Project Appleseed

I'm looking to buy a 10/22 and these 3 versions seem to be the best value from what I've currently found online.

https://palmettostatearmory.com/ruger-10-22-22-lr-mans-best-friend-collector-series-rifle-od-green-31115.html
https://grabagun.com/ruger-10-22-carbine-black-copper-mica-22lr-18-5-inch-10rd.html

There is also a 50th Anniversary 10/22 I've seen in a local pawn shop for 180. While all three of these samples are the same rifle, there are some differences in features and there is a small price difference. If I do any modifications to a 10/22, it will probably be for the rear sights and the auto bolt release. Preferably I would prefer iron sights on my 10/22 so I can learn how to shoot properly with iron sights before moving onto scopes. While these guns are of good value, I'm still not sure about which one to get.

Copper Mica from Grab a Gun
Pros
•   209+8 shipping+20 transfer fee=237 total cost
•   Comes with sling swivel mounts already installed
•   No tax from vendor
Cons
•   Very barebones rifle-what you see is what you get

Man's Best Friend rifle from PSA
•   200+17 shipping+16 tax+20 transfer fee=253 total cost
•   Same style stock with sling mounts
•   Comes with Piccatiny rail already installed which saves the hassle of trying to add a rail for an optic or red dot later on
•   Comes with a $25 gift certificate to Shopruger.com, which I could use towards an extra magazine
•   Silly as this may sound, I really like the green color of the stock
Cons
•   Rear sight seems to be slightly better than the standard Ruger 10/22 sights, although not much better according to a couple people on this forum
•   Tax is charged from PSA, and the tax costs as much as the shipping. That makes the rifle more expensive
•   Don't know if the pic rail on this rifle is strong or flimsy. I also don't  know if the rail can be removed.

Pawn Shop 50th anniversary 10/22
Pros
•   Cheapest price of 180 with no tax
•   Looks to be in good shape.
•   Polymer stock seems tough
Cons
•   Has no sling swivel mounts at all, and if I put the mounts on, there's a small chance of ruining the polymer stock on accident
•   Chamber and barrel are dirty- not sure how long it has been dirty either
•   No idea on the round count
•   Receiver has some scratches on the top of it
•   Standard sight setup
Let me know what you folks think.

I was looking at the same 10/22 from PSA. But as you said, when you add everything up it's not the bargain that first drew me in. I saw the Thompson Center R22's (10/22 clone) for 239 and am wondering if I should have bought one. I would love to see some more feedback on those since a lot of features are already built in - integral pic rail, threaded muzzle (for something cheap to keep the crown out of the dust), aperture sights, improved trigger, sling connections. Anyway, just another one to look at.

With the options you gave, I would probably lean toward the Man's Best Friend. I'm guessing it will hold it's value well and you should be able to get something decent out of it when it comes time to sell.

Good luck!

Personally, I would go with this one:

http://gunprime.com/product/ruger-10-22-22-lr-wood-stock-10-22-rb-1103/

If you are going to mount an optic, the stock sights really don't matter and sometimes having a very low rise front sight, like the stock Ruger front bead sight, is actually an advantage because it eliminates the ghostly image of a taller front sight that you will likely see with a rifle scope at 3X or less magnification. 

A rail made for the Ruger 10/22 is very easy to mount.  I like the Evolution Gun Works extended Picatinny rail.  To mount such a rail, you simply remove the barreled action from the stock, remove your trigger group, bolt and recoil spring rod assembly from the receiver, and then remove the two small screws that are already tapped into the top of the receiver.  The rail will come with slightly longer screws that will match the threads in the receiver.  Put a thin film of grease on the receiver top that will be covered by the rail, and a tiny bit of blue loctite on the tips of the screws and screw the rail into place.  Turn the receiver over and make sure the screws don't extend into the interior of the receiver, and wipe of any loctite.  A good rail of this type mounts very solidly to the receiver and is well-machined.

