[timvr6]

Hi there,

Looking for advice on attending my first event. I have a the Viridian scope that came with the rifle, but also have a Nikon 3x9 and a Leupold 3x9 that can be swapped as well. Besides a web sling, is there anything else that I "must" do to the rifle for my first event? I'm just not sure if I should be modifying the rifle or just make sure it's reliable and go with what I have and figure out what I don't like about the current rifle once I've completed one, or a couple Appleseeds.

Hope that makes sense and hopefully someone has been in my shoes recently that can provide feedback.

Thanks!

 

[Toomany22s]

Well, clean it. Scrubout the chamber with a 243 brush and strong solvent . Lube with Hornady one shot dri lube, no oil!
Make sure its secure in stock pull on barrel and stock nothing should move twist on barrel and stock, nothing should move. If it does , pullaction out nd put some aluminum tape on the back and sides of the receiver, so it fits snugly in the stock .
And go have fun.

 

[buckweet]

CHEEK RISER!!!!
Get your head where it belongs behind that scope..
EXTREMELY easy to make.. some foam..and vet tape .. lay the foam on top of the stock.. then wrap it with Vet Tape .. you'll tank me later..
.....
Bx trigger ???

 

[mostly22lately]

Hi there,

Looking for advice on attending my first event. I have a the Viridian scope that came with the rifle, but also have a Nikon 3x9 and a Leupold 3x9 that can be swapped as well. Besides a web sling, is there anything else that I "must" do to the rifle for my first event? I'm just not sure if I should be modifying the rifle or just make sure it's reliable and go with what I have and figure out what I don't like about the current rifle once I've completed one, or a couple Appleseeds.

Hope that makes sense and hopefully someone has been in my shoes recently that can provide feedback.

Thanks!

=
This past summer I did similar to what you're doing.

I am assuming you have the 10/22 model 31143 from you post.

The 'polish the chamber' comment above is a very smart one. I would add: polish the inside of the receiver while you have it apart! Your unsprung bolt should glide back and forth in there as if it was on bearings.

To enhance reliability, I swapped out the rod/spring/charge handle for Kidd parts (using the correct one of the 3 supplied springs for the ammo you plan to use).

Then I swapped in the Volquartsen hammer and spring VC10TH mod, to get a better trigger and fewer light strike possibilities.

After that I added a Tandemkross 'fireswitch' 2-way mag release.

You will find it very handy to have a way to readily identify the difference between the two magazines you need to have and the spare you should bring.

 

[FighterFixer1]

You really don't need to worry about making modifications to the rifle......but if I were you, I'd be shopping for a different scope. The Viridian may work, but it's not exactly the best quality. A friend of mine has the same package, and his scope fogged up really bad at his first Appleseed. Your Leupold and Nikon scopes both have a fixed parallax (factory set at 100 yards) so those may have some issues getting a clear sight picture at 25m.

Check the Appleseed package deals for some of the best prices you'll find. Or head over to the nearest sporting goods store and get a look through a few to see what you like. You want to look for either rimfire specific models, or scopes that have adjustable parallax down to 10 yards. (I'm a big fan of the Vortex brand) You don't need high magnification at 25m, but having clear glass and a precise aiming point is much more important than being able to zoom in.

At my first Appleseed, I used my old basic 10/22 carbine--the only mods were adding the sling and a cheap $79 3 MOA red dot. I managed to score a 211 on the last AQT of the first day. Second day, I shot 6 AQTs that went between a low of 219 and a high of 232.

A year (and a few more clinics later) I ran my home-built-expensive-as-hell-custom-tackdriver 10/22--this one is in a KRG Bravo stock with a VQ carbon fiber barrel. I have a USO 3-12 scope on this rifle and a Timney trigger.....with all that expensive stuff, my scores only improved from my very first Appleseed by 9 points. I probably could have done that with my old, original basic 10/22 if I had used a more precise optic. (3 MOA nearly covers the silhouettes on stage 4, and completely obscures Morgan's shingle.)

*I need an optic because my eyes are so bad. I tried Tech Sights and failed. Without my glasses, I can see the target clearly, but I can't see the front sight post. With my glasses on, I can see the sight post clearly, but the target is invisible--not just the individual silhouettes.....the whole target is just an off-white blur.

I've done 4 Appleseeds now, and my #1 recommendation is to get some BX15 magazines.

• They're easy to grip which makes them much easier to insert/remove than the factory flush fit mags, and they don't get in the way in prone like the BX25s do.
• I also like to attach 2 ounce fishing weights with black electrical tape so they drop free when I hit the mag release.
• I use blue painter's tape on the mag I load with 2 rounds. (Blue = 2)

The only other mod I'd recommend doesn't have anything to do with the shooting, but it makes clearing the rifle much easier.

