These five simple Ruger 10/22 accessories make the rifle more accurate, easier to use, and a better tool for your intended purposes.
Since its public introduction in 1964, the Ruger 10/22 has taken the rimfire rifle market by storm. The Ruger 10/22, in all its many variants, is almost definitely the most popular autoloading .22 rifle made today. The 10/22 has been manufactured without any really drastic action changes since its launch. This means that while it is a fundamentally sound design, it can stand to benefit from some modern upgrades. We've narrowed down the wide array of Ruger 10/22 accessories to a few tried-and-true favorites.
Williams "Ace in the Hole" Rear Sight/Rail
The Williams "Ace in the Hole" is a dynamite first stop to making your Ruger 10/22 a better shootin' piece. A combination adjustable aperture rear sight and Picatinny rail mount, the Ace in the Hole sight allows you to keep an upgraded rear sight on the rifle, while still allowing you to mount optics. The Ace in the Hole kit includes a Williams Firesight red fiber optic front sight to replace the stock front sight.
The front sight replacement is required; I tried keeping the Ruger front sight with my Ace in the Hole, and the rifle shot too high, even with the rear adjustable sight as low as it could go.
Williams "Ace in the Hole" mounted on a Ruger 10/22 Takedown. Photo by author.
The Williams Ace in the Hole is a great Ruger 10/22 accessory if you want to mount optics and have iron sight redundancy that improve upon the stock Ruger sights. Couple your Ace in the Hole with a nice rimfire scope (like one of Leupold's offerings) and a set of quality quick detachable rings and you're ready to rock 'n' roll!
Volquartsen Automatic Bolt Release
Anyone who has used an unmodified Ruger 10/22 knows that the stock bolt release, well... kinda sucks. Fear not! Volquartsen's Automatic Bolt Release has you covered. For well under $20.00 and an hour or so of your time (if you're mechanically inclined), you can replace your stock clunky bolt release with one that lets you simply pull and let go of the bolt handle to release the locked-back bolt.
Now, your Ruger 10/22 operates like, y'know... EVERY OTHER .22 semi auto out there. It's a much better, more intuitive system, and an absolute no-brainer among Ruger 10/22 accessories.
Magpul X-22 Hunter and Backpacker Stocks
Arguably the best of all the Ruger 10/22 accessories on this list, the Magpul Hunter X-22 stock is a brilliant piece of kit to add. Have the Takedown model of 10/22? No problem! Magpul offers the rugged Hunter series of stocks for the Takedown, as well as the stellar minimalist Backpacker line of stocks. Magpul's stock systems bring USA-made ingenuity, modularity and ruggedness to the 10/22 platform while improving ergonomics and offering magazine storage capability. As a bonus to TD owners, the Backpacker stock offers sling mount locations - something the 10/22 Takedown doesn't offer from the factory.
Magpul X-22 Backpacker stock on a tricked-out Ruger 10/22 Takedown. Photo by Doc Montana.
Volquartsen Exact Edge Extractor
The Achilles Heel common to all .22s (semi-autos especially) is ammunition. Ammo that may function and shoot beautifully in one 10/22 will lock another one up in a heartbeat. FTE (Failure To Extract) is among the most common maladies of the Ruger 10/22, but once again Volquartsen comes to bat for you. The Exact Edge Extractor is a drop-in replacement part that will rip the fired cases out of the chamber with vicious aplomb and virtually eradicate FTEs. The $12.99 price tag is cheap money for uber reliability.
TANDEMKROSS "Companion" Magazine Base Pad Bumper
One of the most frustrating operations (in my opinion) for the 10/22 is extracting the flush 10-round magazine. TANDEMKROSS solves this issue handily with their Companion magazine bumper.
The Companion magazine bumper is a wonderful accessory that gives you gripping purchase on a standard 10-round Ruger 10/22 magazine. By offering an extended base that projects out from the bottom of the rifle, the operator is provided an actual surface to pull on while actuating the magazine release. This is a wonderful alternative to the grasp-and-wrestle method I usually have to employ to get a 10-rounder out of the rifle. A bill from your wallet with Andrew Jackson's face will net you a two-pack of the Companion bumpers. They're a great investment if you like to save your fingernails and keep veins from popping out of your forehead every time you need to get your magazine out of the rifle.
TANDEMKROSS Companion magazine bumpers, along with a DoubleKross magazine and a Christie's Mag Cap. Photo by Doc Montana.
Of course, running Ruger BX-25 or TANDEMKROSS DoubleKross magazines help in this department too, especially if you're looking for higher capacity.
A Ruger 10/22 TD with Warne QD rings, and an old ADCO red dot with a fiber optic front sight.
You don't have to stop there...
A quick perusal of Ruger 10/22 accessories at your local Cabela's, or online at Brownell's, Midway, your your other favorite online retailer might just blow your mind. Parts exist to make your Ruger 10/22 a stealthy lightweight bug-out rifle, or perhaps a twenty-pound precision target rifle that shoots one-hole groups at 50 yards. Maybe you want to make a tricked-out tactical rig.
The sky is the limit, sequestered only by your imagination and your wallet. However, these five Ruger 10/22 accessories are a great place to start to increase the accuracy and functionality of your 10/22. Bolt some parts on, and get out there and get shooting!
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