GC
Well-known member
I've been toying with the ideal of building the perfect squirrel rifle (again!) and decided that my base gun would be a 10/22 Deluxe Sporter. I've had eight or nine Ruger 10/22's over the years. I love the reliability and easy loading ten shot rotary magazine. The Deluxe Sporter stock is nice IMHO, checkered walnut with the occasional stock having a really decent grain pattern. The Target model's spiral hammered bull barrel is different and I sorta like the looks of it. Most of the standard carbines I've had were just "ok" shooters giving 1" + groups at 50 yards for five shots off the bench. I did have a Deluxe Sporter years ago that would shoot 3/4" groups for five shots @ 50 yds. I do have a Target Model currently that will do 3/8" off the bench. I can beat the Black Death target with it now, and, my Dad has one that shoots as well. The Target Model is too heavy to hump through the woods, though it's certainly accurate enough for sure head shots.
I thought that perhaps a Deluxe Sporter with a nice stock, a Volquartson Target Hammer installed, and a Green Mountain 20" tapered fluted sporter barrel would be just the ticket for squirrel hunting. Enough weight to not be whippy and too "carbine" like, yet plenty portable and lively feeling. Accuracy should be under 3/4" with good ammo from the Green Mountain barrel. Usually the VQ Target Hammer gives a decent enough trigger pull by itself with little muss or fuss. That was the plan...
This summer the wife and I went on vacation in Branson, MO and while in the area stopped off at Bass Pro Shops in Springfield, MO. I wasn't really thinking of the project 10/22 while browsing the rifle rack, but was reminded of it when my eye landed on a really neat 10/22 Deluxe Sporter sitting on the rack. Looking it over the stock has nice contrasting straight grain walnut with checkering. The rifle was neatly built with nice even lines and well fitted for a 10/22. The barrel crown looked perfect, the blueing very good, the receiver finish was evenly applied. The clerk even removed the trigger lock so I could try the trigger once or twice. Surprise! The trigger was actually very clean and crisp, though somewhat heavy in pull weight. They had four other Deluxe Sporter rifles on the shelf under this one and the young salesman took the time to let me look each one over to compare. He dropped the hammer when he causally mentioned they had a sale ongoing and I could save $25.00 off the sticker price. I glanced at my wife and she smiled as she reached for the checkbook. I picked the one that was on the rack I originally looked over as the best of the lot.
After arriving home with the rifle, I disassembled it and cleaned the stock inside and out. I did paint some spar varnish on the interior surfaces to better seal against moisture. The exterior was nice, good straight grain with contrasting colored grain. The pad on the butt was fitted perfectly. I cleaned and lubed the action and cleaned the barrel of the factory preservative. I reassembled the rifle and torqued the stock screw firmly, yet not white knuckle tight. I used the Tally one piece ring/base set-up to mount a Baush & Lomb Elite 3x9x40mm scope.
At the range the first groups were shot with my favorite hunting ammo, the Eley White Rabbit high velocity hollow point (blue cover). This stuff is amazing, making a so-so rifle shoot darned good, and a good rifle shoot great! The terminal performance is unlike any .22 LR I've ever used. I've anchored groundhogs, feral cats, and coons to the spot at 100 yards in my barnlot. 100 yards on those critters without crippled runners is excellent terminal performance IMHO for a .22 LR cartridge.
Sorry, I digress. The first sight-in shots were at 25 yards to get the scope point of aim/impact together. I fired two shots which were some high and right. However, the two shots were perfect snake eyes! Humm... After adjusting the scopes clicks and firing a few more pairs, all of which duplicated the snake eyes of the original shots, I was zeroed at midrange. I turned the rifle on the 50 yard targets I had stapled on the backer. WOW! I hesitate to tell the rest, the dang rifle flat out shoots far beyond my expectations! I fired three shots to fine tune the scope to place the holes on the 3/4" inch black target paster I used. Then I fired the remaining seven shots into ONE PEAR SHAPED OBLONG RAGGED HOLE! The entire group measures 9/16ths" inch. I sorta sat and looked blankly at the thing for a few seconds. There was an older shooter at the bench next to me and he noted my expression, "Everything all right?" "Too good" I replied. He had his spotting scope set-up and I asked if he would mind spotting my next five shots for me. I reloaded the magazine and proceeded to shoot two more five shot groups. I took my time and my first group as he watched placed five shots into a group that later measured 1/2". My second group had four in a single lopsided hole of 3/8" and the pressure caused me to pull the fifth as a called flyer an inch away. The old guy asked what work I had done to the 10/22 and wouldn't believe that it was stock from the factory and shot that well. I'm having a hard time with it myself! I shot more groups that basically were the same if I did my job. It seems that the rifle will shoot five shots average around 5/8ths" inch or sometimes slightly less at 50 yards. I ended the bench session shooting the staples out of the corners of the piece of typing paper I had the pasters on, cutting the sheet of paper loose allowing it to slip to the ground. I "plinked" with the rifle another 100 rounds at targets of opportunity, shotgun hulls, empty .38 cases, ect... The little gun hits what it's supposed to if I do my part. It has been perfectly reliable. My only complaint is the pull weight of the trigger. Though very sharp and crisp, it's probably a five pound pull.
