Hail Ruger’s 10/22

News that Davidson’s, the big national firearms wholesaler, is offering an exclusive Backpacker takedown version of the legendary Ruger 10/22 rimfire rifle brought back more memories than I thought were stored in my gray matter.

Here is one of the most popular .22-caliber semi-auto rifles of all time — a classic in every sense, now in its 56th year, and a true covers-all-the-bases firearm. They have been used to train youngsters, take small game, to conk varmints and predators, for survival, precision target shooting and even home defense.

Right now, with late fall and early winter rabbit hunting just over the horizon, Davidson’s timing is perfect and anybody looking to put some bunnies in the stew pot need look no farther than the 10/22 to get the job done.

Simplicity

My model is as basic as it gets. It wears the traditional plain hardwood stock with no checkering. I once swapped the stock for a synthetic folder, and while it souped up the appearance, the accuracy didn’t improve. After all, how can one improve on a genuine tack-driver?

Even using the factory metallic sights, this rifle has accounted for a fair number of bottle caps, empty plastic shotgun shells, more X-rings than I care to remember and one or two rather unfortunate high country blue grouse.
More than 7 million of these rifles in various incarnations have been produced, and the 10/22 action provided the base for the Ruger Charger, a semi-auto handgun which, when topped with a good long-eye relief scope, was simply murder on small game.

I’ve taken the Ruger 10/22 hiking — it only weighs just over 5 pounds with the wood stock — and it has ridden countless miles behind the seat of my pickup.

Truth be told, I cannot recall ever hearing about a major malfunction with any 10/22. Sure, now and then one might jam on a bum cartridge — I’ve had some bad experiences with bargain basement rimfire ammo — but I have never had a nasty breakdown through thousands of rounds of any ammunition from Federal, Winchester, CCI/Blazer, Remington or Eley. It wasn’t for lack of trying. I once shot my rifle so dirty that I wiped my finger along the closed bolt and had enough powder residue to give a good fingerprint!

Over the years I’ve seen aftermarket bull barrels and truly weird replacement stocks designed for, and fitted to, the 10/22. I can say without fear of contradiction the Ruger 10/22 is easily the most accessorized .22-caliber rifle ever manufactured. Somewhere, Bill Ruger must be sitting in a heavenly easy chair grinning ear-to-ear at what he created.

New Kid On The Block

And this brings us around to this new model from Davidson’s. The 10/22 Takedown Backpacker is one of those guns that we all wish would have come along decades ago. It is a keeper.

Featuring a Magpul X-22 Backpacker stock in Flat Dark Earth with a cheek riser, this takedown model has a 16 3/8” satin blue barrel cut with 1:16-inch rifling with six lands and grooves on a right-hand twist. So, any bullet launched from this tube is going to have one full rotation under it’s belt when it leaves the muzzle, which can only enhance its accuracy.

The muzzle is threaded with a ½-28 turn so it will handle a suppressor or some other accessory and comes with a thread protector cap. Just behind the muzzle is a Williams Firesight green fiber optic front sight while the rear Firesight is an adjustable red fiber optic model.

Davidson’s design features a black satin finish on the alloy receiver, drilled and tapped for scope mounts. It comes with a base adapter for both Weaver and “rimfire tip-off” scope mounts.

There’s room in a hidden compartment in the buttstock for three spare 10-round rotary magazines.
The Takedown Backpacker weighs just over 4.5 pounds and is just over 34” inches long when assembled. When taken down for stuffing in a backpack, the rifle is just over 19”. The MSRP is a remarkably affordable $514.

www.ruger.com