With the current political and social situation, consumers are looking at firearms for survival/bug out type scenarios. Many feel that the .22LR is an excellent choice for this purpose and the Ruger 10/22 is popular amongst the prepping crowd — in its stock form though, it has some short comings that can be remedied with the abundance of aftermarket stocks and accessories.
Previously, I used a CHOATE MACHINE & TOOL 10/22 Pistol Grip Stock for a few years. I had plans of modifying it to accept a folding or M4-style collapsible buttstock, but never got around to doing it. Despite wanting to make these modifications, this stock was my favorite stock for the 10/22 and in my opinion, the best bang for the buck out there (this stock can be bought for less than $80).
One night I randomly ended up on the CHOATE MACHINE & TOOL website and saw that they now offer a M4 Telescoping Stock and a Folding Stock for the 10/22, both of which would address the modifications I wanted to make. I surmised that either of these stocks would surpass my veneration for the original pistol grip stock.
After exchanging a few emails with the folks at CHOATE MACHINE & TOOL, I soon had CHOATE Folding Stock for Ruger 10/22 on its way to me for testing and evaluation. Here are some photos showing what the stock looks like as well as photos of the rifle that it will be used with.
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MY OBSERVATIONS
After installing the stock and putting a couple hundred rounds through it, here are my observations:
- The pistol grip greatly improves the handiness of the 10/22 and the ability to fold the stock improves portability, reducing the overall length of the firearm by 11″.
- The folding mechanism has a solid lockup in both the open and closed positions and appears to be very durable. It’s possibly the best folding mechanism I’ve ever used.
- The stock is made from fiber filled polypropylene, which I prefer over the ABS plastic some companies use. The fiber filled polypropylene has a nice texture to it — it’s not overly aggressive while providing a good amount of grip on the body of the stock.
- The stock works well with a single point sling, which can provide support if shooting the rifle in the folded position. More on sling setups below …
- Not necessarily negative, but worth noting: The stock must be used with an 18-inch, standard barrel. An 18 inch barrel is needed to meet the NFA’s definition of a rifle and the channel for the barrel is not large enough to fit the diameter of a bull barrel.
- The ability to fold as well as the durability of the folding mechanism comes as a cost – this stock is ~ 14 ounces heavier than the non-folding version.
BOTTOM LINE
- If you want to ditch your wood stock, add a pistol grip and/or folding stock to your Ruger 10/22, I highly recommend taking a look at CHOATE MACHINE & TOOL’s products. The CHOATE Folding Stock for Ruger 10/22 and 10/22 Pistol Grip Stock both offer great value at their price points. Most of the stocks that I’ve tried around the $100 price point feel cheap and toy-like, especially when compared to CHOATE MACHINE & TOOL’s products.
POSSIBLE IMPROVEMENTS
When possible, I like to recommend some possible improvements for gear I review. Here are some things that could broaden the appeal of the CHOATE Folding Stock for Ruger 10/22:
- Sling Mounting
- While the stock works well with a single point sling, I have yet to attach a 2-point sling in a way that I really like. I believe this is partially due to the folding stock. The way that a sling attaches to the rear of the 10/22 Pistol Grip Stock is much better, allowing you to use a 2-point sling and comfortably carry in the low ready position. I do have some ideas for modifying the stock to improve carrying with a 2-point sling.
- Storage
- I can see people using this stock in survival/SHTF type scenarios. It would be a big plus if there was some sort of storage in the stock, maybe some similar to their H&R Survivor Stock.
