I recently posted a thread about making some upgrades to my Ruger Charger. This gun was limited to range use for years but I've been using it small game hunting recently. Modding a 10/22 rifle never appealed to me but for some reason over the last few months I've had the urge to mod my Charger.

Here are the mods I've made so far:
-Volquartsen Bolt Tune Up Kit
-Flatlineops Recoil Buffer Pin
-Kidd Bolt Handle, Guide Rod, Spring Kit (10% reduced spring installed for subsonic ammo)
-Ruger BX-Trigger
-Tactical Solutions stainless steel V-Block
-ER Shaw .920" Barrel

I received the barrel in a trade recently. I installed the Tactical Solutions V-Block at the same time. Its supposed to preload the barrel upward to prevent sag/droop. The barrel/v-block modification seem to have made the most noticeable improvement in accuracy.

The conditions at the range were very windy today. With the first shot I noticed the point of impact was quite a bit different than the old barrel. Even with the wind I was very impressed with the first 10 shot group. This was at 20 yards. I pulled a couple shots but I was pretty happy!



I didn't spend a lot of time shooting due to the wind/cold. I was using Remington Subsonic ammo. It hasn't been the most accurate in this gun but its my favorite 22lr hunting round so its what I sight in with. I'm going to play with some other types of ammo when conditions are better to see if it has a round it prefers.

The group on the left was the best group of the day shot with the new barrel and V-block. The group on the right was from a few months back with the factory barrel and V-block. That was about as good a group as I was getting with the gun at that time. Both were shot with Remington Subsonics at 20 yards.

Looks like money well spent. Just out of curiousity, what is that gun worth now? I keep going back and forth on the Charger, just not sure I'd get mileage out of one.

They're not real practical guns but they're fun. The upgrades I listed above added $255. Throw in the Bushnell Elite 3200 and the cost of the gun and I'm well over $700 into it now. Definitely a money pit but I'm enjoying it!

..."You could cover the group with a dime"... was something I`ve read in the gun mags in past years and now I see one..... big improvement in group size over factory barrel.... good shootin pab.......

Looking good, Phil. Just curious; does it cycle using the Rem Sub's with all the new additions? My son's stock charger wouldn't.

Thanks! Mine cycled them well with the stock spring. I added the Kidd bolt handle, guide rod and spring kit. Their spring kit includes a standard spring, a 10% increased spring for high velocity ammo and a 10% reduced spring for subsonic ammo. I installed the reduced spring and its been working well.

Thanks James! After shooting that first group which could also be covered by a dime it definitely put a smile on my face! I look forward to seeing what it will do with different ammo.

Thanks for the write-up pab1! Good stuff.

Thanks Gregg!

Although not one of the barrels you listed in response to my "money pit" post you were 100% correct. The barrel/v-block made the biggest difference in group size.

Pab1

Did you try the new barrel with the original v-block? Just wondering if i need to dump more money into my pit.

I didn't. I had ordered the v-block quite a while before I found the new barrel. I went ahead and installed it when I switched barrels out.

What have you done so far with yours? Have you noticed an improvement in accuracy?