Tag Archives: 10/22

Building a custom 10/22

March 28, 2025Product review, Shooting hardware.22lr, 10-22, 10/22, 1022, 22lr, black rain ordnance, ruger, ruger 10/22, semi-autocoldboremiracle

Preface

Perhaps the granddaddy of all training rifles is the lowly .22 long rifle, and today we are going to dive into one of the most iconic and successful rifles ever to be chambered thus. Sturm Ruger released the 10/22 over sixty years ago, and it has been a steady flow of production ever since. Because of its popularity the 10/22 has been improved, altered, shortened, and folded a dozen different ways. And its huge popularity continues to make it an excellent choice today, which is what bring us together today; I’m building a custom 10/22, and it looks like you’re coming along with me.

Why a Custom 10/22?

With so many models available from both Ruger, and other manufacturers like Bergara, Magnum Research, and many others, you might ask why make your own? Well because this is America, and we often like to do things that are challenging if only to bask in the success. People have been tinkering with 10/22’s for decades, much like the extremely popular AR15. The simplicity of configuring the rifle to exactly your liking seems to be something gun owners take great pride in.

custom 10/22, ruger 10/22, .22lr, primary arms GLX, 3-18

Let me also clarify; “building” a custom 10/22 is a little bit of a misnomer. Lots of folks like to refer to their custom rifle as a “build” when in fact they’ve only assembled a variety of parts using no more than a few Allen wrenches or a screwdriver. A true build in my opinion included machining, cutting, bonding, coating etc. But for todays purpose, we’ll run with it.

Many folks are deep into 22’s for other reasons. For example, if all you can afford to shoot is a .22LR, then you’ve got to roll with it. Other folks have legal restrictions because of tyrannical despots with brain rot (yes I’m talking about you California). Those folks often dive deep into rimfires because it might be their only choice for a fun and configurable firearm.

Lastly I’ll bring up those who find great joy in the challenge. Whether it be the diminutive .22LR cartridge, or the application of it in marksmanship. Many rimfire enthusiasts enjoy the inexpensive challenge of competing against others, to play the marksman game at an abbreviated cost.

My Custom 10/22

I don’t suppose I fit into any of those purposes for my custom 10/22. Today I am putting this rifle together simply because I can, and I enjoy shooting. And despite my immersion in the gun world, I have yet to own a 10/22. And I decided it was time to change that.

custom 10/22, ruger 10/22, .22lr, Athlon Optics, helos,

I started out with a list of various components, that would eventually come together as a complete rifle.

Steal His Look with the Parts Listed Below

Rifle Component	Where to purchase (click)
Receiver	BRO -22 Action
Trigger	BRO-22 Trigger assembly
Barrel	Summit Precision 16” Black Carbon
Chassis	KRG Bravo 10/22
Magazines	Ruger BX magazines
Rifle Scope	Athlon Helos 2-12 — Primary Arms GLX 3-18
Scope mount	Primary Arms — Area 419
Arca Rail	Area 419 ARCA Lock
Bipod	MDT Grnd bipod
Suppressor	YHM Phantom 22

Receiver

There are countless good 10/22 receiver options from a variety of manufacturers. For this project I decided to use the BRO 10/22 action from Black Rain Ordnance. This action had some great features like an integral sight rail machined into it’s billet 6061 Aluminum structure. I picked up a BRO trigger as well, which is also has a billet aluminum structure instead of the plastic one many 10/22’s have.

Since I already had a partially filled cart with them, I also opted to try the BRO extended magazine release. This outstanding addition puts a simple push lever on the trigger guard much like the big precision rifles use.

custom 10/22, ruger 10/22, .22lr, trigger — All the pins had more than enough friction to keep them securely in place

One of the great things I really appreciated about the BRO action, is how tight the pins fit. The 10/22 trigger group is held in place by a few pins, that notoriously fall out anytime the action is outside of the stock. But the BRO pins fit so tight that they need to be tapped in with a little pressure. This results in an incredibly solid fit, unlike some other models. I’ve never liked how wobbly the extended magazines are on standard 10/22 rifles.

