Ruger 10/22 Carbine 1103

The Ruger 10/22 Carbine is the default .22 LR semi-auto in the United States. Production has run continuously since 1964, and Ruger's rotary BX magazine remains the standard the rest of the rimfire world is measured against. The 18.5-inch cold hammer-forged barrel, blued aluminum receiver, and birch hardwood stock define the 1103 baseline configuration.

The platform's value is its aftermarket. Drop-in triggers from Ruger BX, Volquartsen, Kidd, and Timney; bull and tension barrels from Volquartsen, Tactical Solutions, and Kidd; chassis and stocks from Magpul, Boyds, and Midwest Industries; and bolt assemblies, charging handles, extractors, and bolt-release fixes from Volquartsen and TandemKross. Few rimfire owners keep the 10/22 stock for long.

The 10/22 is the entry point for NRL22 and rimfire steel competition, the first .22 most American shooters learn on, and the suppressor host most owners pair with their first .22 LR can. It is also the cheapest practical training gun for centerfire fundamentals: trigger, sights, breath, follow-through, all rehearsed at five cents a round.