The problem with using most rails on a 10/22 with the stock carbine sights is that you won't be able to see the sights over most rails.  Tech Sights does make a set of iron sights with a rear sight that mounts onto the 3/8" central dovetail portion of the stock Ruger accessory rail, and the rear sight is quick and easy to remove if you want to switch to an optic.  The stock Ruger accessory rail leaves a bit to be desired, however.  You may need to use extension rings with it to properly mount a scope if you shoot prone.  And the slots are limited in number an cut to Weaver dimensions, not Picatinny dimensions.  The rail will accept most, but not all rings that are made specifically for Pic rails. 

With the Tech Sights you may see a ghost image of the taller front sight when shooting with a low magnification scope, however.  It won't affect your accuracy but is a little annoying at first.

I understand why you might not wish to shoot with a magnified rifle scope all of the time.  An option to using iron sights would be to swap between a rifle scope and a "micro" sized red dot sight.  This is quick and easy to do and provides an option for shooting without magnification.  A RDS also allows most people to acquire the target more quickly.  Many use the relatively inexpensive Bushnell Trophy TRS-25 which sells for anywhere from $39-56 new on Amazon and ebay.  It will mount on either a Picatinny rail or the stock Ruger Weaver/3/8" dovetail rail just fine and works quite well for the price.

Sometimes you can find a Ruger with 22" barrels, which will increase the sight radius by 3-4".  They aren't as common as they used to be, but you can still find them used from time to time.  You can also buy them new.  The model numbers are 1149 for stainless and 1150 for blue.  I have the blue one.  Sometimes you can find the barrels for sale by itself.

Quote from: pblanc on July 29, 2019, 12:54:24 PM
Personally, I would go with this one:

http://gunprime.com/product/ruger-10-22-22-lr-wood-stock-10-22-rb-1103/

I'd get the wood stock as well but that's just my preference. 

Truthfully, you need to see what it would cost to add any accessories you want that aren't included in each version and pick the cheapest option, or the one you like to looks of more. 

The price difference in new wood stock 10/22 and the pawn shop find may not be worth the difference unless the used one has a good trigger already.  The wood stock would most definitely hold for mounting a sling swivel.  When close in price I prefer new just so I know how it's been treated.  However, I don't clean my 10/22 often so it's often dirty and if I was taking it to a pawn shop I sure wouldn't spend the time cleaning it.

Yes, the Ruger 10/22 carbines with wood stocks do require the installation of sling swivel studs.  This is really very easy to do.  I mounted a pair from Uncle Mike's and they are very secure.  There are also front sling swivels that mount on the bolt that secures the barrel band.  I do not recommend these.  Some people find their 10/22s shoot better with the barrel band removed.  Even if you keep it, a sling swivel mounted there does not feel as secure.

Another thing I like about the wood stocks is they allow you to mount a recoil pad to the butt stock if the length of pull is too short for the shooter.  There are recoil pads specifically made for the Ruger 10/22 wood carbine stock that fit after removing the butt plate.  They usually require a little trimming for a perfectly flush fit but are very secure once mounted.  Here is one such:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C5FB2JD/ref=sspa_dk_detail_4?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B07C5FB2JD&pd_rd_w=3uUij&pf_rd_p=8a8f3917-7900-4ce8-ad90-adf0d53c0985&pd_rd_wg=zEkrS&pf_rd_r=H3C61P0SWHXHV7C3FT6H&pd_rd_r=959a1862-25bb-4877-9807-13b59004fdce&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExMjU0NlE1SUJTTEhCJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUExMDA4MzE5MTVaUkdCUzJZOUdDRSZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNzQ0NzQ4RlQwVklRQThYQzdMJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfZGV0YWlsJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

These cannot easily be fitted to most of the Ruger 10/22 synthetic stocks.

My 2-cents.

The Copper Mica and Man's Best Friend are both strong base models, mainly because the stocks and sling studs are useful right away and do not add any cost. At $200, they are a good deal and provide more starting value than the wood stock carbine (which lacks studs -easy to install, but still extra money and time to do it). Some of the black synthetic stocks have studs though. I also find the wood less grippy when you get sweaty and have had shooters complain about wood stock loaners.

As others have said, do not put any stock in the stock sights, whether "upgraded" ghost ring or traditional Ruger sights - both are sub-optimal for AS. The same goes for the accessory rail - I always use an extended base (also like the EGW a lot) for proper eye relief. I prefer this to cantilever scope bases, which solve the problem but increase height over bore, requiring a higher stock comb, etc.