Barrel

For the barrel I went with a Summit Precision carbon fiber wrapped sixteen-inch barrel. Not that I’m worried so much about weight with this gun, I just like the look and quality. I also like supporting local businesses too. The flashy barrel also has a threaded muzzle which is a requirement for all my firearms now, since I refuse to shoot without a suppressor. The barrel dropped right into place, and was held there by the two V-block screws.

custom 10/22, ruger 10/22, .22lr, summit precision, carbon fiber

Chassis

Mounting the barreled action in a chassis was my next step, for that I chose the KRG Bravo chassis for the 10/22. I’ve got other KRG Bravo stocks, and I always love their ergonomics and the way they accept all kinds of customization.

The Bravo chassis fit the BRO action so snug I probably didn’t even need to tighten the action screw. It actually took me a sec to perfectly set the action pins so there was zero protrusion. Otherwise I could not get the action to seat in the chassis. The fit was as perfect as I could imagine. The Bravo has polymer ribs to add stability to the 10/22 magazine, resulting in a much stronger mating of the two parts.

custom 10/22, ruger 10/22, .22lr, KRG Bravo

Additionally, and why I chose the KRG Bravo, there are plenty of spaces to add accessories to the chassis. I added one of my favorite accessories, the Area 419 ARCA Lock rail. this allows you to quickly attach and adjust the location of bipods, bags, and other accessories. After installing the ARCA Lock rail, I attached an MDT Grnd bipod for supported shooting.

Sight Options

Initially I installed an Athlon Optics Helos BTR 2.5-12X42. I mounted the scope using a Primary Arms 30mm scope mount, which ended up being a little higher than I would like but it was serviceable.

custom 10/22, ruger 10/22, .22lr, Athlon Optics, helos, 2.5-12x42

I also swapped out the Athlon scope for another one of my favorites. The Primary Arms GLX 3-18 I have used on I don’t know how many rifles now. The 34mm tube of the scope actually sat a little lower because of the Area 419 Scope Mount so I liked the fit a little better. Both of these scopes were a reasonable fit for the type of shooting I would do with this rifle. For a rimfire rifle like this, I like having the ability to zoom out to lower magnifications like 2.5 or 3X. My other .22 rifles have 3-15X scopes on them, I think its a pretty good variable range for useful little rifles like this.

Shooting my Custom 10/22

Accuracy

Accuracy is very dependent on ammunition, and with .22LR its very easy to find low quality ammunition. I had fairly low expectations mainly because I have no interest in buying the more expensive 22 ammo. All I wanted was a gun that I could hit squirrels a hundred yards away with cheap ammunition like you’d find on sale at the hardware store.

Considering that, I think this rifle turned out pretty reasonable. Depending on the ammo it will shoot around one-inch groups at 50 yards, but with its preferred ammo it will do a little better still.

Black rain ordnance, custom 10/22, ruger 10/22, .22lr, primary arms GLX, 3-18 — some typical groups shooting at 50 yards

Reliability

Some of the things I noticed while shooting the rifle were it took just a few rounds to get broken in, but within the first magazine it was humming along perfectly. It came as no surprise to me that this rifle ran flawlessly after that, as a sixty-year-old design I think they’ve worked out the bugs. Even with my tinkering and using different parts it all basically came together perfectly.

The controls of the BRO action are quite nice. The knurled and oversized charging handle gives good purchase for running the bolt, and the bolt-lock-back feature is hugely improved over the original Ruger design. No more fiddling with the bolt-catch to get it to close, simply pull it back and let it slam. There’s even a slight cutout of the improved mag catch to allow better engagement with the bolt catch. And the mag release itself is fantastic to operate from any position.

Ergonomics

The ergonomics of the KRG Bravo chassis are outstanding. I love the grip angle, and the way it presents the trigger to your finger at a right angle. The length of pull is a tiny bit short as it came, but it also came with a spacer to increase the LOP so its not an issue. I left it in its factory configuration because my kids would be shooting it often.

You can also remove a section of the lower part of the buttstock to expose a nice butt-hook. I found it mostly unnecessary as the rifle was plenty easy enough to manipulate as it was. You can also add things like a picatinny rail to the back should you wish to add a monopod or something. QD-cups can also be added to the buttstock for sling attachment, and at the front of the handguard on either side there are M-Lok slots to add other connection points.

custom 10/22, ruger 10/22, .22lr, aerea 419 arca lock rail — the Area 419 ARCA Lock rail and **MDT Bipod** worked perfectly together

My high mounted scope was easily adjusted for because of the adjustable comb height on the Bravo. And should I end up using a different scope or mounting system, it will also be quick to adjust.

