Thinking about SBR'ing a 10/22

[TonyM]

I'm thinking a 10/22 SBR'd would be pretty cool to have as a pocket rifle. Anybody care to share their experiences and thoughts?

 

[MrM4]

Fun toys, well worth doing.

5.5 inch barrel, custom folder I build in house.

 

[TonyM]

That does look pretty sweet! I've got a Virgin stainless receiver I'm thinking about building up, and I'm thinking that a 4.5" barrel and micro red dot in a small folding stock would be a pretty awesome combo...

 

[Garrett]

I'm thinking a 10/22 SBR'd would be pretty cool to have as a pocket rifle. Anybody care to share their experiences and thoughts?

Do it! They're fun.

 

[burrp]

why 4.5"? standard "hi-v" ammo is still subsonic in a 6" barrel, might as well get all the velocity you can, short of getting supersonic crack. man, that is a HUGE can for a mere .22lr.

 

[TonyM]

I've shot bulk pack HV ammo through a 4.5" gun and a 5.5" gun, and noticed some sonic crack on occasion from the 5.5". I just want to make sure I can run the cheapest bulk pack without going supersonic. I'm not planning on using the thing for anything but plinking at 25-50 yards, so I don't imagine a few FPS will make that much difference, however, the sonic crack is a lot more likely to make the neighbors complain if I'm shooting in the back yard.

Garrett, are those 3 different guns, or just the same gun in different set ups? And is that a 9mm SMG can on the pic in the middle?

I'll be working on my Form 1 this week I guess...

 

[Garrett]

Garrett, are those 3 different guns, or just the same gun in different set ups? And is that a 9mm SMG can on the pic in the middle?

Same gun - over about a 10-year period. It's a Bowers .45 can in the middle picture. :allright

I've run that can on just about any common non-rifle caliber you can think of, from .44 mag on down.

On the 10/22 I originally had a stainless factory barrel that I'd had cut back to 4" and threaded. Accuracy was crap (probably due to the barrel its self, and not the length), and it would not cycle reliably without a can on it. But anything short of CCI stingers stayed subsonic in it. I later went to a 5.5" Lilja barrel. Accuracy was much better, it would run without a can (surprisingly loud without one, too), but you had to be careful what you fed it if you wanted to stay subsonic. I think 4.5" to 5" is probably the sweet spot.

 

[jmorris]

 

[TonyM]

Man... I am digging all these pocket rifles. It's time for a form 1 and a wait. Since the receiver I'm starting with is virgin, I'm thinking build it as a pistol first, play with barrels etc. while I wait, and the put it in a folding stock when the F1 comes back...

 

[prebans]

I made one a while ago- first build after the 94-04 ban died.

One thing- adding a can will foul the action and magazines more quickly. I had a barrel with a batch chamber and it gave me lots of FTEs. The factory Ruger 10-round magazines also got fouled and jammed up.

That was my only complaint.

Mike

 

[TonyM]

I made one a while ago- first build after the 94-04 ban died.

One thing- adding a can will foul the action and magazines more quickly. I had a barrel with a batch chamber and it gave me lots of FTEs. The factory Ruger 10-round magazines also got fouled and jammed up.

That was my only complaint.

Mike

I've heard that.

I've got a custom .22 reamer I had made up a while ago that is an amazing thing for getting reliability. It's tapered the whole way, and I've had great luck with it in guns that have been problematic. A little accuracy is probably lost, (so far I've only used in on blasters) but the improvements in cycling and reliability have been phenomenal. I'm getting ready to cut another gun that's giving me fits and see if it continues it's magic.

I'm hoping that the special chamber will help with reliability issues on the SBR. I know it will still get dirty, but hopefully it wont have FTE issues.

 

[prebans]

I've heard that.

I've got a custom .22 reamer I had made up a while ago that is an amazing thing for getting reliability. It's tapered the whole way, and I've had great luck with it in guns that have been problematic. A little accuracy is probably lost, (so far I've only used in on blasters) but the improvements in cycling and reliability have been phenomenal. I'm getting ready to cut another gun that's giving me fits and see if it continues it's magic.

I'm hoping that the special chamber will help with reliability issues on the SBR. I know it will still get dirty, but hopefully it wont have FTE issues.

The non-match chamber will certainly help. But you may still have issues with the Ruger factory rotary mags. (At least I did.) Those standard-feed-style 25 and 30 rounders may be your answer.

Mike

 

[prebans]

Same gun - over about a 10-year period. It's a Bowers .45 can in the middle picture. :allright

I've run that can on just about any common non-rifle caliber you can think of, from .44 mag on down.

On the 10/22 I originally had a stainless factory barrel that I'd had cut back to 4" and threaded. Accuracy was crap (probably due to the barrel its self, and not the length), and it would not cycle reliably without a can on it. But anything short of CCI stingers stayed subsonic in it. I later went to a 5.5" Lilja barrel. Accuracy was much better, it would run without a can (surprisingly loud without one, too), but you had to be careful what you fed it if you wanted to stay subsonic. I think 4.5" to 5" is probably the sweet spot.

Garrett, dumb question. I thought MI had issues with non-C&R SBRs? Or is that an ancient 10/22 that got converted?

Mike

 

[TonyM]

The non-match chamber will certainly help. But you may still have issues with the Ruger factory rotary mags. (At least I did.) Those standard-feed-style 25 and 30 rounders may be your answer.

Mike

Yeah, I've got a lot of mags, mostly high caps. A lot of the mags I've got can be taken apart fro cleaning as well, so that should make things a little better I'm hoping. I've got some all steel mags too, nice and easy to clean.

 

[Garrett]

Garrett, dumb question. I thought MI had issues with non-C&R SBRs? Or is that an ancient 10/22 that got converted?

Yeah. I built that and a couple other SBRs prior to moving to MI. They obviously only get played with now when I visit them out of state. I even bought an SBS just prior to moving here. After a couple of years I finally sold it... having never once shot it.issed

 

[mob]

Tony, I have a chopped factory barrel that's been threaded 1/2-28 that I can sell you, I've got a Thompson machine integral on order. I'm also on FSN locally.