Some help with a Rimfire Rifle Build

[JatCarver]

Hi, so I tried some SC with Rimfire Rifle and I'm hooked, really enjoyed it. I was using a SR22 with a 1-4 scope. I want to have a proper SC rifle so I'm going to sell the SR22 and build a purpose built SC 10/22.

I've been doing a lot of research and this is what I've come up with so far.

10/22

Hogue Thumbhole Stock
C-More (More on this below)

Allchin 10/22 mount

I did a trigger job on my SR22 and have a decent 2lb pull so I'll probably just swap in that trigger group. For now anyway.

The barrel I'm undecided on. I'm in Canada and funny enough we have better laws on short barred 22's so I could just run a 12" 0.75" contour barrel(Already have one laying around) but I'm not sure if thats ok by the SC association. So I might just get a TacSol x-ring barrel.

Dot Size for C-More - It seems from my research big dots are the trend. I've never had anything bigger that a 2moa dot so even a 8moa dot sounds crazy to me but I see there seems to be a trend for 10-12 moa dots. What are your thoughts on the dot size?

Please critique my build and let me know what you think.

Thanks!

[ZackJones]

On dots - the bigger the better. I run at least 8 on everything I shoot in steel challenge. I find the larger dot easier to pick up as I transition from plate to plate.

[UFO]

Boyd's Stock, TacSol Lightweight barrel 16", Timney trigger. I like the 40mm TruGlo.

[zzt]

If your budget permits, you want a riffle from here. http://www.coolguyguns.com/ Use the single stage trigger and have it built to your specifications. This is the best of the best.

I use an 8MOA dot for any action competition. BTW, I can't stand the C-More because it has so much parallax. However, that may not be as big an issue with a rifle. I put a Burris FFIII 8MOA on anything that requires a dot, except for some bullseye pistols.

Sorry, added forgotten link.

Edited April 15, 2016 by zzt

[jkrispies]

I strongly recommend the Kidd ultra lightweight barrel with threading for a comp. You'll want the comp so the timer will register the report. A CED 7000 will pick it up almost always unless its windy but if you have to use match timers you'll be screwed. Nothing against tacsol but if you get the one with the cage on the end you're just adding unnecessary weight. Ive shot the Kidd lightweight and really liked it but it was a bit ammo sensitive whereas the ULW barrel I have now will eat anything. It's literally never jammed, ever.

The comp is just there for noise so get one that is lightweight and/or looks so cool it makes you shoot like a Jedi. I'd recommend the Allchin.

(Yes, I know that Jedi's don't shoot, but if they shot...)

For the trigger you can polish the crap out of it and get a good trigger. For something like $80 get the Kidd trigger and don't look back. Amazing. Like 1911 amazing. I'm not affiliated with Kidd but I'll recommend that you buy pretty much everything from them. Definitely get their extractor. I do prefer the PWS mag release.

Use only factory 10 round mags and learn how to clean them.

Hogue is awesome but look at the boyds evolution ss. If I could get it with a longer forearm it would be perfect. I asked a couple years ago and they wouldn't play with me.

[AzShooter]

I vote for the Kidd trigger. The best I've felt.

My C-More has a 16 minute dot. I can pick it up on the brightest days.

[JatCarver]

Thanks for the replys guys!

For the guys running the tacSol barrels, any problems with the aluminum breach face on high round count rifles?

I have narrowed it down to a KIDD ultra light weight barrel or the TacSol X-ring. The price is close enough not to matter. The tac-sol is 5oz lighter but I've read some reports that the aluminum breach face may start to get light pitting after as little as 3000 rds.

Also, is my choice of stock a bad one? (Hogue thumbhole)

[jkrispies]

Also, is my choice of stock a bad one? (Hogue thumbhole)

Lighter is better. Find out the weight on a handful of stocks and go from there. You'll also want to make sure the cheekpiece will give you the proper cheekweld for your mount/optic combo, but they are all pretty well standardized in that regard. (Depending on how handy you are, a wood stock has an advantage of being easily modifiable in terms of cutting it to a smaller size vs a composite stock, which is pretty much get what you get.)