Suppressor Host

I mentioned I would be shooting mostly suppressed with this rifle, that is my general practice. For this purpose I would use my YHM Phantom 22 suppressor, the Phantom is a great match to the rifle. As with nearly all semi-autos, you can expect the 10/22 to run dirtier when suppressed. In fact rimfire rifles seem to be even dirtier than centerfire rifles when suppressed, that would mean lot’s of cleaning is in the future for this rifle.

custom 10/22, ruger 10/22, .22lr, bolt — doesn’t take long to get dirty when shooting suppressed

I don’t regret anything though, as the quiet pop of the rifle is very pleasant while shooting, even without ear protection. Another side effect of shooting suppressed is the additional gas coming from the action. It’s no big deal if you are shooting outside which I always do.

custom 10/22, ruger 10/22, .22lr, krg bravo, yankee hill machine phantom 22 suppressor — this suppressor is one of my favorites, you can read why in my review of the YHM Phantom 22

Value

Most of the time you talk about custom rifles, value and cost goes out the window. With that said, I think 22’s can be a little easier on the billfold. This project easily tipped the scales around $1200, but when putting together what you want I think most of us aren’t as concerned with the nickels and dimes so much as the end result. But if you are the kind of guy who shoots 22’s because they are cheap, you may want to stick to a less expensive factory 10/22.

Pros and Cons

The cons of this project are fairly minimal and predictable. I’ve already mentioned that it is not inexpensive, but most people who start down the custom rifle path know that before starting. I also mentioned the filthiness of suppressed shooting, but again that comes with the territory.

The pros of building a rifle like this however are bountiful. With a massive supply of parts and aftermarket support, there are untold combinations you can explore. And because it has been done countless times by so many, you can always find some hairy redneck like me who has already tried what you are thinking and build from their experience.

The 10/22 has remained so popular for many reasons, it is simply too much fun to shoot. And the fastest way to burn through a brick of ammo and have a good time doing it. The predictable function is reassuring, the modularity of the KRG Bravo made it easily adaptable to various purposes. The accuracy and balance of the Summit carbon barrel made it deadly and comfortable. A great trigger pull matched by an equally sharp look made this whole project a joy.

Final Conclusion

Building a custom rifle might be intimidating the first time, but it will become an addiction just like hunting or casting a line. You might have assembled this gun a little differently than I have, heck, I might do it differently again just to see another way. Picking your parts and making your own custom rifle is an incredible learning experience and brings great satisfaction. Let me know what you think of this project, and how you would have done it differently.

-CBM

Like 22’s? Here’s another one you might like: the Ruger Precision Rifle .22lr

Ruger Charger 10/22 pistol

May 24, 2022pistols, Product review, Shooting hardware10/22, charger, charger pistol, rugercoldboremiracle

The Ruger 10/22

Few firearms enjoy so much use as those chambered in the time-honored .22 long rifle. Inexpensive and fun shooting can be had, and every fundamental part of shooting can be applied and practiced save only perhaps recoil management. The Ruger 10/22 is one of the many firearms thus chambered, and over many decades it has become one a many stalwarts setting a bar for others to be measured against. The natural progression of design and advancement have created many different variants, and today’s subject is one of those.

The Ruger 10/22 Charger Pistol

The Ruger Charger pistol is a 10/22 variant, some of which incorporates Ruger’s takedown technology, among others. The Charger was designed as a pistol, likely to take advantage of the pistol brace craze that is determined to rewrite the SBR tenet held by everyone’s favorite three letter agency. The pistol utilizes a polymer chassis, much like the rifle versions of the 10/22. The differences include using a pic rail at the back for installing any kind of implement akin to, but without being a buttstock. It also has a sling stud up front for utilizing a bipod or other support device.
The model I tested is the 22 Charger Lite, I assume this is achieved with the lighter barrel contour and vented shroud. The muzzle of the ten-inch barrel is threaded 1/2-28 which is an excellent thing to do nowadays. The overall length of the pistol is nineteen-inches, and weighs in at 57 ounces. A picatinny scope mount is also included with the Charger for the bargain price of $719.00 MSRP.

the scope was mounted in a Zro Delta scope mount

Upon opening the case of the Charger, I started thinking and evaluating just what such a gun would be used for. The takedown feature made it extremely easy to store in a backpack, which would make it an obvious choice for a camping gun. The threaded barrel made it a good choice for a suppressor host, which I intended to do a few minutes later. I decided I would reserve my judgement until further experience with the Charger deemed it worthy of my praise.
The Charger came in a handy soft carrying case, which was handy for heading to the range, but I avoid that place like a TSA checkpoint. After mounting a scope on top of the rifle, I disassembled the rifle using the takedown feature. I was quite impressed with the simplicity of the mechanism, simply lock the bolt back and use the thumb of one hand to depress the takedown release, and twist the two halves of the gun a part. And just as quickly it went right back together, “pretty slick” I mumbled to myself as I finished prepping some ancillary equipment for my shooting trip.

