Flutted Barrel for my 10/22

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johnr283

Bearcat
Joined
Feb 23, 2013
Messages
39
I'm looking to get a fluted barrel for my 10/22 Sporter. I've been checking out Green Mountain barrels.
http://www.gmriflebarrel.com/ruger-10-22-920-sporter-barrels/

Any other brand suggestions.

Which is better for adding accuracy, Sporter Tapered or .920 Bull Barrels?

What difference does length make. Isn't longer usually better.
 

Rocdoc

Buckeye
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Aug 23, 2008
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I like GM barrels. Good quality. In my experience with 22lr, the heavy barrel will perform the best, the one heavy I have is very accurate
 

SGW Gunsmith

Blackhawk
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johnr283 said:
I'm looking to get a fluted barrel for my 10/22 Sporter. I've been checking out Green Mountain barrels.
http://www.gmriflebarrel.com/ruger-10-22-920-sporter-barrels/

1) Any other brand suggestions.

2) Which is better for adding accuracy, Sporter Tapered or .920 Bull Barrels?

3) What difference does length make. Isn't longer usually better.

1) Fedderson and Tony Kidd ( KIDD ) make some excellent barrels and KIDD will guarantee ½ inch groups at 50 yards with his. Green Mountain barrels are a bit less costly.

2) Both barrel contours can be very accurate, but most prefer the 0.920 diameter.

3) Longer can be better, but only for sight radius if iron sights are used. The 18 to 20 inch 0.920 diameter barrels are normal. Beyond that length they get awkward.

Due to the 10/22 rifles having only one main action screw, when a heavy barrel is installed on the 10/22 receiver, quite often "barrel droop" will occur. I, along with many others will add a rear receiver tang to the back face of the receiver that gets inletted into the stock so that the receiver has much more of a solid "footprint" in the stock.
 

johnr283

Bearcat
Joined
Feb 23, 2013
Messages
39
I'll probably go with the KIDD bull barrel.

I don't use iron sights, I have a nice Nikon scope. Still, I'll probably go with the 20".

As far as the rear receiver tang goes, I'll speak the my local gunsmith and have them do it for me.
 

wwb

Hunter
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If you have a sporter and fit it with a .920" barrel, you will need to either open the barrel channel in the stock or get a new stock. A couple points....

First - if you have a "sporter" without the barrel band and with a checkered walnut stock, get another 10/22 to mess with. Sell the one you have if you need the money to get another, but don't butcher the one you have - it's worth considerably more than a normal 10/22 carbine.

Next - why do you want a fluted barrel? The .920 barrels are too heavy for hunting... they make the gun very muzzle heavy. Fluting makes them a bit lighter, but they're still heavy - the standard barrel is a better choice. If it's strictly for target work off sandbags or a bipod, the heavier non-fluted barrel is a better choice (heavier is steadier).

Just the opinion of a crusty old fart.
 

johnr283

Bearcat
Joined
Feb 23, 2013
Messages
39
I want a fluted barrel on Spoter simply for aesthetics. I thought I could just buy the barrel and drop it in.

If I bought a Sporter tapered fluted barrel would that just drop in?

Green Mountain has them in 16.5" or 20". Am I right to assume that neither of those would fit the barrel channel correctly either since the taper angle would be different?

This is beginning to be more hassle than I wanted. Maybe I'll just save some cash and have my gunsmith set the whole thing up for me. Or maybe just put the whole thing on hold for now.

I actually do have an extra 10/22 carbine but I'm using that for The tommy gun conversion kit which will arrive in a few days. I still need a finned barrel to complete that project.
 
Joined
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No. I don't think you have to put it off, the fluted green mountain sporter barrel should just drop right in. They show it pictured in a similar stock. Similar to the factory carbine stock that is.

If in doubt call Green Mountain. I'm sure they would tell you. It would look like a nice gun set up like that.

I don't think there is any accuracy difference between the sporter barrel and the .920 bull barrel. I think people go with the bull barrel for bench rest shooting, just for the added weight. It might make a slight difference in this situation.
 

SGW Gunsmith

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Kevin said:
No. I don't think you have to put it off, the fluted green mountain sporter barrel should just drop right in. They show it pictured in a similar stock. Similar to the factory carbine stock that is.

If in doubt call Green Mountain. I'm sure they would tell you. It would look like a nice gun set up like that.

I don't think there is any accuracy difference between the sporter barrel and the .920 bull barrel. I think people go with the bull barrel for bench rest shooting, just for the added weight. It might make a slight difference in this situation.

Really? That's a pretty broad statement. Have you done any comparison testing? If so, do you have any groups to verify your statement?
 

mohavesam

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I like Ruger's HB, and even with a bit of chamber & crowning work, they often come up with less cost than some of the off-the-shelf "match barrels IME.

There are always exceptions. Coopers they ain't.
 
Joined
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Nope, no expert here and I've not tested or otherwise made any comparisons between a .920 barrel and a standard taper barrel. Why would the shape of the outside diameter make a difference? Clark sells a "mid weight barrel" it's .720 and guaranteed to shoot 1 MOA.

Just looking at the barrels, a .920 barrel without a taper would be easier and cheaper to manufacture than a tapered barrel. Same with the stocks. A straight channel in the stock would be cheaper and easier to make than a tapered channel for a tapered barrel.

Thus, companies want us to think heavy "bull" barrels have more inherent accuracy. As mohavesam points out, the chamber and crown are important. If two differently contoured barrels have the same chamber and crown, I'm willing to bet they would shoot the same.

Don't get me wrong, I have several "bull barrels" just because I want the stocks, like the Titan stock which is a bit larger and more comfortable.
 

johnr283

Bearcat
Joined
Feb 23, 2013
Messages
39
After looking at different pics, I don't really like the look of the bull barrel. I'm going to go with a factory tapered fluted. Green Mountain only has them in 16.5" or 20". I don't want 16". Shaw sells on in 18".

So it's either the Shaw 18" or the GM 20".

Shaw has an option for blued or blued polished. What is the fatory finish on my Sporter? Ruger list sthe gun finish as satin black.
 
Joined
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Greenville, SC: USA
.920 barrels will usually shoot better with multiple shots.... they don't vibrate as much and will dissipate heat better.... I have several and they are pretty much tack drivers at 50 yards (with the right ammo) and I do mean tack driving... usually group at around 1/2" The one disadvantage to a thick barrel is they are heavy and so shooting while standing gets old after a while... Fluted might help... shorter (16") will help too.

Best to free float and torque just right....
 

SGW Gunsmith

Blackhawk
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Another thing to consider. Barrel droop. The Ruger 10/22 has just one action screw, so the weight of a 0.9200 heavy barrel may cause the action to tilt slightly downward at the front. I'm testing a recent 10/22 style rifle assembly with a heavy KIDD barrel to see if a rear receiver tang addition will benefit accuracy:

jPq9ym2m.jpg
 
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