• Tandemkross extended bolt catch. I was the only guy on the line who wasn't fumbling to lock the bolt back.

Get yourself a big pile of ammo that your rifle likes. The only way to find out what works best is to try several different brands. Once you've found some ammo that runs well in your rifle, get out and practice! You can practice slinging up, getting into position, finding your natural point of aim, and manipulating the rifle without firing a shot. But the only way to get really accustomed to your rifle is to go out and shoot it.


Bring a 'Teachable Attitude', listen to your instructors, ask questions if something isn't clear, and above all else......HAVE FUN!

 

[RichJ]

I went to an egg shoot at a nice range near me ( Fennville Rod & Gun ) did absolutely terrible. I shoot at home up tp 100 yards where everything is built to fit me. When I got to the range I could not get comfortable, had to shoot my stage whilst sort of crouching next to the bench. So bring an assortment of cushions for your butt and shims/blocks so you can be comfortable.

my 2 cents…………..you can leave it on the counter like we all do.

Rich

 

[FighterFixer1]

I went to an egg shoot at a nice range near me ( Fennville Rod & Gun ) did absolutely terrible. I shoot at home up tp 100 yards where everything is built to fit me. When I got to the range I could not get comfortable, had to shoot my stage whilst sort of crouching next to the bench. So bring an assortment of cushions for your butt and shims/blocks so you can be comfortable.

my 2 cents…………..you can leave it on the counter like we all do.

Rich

Appleseed doesn't allow rests unless you have a medical condition that precludes you from getting into the positions. It's just you, your sling and your rifle, but Rich brought up a really good point. What you stand/sit/lay on is up to you, as long as it's not supporting the rifle in any way.

You absolutely want to bring a padded mat. An old moving blanket or carpet remnant will suffice. I'm using a cheap mat that I got on Amazon for about $20 and a Walmart yoga mat for some additional cushion if the range is gravel/rocky.

Pro tip: When you're in prone, you're going to feel it in your elbows, so some elbow pads come in very handy. I'd recommend soft volleyball pads, not the hard plastic skateboard pads--the hard plastic ones tend to 'roll' when you're in position.

Pro tip 2: Start stretching out a few days prior to your Appleseed. You're going to be going from standing to sitting to prone all day long. I'm in my mid 50s and I'm still feeling the effects from my Appleseed last weekend. (It's not the year, make or model....it's the mileage!)

 

[LeadStacker]

See some of the other Appleseed posts, there is some good info in them.

Here are some things you need to do before you go in my opinion.

Test your ammo for reliability. It is all accurate enough to score well at 25m. Your rifle and ammo needs to go 300 rounds a day reliably.

Use a scope that has a parallax down to 25. When you mount it, get down prone so you get the scope far enough forward so that the eye relief works. Use rings/cheek risers to center the crosshairs to your eye. Behind making sure your rifle/ammo works, having your scope set correctly for you is the most important thing.

A $10 automatic bolt release will make your life easier on the firing line on the clock. So nice to be able to just pull the charging handle to release the bolt instead of fiddling with the factory one.

An extended magazine release is nice to have, it makes mag changes much easier and quicker. Nice, but not necessary.

Wear long sleeves, your elbows will get chafed.

Drink lots of water, take a few electrolyte drinks. Cramping sucks when you are trying to shoot accurately.

Take something that will be comfortable to lay on and a tarp to put it on.

Take your time and score the max points you can on Stage 1 & 4.

Go with the right attitude. I'd been shooting for 40 years when I went to my 1st one and considered myself decent, but I'm a much better shooter today.

Take as many magazines as with reliably function. 2 is necessary, 4 is nice, 6 is ideal. I like to have all my mags loaded and labeled for an AQT so I can relax and focus on my shooting, not stuffing mags as fast as I can.

Look at some other threads too, lots of good Appleseed info here.

 

[Eagle0199]

First, remove the barrel band (if it has one), This alone will usually improve your group size. Then tighten the takedown screw to 20 inch-pounds. If you have some spare time, try changing the takedown torque by a couple of pounds, try 15, shoot a group, try 18, shoot a group, try 20, 22, 25, etc. Most 10/22 rifles seem to be most accurate at 20, but I have one rifle that does best at 25.

Second, the best change for accuracy will be a change to your trigger to reduce it from the normal 5-7 pounds down to 2-3 pounds. Easiest way to do this is to simply change out the hammer for a Volquartsen. Best price is on eBay at Volquartsen Target Hammer for Ruger 10/22 | eBay for $20. Normal price for a match-type hammer is around $40. Changing out the hammer alone will usually reduce your trigger pull to around 2.5 pounds.