I have two T/CR22s I got from Brownells when on-sale last year (at a net price of $160 each) that are my primary loaners. Here are my thoughts:



• They are accurate, reliable, easy to clean, and lightweight.
• The threaded barrel is good for mounting a flash hider to protect the crown.
• I only use them with standard 10/22 mags because the last round bolt-hold open mags take a little more training (and I only have two). The 10-round 10/22 mags have been perfectly reliable.
• The iron sights are interesting but have the same issues as the Ruger's - not as finely/consistently adjustable in terms of POI as Tech Sights for the accuracy we expect.
• The stocks are comfortable and have sling mounts but not adjustable for LOP or height over bore, leading to cheek pad add-ons. I bought a couple of take-off youth/modular Ruger stocks for smaller stature shooters. And they are compatible with other Ruger stocks of the same barrel profile.
• The built-in rail is high quality, but since it is fixed, I have scopes on both that are forgiving for eye-relief. Even then, I have had to move the scopes forward or back for different shooters.

Red dots are definitely usable for AS and I have qualified multiple times with the TRS-25 on a Ruger 10/22 Takedown. But they tend to be 2-4 MOA dots so you have to use, essentially, a 6-o'clock hold on the top of the dot.

If you have any parts laying around, it can also be fun to build your own 10/22 from take-off parts using companies like S&P Outfitters, Brownells, etc.:

https://sapoutfitters.com/product-category/1022firearms/page/2/?orderby=price

While most people focus on building high-end 10/22s, I think it is fun to build "mutt" rifles from spare parts as well. [/list]

The Ruger 10/22 carbine wood stock is okay if you're a youth shooter and using Ruger's notch and post sights to hit tin cans. I know, because I have one of those stocks lying around, and after my first Appleseed I replaced it with a Hogue stock that has a proper comb height for Tech Sights and a non-slip rubber butt pad.

Let me say it again, since I disagree with people recommending it here: the Ruger carbine birch stock sucks, and it's the cheapest option for a reason. The same with the plastic stock that has the same shape, but the added "feature" of being hollow so your sling studs will eventually pull out. Upgrade now, or upgrade later.

I love the aesthetics of a wood stock, but the water resistance of synthetics is crucial in a wet region. If you want a wood stock from Ruger, the sporter one that I bought my wife is pretty nice (Tennessee Beast recommended this one, too). There are also some nice laminate stocks. https://ruger.com/products/1022Sporter/specSheets/1150.html

Bottom line? Get the green one and buy the MINI200 Tech Sights for it, which work even with the Pic rail installed. I like it better than the silly Weaver hybrid rail, but I have and use both.

Quote from: maxwell on July 29, 2019, 03:08:45 PM
The Ruger 10/22 carbine wood stock is okay if you're a youth shooter and using Ruger's notch and post sights to hit tin cans. I know, because I have one of those stocks lying around, and after my first Appleseed I replaced it with a Hogue stock that has a proper comb height for Tech Sights and a non-slip rubber butt pad.

Let me say it again, since I disagree with people recommending it here: the Ruger carbine birch stock sucks, and it's the cheapest option for a reason. The same with the plastic stock that has the same shape, but the added "feature" of being hollow so your sling studs will eventually pull out. Upgrade now, or upgrade later.

I love the aesthetics of a wood stock, but the water resistance of synthetics is crucial in a wet region. If you want a wood stock from Ruger, the sporter one that I bought my wife is pretty nice (Tennessee Beast recommended this one, too). There are also some nice laminate stocks. https://ruger.com/products/1022Sporter/specSheets/1150.html

Bottom line? Get the green one and buy the MINI200 Tech Sights for it, which work even with the Pic rail installed. I like it better than the silly Weaver hybrid rail, but I have and use both.

Yeah, you posted this link in another of my threads.

https://www.tech-sights.com/product/mini200-sight-for-the-ruger-mini-14-and-ranch-rifles/

Strangely enough, the 10/22 products page on tech sights' website says to use the Mini 200 sights for the collector edition 10/22's.
https://www.tech-sights.com/ruger-products/

What tech sights would you recommend if I were to go with the copper mica 10/22? The TSR100 or 200 sights?

