Question on zeroing a 1022

[EX-Gold Falcon]

I've just picked up a ruger 1022 18 inch barrel with a Tasco ProPoint sight. I was planning to go out this afternoon and zero in the sight, so my question is whether it makes any difference to zero it in at 25 or 50 meters. I do not have a lot of experience with the 1022, or rimfire for that matter, always tended to stick with centerfire, but the price was right for this Ruger.

Thanks

Travis

[HowardCohodas]

I'm not a hunter, but as a CCW instructor I am still asked about related subjects, so I came across this reference about zeroing to pass on to my students. How to properly sight in a rifle. (http://www.gunnersden.com/index.htm.sightin.html) There is commentary specifically addressing rim-fire.

[mojaveman]

With a .22 rimfire I like a 50 meter zero. Will you be using the same type of ammo all of the time? Different velocities are going to affect your zero. With a 100 meter zero you are going to be shooting a few inches high at the shorter ranges. If you're just going to plink it doesn't matter that much.

The Ruger 10/22 is a nice little rifle by the way, they are reliable and you can buy a zillion accessories for them. In that caliber it is a very good choice for a survival weapon.

[Buck]

I've just picked up a ruger 1022 18 inch barrel with a Tasco ProPoint sight. I was planning to go out this afternoon and zero in the sight, so my question is whether it makes any difference to zero it in at 25 or 50 meters. I do not have a lot of experience with the 1022, or rimfire for that matter, always tended to stick with centerfire, but the price was right for this Ruger.

Thanks

Travis

Ex-Gold,
Really depends on what your plans are for the Ruger 1022. They are by far the most used all round 22 in production, and IMHO the best choice for squirrel hunting. If you plan on just target shooting, pick a range you want to shoot at, IE 50 or 100, and zero the 1022 obviously to that range. If you plan on using it for squirrels, plan on shooting probably no more then 70 yards, I'd recommend zeroing at 50 yards, then check your marks at 25, 75 yards, and note round impact for hunting.

My .02

Buck

[Team Sergeant]

You're talking roughly an inch drop every 25m depending on your choice of bullets.

For a .22 figure out your "max" range, let's say 100m. You can do the math but I'd zero at 50m and hold 2 inches high when shooting at 100m.


http://www.ruger1022.com/docs/22lrballistics.htm

http://www.gunsmoke.com/guns/1022/22ballistics.html

[Buffalobob]

I wold guess that in Idaho you are not hunting many squirrels. But this is what they look like here in the east.

People have covered the original question so I will answer your next one. 10-22s are like a rotten spoiled house cat. You can only feed them what they like.

Some of them like slow speed stuff and some will like high speed stuff. I tested about 10 different brands and speeds of bullets, The results surprised me so I went back and retested again and the results were very repeatable. Even at its best mine is not a tack driver but it still insists on expensive bullets- Either Yellow Jackets or Eley. So if you are really interested in the maximum accuracy go and test bullets, Remember that they have a hard wax lube on them and you will need to pre-foul the barrel each time you change brands of bullets.

[HowardCohodas]

10-22s are like a rotten spoiled house cat. You can only feed them what they like.

Some of them like slow speed stuff and some will like high speed stuff. I tested about 10 different brands and speeds of bullets, The results surprised me so I went back and retested again and the results were very repeatable. Even at its best mine is not a tack driver but it still insists on expensive bullets- Either Yellow Jackets or Eley. So if you are really interested in the maximum accuracy go and test bullets, Remember that they have a hard wax lube on them and you will need to pre-foul the barrel each time you change brands of bullets.

Wow! And I thought my AR-7 was finicky. Of course, without a scope, I'm not working at the distances you guys talk about.

[Peregrino]

A lot of quality advice here. Stick with the recommended 50M zero and use holdover/under for everything else. It makes the longer squirrel shots more of a "sure thing" without compromising your ability to hit the rabbit that jumps up almost between your feet. :D If you're shooting small game from further than 75M, maybe your woodsmanship needs some work. BB's comments about testing ammo is spot-on. TS - Thanks for the link; I'm adding it to the favorites.

[EX-Gold Falcon]

Cheers and thank's everyone.

I started at the 50m line, but after three 5-round strings, I moved up to the 25m because I was missing the entire freakin target! My head was hung in shame...

Got the point of aim established at 25m and then pulled back to 50m.

I had no idea the 1022 was so sensitive to barrel temps when it came to shot groups! ie; learning to make sight adjustments then count to 50......

Ammo type was a brick of CCI mini-mag @ $43.95. Try not to laugh too loud about the price, our local purchasing options are limited around here.


Travis

[Buffalobob]

A couple of points

The magazine release for the 10-22 was designed by someone who wished to insure that it would never ever fall out accidentally (nor purposefully either) . The most satisfying modification you can make to the rifle is an "Extended Magazine Release"

http://www.midwayusa.com/browse/BrowseProducts.aspx?tabid=9&categoryid=12911&categorystring=10636***10560***9142***11647***

You might not want to order the pink one unless you like to get into knife fights at the rifle range. :D

The rifle is held together with one action screw and the barrel band. If the rifle is walking on you every time you let it cool and shoot another magazine of bullets then you might work with the barrel band. What I would suggest is once you have it to hot enough to walk then begin loosening the barrel band slightly and see if there is a point that it quits walking.. Another thing to do is loosen both the action screw and the barrel band at the same time and then only tighten the action screw but leave the barrel band loose. This might untorque the action if that was the problem.

I took my barrel band completely off and bedded the action and epoxied in a ling stud swivel and non of that helped its accuracy so I do not recommend it as a curative process.

[Sten]

If your made of money and want to get the cost of your 1022 up to price tag of a respectable center fire rifle. Drop in a Volquartsen trigger group.

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/Volquartsen-TG2000-10-22-Trigger-Guard-Black.aspx?a=408064&kwtid=268900