Bought a Mark III Standard last year and love it right out of the box. I like that it's all metal, I like the feel of the trigger, etc.
At the same time I also bought a Marlin 60. Nice gun too. I debated between it and the 10/22 and went with the 60 because of the longer butt stock. No issues with it, except that dang 9 pound trigger! And the tube feed, and the plastic parts - which are so expensive to upgrade, without a whole lot of perceived gain.
So - onto my question at last - if I buy a stock Ruger 10/22, what is it going to cost me to 1) replace all the plastic parts on the gun (I detest plastic, mostly because it friggin' MELTS when I spray cleaner on it, even when it's the "right type" 2) to get the trigger pull down to something reasonable, like 3-4 lbs.
Lastly, I like the look of the 10/22 Sporter model. Are these available anywhere? I like the nicer wood stock and 22 inch barrel. But if I spend $425 to get one off Gunbroker (with FFL, shipping, etc) and spend XXX on parts to make it last a lifetime, and be "happy" with it, where would that put me?
Also, if anyone has links to these upgrades, please let me know. I've never been tempted to do anything to my Mark III, but I think to own a 10/22 I'd have to bring it up to its level. I do understand cost cutting measures to make these guns affordable, so I'm not complaining there.
And is the Sporter worth it? Or is there a model that comes stock with the features I want?
I'd say find a nice older 10/22 from before they stated making polymer trigger groups and barrel bands.
Or, buy a new one, but find a metal trigger on ebay.
If you want to go down the road of upgrades, the sky's the limit. Companies like Volquartsen, Kidd, Timney, and on and on, make 10/22 parts. Barrels, triggers, bolts, stocks, charging handles, bolt buffers...it never ends.
Personally, I like my stock carbine. Mine's only a year old, so it does have the plastic trigger.
Oh, almost forgot. I've been using Ballistol on all my guns. It makes the stocks and blued parts look really nice. It does absolutely no harm to polymer parts.
Ocduff, You can find what you are looking for on these two sites. Volquartson.com or Kidd Innovations.com, But remember what you want is not cheap but they are there. And as far as any one offering the old style trigger guard and receiver they were cast and you would be hard pressed to find one unless one came up for sale no one wanted. But i do feel your pain i also do not like plastic parts on my guns it feels cheap and toy like, The 1022's i have all have the plastic tigger guard and safty and so on and it works ok for what it is worth. I hope you find what you are looking for. Blazer..........
Find an older one that you want on Armslist, and buy it locally. You really cant wear them out, so you shouldnt have to worry too much about buying a used one. I started off 25 years ago with a blued carbine, then sold that for the stainless carbine. I still have that one, but the last 3, have been different variations of the Sporter Deluxe. I like the walnut, and checkering much better than the plain old birch stock. The gun is the same internally.
You mention dislikes with the Marlin you purchased and how the plastic parts would be "expensive to upgrade, without a whole lot of perceived gain." Well, unless you're to make a bunch of other changes to the stock 10/22 you have your eyes one, changing to non-polymer parts will get you zero gain.
So - onto my question at last - if I buy a stock Ruger 10/22, what is it going to cost me to 1) replace all the plastic parts on the gun (I detest plastic, mostly because it friggin' MELTS when I spray cleaner on it, even when it's the "right type" 2) to get the trigger pull down to something reasonable, like 3-4 lbs.
You can find alloy assemblies in a wide range of prices. A stripped one might be in the $50 range. Go that route change the hammer/sear et for the Kidd kit and you'll be all set...maybe. It's the best DIY route going but is designed for the polymer housings. With alloy ones not holding the tolerances as the polymer ones it's hit or miss if it'll drop in properly. A base route would be simply changing the hammer.
If it "melts" then it's obviously NOT the correct cleaner.
Lastly, I like the look of the 10/22 Sporter model. Are these available anywhere? I like the nicer wood stock and 22 inch barrel. But if I spend $425 to get one off Gunbroker (with FFL, shipping, etc) and spend XXX on parts to make it last a lifetime, and be "happy" with it, where would that put me?
If it's a 22" model, you're looking at something other than the standard Sporter. You'd be looking for the 10/22-22 which was most recently a special run made for Lipsey's. It's still a birch stock unlike the standard Sporter which uses walnut. Why not have your local dealer simply order one (if still available) directly from Lipsey's?
As for overall cost...all depends on how good of parts you want to upgrade to.
Thanks for the replies all. It looks like the Kidd kit will get me where I want to be with a light, crisp trigger. That said, the stock trigger might not be so bad once I give it a try.
And I will look around for an older one and stop by the LGS to inquire about a Lipsey Sporter. Sure is a pretty rifle.
Looks like I have to take the good with the bad. I have no real problem with high quality polymers but there's certainly low and high grade.
I had one of the Lipsey's 22" sporters with the birch stock and stainless barrel. It was sharp, I'll certainly say that. The stock it came with was very nice. If I had kept the rifle, I would likely have bought a walnut stock for it and put the birch one one my blued carbine.
