Ruger Reveals New SR-22 — Rimfire AR Look-alike
Ruger has just announced the new SR-22, which is a Ruger 10/22 shamelessly tarted up to look like an AR-15. For tactical and 3-gun competitors needing a practice weapon that shares the ergonomics of their AR15 match gun, the SR-22 makes sense. Otherwise, frankly, we lament the addition of the wobbly and poorly-designed AR-style collapsible stock to a firearm that works just fine with a conventional stock. We do like the integrated Picatinny-style rail on top of the action. This allows you to easily mount Red Dot sights or other optics. But does anyone really need rails on the forearm or a Mini-14 flash suppressor on a 22LR? No, but these features will probably sell more rifles. Anything that looks “tacticool” these days seems to sell well.
CLICK HERE for SR-22 Specifications Sheet
MSRP for the new SR-22 is $625.00 and we expect street price to be about $575.00. That’s more than twice the price of a standard 10/22 that, frankly, performs pretty well once you’ve upgraded the trigger. Is it worth paying double to get a pistol grip, AR-style buttstock, and Picatinny scope rail? Ruger is banking on the fact that AR devotees will say yes and shell out big bucks for the SR-22.
AR Egonomics with 10/22 Economy and Simplicity
According to Ruger, the “SR-22 Rifle allows shooters to use economical .22 LR ammunition, while still enjoying the look and feel of an ‘AR’. [The gun] faithfully replicates the AR-platform dimensions between the sighting plane, buttstock height, and grip. Like the 10/22, the AR-style SR-22 Rifle also has an extensive array of accessories available, allowing shooters to select a custom configuration that best suits their tastes and needs.”
The SR-22 uses standard SR-22 rotary magazines. Indeed, at its heart, the SR-22 is pretty ordinary. It features a standard 10/22 action inside an aluminum Nordic Components chassis that provides the rail mount, buttstock mount, and AR-style grip mount. The SR-22 ships with a six-position, telescoping M4-style buttstock (on a Mil-Spec diameter tube), plus a Hogue pistol grip. Buttstocks and grips may be swapped out for any AR-style compatible option. The wobbly, collapsible buttstock is the first thing this editor would toss on the SR-22.
Interestingly, the round handguard/float tube is secured with a standard-thread AR-style barrel nut, and the handguard is drilled and tapped for rails at the 3, 6, 9 and 12 o’ clock positions. Picatinny handguard rails are available from Ruger so you can add rail-mounted gizmos to your heart’s content. There is a barrel support V-block in the handguard so you can easily swap barrels or install after-market 10/22 barrels. The SR-22’s 16-1/8″ barrel is capped with an Mini-14 flash suppressor mounted with AR-spec ½”-28 thread.
well as lame as that may be it IS completely legal for sale in CA. our retarded AW laws clearly state “centerfire” which a .22LR is not.
It’s ok. A lot of our police don’t know the laws either…
The “assault weapon” provisions only apply to center-fire weapons. Rimfire weapons with “evil features” are perfectly legal in CA. The only thing illegal would be a magazine with greater than 10-round capacity.
Editor: Thanks for clarifying this issue. We’ve removed Ruger’s statement that the gun would not be California-compliant. Apparently even the big companies can’t always understand California laws.
California Sucks,, Hay new saying, when describing something that sucks ,like a crappy car, you now can say it’s as lame as a California Gun Dealer/gun store.
Cali sucks
It’s sad, no SR 22 in ca..
I have owned a SR22 for about 6-weeks. I love to fire the weapon and like many of the features. However, the SR22 has a major flaw, in my opinion. In order to break down the weapon for cleaning the bolt and receiver, you must remove the front hand guard using a 3/16 hex wrench. You can only get a half-turn on the screws and then you must remove the wrench and reset for another half-turn. It takes a few minutes to get the two screw out. Then you must remove the sloted take-down screw with a coin or screwdriver. The manual incorrectly states that you can now lift the barrel/receiver from the stock. Opps! Not Yet. Even though the manual does not mention it, you MUST remove the top rail by removing 4 more hex screws with a different size hex wrench. Overall, it takes about 10 minutes and 3 different tools just to get the thing out of the stock for cleaning. Ruger’s downloadable manual is still in error on this issue.
The top rail over the reciever does not need to be removed.It is just tight.After a couple of takedowns it will become easier. As far as the allen screws,get a set of T handle allen wrenches with a hex ball on the end. You can never have too many tools.As a matter of precaution remove the rail screws then remount the rail using blue loctite. Then you will be good to go.