I must give a great deal of credit to the Eley ammo. I haven't tried anything else through the rifle, don't need to! I had read a few reports of Ruger tightening QC and this must also be true! I'm very appreciative and excited that I lucked right into such an excellent rifle out of box. I doubt I'll change anything, maybe, just maybe I'll install the VQ hammer. With that said, the limit of six squirrels I took recently with the this rifle give me little to cause to complain. I'm a happy squirrel hunter!
I thought that perhaps a Deluxe Sporter with a nice stock, a Volquartson Target Hammer installed, and a Green Mountain 20" tapered fluted sporter barrel would be just the ticket for squirrel hunting. Enough weight to not be whippy and too "carbine" like, yet plenty portable and lively feeling. Accuracy should be under 3/4" with good ammo from the Green Mountain barrel. Usually the VQ Target Hammer gives a decent enough trigger pull by itself with little muss or fuss. That was the plan...
This summer the wife and I went on vacation in Branson, MO and while in the area stopped off at Bass Pro Shops in Springfield, MO. I wasn't really thinking of the project 10/22 while browsing the rifle rack, but was reminded of it when my eye landed on a really neat 10/22 Deluxe Sporter sitting on the rack. Looking it over the stock has nice contrasting straight grain walnut with checkering. The rifle was neatly built with nice even lines and well fitted for a 10/22. The barrel crown looked perfect, the blueing very good, the receiver finish was evenly applied. The clerk even removed the trigger lock so I could try the trigger once or twice. Surprise! The trigger was actually very clean and crisp, though somewhat heavy in pull weight. They had four other Deluxe Sporter rifles on the shelf under this one and the young salesman took the time to let me look each one over to compare. He dropped the hammer when he causally mentioned they had a sale ongoing and I could save $25.00 off the sticker price. I glanced at my wife and she smiled as she reached for the checkbook. I picked the one that was on the rack I originally looked over as the best of the lot.
After arriving home with the rifle, I disassembled it and cleaned the stock inside and out. I did paint some spar varnish on the interior surfaces to better seal against moisture. The exterior was nice, good straight grain with contrasting colored grain. The pad on the butt was fitted perfectly. I cleaned and lubed the action and cleaned the barrel of the factory preservative. I reassembled the rifle and torqued the stock screw firmly, yet not white knuckle tight. I used the Tally one piece ring/base set-up to mount a Baush & Lomb Elite 3x9x40mm scope.
At the range the first groups were shot with my favorite hunting ammo, the Eley White Rabbit high velocity hollow point (blue cover). This stuff is amazing, making a so-so rifle shoot darned good, and a good rifle shoot great! The terminal performance is unlike any .22 LR I've ever used. I've anchored groundhogs, feral cats, and coons to the spot at 100 yards in my barnlot. 100 yards on those critters without crippled runners is excellent terminal performance IMHO for a .22 LR cartridge.
Sorry, I digress. The first sight-in shots were at 25 yards to get the scope point of aim/impact together. I fired two shots which were some high and right. However, the two shots were perfect snake eyes! Humm... After adjusting the scopes clicks and firing a few more pairs, all of which duplicated the snake eyes of the original shots, I was zeroed at midrange. I turned the rifle on the 50 yard targets I had stapled on the backer. WOW! I hesitate to tell the rest, the dang rifle flat out shoots far beyond my expectations! I fired three shots to fine tune the scope to place the holes on the 3/4" inch black target paster I used. Then I fired the remaining seven shots into ONE PEAR SHAPED OBLONG RAGGED HOLE! The entire group measures 9/16ths" inch. I sorta sat and looked blankly at the thing for a few seconds. There was an older shooter at the bench next to me and he noted my expression, "Everything all right?" "Too good" I replied. He had his spotting scope set-up and I asked if he would mind spotting my next five shots for me. I reloaded the magazine and proceeded to shoot two more five shot groups. I took my time and my first group as he watched placed five shots into a group that later measured 1/2". My second group had four in a single lopsided hole of 3/8" and the pressure caused me to pull the fifth as a called flyer an inch away. The old guy asked what work I had done to the 10/22 and wouldn't believe that it was stock from the factory and shot that well. I'm having a hard time with it myself! I shot more groups that basically were the same if I did my job. It seems that the rifle will shoot five shots average around 5/8ths" inch or sometimes slightly less at 50 yards. I ended the bench session shooting the staples out of the corners of the piece of typing paper I had the pasters on, cutting the sheet of paper loose allowing it to slip to the ground. I "plinked" with the rifle another 100 rounds at targets of opportunity, shotgun hulls, empty .38 cases, ect... The little gun hits what it's supposed to if I do my part. It has been perfectly reliable. My only complaint is the pull weight of the trigger. Though very sharp and crisp, it's probably a five pound pull.
I must give a great deal of credit to the Eley ammo. I haven't tried anything else through the rifle, don't need to! I had read a few reports of Ruger tightening QC and this must also be true! I'm very appreciative and excited that I lucked right into such an excellent rifle out of box. I doubt I'll change anything, maybe, just maybe I'll install the VQ hammer. With that said, the limit of six squirrels I took recently with the this rifle give me little to cause to complain. I'm a happy squirrel hunter!
