2022 Rifle Of The Year: Ruger 10/22 Competition Rifle Left-Handed Model

American Rifleman is pleased to announce the 2022 Rifle Of The Year Award goes to Sturm, Ruger & Co.

by
posted on May 23, 2022
** 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. **
Ruger 10/22 Competition Rifle Left-Handed Model

Now in their 20th year, the Golden Bullseye Awards are chosen annually to recognize the firearm industry’s best new offerings. Here is this year’s winner as selected by the editors of “The World’s Oldest And Largest Firearm Authority.”

Article screenshot Ruger Southpaw 10/22 Competition rifle review by Kelly Young

Since its 1964 inception, Ruger has produced more than 8 million of its semi-automatic 10/22 rimfire rifles in 1,000-plus variants, but it wasn’t until 2021 that the company made a left-ejecting model for use by southpaw shooters. In his cover story about the Ruger 10/22 Competition Rifle Left-Handed Model titled "Left Out No More," Senior Executive Editor Kelly Young found the newest addition to Ruger’s Custom Shop to be a real performer packed with thoughtful upgrades. Among them are: a fluted, heavy-contour barrel; a rear bedding block; an integral 30-m.o.a. Picatinny rail; an improved bolt lock; a cleaning port in the rear of the receiver; and the company’s excellent BX-Trigger.

Ruger 10/22 Left-Hand Competition rifle accuracy chart ammunition velocity energy group size

"[T]he left-hand 10/22 Competition managed extreme accuracy during its formal testing; I’ve personally never had a semi-automatic perform this well," Young revealed. "For a rimfire rifle to excel under American Rifleman’s demanding 10-shot, five-group protocol at 50 yards, both the shooter and the firearm must be acting harmoniously—as was certainly the case here." Between its superb performance at the bench and the opportunity that it affords underserved lefties to join in on the rimfire fun, the Ruger 10/22 Competition Rifle Left-Handed Model earned our recognition as Rifle Of The Year. ruger.com

About the Golden Bullseye Award:
The Golden Bullseye Awards were created two decades ago to recognize quality, innovation and value within the firearm industry, with the editors of the NRA Publications Division convening annually to nominate and select the standout performers from the previous year’s crop of new products. The discussions can get animated at times—as each year there are always more new guns, ammunition, optics and accessories worthy of accolade than we could possibly call out—but consensus eventually results in winners being selected, with the passionate back and forth serving as evidence of the firearm industry’s health and innovative spirit.

Latest

Rifleman Review: Smith & Wesson CSX E-Series
Rifleman Review: Smith & Wesson CSX E-Series

Rifleman Review: Smith & Wesson CSX E-Series

Smith & Wesson's pocket 9 mm gets some upgrades.

The Hush-Points: Hi-Point Introduces Centerfire Pistol & Rimfire Suppressors

Long-known for making affordable guns, Hi-Point Firearms has branched out this year to make affordable suppressors.

Review: Assembling an AR-15 Lower Receiver

Building a high-quality AR-15 starts with selecting appropriate components.

Suppressors Deregulated in South Dakota

In a move anticipating a further reduction of restrictions, South Dakota has removed the law requiring the Federal stamp.

The Pursuit Of Increased Muzzle Velocity Comes With A Price

The quest to make our firearms’ projectiles move downrange at ever higher velocities cuts across multiple shooting pursuits and predates anyone alive today.

Review: Springfield Armory Hellcat .380 Pistol

Springfield Armory just released its popular Hellcat double-stack, striker-fired pistol in .380 ACP, and it might be an ideal option for armed citizens looking for a soft-shooting handgun for concealed carry.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.