# Salty's Gun Review: Is The Ruger 10/22 Takedown The Ultimate BOB/GHB .22?



## Salt-N-Pepper (Aug 18, 2014)

Per Slippy's request, I'm posting a link to my latest gun review, the 10/22 takedown.

CLICKY HERE to see the full review

Here are the basics, without the fancy pictures, click on the link above to see the pix:

When Ruger introduced to 10/22 takedown model, preppers and backpackers rejoiced. The venerable and well-loved 10/22 in a take down configuration? What could be better than that?

Like many preppers, I picked one up several years ago. My model of choice was the "Gallery Of Guns Exclusive" 10/22 Takedown with stainless barrel, flash hider (and more importantly a silencer-ready threaded barrel), which packs down into a sling backpack style case.

Does the gun live up to it's billing as the "ultimate bug-out rifle?" or is it all hype? Let's find out.

*Philosophy Of Use:*

The obvious POU for this gun is as a backpacking/camping/bug-out gun. I've reviewed a couple of other guns in this category, the Henry AR-7 which I recommend, and the Chiappa Little Badger which do not. In the conclusions I will compare and contrast these three guns for the POU of bugout/backpack gun, so stay tuned for that.

The "not so obvious" POU for this rifle is "anything you would use a high-quality .22 semi-automatic for." Unlike the two previously mentioned guns, the 10/22 does not compromise on the build quality, toughness, fit an finish to make it lighter and more portable. That makes it every bit as useful as a standard non-breakdown 10/22 for everyday situations, which is a real plus when it comes to the value equation of this firearms. But&#8230; that heavy sturdy build quality comes at a price&#8230; and that price is weight.

*Design:*

The gun is available with many different options and those are outside of the scope of this article. Basically, the 10/22 takedown model involves a mechanism that divides the gun into two halves: the first half is the stock and receiver, the second half is the barreled end. To assemble the gun, the barrel is inserted into the receiver with the front stock about 30 degrees off of center. The front stock is then twisted into line with the rest of the gun, and it locks securely. There is an ring in front of the receiver that is used to adjust the tension, to keep the two parts firmly in place. This description sounds harder to do than it actually is to assemble and disassemble.

The barrel inserts into the receiver. Fiber optic sights.

The receiver is typical 10/22 on the back end, and the gun uses the standard 10/22 trigger group (more on that later).

Two remove the stock from the receiver for cleaning, on the back half there is one screw which is loosened, and then the receiver is easily removed from the firearm. Standard 10/22 disassembly rules apply from there. If for some reason you need to remove the barrel from the front stock (I don't see any reason to normally do this, unless the gun got wet and you need to dry it), the front barrel band is loosened as is one screw in the bottom of the front stock.

The gun is actually easier to clean than a standard 10/22 (ease of cleaning has never been a 10/22 selling point) because the barrel. when removed, is accessible to run the cleaning rod/brush "the correct way", which is from the breech.

The gun fits together quite well and build quality is excellent.

The front sights are fiber optic, and they work well&#8230; with one major caveat&#8230; if you install the included scope mount, it makes it impossible to use the iron sights. Therefore, you are forced to either rely on the optics or take the entire mount off the gun. With a take-down gun, to fit in the nifty bag, you need to remove the optics and that can cause the gun to go out of zero (depending on the scope/mount). That's a pain.

Speaking of the bag, it's very well made, but I do have two gripes against it. Gripe one is that it only has a single shoulder strap. I'd rather it was backpack style. This is personal preference and should not be taken as a real knock against the bag. The other complaint I have is that the non-waterproof bag doesn't come with a moisture cover. If you are carrying this gun around with you, it's going to be wet, and who wants a wet firearm?

