary Model, they have since introduced two successive models.



In 1971 an employee at Ruger screwed up and accidentally marked the serial number prefix on some 10/22s as 121 and 131. They were currently on the 111 serial number prefix.
It seems the employee errantly turned the 2nd digit of the prefix to a number "2", then numbered the next 111 guns with a 121- prefix before the employee noticed the error. So the employee then rolled the 2nd digit of the numbering head one space. After reeling off another 1,281 guns the employee realized that he turned the digit the wrong direction again, turning those guns into 131- prefix 10/22's 

To prevent duplicate serial numbers in the future, they stamped these rifles with a "B" in front of the prefix.



The Alta Mont Company makes many of the special edition stocks for the Ruger 10/22 

According to gun writer Garry James, the 10/22 rifle is the most popular .22 rifle ever made.


Ruger only produced the 10/22 owner's manuals in two languages, English and Spanish...here is an example of the rare Spanish version from Ruger Owners and Collectors Society

In July of last year Ruger introduced a 10/22 Target Lite model, The rifle came equipped with a hammer forged barrel set in tension in an aluminum sleeve. The barrel is only 16" long and is threaded for suppressor use. The rifle is also equipped with the BX trigger for a light (2.5-3 lb) trigger pull. The rifle is set in a red & black laminated thumhole target stock. The extra weight of the thumbhole stock equals the mass lost from the barrel. The Target Lite model weighs in at 5lbs, the same as the standard 10/22 Carbine

This lucky guy was able to secure two of the prototype pirate pistol stocks for the Ruger Charger, the then bought two sequentially serial numbered Chargers and made a case for them..... a new take on dueling pistols..... see the whole story here

Sources

Rifle shooter mag
Thompson/Center Arms
Hogue 
NRA Blog 
Altamont Co 
Rimfire Central