My Epic Journey to Build a Rimfire Challenge Limited Class Rifle

When I travel to attend NSSF Rimfire Challenge events it usually involves a significant investment in travel time and related travel expenses. Sure it's great to catch up with old friends, meet new people, and engage in some good old fashioned competition, but the actual trigger time you get at these events is very limited. Setting personal goals for 2016 to attend more Rimfire Challenge events and improve my performance, I decided to build a Limited class rifle and pistol this winter so I could compete in both classes if the shoot organizers allowed me to do so.  I called this my travel once and shoot twice project.

I started my build with some general ideas of things I would like to include on my rifle.  The first requirement was fiber optic sights.  A FO front sight was a must have and also having a FO rear sight would be even better.  The stock had to be adjustable for length of pull and comb height.  I wasn't trying to build the lightest rifle possible, but a lighter rifle would be preferable to a heavier rifle. Finally, I wanted to limit the out of pocket expense to build the rifle by using as many previously acquired components as possible.  I'm not sure about you, but the older I get the more stuff I seem to acquire.  I made fun of my Dad for that when I was young.  I guess this is my payback.

All builds start somewhere and I started with a stripped 10/22 receiver that I scavenged from a generally disappointing Ruger SR-22 Rifle purchased several years ago for Rimfire Challenge events.  I considered reusing the factory bolt and charging handle, but decided against it after polishing on the bolt for a few hours and still marveling at how rough it looked.  Ultimately, I discovered Tactical Innovations while shopping for bolt buffers and decided to give their extra large charging handle and match grade bolt assembly a try.

I previously reviewed ATIs Ruger Charger AR-22 Stock System and liked it.  I picked up their AR-22 TactLite Stock System for 10/22 rifles with the intention of swapping out the shorter Charger handguard for the rifle handguard.  I really liked the fully adjustable stock on the AR-22 TactLite Stock.  The full length picatinny top rail would be a great place to mount the picatinny rail mounted fiber optic sights I finally found available from an airsoft supply house in China. If anyone cares, there is a huge opportunity for someone to make picatinny rail mounted fiber optic sights for rifles.

The barrel installed on the SR-22 receiver was an all steel mid-weight barrel with a seemingly unremovable flash suppressor.  It was replaced with a Tactical Solutions X-Ring barrel.  I also upgraded to the TacSol Performance V-block. While I was ordering these parts from TandemKross, I included their Shock Block bolt buffer, Twister titanium takedown knob, Eagle's Talon extractor, and a Gunsmither Bolt Bar and Extractor Tool.

The green Volquartsen TG2000 replacement trigger housing for 10/22 was something I had on hand. If I remember correctly, it was one of the blemished housings that Volquartsen would occasionally post on a large auction site.  Regardless, it has all the things you want in a match trigger like auto bolt release and extended magazine release.  It also has a crisp 2 pound pull weight.  I really like these trigger assemblies.

The first trip out to the range proved that I had assembled the rifle correctly.  It functioned perfectly, but I could tell the sights were going to be a problem.  Flipped up, the sights are traditional adjustable back up iron sights.  Flipped down, they become fiber optic sights that offered no adjustment.  After trying a few different placements on the rail, I was still 4 inches high and 3 inches left.  I made another range trip and tried various offset risers between the rail and sights, but finally threw in the towel and declared failure.  My limited rifle was a complete bust.

Brian Lawson mentions the Knoxx Axiom stock from Blackhawk! frequently.  This ultra-light stock is a drop in replacement stock for 10/22 rifles.  Before totally giving up on my project, I thought I would give the stock a try.  In place of open sights, I could use the receiver mounted Ruger scope base with a See-All Open Sight and still qualify as Limited class.  Getting this stock was a turning point in the project.

Dropping the barreled action into the new Axiom stock, I was out on the range again with the See-All Open Sight mounted.  I also swapped out the Axiom adjustable stock with the ATI TactLite stock for the adjustable comb feature.  I immediately fell in love with this 4 pound rifle and decided it was my new Open class rifle.  I added a Rimfire Rifle compensator from Allchin Gun Parts and a TandemKross Advantage Charging Handle with picatinny scope base topped off with my Burris FastFire III 8 MOA.

This put me all the way back to square one on the Limited rifle project, but I was much smarter now. I knew exactly what I wanted the rifle to look like and where I needed to go to get all the parts for the second rifle. The only different thing I would need for the new build was a receiver. I decided to try the Elite22 Flat Top Receiver from Tactical Innovations along with the same match bolt and extra large charging handle used in the previous build.

Giving up on front and rear fiber optic sights, I opted again for a Tactical Solutions X-Ring barrel with open sights.  The front sight does come equipped with a fiber optic insert.  The second Volquartsen TG2000 was originally installed in the SR-22 rifle so it was re-purposed for this build.

