Two Kidds. One new, one cranky

[antco]

In December I ordered a Kidd 10/22 Supergrade in a chassis with collapsible stock with the goal of using the short stock to help my kids get familiar with shooting. I mounted a cheap scope a month ago and finally got it out to the range today for sight-in. With it I took another 10/22 that I've been having problems with for over 10 years. This one is a Kidd receiver and bolt mated to a Tactical Solutions integrally suppressed barrel, in a flimsy Hogue stock. Cheap Simmons scope on top.

Six 10-rd mags, one 25-rd mag, and three different ammos came along for the ride. Along with a lot of wind.

What a fiasco. At least at first. I started off with the new Supergrade. FTE, FTE, FTE, no strike, FTE, no strike WTF man this thing sucks. Too busy futzing around with clearing the chamber every round or two that getting the scope zero'd wasn't even on the activity list. FTE, no strike, FTE, no strike... over and over and over. Brand new rifle.

I step back and ponder the situation. I've always heard 10/22's can be sensitive to their magazines. Okay, set that mag to the side and try another. This new one has a red follower in it, not sure if that makes any difference. BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG click. Empty. I try another mag. BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG click. Empty. I go back to the first mag. FTE, FTE, FTE, no strike, FTE.....

First mag goes into the trash can.

I run all four 10-rd mags with red followers through this new gun with CCI Target 40g ammo. Bang bang every single time. No hiccups at all. None. Get it zero'd in and am shooting 1.00" groups at 50 yards with todays wind without really settling down and breathing and focusing and all of that. And fully loaded with 20oz of WaWa coffee on an empty stomach. More focused on running ammo and mags through the gun, but it's consistently on 1" 10-rd groups.

Switch to some subsonic stuff, jam city. Switch back to CCI, good to go. Switch to some Winchester bulk from a 525 rd carton, it bangs 90% of the time with velocity and noise all over the map, along with subsequent impacts. 5" at 50 yards, garbage.

I jump over to the suppressed 10/22 that's been a FTE thorn in my side for 10 years. I use the mags that worked in the first rifle, and the CCI ammo. BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG click. 10/10. I couldn't believe it. I was ecstatic.

Turns out... all of the problems I've had with this suppressed 10/22 ALL stemmed from a bad mag and ammo that a 10/22 doesn't like. Seriously, not a damn thing wrong with the rifle. It too shoots solid 1" 10-rd groups at 50 yards with a tail wind.

I ran out of CCI on this trip so packed up and went home. Needless to say, I'm pleased but would like to see what these 10/22's can do with a higher power scope on a calmer day with this CCI Target 40g ammo. A rifle I had written off is good to go, so is the new one.

Lesson here: mags and ammo matter. These 10/22's of mine love the CCI Target 40g, but hate the gold box expensive German subsonic stuff.

 

[antco]

TLDR; 10/22's are picky with their magazines and ammo, but they're rock solid with the right combination.

 

[Blacksmith101]

Almost all .22's are ammo specific no matter if they are semi auto, bolt action, lever action, or break action single shot. Take your gun to the range with ten or more different ammo choices and shoot 5 or 10 shot groups changing nothing but the ammo and you will see the groups get bigger, smaller, and move POI. Find the ammo your gun prefers and stock it deep. Competitors do it down to testing different lot numbers and buying multiple cases of a single lot number and when that runs out go back to testing lot numbers and stocking up again.

Link to Eley Test Ranges:

Test Ranges

Book an appointment at one of ELEY's global customer test ranges to ensure the best possible match between your rifle and ammunition.

eley.co.uk

Link to sample target:

https://i.redd.it/lgq95csu6x271.jpg

Link to Eley Test target:

12.4 mm for 40 Shots at 50m — New Record at Eley Test Center « Daily Bulletin

Two new 50m rimfire 40-shot group size records were set last week at the Eley test range in Fellbach (Stuttgart), Germany. This range employs an electronic target system that automatically calculates shot placement with great precision. The rifles are secured in clamping fixtures during testing.

bulletin.accurateshooter.com

 

[chale127]

As above, find the ammo your particular weapon likes best, I have one handgun that won’t work with REM Golden, but My ATI will eat them all day like candy…my Ruger 10/22 likes Win or CCI or Aguila….just need to try them all out

 

[antco]

Ordered more ammo last night, with some additional variety tossed in to see what else these Kidds will chew on.