Quote from: Question Mark Mike on July 29, 2019, 05:51:22 PM

Quote from: maxwell on July 29, 2019, 03:08:45 PM
The Ruger 10/22 carbine wood stock is okay if you're a youth shooter and using Ruger's notch and post sights to hit tin cans. I know, because I have one of those stocks lying around, and after my first Appleseed I replaced it with a Hogue stock that has a proper comb height for Tech Sights and a non-slip rubber butt pad.

Let me say it again, since I disagree with people recommending it here: the Ruger carbine birch stock sucks, and it's the cheapest option for a reason. The same with the plastic stock that has the same shape, but the added "feature" of being hollow so your sling studs will eventually pull out. Upgrade now, or upgrade later.

I love the aesthetics of a wood stock, but the water resistance of synthetics is crucial in a wet region. If you want a wood stock from Ruger, the sporter one that I bought my wife is pretty nice (Tennessee Beast recommended this one, too). There are also some nice laminate stocks. https://ruger.com/products/1022Sporter/specSheets/1150.html

Bottom line? Get the green one and buy the MINI200 Tech Sights for it, which work even with the Pic rail installed. I like it better than the silly Weaver hybrid rail, but I have and use both.

Yeah, you posted this link in another of my threads.

https://www.tech-sights.com/product/mini200-sight-for-the-ruger-mini-14-and-ranch-rifles/

Strangely enough, the 10/22 products page on tech sights' website says to use the Mini 200 sights for the collector edition 10/22's.
https://www.tech-sights.com/ruger-products/

What tech sights would you recommend if I were to go with the copper mica 10/22? The TSR100 or 200 sights?

The "collector" edition 10/22's have a Mini-14 style rear sight.  That's why it says so on their web site.  At the $200 special, I really like the "Man's Best Friend" edition. 

My eyes aren't what they used to be, so I'm using a scope on my 50th anniversary 10/22.  I have another 10/22 I use as a loaner.  But I put a 1913 scope rail on and use the rail mounted tech sight. 

Quote from: Question Mark Mike on July 29, 2019, 05:51:22 PM
Strangely enough, the 10/22 products page on tech sights' website says to use the Mini 200 sights for the collector edition 10/22's.
https://www.tech-sights.com/ruger-products/

As far as I can tell, the green stocked "Man's Best Friend" is just a rebranding of the gray "Collector Edition." Ruger and SIG Sauer are apparently in competition to see who can come up with the most confusing product lines.

Quote from: Question Mark Mike on July 29, 2019, 05:51:22 PM
What tech sights would you recommend if I were to go with the copper mica 10/22? The TSR100 or 200 sights?

On non-"Collector Edition" 10/22s I use the rail mount version, mounted so about half of the sight base is hanging off the rail to the rear. The closer you get that aperture to your eye, the better, but use Loctite on the mounting screw! Between the 100 and 200, I'd get the 100, since it turns out that I never use the elevation adjustment on the rear aperture.

Quote from: 2wheelDuke on July 29, 2019, 06:42:56 PM

Quote from: Question Mark Mike on July 29, 2019, 05:51:22 PM

Quote from: maxwell on July 29, 2019, 03:08:45 PM
The Ruger 10/22 carbine wood stock is okay if you're a youth shooter and using Ruger's notch and post sights to hit tin cans. I know, because I have one of those stocks lying around, and after my first Appleseed I replaced it with a Hogue stock that has a proper comb height for Tech Sights and a non-slip rubber butt pad.

Let me say it again, since I disagree with people recommending it here: the Ruger carbine birch stock sucks, and it's the cheapest option for a reason. The same with the plastic stock that has the same shape, but the added "feature" of being hollow so your sling studs will eventually pull out. Upgrade now, or upgrade later.

I love the aesthetics of a wood stock, but the water resistance of synthetics is crucial in a wet region. If you want a wood stock from Ruger, the sporter one that I bought my wife is pretty nice (Tennessee Beast recommended this one, too). There are also some nice laminate stocks. https://ruger.com/products/1022Sporter/specSheets/1150.html

Bottom line? Get the green one and buy the MINI200 Tech Sights for it, which work even with the Pic rail installed. I like it better than the silly Weaver hybrid rail, but I have and use both.

