Ruger 10/22 | 3 Tips to Keep Your Ruger American Rifle Firing Like New
Make Your Ruger 10/22 Ready to Fire Anytime
Nothing stirs the heart like a Ruger 10/22 tactical weapon firing as if it is fresh off the store rack.
The entire barrel length feels steady. The kick from the bold handle isn’t erratic after you pull the trigger and the firing pin hits.
I am a proud user of two of these rifles. I am also a friend to many others who use them.
Based on experience, I came to learn a couple of tricks to keep them running well. They will come in handy especially during extended use or in rough weather.
This is a follow-up to this article. We focused on the features of the Ruger 10/22 rifle in the last post.
Now let’s talk about how to keep your long rifle firing like a charm.
The .22 ammunition can be a bit dirty. It can create more gunk in the action than centerfire ammunition types, as a rule.
This problem becomes worse when you are using a suppressor. It can even increase fouling in the barrel.
Fouling Definition: It is the accumulation of dirt, grime, or gunk that can reduce the effectiveness of the firearm.
Of course, this is something you don’t want to happen to your tactical solutions.
I run many brands of ammunition through my Ruger 10/22 barrels. Ammo with an exposed lead bullet is usually cheaper, but fouling can accelerate.
Many brands work well for a bit of shooting in a repeating rifle or for extended use in a single-shot rifle. They, though, can begin to have failures to eject when the 10/22 action becomes dirty and hot.
It isn’t ideal for your Ruger precision rifle.
There’s one brand of ammunition my friends I have great success with our little Rugers. It’s CCI’s 22 Mini-Mag load.
At around 18 cents per round, it’s not the cheapest 22 ammo but not the most expensive either.
2. Remember, the Magazine Matters Too
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For the longest time, the only Ruger magazine for the 10/22 was the standard 10-round rotary magazine.
It’s a brilliant, functional design. Sometimes, however, it’s nice to have more than ten rounds.
Some years ago, Butler Creek Company stepped up to the plate with 15- and 25-round, banana-shaped mags. They’re easy to seat and release, but the operation can be sporadic.
In my experience, at least one failure to feed will occur for every 25-round magazine full.
It’s great for malfunction clearance practice or something to clear the Ruger barrel. It is a little frustrating for timed events or hunting.
While writing this article, I found other non-factory rotary magazines by companies like Champion and ProMag. I cannot comment on those as I never used them.
At last, Ruger started making its own extended magazines. They look like the Butler Creek ones, but these work.
Extended mags are a nice add-on to your rifle purchase. Expect to spend anywhere from $15 for an inexpensive knock-off to $50 for Ruger-branded mags.
Now you have more choices for your Ruger semi-auto rifle. There are now more Ruger 10/22 tactical stock options in the market.
If dusty conditions, lots of shooting, or both occur, carbon and gun oil will make a gooey mess inside your 10/22’s bolt action.
The bolt won’t travel as fast as it should when grime builds up. It can then cause failures in the feeding/extraction process.
Taking a 10/22 apart for cleaning isn’t hard, but it’s also not a field-friendly exercise. What should you do then?
Enter Rem Action Cleaner by Remington. This inexpensive aerosol product comes with a “straw” for the nozzle, so you don’t spray the cleaner all over your stock and yourself.
With the magazine out and chamber clear, give the action a couple of shots of this fast-acting spray solvent.
It’s good to be ready with a rag or paper towel. A black liquid will drip out, proving the product is doing its job.
Once clean, give the bolt some help from a good lubricant like Frog Lube. It is non-toxic and smells great to boot.
Voila, your rifle is back in action and ready for more.
Watch this video from funbro1 to know how to tear down and clean a Ruger 10/22 rifle:
Gun publications often refer to standout firearms as “venerable.” It is a word often for classic rifle models, some of which are not in production anymore.
Buying a Ruger 10/22 gives you the chance to own a venerable gun with features you can customize to your liking.
It's an excellent rifle for a small price in comparison to other legendary platforms. Treat yours well, and it will last for generations.
Do you have more tips on how to take care of a Ruger 10/22 rifle? Share them below!
Great little Rifle for targets and plinking ,also hunting small game .
I was living in Minnesota back in the 70’s when they first came out . We were a little like K-Mart and the manager wanted to sell all sorts of rifles ,pistols ,revolvers , and shotguns . We also sold ammo too .
Well anyway the cost I paid for my first Ruger 10/22 with tax was $56.60 . Just wanted to try it to see how well it shot . No scope just iron sights . It was on target right out of the box and I was really surprised . Didn’t care much for the short barrel but I gave it the workout I gave my single shot Ithaca my Dad bought for me when I was 11 years old . 1/4 mile hits …… that’s right but took a while to get my range at elevation .
I lived close to the Tenn. river so that helped a lot . Wasn’t much going on there in the early 60’s .Thats where I learned about elevation to get my range . I watched the splash from the bullet at each elevation of my rifle and kept it in memory and it was awesome on a hunt with Dad and my older Marine brother . Shotguns against my Ithaca on moving targets , rabbits …single shot so you best be accurate on the first ..
Bought my 10/22 used in 65 and still use. Have always used open sites with great groupings at 40 yd. Like others, like the CCI and Rem. Bought some of the big Win 555 packs, but 1/10 misifires. I keep 4 regular rot clips loaded and find no problem, just popping these in. Rifle great for rabbit, crows, even coyote at times. Use air rifle for squirrel. Never ever had problem with this gun; it is probably 60-65 years old now.
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Jamie
November 18, 2020 at 9:55 AM
Avoid using Frog Lube in cold environments. It’s mostly water based and subject to freezing.
crockett
July 26, 2017 at 9:56 PM
Great little Rifle for targets and plinking ,also hunting small game .
I was living in Minnesota back in the 70’s when they first came out . We were a little like K-Mart and the manager wanted to sell all sorts of rifles ,pistols ,revolvers , and shotguns . We also sold ammo too .
Well anyway the cost I paid for my first Ruger 10/22 with tax was $56.60 . Just wanted to try it to see how well it shot . No scope just iron sights . It was on target right out of the box and I was really surprised . Didn’t care much for the short barrel but I gave it the workout I gave my single shot Ithaca my Dad bought for me when I was 11 years old . 1/4 mile hits …… that’s right but took a while to get my range at elevation .
I lived close to the Tenn. river so that helped a lot . Wasn’t much going on there in the early 60’s .Thats where I learned about elevation to get my range . I watched the splash from the bullet at each elevation of my rifle and kept it in memory and it was awesome on a hunt with Dad and my older Marine brother . Shotguns against my Ithaca on moving targets , rabbits …single shot so you best be accurate on the first ..
Kenneth Pilgreen
December 16, 2016 at 9:48 PM
Bought my 10/22 used in 65 and still use. Have always used open sites with great groupings at 40 yd. Like others, like the CCI and Rem. Bought some of the big Win 555 packs, but 1/10 misifires. I keep 4 regular rot clips loaded and find no problem, just popping these in. Rifle great for rabbit, crows, even coyote at times. Use air rifle for squirrel. Never ever had problem with this gun; it is probably 60-65 years old now.
Mike Tenny
December 16, 2016 at 9:01 AM
Is Rem Action Cleaner safe for non-metal parts?