Few firearms in American history have achieved what the Ruger 10/22 has: near-universal recognition, decades-long relevance, and genuine usefulness across generations. Since its introduction in 1964, the 10/22 has become the default .22 rifle for millions of shooters—not because of hype, but because it simply works. At its core, the 10/22 succeeds by being approachable without being disposable. It’s lightweight, reliable, and unintimidating for new shooters, yet accurate and robust enough to remain interesting for experienced ones. For many Americans, the 10/22 is their first rifle. For many more, it’s the one they never sell. The design itself is a masterclass in practicality. The rotary magazine feeds smoothly and sits…

Chapter 2: STANDARD NOMENCLATURE Why is Standard Nomenclature Important? During our journey through the world of the 10/22 we’ll be referring to the various components that make up the rifle. It’s important that we use the “language” of the 10/22 as defined by Ruger, so that you, and we, know what we’re talking about. Exactly. NOTE: For many years the author has been deeply involved in the world of the Garand and MI4/MIA. In this world, the language is at times counterintuitive-the “bullet guide,” for example, had nothing to do with guiding bullets and at other times, confusing was that an “op rod guide” or “op rod spring guide” you…

Chapter 9: SELECTING ENHANCEMENTS Overview The Ruger 10/22 is a deceptively simple, yet highly sophisticated rifle. Each of its components was designed as it was for a reason, and all the components were designed to work in harmony one with the other. However, because the rifle is a mass-produced product one of the considerations in its design was to manufacture it at a cost that permits a profit when the rifle is sold at a price attractive to consumers. Consequently, many owners believe that the rifle is subject to improvement in various ways. A robust industry supplying the desires of these owners has grown over the years. We shall describe…

Chapter 10: ALMOST 10/22s Ruger’s “Almost 10/22s” ALMOST 10/22®s The Charger In 2008 Ruger produced a surprise, a pistol based on the 10/22. While it was discontinued in 2013 it was reintroduced early in 2014 with a revised stock, a shorter, threaded barrel, and a lower rail with bipod. In addition to the “standard” Charger, a Takedown version with a fitted hard case very “MI-6”-ish was added. PITFALL: Don’t try this at home. US law does not permit cutting a rifle down to pistol size. Thus, you cannot legally take a 10/22 rifle and tum it into a Charger. TIP: However, if you get a stripped clone receiver that has…

ASSEMBLY, pg. 101 Overview It is tempting to simply state at this point, “Assemble in reverse order.” That’s actually true in the case of the 10/22, but to avoid requiring the 10/22 owner to read the Disassembly chapter backwards, we’ll go through the process here. TIP: Nevertheless, we strongly recommend that you review the Disassembly chapter before proceeding. The more familiar you are with disassembling the rifle, the easier assembly will be. TRIGGER GROUP ASSEMBLY  Safety We’ll start with the stripped trigger guard. The first step is to install the safety. TOLD YOU SO: As you proceed to install the safety, you may come to understand why we suggest that…

HISTORY, pg. 5   The Sturm, Ruger Company What has made the Ruger company one of the largest firearms manufacturers in the country? There are many factors, including fiscal conservatism; but if we were to sum it up in one word, that word would be: innovation. Bill Ruger began with innovation in manufacturing, building on the new ideas and techniques that stemmed from the crucible of World War Two. While the established firearms industry manufacturers resumed their manufacturing with long-standing processes and technologies, bolstered by the legacy lathes and mills left behind by WWII’s War Production Board, the audacious upstarts of the postwar firearms field were unbound by traditions of…

In June of 1976 I bought my first handgun from Esman’s in Pitcairn, PA.  It was a new S&W Model 10 (.38 Special) with blued finish, pencil thin 4-inch barrel and round butt.  The price was $113.50. I quickly discovered that I would not shoot it as much as I had planned due to the price of .38 Special ammo being beyond my budget.  But I wanted to learn to shoot a handgun and would not be deterred.  I had become a regular customer of Export Sporting Goods, having purchased a few long guns from them.  They treated me well on prices and allowed me to make payments on layaway…

Let me begin by saying that I’m not much of a .22 rifle guy.  Like many youngsters who grew up in the late 1950s and early 1906s my Father taught me firearms safety and shooting at around age 10 to 12.  I learned to shoot on my Dad’s Marlin Model 81 bolt action rifle.  We shot at tin cans behind grandpa’s barn.  I inherited that rifle when my Father passed away in 1999.  Still own it.  A used Marlin Glenfield Model 25 bolt action rifle was my first firearm purchase after I turned 18 and had a steady, full-time job.  The price was $50 in 1973, which was all I…