Yeah, you posted this link in another of my threads.

https://www.tech-sights.com/product/mini200-sight-for-the-ruger-mini-14-and-ranch-rifles/

Strangely enough, the 10/22 products page on tech sights' website says to use the Mini 200 sights for the collector edition 10/22's.
https://www.tech-sights.com/ruger-products/

What tech sights would you recommend if I were to go with the copper mica 10/22? The TSR100 or 200 sights?

The "collector" edition 10/22's have a Mini-14 style rear sight.  That's why it says so on their web site.  At the $200 special, I really like the "Man's Best Friend" edition. 

My eyes aren't what they used to be, so I'm using a scope on my 50th anniversary 10/22.  I have another 10/22 I use as a loaner.  But I put a 1913 scope rail on and use the rail mounted tech sight.

in the interest of avoiding any confusion, you mention using a rail-mounted rear Tech Sight on a 1913 (Picatinny) rail.  I have a set of the rail-mounted TSR 200 RL sights that I use on one Ruger 10/22.  But this particular rear sight requires a 3/8" dovetail rail to mount and will not mount to a standard Picatinny rail.  It works fine with the stock Ruger accessory rail because that rail has both Weaver slots and a central 3/8" dovetail.

I am not aware of any Tech Sights rear sights that will mount on a Pic rail.  If there are any rear Tech Sights that mount on a Picatinny rail and can be used with the Tech Sights front sight for the Ruger 10/22 please correct my error and let me know.

There are rail-mounted rear sights designed for the AR rifle platform, like the Daniel Defense 1.5, but I think the mounting height of this sight, with the center of the rear peep aperture typically 1.4" above the top of the Picatinny rail for an AR sight, would position it way too high to be used with a Tech Sight front sight.

Quote from: pblanc on July 29, 2019, 07:45:55 PM

Quote from: 2wheelDuke on July 29, 2019, 06:42:56 PM

Quote from: Question Mark Mike on July 29, 2019, 05:51:22 PM

Quote from: maxwell on July 29, 2019, 03:08:45 PM
The Ruger 10/22 carbine wood stock is okay if you're a youth shooter and using Ruger's notch and post sights to hit tin cans. I know, because I have one of those stocks lying around, and after my first Appleseed I replaced it with a Hogue stock that has a proper comb height for Tech Sights and a non-slip rubber butt pad.

Let me say it again, since I disagree with people recommending it here: the Ruger carbine birch stock sucks, and it's the cheapest option for a reason. The same with the plastic stock that has the same shape, but the added "feature" of being hollow so your sling studs will eventually pull out. Upgrade now, or upgrade later.

I love the aesthetics of a wood stock, but the water resistance of synthetics is crucial in a wet region. If you want a wood stock from Ruger, the sporter one that I bought my wife is pretty nice (Tennessee Beast recommended this one, too). There are also some nice laminate stocks. https://ruger.com/products/1022Sporter/specSheets/1150.html

Bottom line? Get the green one and buy the MINI200 Tech Sights for it, which work even with the Pic rail installed. I like it better than the silly Weaver hybrid rail, but I have and use both.

Yeah, you posted this link in another of my threads.

https://www.tech-sights.com/product/mini200-sight-for-the-ruger-mini-14-and-ranch-rifles/

Strangely enough, the 10/22 products page on tech sights' website says to use the Mini 200 sights for the collector edition 10/22's.
https://www.tech-sights.com/ruger-products/

What tech sights would you recommend if I were to go with the copper mica 10/22? The TSR100 or 200 sights?

The "collector" edition 10/22's have a Mini-14 style rear sight.  That's why it says so on their web site.  At the $200 special, I really like the "Man's Best Friend" edition. 

My eyes aren't what they used to be, so I'm using a scope on my 50th anniversary 10/22.  I have another 10/22 I use as a loaner.  But I put a 1913 scope rail on and use the rail mounted tech sight.

in the interest of avoiding any confusion, you mention using a rail-mounted rear Tech Sight on a 1913 (Picatinny) rail.  I have a set of the rail-mounted TSR 200 RL sights that I use on one Ruger 10/22.  But this particular rear sight requires a 3/8" dovetail rail to mount and will not mount to a standard Picatinny rail.  It works fine with the stock Ruger accessory rail because that rail has both Weaver slots and a central 3/8" dovetail.