[jkrispies]

I feel like I should also point out that as long as you don't mind inviting an ugly girl to the dance, there's nothing wrong with the stock 10/22 barrel for the purposes of steel speed shooting. It is already plenty lightweight, and it's accurate enough for what we shoot. I don't know how well they handle heat (if you shoot fast enough on an already hot day in direct sunlight, these barrels can get toasty) but if you keep it in a covered case between stages I doubt that's an issue. If your budget requires you to build it one-part-per-paycheck then I'd save the barrel for last. I know that TacSol gives away a bunch of barrels at the West Coast Steel Championships every June, so I'm assuming they do the same at other competitions as well. You might be able to pick one up off a prize table or get one cheap from somebody else who did and wants to sell it.

Also, regarding my comment above about wood being more workable than composite, I should probably explain that... I, as well as others I've known, have cut down wood stocks for length and wrist width to fit the guns for junior shooters and/or petite adults. I did it with an OEM 10/22 stock, but I've also seen it done with Evolution stocks. I suppose that somebody with the proper skills and tools could also do it with a composite stock. Anyway, my point here is that if you don't see yourself fitting your stock to a smaller person, disregard that previous comment on wood being preferable to tupperware.

Edited April 15, 2016 by jkrispies

[Gooldylocks]

I feel like I should also point out that as long as you don't mind inviting an ugly girl to the dance, there's nothing wrong with the stock 10/22 barrel for the purposes of steel speed shooting. It is already plenty lightweight, and it's accurate enough for what we shoot.

A factory 10/22 barrel weighs more than double some of the lighter barrels on the market. They clock in at 31.7 oz, vs a tacsol at 15, or 10 oz fir a taccom.

Speaking of, why has the taccom not been recommended? You can get the carbon fiber threaded version for less than a tactical solutions barrel, it has a steel breech, and it is 5 oz lighter. Boom.

[dgreen]

All Volquartsen Period

[JatCarver]

Lighter is better. Find out the weight on a handful of stocks and go from there. You'll also want to make sure the cheekpiece will give you the proper cheekweld for your mount/optic combo, but they are all pretty well standardized in that regard.

Ok Thanks, What are some of the common stocks that are used by top level competitors in SC?

[jkrispies]

Lighter is better. Find out the weight on a handful of stocks and go from there. You'll also want to make sure the cheekpiece will give you the proper cheekweld for your mount/optic combo, but they are all pretty well standardized in that regard.

Ok Thanks, What are some of the common stocks that are used by top level competitors in SC?

The kind thats attached to an AR-22, lol. Sorry, couldn't resist.

[jrswanson1]

I've seen one or two guys running 10/22 rifles in Steel Challenge. Both were running the fancy wood stocks I see on what look like bench rifles. And both were trying to shoot with their support hand as close to the muzzle as possible. One guy kept switching hand positions, including looping his index finger over the top of the barrel. Instead of doing all of this fancy footwork to get a 10/22 to go fast, why not get a dedicated .22 LR AR upper with a 15" handguard and an Eotech?

[jkrispies]

Lighter is better. Find out the weight on a handful of stocks and go from there. You'll also want to make sure the cheekpiece will give you the proper cheekweld for your mount/optic combo, but they are all pretty well standardized in that regard.

Ok Thanks, What are some of the common stocks that are used by top level competitors in SC?

The kind thats attached to an AR-22, lol. Sorry, couldn't resist.

To seriously answer your question, I'm not sure that theres such a thing as a top level sc shooter who does rifle. Allchin uses a plain jane hogue stock. A GM and very respected gun builder I know who shoots primarily rimfire nowadays uses an evolution on his 10/22 rifles but most recently built a speed rifle from an M&P-22 and swears by it. He we t so far as to turn down the barrel to save weight, a carbon fiber handguard, installed a hyperfire trigger, etc. i never fired it but did dryfire it and its an Awesome way to go if you want to try that route. I think by far the biggest advantage would be the ability to get your support hand way out front with a high hand hold. (Thats why we wrap our thumb over the barrel,)

[Jmob50]

Is there a reason more rifle shooters aren't using an AR platform?

