Ruger 10/22 Carbine

The Ruger 10/22 rifle has been in production for over 45 years. It is also one very popular American made .22 caliber rifle with literally millions of units in circulation. There are many reasons a gun continues to be made for decades, including accuracy, quality and price, but I want to discuss another reason entirely. i believe one of the main reasons for both the popularity and longevity of the Ruger 10/22 is the ease with which it can be customized.

Let's face the truth. Americans love to individualize just about everything. We customize our cars, our cell phones and even our toothbrushes. Why wouldn't we customize one of our most important and cherished tools, the firearm? I don't think the designers of the Ruger 10/22 really planned the gun to be a parts swapper's dream. Instead, I suspect they wanted a good sturdy design that would be easy to manufacture and assemble to keep production costs down. After all, lower cost with quality has always been a top selling point for Ruger firearms. Even so, this little Ruger .22 carbine was made to be customized.

The barrel of the Ruger 10/22 is much easier for the novice to replace than on many other rimfire rifles sold today. With the removal of the two barrel retainer screws and a v-block that holds the barrel in place, one can switch to any of a variety of aftermarket barrels. Not only does this free the gun owner from the costs of gunsmith labor, but it allows the 10/22 to be customized for the job at hand. Going rabbit hunting? Consider a lightweight, tapered short style barrel for ease of carry and fast handling in the field. Do you prefer to go target shooting? A longer, heavier barrel will help keep you on the bullseye. There are dozens of barrel style in between, allowing you to pick the 10/22 version most suited to your needs. Green Mountain, Lilja, Volquartsen and many other makers will be happy to provide you with information. Just search the internet and you'll find their web sites.

What about stocks? From glossy walnut for the purist to the latest high tech synthetic, today's manufacturers have the Ruger 10/22 covered. Bell & Carlson, Fagen, Butler Creek, Boyd's and many other makers are willing and eager to outfit your Ruger 10/22. Want something a little more exotic? There's even a kit to make your 10/22 look (not function) like a miniature WWII German MG42 machine gun.

There are also myriad other accessories for your 10/22 from flash hiders, muzzle brakes and extended magazine releases to recoil buffers and high capacity magazines. If you want an individualized Ruger 10/22, there's no better time than now to get one.

Information for this article was obtained at: http://www.ruger.com/products/1022Compact/features.html