Also ordered some arca rails, Nightforce ATACR, bags, and odds and ends.

.22’s really are a lot of fun.

 

[John from MD]

Ordered more ammo last night, with some additional variety tossed in to see what else these Kidds will chew on.

Also ordered some arca rails, Nightforce ATACR, bags, and odds and ends.

.22’s really are a lot of fun.

I would also buy a Kidd recoil spring kit especially if you are shooting suppressed. It gives you much more flexibility in ammunition choices.

10/22® Guide Rod and Spring Kit aftermarket upgrade by KIDD

 

[Medusa Joe]

if it ever chokes on CCI standard velocity ammo, try CCI mini-mags. Mary & I run all of our 22s (10/22 rifles and various pistols) with CCI mini-mags with rarely a hiccup.

BTW, how old are the kids? would you be interested in shooting rimfire steel matches with them at sanner's lake sportsman's club? We run a rimfire steel match and lots of kids like shooting the steel targets. I can send you more info if you'd like.

 

[KRC]

I and several other shooters who shoot 10/22's in competition have modified and/or polished the ramps on our 10 shot mags. Reliability can be much improved. (Probably a youtube on this?) Also, as the extractors wear down with use it's a good idea to replace them (Volquartsen part) every so often.

 

[antco]

I would also buy a Kidd recoil spring kit especially if you are shooting suppressed. It gives you much more flexibility in ammunition choices.

10/22® Guide Rod and Spring Kit aftermarket upgrade by KIDD

Already have the lightest Kidd spring in the suppressed gun. It eats CCI 40g 1070fps Ammo all day long now that the bad magazine is in a trash can. But none of my Kidds cycle SK subsonic gold box ammo.

 

[antco]

if it ever chokes on CCI standard velocity ammo, try CCI mini-mags. Mary & I run all of our 22s (10/22 rifles and various pistols) with CCI mini-mags with rarely a hiccup.

BTW, how old are the kids? would you be interested in shooting rimfire steel matches with them at sanner's lake sportsman's club? We run a rimfire steel match and lots of kids like shooting the steel targets. I can send you more info if you'd like.

I’ll see if some mini-mags are in the shed and give them a few rounds in the back yard. I have CCI Subsonic 40g HP and CCI Quiet 45g in the mail on the way here.

Send me a link. I’m a member there. The girls are 6 & 8. The 8y/o is ready once the temps come up. I bundled up like a snowman Saturday morning and had the 100yrd range to myself from 0900-1100. Windy and cold, but had a great time.

 

[Medusa Joe]

here's the signup link for our local rimfire steel match (march 26, 2023) at sanner's lake sportsmen's club in st mary's county.

https://practiscore.com/sanners-rimfire-steel-match-march-2023/register

info about the rimfire steel match is here: https://www.sannerslake.org/Rimfire-Steel-Challenge

 

[antco]

here's the signup link for our local rimfire steel match (march 26, 2023) at sanner's lake sportsmen's club in st mary's county.

https://practiscore.com/sanners-rimfire-steel-match-march-2023/register

info about the rimfire steel match is here: https://www.sannerslake.org/Rimfire-Steel-Challenge

Thanks Joe. Who makes a decent .22 pistol for a competition like that?

 

[Medusa Joe]

Ruger mark IV, Browning buckmark, S&W model 41 are what Mary and I use. But anything that is reliable will do.

 

[antco]

One ugly rifle but I strapped it to a scope today and will get it zero’d and doped sometime this week.