Posted on 09/23/2009 6:19:16 AM PDT by HairOfTheDog
Welcome to The Hobbit Hole!
Whoops.
It comes already taken-down inside the custom nylon carry case. The case is nice, but I would have preferred a bit heavier fabric, and a bit more padding. Two outside pockets, one with PALS loops, with sleeves for two barrels (only the one that comes with the rifle available now), and another for the stock and receiver.
Of course, the big news is how the rifle takes down, shown here in pieces next to its "big brother".
Before I forget, that's the new Nikon 3-9x40 BDC scope on the Ruger target model. There was a $50 rebate on it, and I didn't want to spend more for the scope than the rifle itself, in this case. Even one that is proving itself to be amazingly accurate.
Here's the close-up of the Ruger's takedown system. Lock back the bolt, push forward the latch in the bottom of the forend, and twist 45 degrees clockwise.
The one thing that leaves me uneasy is the heat-coloring on the barrel stub that locks into the receiver. It indicates that the machine feeds-and-speeds were so fast the stainless steel was starting to "color". That should be a no-no, and my dad would have a cow if he saw something like that. I didn't see it until I got home, because I was in such a rush I never even opened the box while in the store. I'll check out their display rifle, if it's still there the next time I go. I expect it's all okay, but it just ain't cool in my book.
When everything is put back together, there's still a lot of open spaces. This rifle was designed for mass production, and not the precise hand-fitting needed for "old school" takedowns.
After the two halves are joined, the bolt is slammed forward a few times to make sure everything is seated, and then the knurled wheel is turned to make everything as tight as possible. Since there is no detent system, I suspect firing stresses will begin to loosen the wheel, requiring an occasional retightening. Compared to the target rifle, the takedown has about as much structural stiffness as soggy pasta.
Still, I put on an aftermarket bolt release, so I don't have to suffer through Ruger's version of how one should work. Purchases include an extended target-grade bolt handle and rail, a front barrel band with short pieces of Picatinny rail on it, and an aftermarket front and receiver-sight styled like the M16 iron sights. That little leaf sight just won't work for me, although I'll probably take it to the range before it arrives.
I'll at least learn how fussy an eater is compared to Big Brother. I'm sure there's one combination that will do best, but then again, there might not be a big spread in accuracy between known ammo specs. I might even temporarily put the Weaver rails on, and steal the same scope I used initially for Big Brother. That will give Little Bro a chance to do its best.
Because this is intended to remain a takedown rifle, there isn't any room for a big scope, or even a red dot. Except for the tiny Docter and clones, all of which cost more than the rifle, and none of which have a mount, yet, for the Ruger 10/22.
As my purchase was being completed, the store owner told me that they had already sold two of the rifles today. So I wasn't going to walk out the door without one. I don't think there will be any deep discounts until these models have a decent production run to keep them from being rarities. But I sure won't hold my breath until Ruger comes up with threaded barrels for this rifle, or their SR22 pistol.
Kudos Win-Mag: first on your block, I reckon. Glad you got yours, we know you’ll give it a thorough going over and testing regimine.
Yep, I did give it a good going over, wavered, sighed and put it back. Doubtless their one remaining one was gone by Payday Friday.
According to the scribes the big pouch is to hold the Ruger .22 BX (I think it’s BX) 25 shot magazines. The smaller pouch, the SR-22 Pistol.
Some of the posters on the various hook and bullet forums are already noting the limited scope space (apparently the smaller scopes say 1-4.5V types can work) the lack of a removable buttplate is causing some wailing and weeping as it is a primo space for storage. Won’t be long before those mods hit the intern-net.
There isn’t a nub for a sling swivel and no apparent provision for attachment. That’s an oversight that will hopefully be corrected in phase II production. Since the SR-22 pistol is being tweaked already, (again, according to those who claim to know), perhaps the removable buttplate and swivel nub will follow.
I’ll be looking forward to your future posts on testing the Ruger take-down; I’m not expecting MOA accuracy given it’s takedown features but minute-of-squirrels head should be achievable.
