I've found one of my grail guns, Ruger 96/22 in good shape looks like a berch stock, asking price is $475. Quick Google search shows that to be the going rate.
What do I need to know?
What's the trigger like?
I read barrels are more like old style 77/22, edjimicate me please.

96/22 barrels have the same shank and V block as the 10-22 but have an extra left hand side extractor slot cut into them so most 10-22 barrels can be easily modified to fit. 77/22 barrels have a longer shank length and would require a spacer to fit right

The 96/22 has different hole spacing for the scope base on the receiver so 10-22 mounts and things such as Tech-sights do not interchange without modification.

The 96 will function with most 10-22 magazines but it actually shares magazines with the 77/22 the JX-1. A 10-22 BX-1 will work but it hangs out the bottom of the stock a bit.

10-22 stocks in some styles can be modified to fit the 96/22.

It was one of my grail guns for a while until I bought one, now I dont think as highly of them. In the factory stock they just dont fit me very well, I find myself wrapping my hand/fingers around the outside of the lever to get a good feeling grip on the gun while shooting. Dont get me wrong it is accurate and reliable just not very natural feeling or intuitive. Then there is something about a lever action that does not have an exposed hammer and has a fat grip/stock that just is non lever action like. Also working the action of the rifle there is a lot of slop in it, it does not feel very solid until the bolt is fully forward.

The trigger is about like most stock 10-22 triggers, heavy with lots of creep and overtravel. There are a few smiths that do trigger work on them but nothing like is out there for the 10-22.

That's for that, I found a line on a R.F.C member who does the trigger work.
The thickness of the stock never occurred to me, I look at it like a smaller savage99.

Buy the gun.  You will love it, and on the off chance you don't, reselling it will be a cinch.

See video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iPiHYS2bjc

See thread here: http://www.texasguntalk.com/forums/rimfire/54350-ruger-96-22-silent-killer-build.html

Send me an email if you don't already have Todd Toenges's contact info for the trigger job.  It went from limp noodle to crispy click for $75.

The only thing I have left to do is find a picatinny rail.  I think I have convinced a company that makes 10/22 rails to custom mill the screw holes for me, provided that I send them the factory weaver rail to use as a guide.

Hollar if they come through for you.  A good many folks would want one of those, myself included.





I had trouble finding what I wanted and ended up modifying a Tactical Solutions 10/22 base, which turned out to be a royal pain in the butt.  It took 2 or 3 range trips and tweaking in-between to get it leveled out right.  I'd started out with a profile for the rear end and lost that along the way, finally cutting it pretty much flat.  One or 2 of the screw holes aren't perfect but it's not noticeable under the scope and functions fine.





One that is professionally done that contours to the top of the receiver would look a lot better though:










 
 

Nothing you do will fix the slop of the pot metal cast lever. . Having too much fun  shooting it , like say any lever with a steel one might surprise you when and if it breaks.   I had one, a second year mfg? 97/98. 22 mag. Thing broke 2 levers before i dumped it.  AS much of a collector they have become. Back then they were slow sellers and really slow reselling them.  
Odd what down the road becomes a demand / collector item.

I have had mine awhile, I now run it with a Gemtech MIST-22 Silencer.

Love that setup and look.  In some ways they're an ideal host; quieter than a 10/22 yet faster than a bolt.





 

Yep, and I am LH so it is easier than a bolt.

Well,  I  just dumped close to $500 in my dog trying to get his allergies behind him so  the 96/22 is once again on the back burner.
The lever slop, frankly gives me pause. Is anyone else having issues with lever slope?
Can this not be alleviated with nylon bushings?

It hadn't crossed my mind until someone here mentioned it.  I wouldn't spend much time worrying about it.  Some people can't be happy with anything.

You're correct.
However having owned 2 of them with the same issue. Why drop $$$ (outside of wanting one) when there are better 22mag lever actions, with steel levers, not pot metal. It's not like aftermarket places OR Ruger carries them. I've seen 1 or 2 96/22's around, after handling one. I remember why i don't own it.

You'll forget about the lever slop pretty quickly, just buy it, shoot it, and realise that you'll probably never sell it.

I'm up to three 96's now - I've got a mint 96/22, my daily driver 96/22 with a spare barrel resleeved to 17m2, and a real gem of a rifle - a 96/17 :-)

Obviously we're going to need to see some pictures.

+1