In late 2011 AGP Arms of Tempe, Arizona released an aftermarket mod kit for the Ruger 10/22 to turn it into a take down rifle.  You can watch my original video on it here.  Ruger also released their own take down model not long after in 2012.  AGP unexpectedly was selling a lot of folding stock assemblies to people who bought factory take down rifles.  Unfortunately the front stock sections would not work with these without modifications.  AGP made a new stock fore end piece to work with the factory rifle so they could more easily sell their stocks to any owner of a Ruger 10/22 Take Down.  I got a 10/22 Tactical Take Down Model to try out with their new stock system.  Here I will discuss the features of the rifle as it comes as well as the AGP Arms stock kit.

From the Factory

The rifle comes in a nice bag that makes carrying it in the disassembled state easy.  The dimensions of the bag are approximately 22.5″x8.5″x7.5″.  It can stretch out a bit further if necessary.  At the top are two carry handles that would be useful for pulling it out of a storage bin or from behind the seat of a truck.  On the back are 4 d-rings that the included carry strap can attach to at two points to wear over one shoulder.  If one were so inclined a second strap could be added to carry it backpack style.  The bag features two external pouches.  The bottom pouch has two pockets for BX-25 magazines, though you could probably fit 3-4 in there if you do not use the dividers.  The top pouch is the right size for the owners manual and more ammo or cleaning supplies. The only real criticism I have of the case is I wish they had not put MOLLE on the bottom pouch or the Ruger logo on the top.  The case is fairly benign looking otherwise and could pass for a tripod case or camera bag.  Not alerting your neighbors you own guns every time you go to the range can be a good thing for some people depending on where they live. The two halves of the rifle fit neatly into their separate compartments.  The compartments are padded to protect the rifle from wear in transport. The components of the rifle outside of the bag.  The rifle comes with one 10 round magazine. An optional weaver style rail is included.  I would recommend replacing this with an aftermarket M1913 picatinny rail if you want to run a wider range of optics.  Take care when installing the screws not to over torque them and strip them out.  The Iron Sights are a bit too low to work with the rail mounted.  Note the silver tensioning nut that must be adjusted for the barrel to attach properly.  The rifle assembled. The sticker that comes on the buttstock explains the disassembly process.  The magazine must be out with the bolt locked back to disassemble the rifle. The rifle receiver and barrel with the stock removed to illustrate how the take down system works. With the bolt locked back and the magazine removed, push forward on the take down lever and twist the fore end clockwise to unlock the barrel.  Then simply slide it forward to remove it.

AGP Arms Folding Stock and Accessories

Removing the factory stock is simple and only requires the use of a flat head screw driver and a 5/32′” Allen wrench.  The safety needs to be half way between safe and fire when removing the receiver from the stock. Installing the AGP Arms stock is also very easy.  Use the factory screw for the receiver, and the included shorter screw for the fore end.  I found it easier to install the new stock with the barrel in the receiver.  I installed the stock portion first, then butted the fore end up against the stock taking care to line up the screw hole.  The entire process is easily accomplished in less than five minutes. One of the things I really like about the AGP Stock is how solid it locks.  The wide upper tube of the stock feels like a fixed stock and is comfortable against the shooter’s face.  All the components are made from quality injection molded glass filled nylon.  It feels strong and nothing flexes or feels like you might break it if you grip it too hard.  I prefer the pistol grip to traditional stocks with as much time as I spend shooting AR15s and other modern semi-autos.

Close up of the docking port on the front of the fore end.  Optional injection molded rails (sold separately) can be mounted here.  The attachment screws thread directly into the plastic so take care not to over torque them.  I personally preferred the feel of the handguard without them installed.  If you want to use a light, laser, or side sling attachment you may find them useful.

The optional rubber butt pad (sold separately) is not necessary for recoil, but does help extend the length of pull from the normal 11.75″.  With the 1″ pad installed the length of pull is 12.75″, which works fine for me as it is close to the 13″ LOP I prefer.  It also has a nice non-slip surface to keep the stock firmly seated in the shooter’s shoulder. There are multiple attachment points for Uncle Mike’s QD swivel sockets.  One is underneath the fore end.  There are sockets on the stock at the front and rear both left and right sides.  Note the button for the folding stock release on the left hand side. The stock folds to the right and does not lock in the closed position.  It does not move much though.  While you can slam the stock open, I would recommend holding down the button when you open the stock to prolong the life of these parts and avoid damaging them. The muzzle is threaded to 1/2″-28 TPI making it a natural fit for common .22lr suppressors.

The rifle still fits in the factory case with the AGP Stock and accessories installed. The AGP Arms stock would be particularly useful for a registered Short Barreled Rifle.  I edited this photo to give an idea of how small that could be.  A new case could be made that was more of a square rather than a rectangle like the factory case making it even more compact.  Ruger is releasing a 10/22 Charger take down pistol that could be well suited for this purpose. Don Langworthy shoots the fully outfitted Ruger 10/22 Tactical Take Down indoors at Shooters World Phoenix.  Note the bolt mid cycle.

How does it shoot?

The 10/22 Take Down works as well as any other 10/22 I have used.  That is to say the quality of the ammunition used directly impacts performance with regards to accuracy and reliability.  Malfunctions should be expected with cheap bulk pack ammo, and for plinking this is honestly fine.  If the rifle is going to be used in a survival or hunting role, pick correspondingly better ammunition.  I used Winchester high velocity .22lr for most of my testing and experienced no malfunctions with this ammunition.

Conclusion

Comparing the Take Down Tactical (MSRP $429.00) vs the standard Tactical model (MSRP $339.00) the Take Down is a distinctly better value.  The Take Down Tactical comes with the case and iron sights that the standard Tactical model lacks, in addition to being a able to break down into a more compact form.  The difference in features is well worth the extra $90.00 in my opinion. The AGP Arms Stock kit adds versatility and handling characteristics to the rifle and is well made.  With an MSRP of $129 without the accessories and $149.00 it is priced similarly to other total replacement stock systems.  As of this writing it also appears to be the only such stock system available as a replacement for the 10/22 Take Down.

Photography by Whiskey Two Four Studios