After a week, I had received all the parts necessary to build the second rifle.  The build came together quickly and I soon had a Limited rifle that weighed in at just under 3.5 pounds.  I've had it out to the range twice for extended practice sessions and it runs like a dream.

It was a long strange trip, but I ultimately ended up exactly where I wanted to go with my Limited rifle build.  Along the way, I found a new Open rifle that I'm very happy with.  Both rifles share many similar components so switching between them should be stress-free.

What I learned from this build process is that I should keep an open mind and be willing to try new things.  I could have given up on the build process many times, but I kept at it and tapped into the collective wisdom of other shooters for their ideas and advice.  I'm really looking forward to using these rifles for the upcoming season.  I'm sure I will see some of you on the firing line.

The Advantage Charging Handle from TandemKross serves two purposes.  It

provides a stable base for optics and allows for left side charging handle operation.

Using similar components on both rifles makes it easy to switch between

 Limited and Open classes.

This simple tool makes 10/22 bolt and extractor removal and replacement a breeze.

Use it once and you will wonder why you didn't get one years ago.  It's awesome. 

ATI Gunstocks Ruger Charger AR-22 Stock System Review

ATI Ruger Charger AR-22 Stock System

AR-22 Tactlite Stock System for Ruger 10/22

Ruger Charger Stainless in stock

 configuration

The Ruger Charger Pistol is essentially a 10/22 rifle that has been modified into a handgun.  I like the concept and previously reviewed the Charger Takedown model on another blog.  You can find that review HERE if you wish to know more about the Charger.

Just like the Ruger 10/22 rifle, the Charger
handgun can be modified with a dizzying array of factory and aftermarket accessories.  This review focuses on the Ruger Charger AR-22 Stock System from ATI.

ATI Ruger Charger AR-22 Stock System
installed.  Optic, magazine, and Charger
pistol are not included.

Taking a similar path as Ruger did with the development of the Charger Pistol, ATI downsized their AR-22 Tactlite Stock System for Ruger 10/22 rifle to fit the shorter Charger pistol.  The Charger AR-22 kit can be easily user installed with a few simple tools and has a retail price of $119.99.

The ATI Charger AR-22 Stock System contains aluminum and polymer stock  components as well as all the necessary hardware to install the stock on your Charger pistol.  The ATI Product installation guide, included with the kit, provides excellent step by step directions that are illustrated with large pictures.  Taking my time to follow the directions word for word, the total installation time was under 20 minutes.

One important note that I wanted to mention because it may not be visible in the pictures. All factory controls on the Ruger trigger guard assembly function exactly the same as they do with the factory stock.  The safety, magazine release, and bolt lock are all easily accessible with the polymer chassis in place.

The kit contains a T2 Style Pistol Grip, AR-15 replicate polymer chassis, 6 sided aluminum forend, FS8 Nosecone, 16 inch Picatinny style top rail, and attachment hardware pretreated with tread locking compound.

The Talon T2 style pistol grip made a huge improvement in feel over the stock pistol grip.

The two piece polymer chassis securely cradles the 10/22 receiver with no wiggle or slop.

The 6-sided aluminum carbine length forend is free floating so installation of the FS8 nose cone is optional.

 

The only installation tip I can add is to make sure the FS8 nose cone is secure before installing the 16 inch picatinny top rail.  The set screw that anchors the nose cone to the aluminum forend is covered when the picatinny rail is installed.  If it isn't tight the nose cone may shift during recoil and require removing the top rail to gain access to the nose cone set screw.  Learn from my mistake.

At the range, I function fired the AR-22 Pistol Stock equipped Charger with factory Ruger 10, 15, and 25 round magazines.  The 15 and 25 round magazines were easy to use and manipulate.  The 10 round magazines required a little more work due to the longer magazine well, but once in place they also functioned fine.  For those looking for a unique look for their Charger, the ATI stock kit certainly fits that requirement without introducing any function or reliability issues.

I like the full-length 16 inch picatinny rail.  This stock will allow me install aftermarket target iron sights for long range precision shooting.  If I want to shoot with a scope, there is plenty of room to attach one between the iron sights using quick detach picatinny scope rings.  The stock opens up many options not available when using the factory stock and scope rail.  

The polymer chassis includes AR styling cues like mock forward assist, brass deflector, magazine release, and safety lever.

The ATI Ruger Charger AR-22 Pistol Stock System only fits the standard Ruger Charger.  It will not fit the Charger Takedown model.  Additional picatinny rail segments for the 6-sided forend can be ordered directly from the ATI web store.  At time of publication, ATI has a 35% off promotion running that brings the price of the Charger AR-22 Pistol Stock System down to $77.99.  If you have an interest in the stock, now would be a great time to buy.  The promotional code is available on the ATI home page.