I only own one .22 rifle... my 1022.
This is my "new" one, I bought it in 2020. I replaced the plastic stock with this laminated one from
Stocky's, gave it a BX trigger and a tape bedding job, as well as a bike tire tube fore end pad, a JWH bolt
the auto bolt release mod and a sling from AmmoGarand. I like this rifle very much and it shoots tighter
than I can hold. I think I'm done with mods now. It came with a Weaver 3x9 .22 scope, which I'm still
using. It works fine for what I use a .22 to do.
I bought my first 1022 maybe 1977 or so, it cost me about $50.00.
I used that rifle for decades: I took squirrels, woodchuck, rabbits. The only mods I ever did to my old 1022
were a professional trigger job, a 4x Bushnell Banner .22 scope and a dIy glass bedding job.
I used that rifle to take people shooting. Sometimes I would teach people to shoot who had zero experience with
firearms. Often I'd start them on my dad's old Winchester model 67b, and if they paid attention to my safety and
range etiquette lecture, their reward was they got to shoot my 1022. Everyone I ever took shooting just loved to
shoot my old 1022.
IMHO the best thing about the Ruger 1022 is how much fun it is to introduce new shooters to our sport.
AND also how much fun it is to shoot it on my own.
I used to start people on the old Winchester 67b because it's a single shot. That gives new shooters
a very clear idea of what happens when a shot is fired. I gave my father's old Winchester to my
brother's son, I told him, "Here's the rifle your dad learned to shoot on."
After newbies had shot a few groups with the Winchester I'd let them graduate to the 1022.
Often they'd want to take their target home with them, like I did when
I learned at summer camp as a boy. I taught wives, lovers, friends, colleagues, children, nieces and nephews,
my daughter, my step daughter, my SIL & DIL, and most recently my grandson, above.
They all had a great time with the 1022.
I'm not a competition shooter, but the 1022 was able to take game cleanly if I did my part.
One of my old 1022's favored rounds was the CCI Stinger. Those were deadly on rodents.
Probably still are. I bought a few boxes since the ammo scare of the early '20s but haven't
fired them in my "new" rifle. I'm still shooting up all the oddball ammo I bought when there
was nothing else available (2020-21). If I went hunting like I used to, I'd reach for the Stingers.
But first I'd shoot a few groups in my newer rifle, to make sure it's sighted in for them.
My 2020 rifle likes CCI SV and Aguila Super Extra and shoots both brands to the same point of aim.
So those are what I've stocked up on.
I loved shooting .22s at summer camp riflery classes, and later as a Boy Scout.
Just the smell of the smoke sends me right back there.
