Going through the forum, I did not see much help on NEW 10/22s, so here are the basics:
also, stop by at ruger22.com where I have over 100 detailed pics on modifications

1) When you buy a new 10/22, clean it BEFORE YOU SHOOT IT.  Ruger coats the inside of the barrel with a preservative that will get hard over time if not cleaned out first. Plain old hoppes or any solvent will do the job.

2) buy a can of teflon based dry lube (Not anything with oil) and spray the insides of the receiver and bolt.  This is the best type of lube and will eliminate many other problems.

3) Do NOT grease or oil the hammer/sear or other trigger parts until you have shot 1000 rounds, then white lithium grease (just a dab) is fine.  Most people will replace the hammer or trigger group on a 10/22 as the factory pull is so hard (8-9 pounds) and this can be done pretty cheaply.

4) REMOVE THE BARREL BAND.  The barrel band on a 10/22 is for looks only, and actually screws up the accuracy by messing with the vibration pattern of the barrel.  try it off and on, in 90% of the cases its better off.

5) forget expensive ammo.  plain old winchester dynapoint from walmart feeds best and is more accurate than most other brands (unless you soup it up to shoot competition, then go with elay)
a good majority of new rugers (in addition to the heavy trigger pull) suffer from two other problems.

bolt hold open release is a major pain to unlock.  see ruger22.com for instructions on how to modify the bolt release plate with a file or dremmill.  its easy and quick. or you can buy an aftermarket "auto bolt release plate" if your not handy.

The other problem is with "stovepipe jams", this is where a live round will jam between the bolt and barrel, usually sideways.  if cleaning the rifle does not fix this, make sure the extractor is sitting in the center of the barrels extractor slot, but usually replacing the factory extractor with a good aftermarket one will help or eliminate the problem.  cheapgunparts.com has these at a good price.

Bolt buffers are popular (reduce noise and impact to keep scope on target), but many junk buffers are out there.  Do not buy a 2-piece buffer (unless it is a solid buffer with a back brace for a magnum).  Yellow Jacket Brands are the best.  the science involved is at yellowjacketbuffers.com  Some people claim buffers keep the receiver from cracking (from the steel pin), but I have NEVER seen this and consider it a cheap sales gimmick.

If you want to talk about 10/22's and talk with people who KNOW about them, hop to gunsandfun.com where I hang and a few top notch gunsmiths as well.
Many people like RFC too, but they tend to push products the site owners sell.

Any other questions, ask away!
Bob

Bob,

Good advice, most of it. I read your piece on removing the barrel band and tried it on my two guns. Tested them with five different kinds of ammo, and I did the test twice with each gun. Each shot one brand slightly better with the band off, one brand measurably WORSE, and the other three, only marginal difference.

Then I tried floating the barrel on one. This made a VERY noticable improvement in accuracy with all three brands of ammo tested.

I now have one with a tight, banded barrel, and one with a floated barrel.

Others have had improvements removing the barrel band but I wouldn't say it was 90%. More like 50-50, if that. But it costs nothing but the ammo to test--a cheap fix if it works, costs nothing to undo if it doesn't, so why not try?

Tony Kidd or Volts?

EDIT:
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chuckle...I gotta say though, nothing comes close to a tony kidd trigger unit...not a VQ or any of the other brands that are popping up.

Then comes the question of how much you want to spend.  I have a couple 10/22's with over $2,000 into them (nothing original except the receiver), and I hardly shoot them any more since I discovered commie guns (ak's, cz52's,  etc.)
So for that money, its (kidd) the way to go if you shoot competition, but for regular old plinking and shooting cans, I'd go for a nice cheap VQ or PC hammer set-up.

Yep...I tested 10 rifles and found improvement (small to drastic) in 9, but the tenth was WAY WORSE...so it is not the same in all rifles, but worth checking out to see how your's works.
Personally, I would go with free floating and much more, but that is not in everybodys budget or experience level.
Heck, I sell a ton of auto bolt releases simply because some people are not comfortable in making even a simple modification like that.
SO the band suggestion really is aimed an the new shooter who wants to improve his rifle, but is uncomfortable with making any real mods...also why I put up the ruger22.com site...to help the newbies.

Bob

Tagged.

Quoted: Heck, I sell a ton of auto bolt releases simply because some people are not comfortable in making even a simple modification like that. Bob

Where is that POST/Webiste again?  I remember all it takes is a Dremel tool and maybe a vice.  I want to do this mod now.  :)

the autobolt release is simple and free if you have a dremel or small bastard file.

Bolt buffers cost less than 10 bucks.

A VQ target hammer will give you a 2lb trigger for about 30 bucks.  

Shoot some high velocity ammo for the first few hundred rounds to get the spring loosened up.

Also a VQ extractor has solved ALL of my stovepiping issues.  The 10 bucks I spent on it saved me a lot of cussing and frustration.


Now if I could only get my butler creek magazines to feed properly

THANK YOU SIR!  That's exactly what I was looking for.  :)

Good info man, thanks a lot!

10-22 recievers will in fact crack with hot ammo. Aguila's Super Maximum, Velociters, and a seady diet of Stingers have been known to crack them.

Same deal for the P22.

Dave

they will really crack them???? is it alright to only shoot a few hundred now and then? just a lil bit ago i was thinkin about gettin some soon.

Quoted: they will really crack them???? is it alright to only shoot a few hundred now and then? just a lil bit ago i was thinkin about gettin some soon.

I can't deny what the other fella said but a Gunsmith who I've known for a long time, well I'm come to respect him a lot.  He's a funny old coot with his own idea of what he likes and doesn't like.  We always talk 10/22 and when I mentioned bolt buffers he starts to look at me all strange.  I say "hey man, it pads the blow" and he said "Boy, I've been working on 10/22 since before you were born and all that little pin is for is a bolt stop" or something like that.

Of course I just installed a Yellow Jacket Buffer and I'm THRILLED that I did.  That metal to metal CLANK just doesn't sit well with me.  The funny thing about that old man was he always would say "if it was a good idea don't you think Ruger would have made it that way?"

Well... NO frankly.  Cost for 1 thing.  Brains for another.  Stock trigger pull is 8-9 pounds?  Which I just reduced with a better HAMMER?  No, I don't think Ruger gave a rats behind.  They're trying to make a $180 rifle that is very reliable.

All this talk makes me want to go shooting today.  I gotta try this new hammer in the field!  mwah ha ha