Ruger 22 Charger Pistol

Ruger recently announced this pretty little pistol and it's already generating quite a bit of excitement on the forums. It's a 10/22 action with a pistol stock and rifled bull barrel. Bipod is included, but the scope is not. However there is an integrated scope mount rail on top of the receiver.

• List Price: $369.50 (However, it looks like list is, like usual, going to be quite a bit above street. Impact Guns is listing it on their website at $303.99)
  
• Caliber: .22 LR
  
• Action: 10/22 semi-automatic
  
• Mounts: Weaver-style and tip-off combination
• Length: 19 1/4" overall
  
• Barrel: Tapered 10" bull (.920" - .664" at the muzzle)
• Groove: 6
• Twist: 1:16" RH
• Capacity: 10-shot rotary magazine
• Weight: 3-1/2 pounds (with supplied bipod)
• Finish: Matte black
  
• Stock: Laminate
  
• Extended magazine release
• Cross bolt safety
  
• Comes with a Ruger gun rug, zippered case, and bipod
  

The primary market is intended to be for long-range varmint hunting. It looks like it will fit the ticket. The laminate stock should hold up to the elements and the bipod will make it rock steady. With the proven 10/22 action there's not going to be a lot of complaints about reliability or unexpected performance.


The new magazine release is a welcome addition for those of us with big hands - particularly since the Ruger Charger is intended to sit on a bench and not turned over in the hands the way a 10/22 rifle is. All that is needed is to place your finger behind the release (which sits just in front of the trigger guard) and push forward.


In addition to being just one of the coolest looking new firearms on the market, accessories (such as high-cap clips and high-quality triggers) are already easy to come by given the high interest in customizing the 10/22 rifle. Undoubtedly high-quality match barrels will be forthcoming in the near future for those of you who really want to push the platform. It might also be interesting to see a heavier barrel installed in order to reduce recoil as can be seen in the video below.

Given Smith & Wesson's recent announcement that they've purchased the Thompson/Center Arms company it looks like Ruger and Smith may be going head-to-head for the sporting pistol market which could make life pretty exciting for the next few years.

Now, if Ruger wants to really get us excited they can tell us that this is just the beginning and that a stainless version is on the way. We'd be just beside ourselves with excitement if they also announced a .223..... or maybe resurrect the 10/17 action and chamber it in .17hmr.... oh please, oh please, oh please...


Some other online resources about the new Charger:

• Jeff Quin over at Gunblast.com has a hands-on review (lucky dog!).
• So does Mr. Completely
  
• The Firearm Blog
• Ruger Press Release
• Owner's Manual (PDF)
• Ruger Online photo gallery of the Charger

Of course, every good pistol needs a companion rifle! It's just part of the nature of guns. So we'd suggest taking a look at the Ruger Race 10/22 from TALO:



By the way, the Charger isn't the first 10/22 pistol like this. The Hornet Custom COBRA and the MagnumLite PiCuda have been out there for a bit too. It just looks like Ruger saw a market being filled by others by customizing one of their most famous arms and they're trying to take it back (or at least share in the profits).

One last item (and this wouldn't be Sear and Hammer if we didn't point it out). It appears that if you live in California or Massachusetts you are less of a citizen than the folks elsewhere. In particular you can't get one in California because the magazine is outside of the grip. In all the wisdom of the Kalifornia government this makes it an "assault weapon".