I recently submitted an article to Athlon Outdoors covering a bunch of Ruger 10/22 and Charger builds, mainly use PMACA Mfg chassis systems. In all I ended up with six complete builds, ranging from a 4.5″ Charger build all the way to a 18″ bull barrel 10/22 build. See the group shot below.
The great thing about the 10/22 is all its modularity. I only had two dedicated 10/22 receivers in this group, everything else could be swapped back and forth from carbine to pistol since they were bare receivers that were originally built into pistols.
The two middle guns in the group shot above were a special setup that used a Kidd Innovative Designs rear tang hold down. The hold down bolts onto the receiver and gives you an additional anchor point to the chassis. Long story short, with my deadline quickly approaching on the article, I had to source someone to machine my receivers to accept the Kidd tangs. While browsing RimFireCentral’s forums I kept coming across the name Randy @ CPC. A little digging revealed everyone was referring to Randy with CT Precision (AKA CPC). I checked out his website and found out he basically lived and breathed Ruger rimfires. He offered everything from 10/22 bolt & trigger work, to full accuracy packages, which include barrel and receiver machine work.
I emailed Randy to see about getting my receiver milled for the Kidd tang, as I had heard he did that work, even though it wasn’t on his website. I got a prompt reply saying he could do it and I found the price very reasonable (half of another quote I got on the work!) I sent my receivers in and got them back before my article due date.
In testing for my article I wasn’t really thrilled with the accuracy level I got from the Pike Arms 4.5″ fluted barrel. It was ok for its intended purpose, a short, handy red dot pistol with suppressor. But it was no tack driver. I just chalked it up to being only 4.5″ long and that I shouldn’t expect much from such a short barrel. I had a few email exchanges with Randy about having him work his magic on a cut down Ruger barrel. I wasn’t crazy about the flutes on the Pike arms barrel, even though the flutes dramatically reduced the weight over a standard barrel.
I was in luck, Randy had a take off carbine barrel in his shop and was curious just how much his magic would affect a 4.5″ barrel too! He took that barrel and chopped and threaded it just a bit longer than 4.5″ so he could later do his magic while bringing it down to 4.5″.
He sent me the Ruger barrel with no internal work, just a simple chop and thread. I was to test the barrel against a Pike barrel and then send the barrel back to get worked over and retested.
I tested both barrels at 50 yards. I felt like I was shooting a shotgun so I was a bit frustrated. With the untouched Ruger barrel I was getting anywhere between 2.2″ and 4.4″ groups. The Pike Arms barrel faired a little better, ranging from one group of .992″ and the largest group of 3.5″.
I expressed my concern with the group sizes with Randy. I was doubtful he could pull a rabbit out of his hat to get these groups to a more reasonable size. He said he had expected the group sizes I was getting so I went ahead and sent both barrels back to see what could be done.
I received both barrels back, but a note was attached informing me the Pike Arms barrel had been hardened too high which made it unworkable. I suspect it is the black coating they use on the barrels. Not to fear though, the Ruger barrel came back at the proper 4.5″ OAL and was able to be worked over.
It arrived with the note that it had a chamber setback by 1/4″ to 4.5″ length. It was also rechambered and had a spacer loctited into the v block notch. I assume this was required because the spacing between the breechface and notch was no longer the same due to the setback and rechamber.
I mounted the fresh Ruger barrel into the same test bed system I used to get the first groups. I stacked all the odds in my favor. I used a Volquartsen bolt, trigger group, Brownells receiver, Athlon Midas Tac scope, Volquartsen scope rail, Atlas bipod, and PMACA chassis.
I shot a few groups, and after checking the progress through the Athlon Ares 20-60 spotting scope I could see the groups were improved over my initial tests. With CCI high velocity red bullet ammo I had groups ranging from .818″ to 2.4″ with most in the 1″ range. With Wolf Target Match groups ranged from .823″ to 1.844″, with most ranging in the low 1″ range as well.
With Randy’s voodoo on the lathe, the plain jane Ruger barrel went from 2-4″ groups down to sub 1-2″ groups. I am 100% satisfied with Randy’s work and think anyone thinking about buying an expensive aftermarket barrel should consider sending the factory barrel to Randy first. I’m already thinking of what other 10/22’s I can send him for his work!
Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission. You will not pay any more for going through my links. I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.
Zack, still shooting the 4.5″ 10/22 barrel at 50 yards… Not bad for that distance!
Nice Shooting, Randy has done many Barrels for me and he is a great guy to talk to in person. I am also thinking of a 4.5 to 5″ barrel for my SBR 10-22 with a Suppressor.
I would like better than 1 to 2″ groups. Randy if you read this what is the shortest barrel
length you would like to see for less than 1″ at 50 yards. Randy Keep up the Great Work
I would cut a Green Mountain sporter barrel down to 6 inches for the best attempt at 50 yard accuracy and do setback and re-crown….