I am not aware of any Tech Sights rear sights that will mount on a Pic rail.  If there are any rear Tech Sights that mount on a Picatinny rail and can be used with the Tech Sights front sight for the Ruger 10/22 please correct my error and let me know.

There are rail-mounted rear sights designed for the AR rifle platform, like the Daniel Defense 1.5, but I think the mounting height of this sight, with the center of the rear peep aperture typically 1.4" above the top of the Picatinny rail for an AR sight, would position it way too high to be used with a Tech Sight front sight.

I just had to go dig into the back of the safe to check.  The Tech Sight is on the standard Ruger rail's 3/8" section.  I must've had 1913 on the brain from a different rifle that just got a new scope base. 

On rails on the 10/22,

I'm not a fan of the rail on the "anniversery" edition (or whatever Ruger brands it now); same for the sights on the aforementioned.

I install these where the standard rail would screw in.  I mount a UTG Bugbuster from Amazon, and we're in business.

For what I use 10/22s for, it's more than good enough.

While note good for mounting tech sights, the aftermarket rail gives you a lot more options with respect to optics, and especially for establishing correct position for eye relief.

My $0.02.

Quote from: Monkey on July 30, 2019, 10:17:07 AM
On rails on the 10/22,

I'm not a fan of the rail on the "anniversery" edition (or whatever Ruger brands it now); same for the sights on the aforementioned.

I install these where the standard rail would screw in.  I mount a UTG Bugbuster from Amazon, and we're in business.

For what I use 10/22s for, it's more than good enough.

While note good for mounting tech sights, the aftermarket rail gives you a lot more options with respect to optics, and especially for establishing correct position for eye relief.

My $0.02.

Just out of curiosity, is there something wrong with the anniversary 10/22 rail?

Quote from: Monkey on July 30, 2019, 10:17:07 AM
On rails on the 10/22,

I'm not a fan of the rail on the "anniversery" edition (or whatever Ruger brands it now); same for the sights on the aforementioned.

I install these where the standard rail would screw in.  I mount a UTG Bugbuster from Amazon, and we're in business.

For what I use 10/22s for, it's more than good enough.

While note good for mounting tech sights, the aftermarket rail gives you a lot more options with respect to optics, and especially for establishing correct position for eye relief.

My $0.02.

The EGW extended Picatinny rail is excellent, and I agree that it does markedly simplify properly mounting a rifle scope to achieve the right eye relief.  I have it mounted on one 10/22.  They also make a 20 MOA version of the extended Picatinny rail for the Ruger 10/22, if you are one of those weird people that enjoy shooting 22lr at distance.

I do use the stock Ruger accessory rail on one of my 10/22s.  On that rifle I transition between iron sights, using the rail-mounted TSR 200 RL Tech Sights, a red dot sight, or a rifle scope.  The Ruger rail works fine for mounting the rear Tech Sight or red dots.  To properly mount a rifle scope on that rail usually requires scope ring sets that have at least one forward extension ring to get the forward scope tube far enough toward the muzzle.  Weaver makes such a set in their Quad-Lock line of rings.  Hawke Sport Optics also makes ring sets with a ring that has either 1" or 2" of forward extension, depending on the set.

I have the gen 2 collector's edition, which is essentially the same rifle as the Man's Best Friend above.
I would recommend it.
Positives: no stupid barrel band, comes with both sling studs, pic rail, and the stock is modular.

Don't buy a magazine with the $25 gift certificate. Instead, buy the high cheekpiece stock piece.
http://shopruger.com/Rugerreg-Stock-Module-High-Comb_Standard-Pull/productinfo/90432/
The rear sling stud unscrews, and that different colored piece comes off and can be replaced.  It's a definite benefit, and it's basically free.
The sights are meh. I put a scope on mine. The pic rail has been fine and does not need replacing.