Jon

[jkrispies]

Probably just that the 10/22 has been around forever and the AR rimfire platform is relatively new.

[photoracer]

OK. I have shot Ruger Rimfire since 2010 and Steel Challenge since 2009 and the rifle as soon as they allowed it. The key to fast times is generally a lightweight gun so the transitions can be faster. If you want to build the lightest rifle then here is what you want based on weight.

Stock: Knoxx Axiom, by far the lightest thing you can put under an action. Most of the top rimfire rifle shooters showed up at the 2015 NSSF worlds using this stock. But you might not like the short trigger pull length Very good for a junior for precisely that reason. Also the Axiom has a very low cheek weld. While I have an Axiom stock I still prefer my Magnum Research thumbhole.

Barrel: Regardless of what's printed most of the top lightweight barrels weigh about 15-16 ounces. That includes the Taccom, TacSol, and VQ Ultralight CF. The Kidd ULW weighs about 20 ounces as does the regular VQ CF barrel. Every barrel is plenty accurate enough for SCSA/NSSF targets at 40 yards and under so accuracy has little importance unless you happen to plan on using it for something else outside these matches. A comp, as mentioned does nothing for recoil or muzzle flip as they don't exist for a rifle. But it does help with the timer hearing the shot go off.

Trigger: Get what you happen to like. If you like a Kidd, Timney, or VQ get one. You want a trigger with a pull weight in the 2-3 lb. range. Anything too much less invites the possibility of an AD.

Sights: For irons I like the William Firesights which have smaller light tubes than TruGlo or HiViz. In fact they are about the size of the tubes in the Dawson sights on my Limited G34.

For red dots I still recommend the C-More with a 12-16 MOA dot. I have used others but I like the larger window of the C-More since it will be a lot closer to your face than your pistol optics. BJ who used to run nothing but Aimpoint Micros on his open rimfire guns showed up last year using C-Mores. I recommend the Allchin mount on a 10/22.

I used an S&W 15-22 from 2011 to 2014. It has everything I could do to lighten it up except for shortening or turning the barrel down. Super reliable however and fast shooting with a Geissele S3G trigger. But in late 2014 I built a 10/22 from scratch after winning a VQ Ultralight CF barrel at an NSSF Regional. I have used that since because it is over a pound lighter. You can actually build a sub 3 pound AR-22, using a Taccom barrel, magnesium lower and a lot of the Taccom carbon fiber furniture.

[drysideshooter]

My son and I have built and shot speed steel competitions with a variety of rifles. So far our favorite barrel is the ultralight VQ barrel.

[Duster]

I just built a new 10/22. Kidd ultra lightweight barrel, Kidd trigger, C-More 16 Moa, Alchin, and Magpul stock.

[jkrispies]

2 hours ago, Duster said:

I just built a new 10/22. Kidd ultra lightweight barrel, Kidd trigger, C-More 16 Moa, Alchin, and Magpul stock.

Sweeeeet!  Are you using the magpul stock that Kidd sells?  I'm curious how it works for speed shooting. Looks like it might be a good match. 

[photoracer]

Stocks are a very personal thing. Either you like thumbholes or tactical stocks or you don't. I personally like the Magnum Research GC Thumbhole as it is super lightweight and the dimensions are smaller than say the TS Vantage or Yukon Extreme type of laminate thumbholes. I have 2 10/22 speed rifles one for Open and one For Limited. The Open one has that VQ Ultralite barrel I won and I love it. I switched from a Timney trigger to a Kidd 2 lb. single stage when I started playing with the Axiom stock and have kept that on it. Allchin mount on Ruger receiver for my C-More. VQ barrel came with the steel Forward Blow comp but lately I have been playing with one of the big double side port alloy comps from John Allchin to see if there is any difference in swing speed. BJ likes to have a steel comp on the end of his rifle for the balance, and last I saw him he was using the TS 1911-22 steel comp they make for the 1911 conversion kits. I tried that because I had one in my parts but did not notice any practical difference. Seems to make more different on a pistol.

Edited September 8, 2016 by photoracer