One poster on a H&B forum put three .22 bannana magazines in the big pouch, his SR-22 pistol in the small one, and tubes of loose .22 rounds in the barrel sleeves. Nice grab and go package.
As usual Ruger did a lot of things right and doubtless one will find its way home with me eventually. Of course, one has to ask, why the heck did it take so long for them to do it?.
OB
The aftermarket barrel band, with three pieces of rail, should handle any foreseeable needs for sling, bipod, or light mounts. I'm leaning towards a swivel stub on a wood screw base either through the eagle on the grip cap, or toe of the stock. I suspect there's enough material in either location for it to work.
There's a vast difference between the laid-up Kevlar on the B&C target stock, and the injection molded polystyrene on the takedown. I don't know if aftermarket stock makers can bring in a product that isn't too expensive for the specialized needs of this rifle.
I also wonder how long it will take for it to appear all pimped-out as some sort of super weapon in a movie or TV show. Sean Connery gave the AR-7 takedown .22 a big role in "From Russia with Love". I don't know if wounding the guy who drops the live grenade would classify as an "aircraft kill" as far as downing the helicopter goes.
My rapid prototyping has already taken care of a rear sling swivel stub. It was fairly simple to remove the grip cap medallion from the stock. I carefully ran a scalpel around the edge, and noted that the blade went in deeper, and hit something solid, part of the way, and went in less, and hit something mushy, in other areas.
Bless their cheap little hearts, but the Ruger beancounters decreed only a bit of glue be used. I cut through the mushy areas as best as I could with the scalpel. The a quick pry with a thin-blade screwdriver, and it popped off without fuss. Ten minutes to study the problem, ten minutes to find the tools, and two minutes of work.
I found a QD swivel stud with a 10-24 thread, and determined that the top of the "R" was as close to absolute center as I was going to get. A #10 drill, washer and lock washer, and nut, and everything was snugged up to the grip cap.
With a more generous application of glue this time, here's the final results. A flat plastic plate inside the pistol grip opening wouldn't stick out as much, but this gets the job done. I didn't want to tackle the toe of the stock, even though it appears to be solid plastic for the last half-inch of the stock. I wood screw stud might work, but the grip cap medallion was quicker and slicker.
And, I decided to give Little Bro a sporting chance, and temporarily installed the Trijicon ACOG for accuracy testing, even though the scope probably is worth at least three times more than the entire rifle.
So now I can test with my "calibrated" ammo to see what, if anything, Little Bro likes best, before I switch back to iron sights.
Evening Win-Mag : well, it sure didn’t take you long to solve that annoying factory oversight. Well Done. Very ingenious, would not have thought to drill the Ruger “R” in the pistol grip cap. You are slowly but surely removing my reticience to get ahold of these little guys. The range testing may seal the deal.
One caveat: I should not have trusted the new-fangled "child friendly" grape-scented plastic glue. It didn't hold at all, so I bought some Locktite "super glue 2" (cyanocrylate) with plastic primer, and glued the grip cap in properly.
Now, I seem to remember something about a federal "war on plastic glue" many years ago. So be sure you have the proper plastic glue for jobs like this.
Of course, I succumbed to temptation. I've learned my lesson.
They put it in the case that morning, had a couple of guys look at it, so I knew what had to be done. After a good going-over and Nanolube, one box of ammo, and then it takes an honored place as a safe queen.
That is a beauty. I have a Model 29 that I might have to take to my Grave. If it's possible to love a gun, well...
Thank you, I'll take that as a compliment. And welcome to what we do to kill time at The Hobbit Hole between major events. I learned my lesson a few months ago, when I let a Colt Anaconda get away because I figured it could wait until I came back in a couple of days.
Tell us a bit more about yourself, it's always nice to see new faces. Would you like to be put on the gun pron ping list?
Nicely done. I picked up a nice condition— but nothing special— 10/22 with a bull barrel a while back, and you’re giving me some great ideas for what to do with it.
Roger on the model 66. I feel the same way about a Python I let slip away. Now I seem to need one. :-)
Welcome to the Hobbit Hole. Would you like to be added to the Great Roll of the Shire (Hobbity pings, and occasional other items deemed ping-worthy by the Mathom-Keeper, very low volume)?