Range Testing

With a few boxes of ammo, I made my way into the mountains above my house to see what the Charger could do. With a full magazine I set to zeroing the scope, which turned out to be a little tougher than I expected. This is likely due to using a riflescope on a pistol with no stock or brace to stabilize it with, something that would show up again later.
My initial impression of the gun was quite positive, it was easy to get on targets and functioned as good as one would expect with a 10/22. I installed my Yankee Hill Machine Phantom 22 suppressor, which is a must-have if you are a serious rimfire shooter. You can read more about the suppressor here.

the Charger with a US Optics TS6X riflescope

With the report of the little Charger now suppressed, it became even more fun. Once I figured out how to hold it steady the Charger made for brilliant fun, plinking at targets all over the hillside. It chewed through a very expensive pile of cartridges, most of which seemed to work great. I did have a couple malfunctions using some Federal ammunition, but I’m not entirely sure that was the ammunitions fault. I believe it had more to do with the gun resting on magazine while shooting, it seemed to create additional friction that reduced bolt inertia and caused it to stovepipe or something similar. Obviously using a bipod will eliminate this issue, or using shorter magazines.

WHY I LIKE IT

The takedown feature is very handy when your main mode of transport is on foot. It allows you to easily stow the Charger in whatever space you may have available in your pack. It’s so quick to reassemble that you can even get the drop on a squirrel if needed.

The Charger was accurate enough for a rifle of this size, shooting small game and cans was predictable. I can only assume the trigger is a standard 10/22 trigger set, but here is an easy BX Upgrade. It’s nothing fancy but very serviceable. Little things like the extended mag release and an included scope mount make this pistol a very user-friendly and range-ready option. That’s a common trait for the 10/22 family of firearms in general.

Shop Ruger at Firearm Depot

Also shop Ruger products at Brownells

Palmetto State Armory also has Ruger products

DOWNSIDES?

There are only a few things about the Charger I didn’t like, and they may or may not be of concern to you. First of all, I hate the ridiculous rules around SBRs. But we will have to deal with it until brighter minds are installed. That said, I find the Charger a little awkward to align and shoot without a rear support like a brace or buttstock.

Ruger Charger Lite .22 LR Pistol — I rather despise the rules around SBRs, but the little charger does have the ability to add on other features like a brace or bipod.

It is very easy to misalign your shooting eye with a scope when you don’t have anything to keep your face centered behind it. So, as much as I don’t like the idea of an arm brace, I would recommend getting one as it will likely improve both your accuracy and shooting experience. Or, if you choose to be a victim of the ATF, go ahead and register this little fella as an SBR and mount a stock.

The other thing I didn’t like was the slight wobble between the front and rear pieces of the rifle when assembled. This is obviously a result of the takedown feature of the rifle. I have no idea how much this wiggle affected the accuracy capability of the Charger, but I must think it had some effect.

I believe both of these gripes had something to do with the overall accuracy of the pistol. For me, only accurate firearms are interesting. So, even though the Charger was only acceptable in my estimation, it may be more than accurate enough for your purposes.

Continue Reading Here…

CONCLUSION

It’s fair to say I enjoyed shooting the Ruger 22 Charger despite my few complaints. I found it to be a very fun little gun for plinking. If you like to backpack, camp, or anything else that dictates having a compact firearm that is easily taken down and stowed, this one is for you. The 22 Charger Lite gives legendary 10/22 function in a small pistol that the whole family can enjoy.

-CBM

Magnum Research MLR 10/22

April 4, 2022Product review, Shooting hardware10/22, 22lr, magnum research, mlr, rimfirecoldboremiracle

Introduction

Am I the only one that had no idea Magnum Research made a 10/22 clone? I knew they made more than the famous Desert Eagle, but was completely surprised to find out that they also make this handsome copy of the famous Ruger so many have learned to shoot with. I guess I have a bit of an excuse for my ignorance on the subject as I’m not particularly a big rimfire shooter. That said I wasn’t going to turn down an opportunity to shoot something new.

