Before it happened. I couldn't stop myself. I was powerless to resist the siren's call. I... I...
...
...I made my first modification to my 10/22...
Put a Volquartsen Extended Magazine Release from MidwayUSA on about a week ago. After the first trip to the range (where I only had two ten round magazines, oh, the horror!), it became readily apparent that the factory release left quite a bit to be desired. While sitting flush with the bottom of the receiver (like the factory 10 round magazine does) maintains the illusion of this not being a mag-fed rifle, it's a pain in the butt to get the magazine out - push in with your thumb, slide the mag out with your other hand, etc. The Volquartsen changes all that with a piece that literally just pops into place.
Swapping it out was a snap - make sure the weapon is unloaded, then remove the receiver/barrel assembly from the stock. Drift out the pins holding the trigger guard in place, then locate and carefully drift out the pin holding the mag release in place. Install new magazine release, then put back together. Voila! So easy even a JayG can do it...
Interestingly enough, some magazines literally drop out of the gun when the release is triggered while others need to almost be pried out. I have five factory Ruger 10-round magazines and one Butler Creek 10-round magazine, and I can't determine any difference in the Ruger mags that would make one drop free while another gets bound up. I suppose if it were really that important I'd mark the mags to see if a certain mag bound each time, but it's just so much damn fun shooting that rifle I can't be bothered - I bring it to the range to shoot it, not analyze it to death.
So, there's the first modification to the 10/22 - it certainly won't be the last...
That is all.
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9 comments:
Tech Sights. I got a pair for my Marlin model 60 and I love them.
ALWAYS mark your mags!
Saved me hours of time triaging issues on my guns over the years.
Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny.
As long as I can keep my 10/22, I'll stick with the dark side!
Every single one of the 10/22s I have owned has had the mag release replaced! IMHO it is MANDATORY!
That mag release is probably one of the worst things ever put on a rifle of any kind... by anybody... WTF was Ruger thinking, I wonder?
The newer ones come stock with an extended mag release.
An excellent beginning, Jay.
May I suggest that if you need some more factory mags, that you get a few of the transparent ones? Very cool, says nearly everyone who's seen them. A few of mine, with my makeshift mag pouches (nylon/velcro speedloader pouches):
http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/29/1022magpouchesma3.jpg
There are 4 dimples on one end of the magazine; they're left over from the molding process. Check your sticking mags and trim the flashing from these dimples. Should cure the problem.
Now... get a Volquartsen Exact Edge extractor to make your 10/22 more reliable. Also hog out the bolt release so that you only have to pull the bolt back to release the bolt (or purchase a modified one; they're not expensive).
Add a sling and Tech-Sights and you've got the rifle that Bill Ruger SHOULD have made in the first place.
Bolt release modification, replacement bolt buffer, trigger spring kit with shims. Oh, a sling and swivels so you can shoot it like a proper rifleman would, right Ross?
They are great little guns and you can easily spend five times what you paid for the rifle on accessories and upgrades. You can even buy the receiver only and build your own rifle around it.
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