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10-22 target w/hammer forged bull barrel - any thoughts?

PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 2012 1:12 pm
by Shipyard
anyone have any experience with a 10/22 target? they got the sweetest bull barrel - hammer forged without taking the hammer marks off of the outside so it gives a really wicked spiral twist type look to 'em. kind of like one of those michelob cans that's all flat sided instead of round...

anyone own one? accuracy vs. a savage mark II or CZ 452?

got to fondle a CZ 452 trainer today too. they are SUPER elegant guns. howly smokes, i was impressed! :)

Re: 10-22 target w/hammer forged bull barrel - any thoughts?

PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 2012 1:25 pm
by Hmac
I had one...recently sold it after building the same rifle on an old Ruger receiver and fitting it with Kidd barrel/bolt etc. I found the VLEH to be a great form factor. It is very accurate, and the stock trigger is pretty good...somewhat better than the standard Ruger 10-22 trigger. Even so, I had mine reworked.

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Re: 10-22 target w/hammer forged bull barrel - any thoughts?

PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 2012 1:52 pm
by Shipyard
Hmac wrote:I had one...recently sold it after building the same rifle on an old Ruger receiver and fitting it with Kidd barrel/bolt etc. I found the VLEH to be a great form factor. It is very accurate, and the stock trigger is pretty good...somewhat better than the standard Ruger 10-22 trigger. Even so, I had mine reworked.
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so... for the money, was it worth it? i realize a kidd barrel and volquartsez trigger group is going to be far superior - i'm looking at a $500 budget for gunand glass - could liek dime size at 50yds don't need a single hole at 75 i suppose :roll:

Re: 10-22 target w/hammer forged bull barrel - any thoughts?

PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 2012 2:16 pm
by Hmac
Shipyard wrote:
so... for the money, was it worth it? i realize a kidd barrel and volquartsez trigger group is going to be far superior - i'm looking at a $500 budget for gunand glass - could liek dime size at 50yds don't need a single hole at 75 i suppose :roll:


I never shot the VLEH for groups until after I had the trigger reworked by Brimstone Gunsmithing, but afterword, with the stock 16 inch barrel, it would shoot dime-sized groups from 50 yards all day long, once the right ammo was selected. For me, that ammo was Winchester SuperX 40gr HP (1280FPS). Next best ammo, for me, was CCI Standard Velocity

For me, the Ruger bull barrel target model was worth it. I can't say that the accuracy provided by the Kidd build was a completely cost-effective improvement. It was better, but not that much better.

Re: 10-22 target w/hammer forged bull barrel - any thoughts?

PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 2012 4:18 pm
by Sigfan220
10-22's are nasty accurate. Mine with a standard weight barrel and a trigger job did just about an inch at 50 yards. With a bull barrel and a match chamber it is down in the dime size at 50 yards. I used a Green Mountain bull but have heard the factory bull barrels are great too. You really can't go wrong with a 10-22. They are fun to build, it dosn't take any fancy tools, just an allen and a screwdriver.

Re: 10-22 target w/hammer forged bull barrel - any thoughts?

PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 2012 6:21 pm
by AFTERMATH
I've seen them on my line, but have yet to see a shooter who could shoot better than them...
In general with aftermarket 10/22 systems; reliability usually takes a hit - Often remedied by finding the right ammunition, proper cleaning regimen, the usual. But that can pretty much be said about any match/target gun. And whether or not it will become a burden is dependent upon your desired use of the rifle.
As far as comparison in accuracy - I've never evaluated inherent accuracy of any of these but I wouldn't suspect you be dissatisfied with any of them.
But the 10/22 would likely allow you more options as far as customizing to suit your tastes/needs.

I do well enough with a 10/22k(Wally World special) w/tech-sights.

Re: 10-22 target w/hammer forged bull barrel - any thoughts?

PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 2012 6:44 pm
by mc762x54R
for what its worth I am really happy with my Savage mkii bv (heavy barrel) Accuracy is superb with CCI standard velocity ammo. It shoots the regular CCI and the CCI stingers really well too.
Those bull barrel 10/22s are sweet looking guns..if I ever get another 22 rifle that one is very high on the list.

Re: 10-22 target w/hammer forged bull barrel - any thoughts?

PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 2012 8:28 pm
by timwarner
Shippy, I have a blued one if you want to give it a try. I think the scope is jacked up on it, so I would have to throw a new scope on and boresight it. You'd have to zero it with whatever ammo you use.

Re: 10-22 target w/hammer forged bull barrel - any thoughts?

PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 2012 9:13 pm
by Hmac
AFTERMATH wrote:I've seen them on my line, but have yet to see a shooter who could shoot better than them...
In general with aftermarket 10/22 systems; reliability usually takes a hit - Often remedied by finding the right ammunition, proper cleaning regimen, the usual. But that can pretty much be said about any match/target gun. And whether or not it will become a burden is dependent upon your desired use of the rifle.
As far as comparison in accuracy - I've never evaluated inherent accuracy of any of these but I wouldn't suspect you be dissatisfied with any of them.
But the 10/22 would likely allow you more options as far as customizing to suit your tastes/needs.

I do well enough with a 10/22k(Wally World special) w/tech-sights.


I've had no issues with either of my Kidd barrels. They won't chamber Stingers, but then neither will the Ruger hammer forged target barrel. I went with Kidd precisely because of their proprietary chambering. The Bentz chambering used in most other .22 target barrels will often engage the bullet in the rifling and make for occasionally unreliable ejection of live rounds. Other than that, ejection has been completely reliable with either the Kidd bolt or the reworked Ruger bolt I use in my other 10-22, both with Kidd barrels.

Re: 10-22 target w/hammer forged bull barrel - any thoughts?

PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 2012 9:26 pm
by gunforhire
I seen one at element. first buttcrush on a .22 in my life. holy cow is that barrel beautiful. I then seen the price of 549.00. I will buy a standard 10/22 and do the Kidd barrel for that kind of money

Re: 10-22 target w/hammer forged bull barrel - any thoughts?

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2012 6:59 am
by SSBotanyBay
While those up top are much nicer than this one. Here is my wife's 10/22. I got her this one to introduce her to shooting and it fit the bill perfectly. By my research it is a kit that more or less bolts onto the 10/22 receiver. I think the stock is a Fajen and the .920 is a Adams and Bennett. I don't think that the barrel fits into the "hammer forged" category though. She has only run CCI Stingers through it and is able to shoot quarter size groups @ 50 yds. without a problem. By my estimation a more experienced shooter with better shot control would have no problem shooting dime sized groups @ 50 yards.

Re: 10-22 target w/hammer forged bull barrel - any thoughts?

PostPosted: Sat Aug 04, 2012 3:35 pm
by SSBotanyBay
I saw one of these @ Cabela's in Owatonna last night and man, was that barrel pretty. I think they had it priced at $410 or somewhere around there. On an entirely different note, I was amazed and appalled by how dirty the guns on the used rack were. The Ruger in question was absolutely filthy but it did make me think twice about whether or not it should come home with me. It ultimately didn't but my guess is that the round count was pretty darn high.

Re: 10-22 target w/hammer forged bull barrel - any thoughts?

PostPosted: Sat Aug 04, 2012 5:01 pm
by Hammered Squirrel
[quote="SSBotanyBay"] I was amazed and appalled by how dirty the guns on the used rack were.[/quote}

This is because they dont clean their used guns... Kinda a sketchy thing

Re: 10-22 target w/hammer forged bull barrel - any thoughts?

PostPosted: Sat Aug 04, 2012 9:00 pm
by dtapper2
Not many places clean their used guns, BTW. Scheel's generally does not and Gander Mountain and Cabelas usually does not either but it depends on the person putting the used gun on the shelf. Back on topic, I handled one of the hammer forged barrels on a 10/22 today and I am in love. The one I played with was the stainless hammer forged barrel with a wood thumb hole stock from Ruger. The gun was absolutely beautiful with the complete stainless trigger group, receiver and barrel. Too bad I am wrong handed and thumb hole stocks are the devil to me :twisted:

Re: 10-22 target w/hammer forged bull barrel - any thoughts?

PostPosted: Sun Aug 05, 2012 8:55 pm
by justinvan
I have an earlier model with the hammerforged barrel an love it. Yes if money is not an issue a better gun can be built but for the money I am quite happy. I think I bought mine used about 10 years ago but my memory could be wrong.(just double checked and it looks like it was made in 98 and 96 was the first year of production)