The Magnum Research MLR

The Magnum Research MLR claims to improve on the extremely popular 10/22 design, particularly with a significant focus on accuracy.
The forged receiver and quality barrels are likely to be the basis for this accuracy. The MLR also features an oversized charging handle, as well as an elevated sighting rail. The model I tested also featured a carbon wrapped barrel and a polymer stock reminiscent of some type of AR 15. The stock uses a pistol grip and collapsible butt with various length of pull settings, and in the butt itself there are two holes for storing extra ten-round magazines.
The controls were all very familiar, matching the Ruger models. Mag release, bolt stop, and safety are all in the same spots and retain the same function. The MLR did use an extended magazine release, which I found to be very handy.

Rangetime

I shot the rifle in a couple different configurations, one was with a Trijicon red dot, and the other was using a Crimson Trace 3-12 riflescope. The red dot configuration was obvious a shoot fast and dirty kind of setup, like something I would use hunting jackrabbits out in the desert. For accuracy I knew I would see much better results using the riflescope, I mounted up a Crimson Trace 3-12 scope on the rifle and headed back to the hills to zero it.
Zeroing took a few shots, but once I had it dialed in I was in business. I tried a couple different types of ammo, I didn’t have a huge selection because beggars can’t be choosers nowadays. The rifle seemed to prefer the CCI Mini Mags over the CCI Tactical AR ammunition, which at fifty-yards produced ten shot groups around an inch pattern. With accuracy like that, I found that shooting clay targets out to two-hundred-fifty yards pretty easy. I’d imagine if you used higher quality ammunition it would shoot even better. The MLR was very predictable, and shooting it became very addicting.

I used the rifle for several hikes on the mountain with my dog, the lightweight rifle was a perfect little hiking companion. The collapsible stock made it more compact to carry, and the readily available magazines made quick loading a breeze. Using the rifle for plinking random little targets was a great way to enjoy a sunny afternoon.

Pro’s and Con’s

There are a plethora of benefits to making a clone of a very popular rifle, one of which would be all the aftermarket support you can take advantage of. The 10/22 market is probably the largest rimfire aftermarket, which gives you all kinds of options for stocks/chassis, triggers, barrels and so on. Today’s gun owner is as much a tinkerer as anything, so it’s nice to have so many options for tinker fodder. I could easily see myself swapping out some parts on this rifle, the stock for example was very useful, but not exactly what I would have chosen. The trigger is fine in my opinion, but it never hurts my feelings to have a better trigger, so it wouldn’t hurt to install the best option available. Continue Reading Here…

The 10/22 magazines are perhaps one of the best attributes and options. The capacities range far and wide. This gives the shooter an opportunity to utilize what best fits their purposes.

10/22 mags are abundant in the wild and the MLR does a good job of providing additional storage

The carbon-wrapped barrel on the MLR provides a definite advantage in weight. Rimfire cartridges are rarely known for any recoil, so there is hardly as much advantage to a heavy barrel when shooting .22. But the thick profile of the carbon barrel likely aids in stiffening the barrel and providing better accuracy.

As much as I appreciated the barrel though, I would have traded it out for an equivalent option that was threaded. It is nearly heresy in these modern times to offer an unthreaded barrel on anything other than a very baseline economy-model firearm. Suppressors are the latest craze, and I find shooting loud to be more than just imprudent.

Shop all Magnum Research firearms, it’s perfectly legal…

Another small gripe that I’ll admit is very subjective. It’s the sight rail on the MLR receiver. It is a spacious and robust mounting platform for optical sights, but I did find myself wishing it was removable to use the rifle for different configurations and chassis options. Not a big deal, but worth a mention in my book.

CONCLUSION

My overall impression of the MLR was a very positive one. I would happily add another one to my collection of rifles if for nothing more than to have a good .22 handy. The MLR has plenty of options for customization should you choose that route, and it is also just fine the way it is.

It would make a great little plinking rifle for weekend pleasure shooting. Or, if you really wanted to get into the new NRL Rimfire league matches, it would be a good place to put it to work as well. I look forward to terrorizing the local small game scene with this rifle as soon as winter loosens its grip. Until then, I will use it to practice my shooting fundamentals.

-CBM