I was in the same situation as you. Started off with the carbine and got a scope. The 6-8 lb trigger pull was too heavy so I got a drop in kidd trigger kit that came with springs to lower the trigger pull. I lowered mine to 2 3/4 lbs. Now there is no slop w/ the pull and it doesn't feel as gritty, it has a nice clean break now. I originally wanted an aluminum trigger housing but read an article saying the plastic triggers were made to hold tighter tolerances and according to Ruger it can withstand harsher abuse. If a walnut stock is important to you, I'd consider getting the sporter because looking for a reasonably priced walnut stock will take a while, I'm looking for one right now and on ebay they are pretty expensive.
Get a metal trigger group if you want it that bad...however...having one Aluminum and two Poly trigger groups for 10/22s I think you are making a mistake...the poly trigger group is the better performer...and very durable...don't spray it with solvents...there is zero good reason to do that...it the solvent will dissolve the poly trigger group it will dissolve the paint on your AL group and receiver and you beautiful walnut stock...try Frog Lube...very nice stuff...
You can get a very sweet trigger job from Brimstone
Gunsmithing on either AL or Poly trigger groups for $45 including shipping both ways... 2.5lb pull and crispy...I have one group done by Brimstone and a second with drop in parts that cost more...the Brimstone is leaps and bounds better...will be doing another one...
The Deluxe Sporter 'DSP' is nice checkered walnut stock...but because they are pricey the market is relatively small which means they are harder to get...it's worth it if you like it...
You can buy these stocks on ebay...sometimes from retail outlets as well...possibly directly from Ruger...I think the going price for a NIB sporter stock is in the $140 range...
One more thing...you can have your factory barrel re-chambered for accuracy for under $100 as well...
So you can get the factory sporter look you want in a very accurate rifle with nice trigger for a reasonable price any way you look at it...
You bought the wrong gun to begin with...not knocking the Marlin...just sayn' that money could have gone to a MUCH nicer 10/22 imo...
Thanks everyone. I did go and look at a new 10/22 at Dick's yesterday and it had a small dent on the muzzle, and I watched the salesman take it right out of the box. The gun looked pretty good. But I'll hold out for a little better example.
And I'm over the whole plastic thing. It is what it is. I'm not anti-plastic, but I'd prefer metal is all. It sounds like the stock plastic trigger group, when modded, is top notch.
Zommy - thanks much for all that info. I see Midway has the DSP stock, but not in stock.
So, here's what I'm totaling so far:
1) $250 for the rifle, plus tax $20
2) $50 for the Brimstone, with shipping the trigger there
3) $150 shipped for the stock
Let's say I can sell the birch stock for $20 after fees on Ebay.
So I'm looking at a $450 gun, all in. Extra magazine, $25. If I go the Kidd route for parts I install myself, I'm looking at a $525 gun - plus I'd probably add some other improvements. Wow this is adding up fast!
No, that still seems like a good deal for what it will be. But I could buy a pretty nice gun for $550. Not sure what.
Yes it can be a problem having so many options and so little money...
Step back...ask yourself what kind of "package" you want in the end from an auto loader...
You CAN find DSP, Mannlicher, Talo etc stocks on ebay also...
I love the LOOK of the DSP...but I am infinitely happier with a silhouette thumbhole stock myself from a shooting standpoint...but I do still put the barreled action in that DSP stock and take it out...
One thing I find very cool about the 10/22 is I have one carbine and one charger and 5 stocks...two factory...three aftermarket...I use them all...
It's nice to have 20 10/22s all different...with everything dedicated...
However... I find that three barreled actions and probably 7 or 8 stocks would actually be adequate by taking a minute to swap stocks when desired...so I am more than half way there...
For those guns I have two peep sight options, two scope options, and one red dot...could use one or two more scopes and at least one more red dot...and at least two more stocks...I'll get there...eventually...
You can get a metal trigger kit off eBay for $30, or a complete trigger kit for $60 I think. These are simple to install, with only the complete kit requiring any drilling. I own several 10/22s of various vintages, some with metal trigger guts and some with the newer poly trigger packs - I find that the poly packs actually have much less creep and I change the trigger because I don't care for a poly trigger either. About anything else in the trigger pack is good to go with a small bit of polishing of the sear.
Zommy, thanks for yours and everyone else's replies. Very helpful. I love the quality and great customer service on Ruger products. I'm tempted to go pick up a 10/22 just for the heck of it. But for now I found my dream gun locally, a like new Pre-Rem Marlin 39a lever action with a Williams peep sight.
If that deal didn't go through I was heading over to pick up a 10/22. Still might! I do love my Mark III and even while my gun collection gets higher in cost and quality, that gun is still up there with the best I have.
Hope to be adding a 10/22 soon. Great forum here. Thanks all and see you around.
At Christmas I took my 1995 10-22 in for an overhaul. I have shot over 8000 rounds through the stock set up (just getting broken in) but had some bonus money burning a hole in my pocket.
Harris lightweight bi-pod $79.95
ER Shaw bull barrel $99.95
Hogue synthetic stock $99.95
Gunsmith labor $65.00
Sub Total $344.85
Tax $24.49
Total $369.34
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