Let's look at the specs for this rifle, as taken from the Ruger website.
*
Tale Of The Tape: *

Stock - Black Synthetic
Front Sight - Fiber Optic Hi-Viz
Rear Sight - Adjustable Fiber Optic
Material - Stainless Steel
Barrel Feature - Threaded Barrel with Flash Suppressor
Thread Pattern - 1/2″-28
Capacity - 25 (or 10, depending upon the magazine supplied/state where purchased)
Twist - 1:16″ RH
Finish - Polished Stainless
Overall Length - 36.75″
Barrel Length - 16.40″
Weight - 4.6 lb.
Grooves - 6
*
Ammunition:*

Many, many 10/22's are exceedingly picky on the type of ammunition they like to eat. My 10/22 takedown isn't as bad as some, it will eat most any type of high-velocity rounds just fine. It's favorite food in CCI Mini-Mags. In preparing for this article, I took the gun out of the case (where it's been stored for 6 months unfired) and put 100 rounds of rotgut cheap junk Remington Golden Bullets, and I had only one malfunction, a failure to fire. The bullet showed a strong firing pin strike, it pretty clearly looked like just a bad round. CCI Mini Mags are flawless in it.

*Shooting & Action:*

The gun shoots very well, with one exception, the trigger.

This gun's trigger stinks, something I've found common in 10/22's over the years. It's pull weight (as measured by me) is a little over 7 pounds, and it doesn't break cleanly. If I were shooting this gun regularly, I would put in a replacement trigger group, even if only the Ruger upgrade model trigger.

I've had 10/22's in the past that were of varying degrees of accuracy, generally the older they were, the less accurate they shot. That is not a problem with this gun, here's a 50-yard group I shot yesterday at the range. 1/2-inch at 50 yards, and some of the variance their was probably comes from me, I wasn't shooting in a vice or on a proper wedge.

I had a cheap Burris scope on it, and just slapped it on and shot, and it didn't hold center at all (high and to the left) but the groups were all this strong. Measured out actually less than an inch, with cheap Golden Bullet hollowpoints. Nothing wrong with that.
*
The Bottom Line: *

Is this the ultimate .22LR bugout gun? Well&#8230; in some ways yes, in some ways no.

It has much better build quality than the AR-7 and Little Badger, it's exceedingly reliable and rugged enough for everyday use. That, in it's self, should earn a place for this gun in every prepping arsenal.

Having said that, it is over a pound heavier than the AR-7, and over two pounds heavier than a Little Badger. Unlike the AR-7, if you drop it in a pond or river, it's gone. The AR-7 floats. Unlike the AR-7, when stowed in it's pack, it is vulnerable to water damage. Additionally, the pack weighs several ounces in it's self, and it doesn't really "fit well" with other bugout/get home pack gear.

If I were using it in my BOB/GHB, I would remove it from it's fancy case and put it in my main bag. That still leads to the issue of being vulnerable to water damage, whereas placing the AR-7 in the backpack doesn't.

The other "gotcha" with the 10/22 is the fact that if you have the optics plate mounted, you can't see the iron sights. Therefore, it's "one or the other". I don't like that.

The scope mount is taller than the iron sight. This means you get to choose optics, or irons, not both. I don't like that.

I'm not really comparing it against the Little Badger in this Bottom Line section because I simply don't recommend that gun in any way, shape or form so there's no reason to compare it.

Is the Ruger 10/22 the ultimate BOB/GHB gun? That's for you to decide. My bag, however, has my AR-7 in it, whereas the 10/22 sits at home in one of my safes. The 10/22 is undoubtedly a better gun pretty well across the board&#8230; but not in bad weather&#8230; and weather disasters happen&#8230; well&#8230; in bad weather&#8230;


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Excellent Salty! Appreciate it...

(Rumor has it, Slippy has lots of stuff...the 10-22 Takedown is not one of the "stuff's" that Slippy has...that may have to change real soon...)


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## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

Great review as usual.


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

Great review, Salty.
(Are you really a gun writer for one of the major magazines I subscribe to?)

If I didn't already have a 10/22, the takedown is most likely what I would buy.