 

[57plymouth]

You really don't need to worry about making modifications to the rifle......but if I were you, I'd be shopping for a different scope. The Viridian may work, but it's not exactly the best quality. A friend of mine has the same package, and his scope fogged up really bad at his first Appleseed. Your Leupold and Nikon scopes both have a fixed parallax (factory set at 100 yards) so those may have some issues getting a clear sight picture at 25m.

Check the Appleseed package deals for some of the best prices you'll find. Or head over to the nearest sporting goods store and get a look through a few to see what you like. You want to look for either rimfire specific models, or scopes that have adjustable parallax down to 10 yards. (I'm a big fan of the Vortex brand) You don't need high magnification at 25m, but having clear glass and a precise aiming point is much more important than being able to zoom in.

At my first Appleseed, I used my old basic 10/22 carbine--the only mods were adding the sling and a cheap $79 3 MOA red dot. I managed to score a 211 on the last AQT of the first day. Second day, I shot 6 AQTs that went between a low of 219 and a high of 232.

A year (and a few more clinics later) I ran my home-built-expensive-as-hell-custom-tackdriver 10/22--this one is in a KRG Bravo stock with a VQ carbon fiber barrel. I have a USO 3-12 scope on this rifle and a Timney trigger.....with all that expensive stuff, my scores only improved from my very first Appleseed by 9 points. I probably could have done that with my old, original basic 10/22 if I had used a more precise optic. (3 MOA nearly covers the silhouettes on stage 4, and completely obscures Morgan's shingle.)

*I need an optic because my eyes are so bad. I tried Tech Sights and failed. Without my glasses, I can see the target clearly, but I can't see the front sight post. With my glasses on, I can see the sight post clearly, but the target is invisible--not just the individual silhouettes.....the whole target is just an off-white blur.

I've done 4 Appleseeds now, and my #1 recommendation is to get some BX15 magazines.

• They're easy to grip which makes them much easier to insert/remove than the factory flush fit mags, and they don't get in the way in prone like the BX25s do.
• I also like to attach 2 ounce fishing weights with black electrical tape so they drop free when I hit the mag release.
• I use blue painter's tape on the mag I load with 2 rounds. (Blue = 2)

The only other mod I'd recommend doesn't have anything to do with the shooting, but it makes clearing the rifle much easier.

• Tandemkross extended bolt catch. I was the only guy on the line who wasn't fumbling to lock the bolt back.

Get yourself a big pile of ammo that your rifle likes. The only way to find out what works best is to try several different brands. Once you've found some ammo that runs well in your rifle, get out and practice! You can practice slinging up, getting into position, finding your natural point of aim, and manipulating the rifle without firing a shot. But the only way to get really accustomed to your rifle is to go out and shoot it.


Bring a 'Teachable Attitude', listen to your instructors, ask questions if something isn't clear, and above all else......HAVE FUN!

I'm the guy that Fighter is referring to. I had a box stock 10/22 with the Viridian scope on it. I was okay at my first event, but my best score was a 202. My second event it rained. I scored a 232, but the scope fogged up inside. After looking through Fighter's scope, I realized how bad that Viridian really was. I bought a Vortex with adjustable parallax and it was night and day.

I agree about the BX15 magazines. I'm too cheap to spend the money to buy them, but they do make a difference.

I bought a box of every brand of .22 that was available in my area and tested it all. I found that my rifle likes CCI Standard Velocity. Your rifle may be different.

While a shooting mat isn't essential, it sure is nice to have that extra padding. HOWEVER, elbow pads ARE essential. I had abrasions on my elbows for a couple of weeks after my first event.

Lots of water, a chair, a towel or bandana for sweat wiping, sunscreen and bug spray, are also nearly essential in my opinion.

Being open to instruction is absolutely more important than anything else you can bring. Pay attention, listen, and do what the instructors tell you will make you a better shooter. You are paying for the instruction, listen to what you are told. I went from around 145 on my first target to 202 on the last target at my first event. My second event I went from 207 to 232. The methods they teach work.

Clean your rifle, install a GI sling, and if you can afford it replace the scope with a quality unit. I wouldn't bother with anything else until you take the course. The best rifle in the world will not overcome bad form.

 

[timvr6]

First, remove the barrel band (if it has one), This alone will usually improve your group size. Then tighten the takedown screw to 20 inch-pounds. If you have some spare time, try changing the takedown torque by a couple of pounds, try 15, shoot a group, try 18, shoot a group, try 20, 22, 25, etc. Most 10/22 rifles seem to be most accurate at 20, but I have one rifle that does best at 25.

