I want to build my son a custom 10/22. I've looked up how but it's all over the place on what to use. Many of you have experience with many products. Give me a parts list that builds a bad ass plinker/small game rifle for under $1k.

I've got a very simple customized factory rig that my dad did back in '97. It drives tacks. 25 rounds of cheap ammo grouped about the size of a dime at 50yds. I can shoot the bottom out of bottles through the neck with it. My son has drooled over it since he was young. Now he's about the same age my dad gave me mine. I just want to step it up a notch as when he did mine it was all imagination as custom 10/22's were just taking off.

Following

Also, lots of info on the Rimfire Central forums.

As said, Rimfire Central is your best resource. Custom 10/22's are a serious rabbit hole, and it's easy to spend WAY more money on one than you think. That said, they are tons of fun.

Coolguyguns.com

Kidd barrels and triggers are the best for 10/22

Volquartsen is a close second

What is the goal? A lightweight plinker that'll give 1" groups at 50 yards and you car carry all day hiking in the woods? Or a precision rifle that'll drive tacks at 100 yards, and be able to reach out to 400 yards?

Those are two totally different animals. I have a 4# plinker with a red dot that I use for steel challenge, and a 15# behemoth that drives tacks, but it's so ungainly that I really only carry from the car to a bench. Both rifles have KIDD single stage triggers. If I were to do it again, I'd do a two stage for the precision rifle though.

The former can be done easily fur a grand. The latter will blow your budget with the scope.

For the lightweight route, you could do with a Faxon barreled action, KIDD trigger, and a Magpul stock and a cheap red dot.

I think Kidd stuff is the best. McQueeney TX

Have a Shilen outfitted 10/22. Not sure if they even do this anymore. I am friends with Shilen family and bought it many years ago. But it is stupid accurate. My kids growing up would shoot primers out of shotgun shells and all snakes in the eye. One of those guns if you miss you know whose fault it is

I love my Springfield 2020 rimfire

When I bought my 2020 6.5 prc it came free and $50 they out a scope on it. I have no problems getting very close at 75 yards

Just saying if you wanna treat yourself to a nice bolt action too lol

I can't even remember what all I've done to mine.

But it all depends on what you want out of the gun. Best thing you can do out of the box is upgrade the trigger and get a better stock than the factory ones IMO. After that, add or subtract depending on what you want to do.

I think the only factory things on mine anymore are the actual bolt and the receiver housing. Maybe the trigger guard too.

Thanks for the replies. I appreciate the insight into the products and experience shared.

ValleyRatAg said:

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Thanks for the replies. I appreciate the insight into the products and experience shared.

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I know I didn't answer with any specific brands, etc. - most of that was addressed pretty well above, but it also depends on what you want the gun to be.

No point in recommending a .920" diameter 20" long match barrel if you want this to be something that your kiddo carries and rabbit hunts with. Flip side, recommending a short lightweight barrel for bench shooting isn't ideal either.

No matter what, a good trigger is what I recommend first. Volquartzen and Kidd are probably the most widely known, but everybody and their uncle seems like they make a trigger these days for the 10/22. Timney makes one as well, can't go wrong with any of those 3 IMO.

Mostly it will be his all around 22. The important part is building one I can give him. I want it to be more accurate than factory, a better trigger, reliable feeding, and cool.

So my 1022 that my son loves has a history. I had my Mom go into service merchandise and buy a 1022 for me when I was 15. I didn't tell my Dad and she didn't know he wouldn't let me have anything but a bolt action. Anyway he finally caught me with it but didn't seem to care much. Well I shot it until you couldn't hit anything with it and the extractor no longer worked. I shot it out. I'd shoot a brick a week through it or more during the summers. My dad wanted a mesquite tree cut down so I sat in the back of my truck with it in the turn row and shot at it about a foot off the ground all day until it fell over. Anyway it quit working and I threw it in the top of my closet. When I was a Jr at A&M my Dad called and asked if he could take it to a gun show and trade it for something. I said sure. When I came home for Christmas there was a gun sized box under the tree. He had it fitted with 16" bull barrel and target crowned, new trigger job, and a 4x burris scope. The damn thing can shoot. He just had the original stock modified to fit the new barrel and glassed it all in. It's ugly and beat up. Hell it's my survival rifle. If I have to pick one to carry it will be that one.

He's just finished his freshman year at A&M and I want to start working on his high level plinker.

My goodness. Another person who still likes wood furniture! Youza!