New Ruger 10/22 have polymer parts

Doug Bowser · Apr 30, 2009

I have been a fan of the Ruger 10/22 rifle for many years. Ruger has decided to make the trigger guard of polymer as well as the trigger and sear parts. The sear is plastic and has a steel insert that contacts the hammer notch. This setup makes for a spongy trigger pull. This makes for a changing trigger pull as compared with the 10/22 rifles made with aluminum alloy trigger guard and parts. We bought 5 Ruger 10/22 carbines for our Junior Club and they were all rifles with polymer trigger guard and parts. It was very difficult to do trigger jobs on the rifles and make them stay consistant.

Another change in the newest Ruger 10/22 rifles is a cast in one piece hammer. The original hammer is made of a high quality steel forging and has 2 inserts that fit into the hammer and the hammer pin slides through the inserts. The new cast hammer is not of the same quality and the inserts are cast in one piece with the hammer.

I guess I just don't like change made for the sake of cheapening the firearm.

Doug Bowser

msredneck · Apr 30, 2009

Well I guess that means the ole 10/22 goes bye bye on the fav. list

Doug Bowser · Apr 30, 2009

Nope,

They made a bunch of them the right way. Buy a used one. Guns wear out less than people do.

Doug

msredneck · Apr 30, 2009

Got one...and a couple Henry's as well. Actuallly like the Henry's better...One in 22 WMR with Octagonal barrel.

mark3hunter · Apr 30, 2009

msredneck said:
Got one...and a couple Henry's as well. Actuallly like the Henry's better...One in 22 WMR with Octagonal barrel.

I'm with ya on the Henry , my 22 Mag has been hunted with hard for several years and never missed a lick . My daughter has my " older " 10/22 , if I ever need another it won't be one with a plastic sear !!!

Quality is taking a back seat everywhere you look .

Rbelote · May 1, 2009

It is a shame that companies have to compromise quality to sell a gun, but I dont think this is Rugers fault. We live is a society that wants something for nothing now, and everyone is entitled. Heck if you want someone to come to an event tell them they will get free food or something for free and they will flock there. True craftsman are few and far between, and most children these days are not brought up to appreciate it. I just traded a custom rifle to a friend (thank God for him), because I posted it online and people did not want to pay hundreds less than what the parts were work much less the fine craftsmanship it took to build it. Dont blame RUger blame lowsy consumers, high steel prices (if you can get it), and workers that think they deserve the world.

Hammer · May 1, 2009

What he said.

GunOneDown · May 1, 2009

yeah +1 to Rbelote.

sarkas · May 5, 2009

Hmmm. I just bought a new Ruger 10/22 last week and now come to find out that this venerable firearms manufacturer has deliberately cheapened their product just to save a few bucks. Their 10/22 has been a de-facto standard recognized worldwide. Pity. Well, actually, it's more that that - it's pure D corporate inanity. Bad form. Makes you feel like you've been had. It ain't nice to fool Mother Nature: It ain't nice to fool your customers, either.

I'm thinking, however, just as there are aftermarket parts kits for cars and motorcycles, I wonder if anyone makes a aftermarket trigger ass'y that would do away with the plastic stuff.

Also, this makes me wonder about other Ruger products.

Hammer · May 5, 2009

Volquartsen makes a great aftermarket trigger assembly for the 10/22. Pricey tho.

https://www.volquartsen.com/category/16-action-trigger-components/10-1022-lr-action

sarkas · May 6, 2009

Thank you, Hammer. Yes, indeedy, that's a bit spendy. More than I paid for the new rifle itself. Still, it is good to know that options are out there. Again, thanks.

encoreman · Jun 4, 2009

Hey Doug is it pretty easy to spot the new polymer gun? I heard about a like new blue 10-22 and I want to be sure it is the old style.

Doug Bowser · Jun 4, 2009

encoreman said:
Hey Doug is it pretty easy to spot the new polymer gun? I heard about a like new blue 10-22 and I want to be sure it is the old style.

The trigger guard is plastic. You can tell by tapping the trigger guard with a key.

Doug

bubbat · Jun 4, 2009

Clark sells the metal trigger guard for $25.00

http://www.clarkcustomguns.com/RugerOEMtrigger.html

TomBomb · Jun 18, 2009

Hey Encoreman, to answer your own question, did you spot mine at the M&G when you checked it???????? It is poly... shoots beautifully and don't worry about corrosion from sweaty hands in the summer...... Being an engineer, I honestly don't care for plastic parts either depending on their function...if holding pressure, whether gas pressure or mechanical pressure, I'd much rather have steel too!

TomBomb · Jul 2, 2009

Just watching "Guns and Ammo Classics" and what comes up? This very question... here's the Ruger director of product development (Roy Melcher's) explanation: "We know that what we've done is made a vast improvement over the original component part, it is tougher, it is more accurate, more stable and more impact resistant than the original aluminum trigger guard." Then they performed an impact test (4.5 lbs dropped 3 ft) on the trigger guard assembly...the polymer survived, the aluminum did not.

However, he did not address the trigger or seer................ :thinking:

Doug Bowser · Jul 6, 2009

TomBomb said:
Just watching "Guns and Ammo Classics" and what comes up? This very question... here's the Ruger director of product development (Roy Melcher's) explanation: "We know that what we've done is made a vast improvement over the original component part, it is tougher, it is more accurate, more stable and more impact resistant than the original aluminum trigger guard." Then they performed an impact test (4.5 lbs dropped 3 ft) on the trigger guard assembly...the polymer survived, the aluminum did not.

However, he did not address the trigger or seer................ :thinking:

This is typical CYA from Ruger. I do a LOT of trigger jobs on the Ruger 10/22 rifles and the polymer trigger guard creates problems with the trigger being spongey. This , of course, means nothing to the average shooter. To the target shooter, it means a lot. The reason Ruger changed the material in the trigger mechanism was monetary. They also changed the way the hammer is manufactured. It's material and method of manufacture has also been cheapened. When they first made the polymer trigger guard, the sear was also plastic. They went back to aluminum sears and the trigger pulls are not as spongey. The trigger is still plastic.

If the plastic trigger guards are superior, why are the aftermarket trigger guards being offered? Why did Clark Custom Guns buy a large quantity of Ruger factory (aluminum) trigger guards and make them available.

Doug Bowser

TomBomb · Jul 9, 2009

I hear you Doug, espicially on the CYA... the Midway USA catalog alone has an 2 or 3 pages of replacement 10/22 trigger assy..... What's your recommendation for a reasonably priced upgrade?

Doug Bowser · Jul 9, 2009

TomBomb said:
I hear you Doug, espicially on the CYA... the Midway USA catalog alone has an 2 or 3 pages of replacement 10/22 trigger assy..... What's your recommendation for a reasonably priced upgrade?

Clark Custom Guns has the old style parts for sale at a reasonable price.

Doug

nonnieselman · Jan 20, 2010

bubbat said:
Clark sells the metal trigger guard for $25.00

http://www.clarkcustomguns.com/RugerOEMtrigger.html

I have Clark triggers and hammers in both my old 10/22s.. Very nice products.

http://www.clarkcustomguns.com/1022parts.htm#743

New Ruger 10/22 have polymer parts

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