But, I do have an alternative already. But, alas, they are no longer made. I bet you could find one used though. 
It was originally made by Rossi as a copy of the turn of the (last) century Winchester pump 22 rifle. When Taurus bought out Rossi it became the Model 62. It takes down at the receiver with a simple thumb screw, and comes in two barrel lengths. Mine is a 16", and when taken down the longest piece (barrel & receiver) is only 20" long.
It is fed by a tube magazine, and not being an autoloader it will consume any ammo. Shorts, Longs, Long Rifles. Standard velocity, High velocity, Hyper velocity.

I keep her loaded with CCI Velocitors and she leans up adjacent to the head of the bed right next to the 20 ga double barrel. Hey, when I tell you guys I'm old fashioned I ain't jivin'.


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## Salt-N-Pepper (Aug 18, 2014)

Slippy said:


> Excellent Salty! Appreciate it...
> 
> (Rumor has it, Slippy has lots of stuff...the 10-22 Takedown is not one of the "stuff's" that Slippy has...that may have to change real soon...)


If you are going to use it as a truck gun or anything other than a BOB/GHB gun, I suggest looking at the "marine" model, designed for being around salt water. Much better water protection (as you can tell by my warnings, I've had to dry my gun out more than once, and with the disassembly process of a Ruger 10/22, that's a pain in the butt). The barrel is stainless, but the springs inside are not.

If I were buying a 10/22 of any type, I would get a takedown instead of a "regular" model because it can do double duty.


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

Nice review Salty. I like the way it packs down

Has anyone considered the browning semi-auto take down? They are also fine little rifles that take down in a couple of seconds and the action can be field stripped without any tools. John Browning design and the Belgian ones can still be found in good condition


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## Chipper (Dec 22, 2012)

Can't wait for the review on the S&W M&P22.


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## Chiefster23 (Feb 5, 2016)

Put a Kidd trigger in a 10/22 and you have a really awesome rifle. UTG makes a rail for the 10/22 that has a groove milled down the middle that allows the use of the original iron sights.


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## Salt-N-Pepper (Aug 18, 2014)

Chipper said:


> Can't wait for the review on the S&W M&P22.


I have a friend with one I can borrow, so that's a possibility. We've swapped on the range, I gave him my Ruger SR22 to use and shot his M&P22, but not enough to really give it a good workout.


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## Salt-N-Pepper (Aug 18, 2014)

Chiefster23 said:


> Put a Kidd trigger in a 10/22 and you have a really awesome rifle. UTG makes a rail for the 10/22 that has a groove milled down the middle that allows the use of the original iron sights.


The stock Ruger trigger stinks. I've dropped a Timney in one of my 10/22's (non-takedown) and it made a world of difference in field accuracy and Salty happiness. I've not tried the Kidd.

This Takedown still has the factory trigger in it, but that's gonna change one of these days, I really despise it.


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## Salt-N-Pepper (Aug 18, 2014)

I've looked at it... but... there's some things that just don't trip my trigger about it. It has all of the disadvantages that the Ruger does when it comes to weather, and it's very slow to load. It's also nearly double in price most other options. 

Probably the biggest thing I don't like about it is that it's hard to put optics on. I like guns that take optics easily. 

Still, it's a Browning, shoots great, feels great, has outstanding build quality and ergonomics, I even like how it ejects the shells. I think it's a reasonable choice for a backpack gun.


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## Chiefster23 (Feb 5, 2016)

I have two 10/22 rifles. One is a take down. I installed the Kidd trigger and bolt in one and as I said, the trigger is great but ain’t cheap. I installed the better Ruger trigger in the other gun. It too is a very nice trigger and not too expensive. In this second gun I polished the bolt myself and installed an upgraded extractor. The Ruger trigger is nice but it’s mostly plastic and I’m old-school. I prefer steel.