Quote from: Question Mark Mike on July 30, 2019, 10:37:05 AM

Quote from: Monkey on July 30, 2019, 10:17:07 AM
On rails on the 10/22,

I'm not a fan of the rail on the "anniversery" edition (or whatever Ruger brands it now); same for the sights on the aforementioned.

I install these where the standard rail would screw in.  I mount a UTG Bugbuster from Amazon, and we're in business.

For what I use 10/22s for, it's more than good enough.

While note good for mounting tech sights, the aftermarket rail gives you a lot more options with respect to optics, and especially for establishing correct position for eye relief.

My $0.02.

Just out of curiosity, is there something wrong with the anniversary 10/22 rail?

Just the overall design - scalloped down the middle to use the peep sight.  My sense is because Ruger wanted to use pre-existing material used on other lines (ie. Mini 14).  In my experience on the line, this sight hasn't been the most user-friendly to adjust in a timely manner.

Just my $0.01 (Appleseeder Discount Applied)

Quote from: Monkey on July 31, 2019, 11:55:58 PM
Just the overall design - scalloped down the middle to use the peep sight.  My sense is because Ruger wanted to use pre-existing material used on other lines (ie. Mini 14).  In my experience on the line, this sight hasn't been the most user-friendly to adjust in a timely manner.

Yup, this is why I keep banging the drum about taking off that Ruger peep sight and replacing it with the MINI200 Tech Sight, shown here. You can do this and keep the Ruger Pic rail and the factory Ruger front sight, unless the scallop really bothers you or you need more rail length.

Quote from: maxwell on August 01, 2019, 01:41:08 AM

Quote from: Monkey on July 31, 2019, 11:55:58 PM
Just the overall design - scalloped down the middle to use the peep sight.  My sense is because Ruger wanted to use pre-existing material used on other lines (ie. Mini 14).  In my experience on the line, this sight hasn't been the most user-friendly to adjust in a timely manner.

Yup, this is why I keep banging the drum about taking off that Ruger peep sight and replacing it with the MINI200 Tech Sight, shown here. You can do this and keep the Ruger Pic rail and the factory Ruger front sight, unless the scallop really bothers you or you need more rail length.

If using the mini200 rear sight, do you need to replace the front sight blade too? Is that front sight too large for the mini200 sight?

I just received the 3rd Collector's 10/22 from Palmetto Arms - OD Green stock. Extended mag release. Picatinny rail, sling-swivel studs- essentially set up for Appleseed. Very pleased. Decent trigger, fired 50 round through it this evening with a bug-buster scope on the squares target. I was probably shooting about 2 MOA groups in prone with GI sling after about 20 rounds.  Shot a ragged hole off of prone supported. I used my $25 gift certificate to order the standard pull high comb, although with the low mounts on the bug-buster MILDOT 3-9 power, the standard comb was satisfactory. see it here: https://palmettostatearmory.com/ruger-10-22-22-lr-mans-best-friend-collector-series-rifle-od-green-31115.html

Quote from: CarrollMS on August 14, 2019, 11:10:01 PM
I just received the 3rd Collector's 10/22 from Palmetto Arms - OD Green stock. Extended mag release. Picatinny rail, sling-swivel studs- essentially set up for Appleseed. Very pleased. Decent trigger, fired 50 round through it this evening with a bug-buster scope on the squares target. I was probably shooting about 2 MOA groups in prone with GI sling after about 20 rounds.  Shot a ragged hole off of prone supported. I used my $25 gift certificate to order the standard pull high comb, although with the low mounts on the bug-buster MILDOT 3-9 power, the standard comb was satisfactory. see it here: https://palmettostatearmory.com/ruger-10-22-22-lr-mans-best-friend-collector-series-rifle-od-green-31115.html

That's the same place and model that I ultimately decided on. Should be coming in the next few days. Thanks for the advice everyone!

CarrollMS, was the high comb needed if you were using iron sights?

For those still interested in the Palmetto State Armory deal on the "man's best friend" collector's edition of the 10/22, you may want to check out their gunbroker.com "buy it now" listing as well as the actual PSA site.  Gunbroker pricing is currently $10 higher, but offers free shipping.  The shipping quote when ordering directly from PSA was an additional $17 for me in Florida, making the gunbroker deal overall a little cheaper.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/831960245