Video: 50 Years of the Ruger 10/22 Rifle

by
posted on March 7, 2016
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **

The Ruger 10/22 rifle, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2014, remains one of the most ubiquitous rifles extant with dozens of variations and endless possibilities for customization.

In his Nov. 2014 American Rifleman feature story, Brian Sheetz wrote that, "according to current company sources, the 10/22 was far from Bill Ruger’s favorite gun. He thought of it more as an understudy for the .44 Mag. Carbine. But when the gun-buying public first laid eyes on the little rimfire it was rewarded with the sight of a firearm that was, on the outside, aesthetically pleasing and comfortably traditional in form. For readers of The American Rifleman who saw the magazine’s Sept. 1964 “Dope Bag” review, however, it was obvious that the gun was just as brilliantly innovative on the inside where it really counted. It seemed that Ruger had managed to do something that is rarely carried off in a commercially successful way even today: Wrap an ingenious design in a classic form, make it function flawlessly and manufacture it with economical processes so that it is available to people of ordinary means."

The 10/22 remains one of the mostly popular rifles today, and is listed as one of Gunbroker.com's top-selling guns. For more, watch this "I Have This Old Gun" segment from a recent episode of American Rifleman TV as editors look back on 50 years of the Ruger 10/22 rifle.



For more, please enjoy the following articles:

Ruger's 10/22: One of the Best Things for 50 Years
Throwback Thursday: Ruger Model 10/22 Carbine--Sept. 1964 The American Rifleman 
Ruger Commemorates 50 Years of the 10/22 With Anniversary Edition 
Gunbroker.com's Top Selling Guns for Dec. 2015
Five Stocks to Spice Up Your Ruger 10/22
Dress Up Your Ruger 10/22 Takedown Rifle
The Ruger 10/22 Takedown: World's Best Survival Gun? 

Latest

Gotw Wilson Combat Divison 77 Project 1 Web
Gotw Wilson Combat Divison 77 Project 1 Web

Gun Of The Week: Wilson Combat Division 77 Project 1

Join American Rifleman staff on the range in this video to get a closer look at Wilson Combat’s somewhat cryptically named “Division 77 Project 1.” 

The Armed Citizen® July 18, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Review: POF-USA LMR BASE Rifle

The Patriot Ordnance Factory LMR Base offers a .308 Win. chambering in a lightweight, AR-15-size package, which makes it a capable platform for today's new gun owner. And it comes at a fair price.

2025 Accessory Of The Year: Wyoming Sight Drifter

For each of the past 23 years, the editors of American Rifleman have convened to select our top picks for the past year’s best and most innovative products. Here are the most recent winners.

Henry Donates Rifles To Support Young Leukemia Victim

Henry Repeating Arms has donated a limited run of 50 “Team Keane” Golden Boy .22 lever-action rifles to support 13-year-old Keane Rhodes of Universal City, Texas, who is currently undergoing aggressive treatment for ALL T-cell leukemia.

Rifleman Review: Springfield Armory Echelon

Springfield Armory introduced its Echelon in 2023, bringing a modernized, chassis-style, striker-fired handgun to the market that has since seen several notable line extensions.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.