Just scored a 1975 10/22 - 114 Serial #

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  • mpollan1

    Foxtrot Juliet Bravo
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 26, 2012
    6,555
    Мэриленд
    Was helping somebody with a move from a home that was in his family for 50+ years. Unearthed a 10/22 which was unfortunately in the unconditioned garage and it ended up in my possession. :party29: A bit rough with surface pitting on the barrel but everything seems to function as it should. Gonna give it a good cleaning and can't wait to pop off a few. Anything I should pay particular attention to?
     

    trickg

    Guns 'n Drums
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 22, 2008
    14,598
    Glen Burnie
    Was helping somebody with a move from a home that was in his family for 50+ years. Unearthed a 10/22 which was unfortunately in the unconditioned garage and it ended up in my possession. :party29: A bit rough with surface pitting on the barrel but everything seems to function as it should. Gonna give it a good cleaning and can't wait to pop off a few. Anything I should pay particular attention to?
    Is there something significant about the year or the serial number? It's not particularly early and the number isn't particularly low - just a run-of-the-mil Ruger 10/22. Mind you, a 10/22 is a neat little rifle to have - I have one as well - but other than checking to see that the bore is intact, I wouldn't think that there'd be anything else to worry about other than making sure it was clean and lubricated.
     

    mpollan1

    Foxtrot Juliet Bravo
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 26, 2012
    6,555
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    Yeah not my only 10/22 but it's the oldest gun I have, has a walnut stock, and it was free. I get all that you are saying but I'm still jazzed.
     

    trickg

    Guns 'n Drums
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 22, 2008
    14,598
    Glen Burnie
    Yeah not my only 10/22 but it's the oldest gun I have, has a walnut stock, and it was free. I get all that you are saying but I'm still jazzed.
    Apologies - that's not how I intended it to be. It's definitely a cool score and one I would have loved to have gotten.

    It's interesting that at 46 years old it's your oldest gun because on the grand scheme of things, 1975 is still relatively new given firearm longevity. My Dad was 40 when I was born in 1970, so I inherited a number of guns that he bought new that predate my birth by a good bit.

    How bad was the rust/pitting on the barrel? Another question - do 10/22s have serial numbers on the barrel? At some point you could always rebarrel it if that's the only part that had significant rust on it, and it probably wouldn't cost much.
     

    mpollan1

    Foxtrot Juliet Bravo
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 26, 2012
    6,555
    Мэриленд
    Apologies - that's not how I intended it to be. It's definitely a cool score and one I would have loved to have gotten.

    It's interesting that at 46 years old it's your oldest gun because on the grand scheme of things, 1975 is still relatively new given firearm longevity. My Dad was 40 when I was born in 1970, so I inherited a number of guns that he bought new that predate my birth by a good bit.

    How bad was the rust/pitting on the barrel? Another question - do 10/22s have serial numbers on the barrel? At some point you could always rebarrel it if that's the only part that had significant rust on it, and it probably wouldn't cost much.

    No apology needed friend, I did not take anything you wrote in the negative. I'm first generation Polok with my folks arriving here in the early 50s so no generational gun buying/ownership. My father had no interest in hunting or guns in general so my oldest gun prior to this was/is a Weatherby Vanguard 7mm Rem my father purchased for me so I had my own gun to hunt with my uncle.

    Anyway, if this 10/22 proves reliable and relatively accurate it will stay as is and join a couple others as training guns for other folks and/or something I would toss in my trunk unprotected without concern.

    I'll likely just oil up some 0000 steel wool and give the barrel a light once over unless you or somebody else has something better.

    Cheers :beer:
     

    Bisleyfan44

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 11, 2008
    1,758
    Wicomico
    They're pretty bulletproof little guns. I'd run a bronze brush and some patches through the bore, but otherwise I'd bet it'll shoot just fine. Congrats on the find!
     

    KiloTango

    Member
    Mar 11, 2021
    23
    Good find! For something that has been in extended storage, I generally add CLP to all mating and moving parts (including receiver pins, V-block screws) before disassembly. This mobilizes some of the fine grit/rust and makes the tear down easier. I also avoid unnecessary dry firing before cleaning in case there is surface rust on the sear contact surfaces. A full teardown will definitely be worth the effort. It would not surprise me if it runs smooth after a good scrubdown.
     

    trickg

    Guns 'n Drums
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 22, 2008
    14,598
    Glen Burnie
    I'll likely just oil up some 0000 steel wool and give the barrel a light once over unless you or somebody else has something better.

    Cheers :beer:
    Dad, who was a part-time gunsmith, would have done pretty much exactly that - he'd have used WD-40, scrubbed off the rust, then either oiled it, or depending on the gun, he may have touched it up with Brownell's Oxpho Blue, which is a cold blue - doesn't really go deep or wear very well, but can add some color where it's been rubbed off.
     

    Bountied

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 6, 2012
    6,893
    Pasadena
    Was helping somebody with a move from a home that was in his family for 50+ years. Unearthed a 10/22 which was unfortunately in the unconditioned garage and it ended up in my possession. :party29: A bit rough with surface pitting on the barrel but everything seems to function as it should. Gonna give it a good cleaning and can't wait to pop off a few. Anything I should pay particular attention to?

    Replace the main spring and the extractor/extractor spring. Might want to remove the bolt and clean that up too.
     

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