But in the end, both rifles perform well and get the job done nicely. I also replaced the crappy junk Ruger sights on both guns. When I first unwrapped my brand new take-down out if the box, The rear sight fell out on the floor. Total junk. The 10/22 is a pretty good gun but it’s a shame you have to spend additional $ to fix the sights and trigger.


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## tango (Apr 12, 2013)

The Browning SA 22 is a really nice rifle, accurate, light, good capacity.
If it was available with a synthetic stock, it would be a better survival rifle.


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## Salt-N-Pepper (Aug 18, 2014)

Next up is a review of the Gen 2 Sub 2000 in 9mm, just an FYI


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

Salt-N-Pepper said:


> I've looked at it... but... there's some things that just don't trip my trigger about it. It has all of the disadvantages that the Ruger does when it comes to weather, and it's very slow to load. It's also nearly double in price most other options.
> 
> Probably the biggest thing I don't like about it is that it's hard to put optics on. I like guns that take optics easily.
> 
> Still, it's a Browning, shoots great, feels great, has outstanding build quality and ergonomics, I even like how it ejects the shells. I think it's a reasonable choice for a backpack gun.


The action is much better protected for weather than a ruger and you can field strip the action/trigger group in minutes, without *any tools*.

If you are going to pack a 22 rifle a scope is not really needed unless your eyes are getting old. The older belgian guns had grooved receivers for scope mounts but were problematic as you had to make sure the barrel locked up snug. The newer ones are tapped for mounts on the barrel. IMHO the opens on those guns are fine, the rear folds down and the front has a nice visible brass bead.

It's one of those guns that just feels right in your hands, like an old M94.

It is slower to reload, and the bottom eject is nice, unless your jacket sleeve catches a spent casing.:vs_shocked:


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## Grinch2 (Sep 12, 2016)

Absolutely love my 22's whether it's a pistol or rifle, I actually do not own a Ruger 10/22, I have the Henry AR-7 ( among probably a dozen others ) the Henry and my Marlin model 60 and my Remington 66 Nylon are my top three favorite 22 rifles. Lets face it, 22 is an excellent all around gun, box size for ammunition, roughly one brick is about the same size as a box of 25 rounds for a 12 gauge. 

My biggest argument is with a 22 you're limited as far as firepower, I doesn't matter how good of a shot you are, my personal preference is to have something with a little more snot than a 22LR. As far as a get home set up, or a b.o.b set up I don't think an AR-15 can be beat. Ammo isn't as big as say a 12 gauge, plus you can get one hundred round magazines. Overall a simple rifle ( not that the 10/22 isn't ) as far as tear down, but you can get so much more for the price of admission. Lets face it, in just about any survival situation, unless you're 50 miles from your neighbor your biggest threat is going to be two legged. Not that a 22 under given circumstances doesn't have enough to handle that threat, its just on an overall basis, as far as stopping power the AR-15 is superior while still maintaining an edge. 

For going out hunting a 22 is ideal, I mean you can quietly take down a squirrel up to a deer, but from my point of view, I'm going to make sure I got my Glock 20 with me.


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## StratMaster (Dec 26, 2017)

I have a Ruger Take-down 10/22 and I love it!
I would NOT, however, choose it or any other .22 for that matter for a BOB/GHB weapon. You hear lotsa folks argue that a .22 is good enough if you are careful with your shot placement. Me, I want to knock someone outta their shoes if I hit 'em in the thumb.


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## Salt-N-Pepper (Aug 18, 2014)

Mad Trapper said:


> The action is much better protected for weather than a ruger and you can field strip the action/trigger group in minutes, without *any tools*.
> 
> If you are going to pack a 22 rifle a scope is not really needed unless your eyes are getting old. The older belgian guns had grooved receivers for scope mounts but were problematic as you had to make sure the barrel locked up snug. The newer ones are tapped for mounts on the barrel. IMHO the opens on those guns are fine, the rear folds down and the front has a nice visible brass bead.


I am 56 years old going on 57. My eyes are getting old.

I will see if I can find one to borrow!


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