Second, the best change for accuracy will be a change to your trigger to reduce it from the normal 5-7 pounds down to 2-3 pounds. Easiest way to do this is to simply change out the hammer for a Volquartsen. Best price is on eBay at Volquartsen Target Hammer for Ruger 10/22 | eBay for $20. Normal price for a match-type hammer is around $40. Changing out the hammer alone will usually reduce your trigger pull to around 2.5 pounds.

I just bought that off eBay but haven't installed yet. I figured for $20, don't have anything to lose.

 

[DBCooper69]

The bare minimum is a rifle with a sling you can adjust. Other things will improve your experience.

 

[timvr6]

Thanks everyone for your feedback. Much appreciated! Lots more to read!

 

[JMynes]

It’s already been mentioned, but EYE RELIEF is huge!
Everything is good standing and seated, and then you try prone and you just can’t crank your head rearward enough to get a good sight picture.
My scopes on 10/22s are mounted so the rear of the scope is about 1/8 to 1/4 inch behind the rear of the action. It might seem too far forward at first glance, but in the prone your head moves forward to meet it.
Its a LOT easier to Turkey Neck forward standing and seated that it is to try to pull back in the prone.

 

[timvr6]

It’s already been mentioned, but EYE RELIEF is huge!
Everything is good standing and seated, and then you try prone and you just can’t crank your head rearward enough to get a good sight picture.
My scopes on 10/22s are mounted so the rear of the scope is about 1/8 to 1/4 inch behind the rear of the action. It might seem too far forward at first glance, but in the prone your head moves forward to meet it.
Its a LOT easier to Turkey Neck forward standing and seated that it is to try to pull back in the prone.

Thanks! What scope mount did you end up using? I've read that cantilever mounts are the way to go, but wonder what others have used here. I already have the stock scope, but will probably swap it out with one that I have on the shelf and go to my first event before I start buying things.

 

[FighterFixer1]

I used IOR low rings on my basic 10/22 with a 1-4 Vortex PST very effectively. I also run a stock pack that gives me about 1/4" comb height. On my 'built' gun, I'm using Warne high rings, but the rifle has an adjustable comb.

Most of the cantilever mounts are designed for AR15s and will put your glass up pretty high. Nothing wrong with that (if it feels comfortable for you) but you're probably going to need a cheek riser like Buckweet mentioned.

 

[Eagle0199]

It’s already been mentioned, but EYE RELIEF is huge!
Everything is good standing and seated, and then you try prone and you just can’t crank your head rearward enough to get a good sight picture.
My scopes on 10/22s are mounted so the rear of the scope is about 1/8 to 1/4 inch behind the rear of the action. It might seem too far forward at first glance, but in the prone your head moves forward to meet it.
Its a LOT easier to Turkey Neck forward standing and seated that it is to try to pull back in the prone.

Scope rails that extend over the barrel seem to work better for mounting a scope more forward, so as to give better eye relief for the prone position. I'm running three of the Power Custom mounts GM Ruger® 10/22® Action Style Base Scope Base [PC-ASB] - $45.99 : GrandMasters L.L.C., Gunsmithing, Ruger 10-22, AK-47, Ruger, AR-15, Ruger Accessories, Gunsmithing Tools and Gun Accessories that solve the problem of the scope being too far back. I don't use the barrel screws because my barrels are the lightweight aluminum Acculite that is not good for threading.

Kind of expensive compared to the simple rails you can find on eBay or Amazon for $10-$15 but after trying one, I wouldn't have anything else.

 

[57plymouth]

The Vortex scope kit on the Appleseed store (which benefits Appleseed in a small way) includes a cantilever mount like I'm using. The extra eye relief is nice to say the least.

Rimfire Scopes

store.rwvaappleseed.com

 

[timvr6]

The Vortex scope kit on the Appleseed store (which benefits Appleseed in a small way) includes a cantilever mount like I'm using. The extra eye relief is nice to say the least.

Rimfire Scopes

store.rwvaappleseed.com

Does the Appleseed kit include a cantilever mount or just the EDW rail and rings? I thought it was just the rail and rings.

 

[WFO62]

4 Appleseeds later... Cantilever mount, cantilever mount, cantilever mount, is the way to go... and get the scope as low to the action as you can...
Get your scope situated and mounted up first... then you will know if and what height style cheek riser to install...
Then, maybe even a slip on buttpad...if you still haven't gained enough forward shift of the scope...