Cool find 300 !!! Very nice condition too ...
I’m still searching for a “””new””” or near new Schmidt & Vesson Model 13 with a three inch barrel with round butt grips.
Old FiBi issue.... had one , let it go in a trade and regret it every day.
Fixed it for you. :-)
Seriesly Win-Mag you'll find that is a great shootin' old wheel gun. A Tyler T adapter or a set of Pacs will make it a lot easier on the old hand. Kudos on snagging a fine example of Messers Smith and Wesson handiwork. They truly don't build 'em like that any more.
Welcome to Hobbit-Hole Kickass Conservative. Pull up a stump and visit whenever you pass this way.
It came with a set, already. I'm still going to give it a good tune-up before firing it.
I'm actually more of a traditionalist when it comes to revolvers. They should be made of high-carbon or stainless steel, with five shots for the J-frame, and six for everything else in the S&W lineup. Everything else is unnatural, IMHO. The only exception is the S&W BG38, which is its own unique, clean-sheet-of-paper, design.
The Model 66 has seen duty as a holster weapon, and has marks on the finish from at least two different types of aftermarket grips. One reason I love stainless steel is that I can "touch it up" with a fine plastic scouring pad. Where a blued finish gets thin, stainless just gets polished.
One thing I don't like about stainless is its tendency to gall, but that's one of the things I use Nanolube for. It's played a crucial role in my Ruger 10/22 and 22/45 work, along with my M-faux projects. As far as my motor skills go, I'm a klutz. But penetrating oil with nanometer diamonds suspended in it lets me fit and hone parts almost to the microscopic level.
It came with a set, already. I'm still going to give it a good tune-up before firing it.
I'm actually more of a traditionalist when it comes to revolvers. They should be made of high-carbon or stainless steel, with five shots for the J-frame, and six for everything else in the S&W lineup. Everything else is unnatural, IMHO. The only exception is the S&W BG38, which is its own unique, clean-sheet-of-paper, design.
The Model 66 has seen duty as a holster weapon, and has marks on the finish from at least two different types of aftermarket grips. One reason I love stainless steel is that I can "touch it up" with a fine plastic scouring pad. Where a blued finish gets thin, stainless just gets polished.
One thing I don't like about stainless is its tendency to gall, but that's one of the things I use Nanolube for. It's played a crucial role in my Ruger 10/22 and 22/45 work, along with my M-faux projects. As far as my motor skills go, I'm a klutz. But penetrating oil with nanometer diamonds suspended in it lets me fit and hone parts almost to the microscopic level.
I'm pretty much done with the Ruger 10/22 takedown. It pretty much shoots the same, match-grade ammo or cats-and-dogs. A scope doesn't make much of a difference as far as group size goes, either. But it's now configured as a plinker with a Williams receiver sight (my eyes thank me), and can keep almost all the rounds in a scattered ten-shot group inside the ten ring at 25 yards.
The Ruger 10/22 target model will get a slight reprieve from ammo testing as I do a bit of experimenting with my CZ453 to see what it likes in ammo, and if it's as finicky a feeder as the Ruger. One combination of both Federal Champion and Ely Match produce outstanding results, while a variation of .00005" off of that produces ho-hum results.
This is the best group I've fired to date, even with the two "flyers". Ten shots, 25 yards, Ely Match sorted into .0385" rim thickness. I have not yet sized the Ely ammo because the bullets are coated with a thick lube, and I didn't want to disturb it. Sorting by rim thickness doesn't physically resize anything.
That .437" group comes at about 4x the cost of Federal ammo, but at least it produced one brag-able group so far. I roughly estimate that the Ely is about 2x more consistent than the Federal ammo. You gets what you pays for, if you're lucky.
Morning Win Mag - So the high priced ones do shoot better on average but at 4X cost it’s a no-brainer for informal shooting. IF I was a better shot I’d go for what won the day but keeping them on the two inch sticker at 25 yards is about my limit off hand. Kudos to small groups, flyers can be annoying. Which reminds me, buy more ammo and head to the range.
And a ps - did you get the peep sight from Brownell’s?
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