reversing the safety on a 10-22

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  • patience0830

    .22 magician
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 96.6%
    28   1   0
    Nov 3, 2008
    17,586
    149
    Not far from the tree
    I've been thinking about a 10-22 for my grandson but he shoots left handed. How much trouble is it reverse the safety on one?

    Don't think you can. Don't quote me though. I have a hard enough time putting then back together right.

    Don't coddle the boy. He's gonna deal with right handed stuff all of his days. Might as well get used to it sooner than later.
     

    TJ Kackowski

    Let it begin here.
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    133   0   1
    Jun 8, 2012
    1,876
    113
    Hendricks County
    I'm with patience on this one ... what are you going to do about the rest of the controls on the rifle? Mill the receiver to place a charging handle on the left side? How about the bolt hold open / release lever. Sure, you can modify / swap out this part for easier bolt release, but not to hold the bolt open. What about the ejection port ... unless you do some very extensive gunsmithing, the ejected case will always be flying past his right eye.

    If you do modify the safety, please mark the rifle is some very distinct manner so that an RSO or other person inspecting the rifle for safe knows why the button isn't the same as other 10/22's. I've inspected hundreds of 10/22's under all sorts of lighting conditions and that thin red line is not always visible ... however, you can always feel which way the button is set.

    To my way of thinking, this would be similar to a shotgun that is set up with a release trigger. You cannot tell the difference from a standard trigger, but not knowing the difference could cause all sorts of safety issues. In general, a shotgun with a release trigger is marked with a highly visible dot by the trigger guard.

    Bottom line is this is your rifle, do what you want ... just be safe.
     

    Squirt239

    Expert
    Rating - 100%
    11   0   0
    Jun 7, 2010
    1,087
    113
    North of Brownsburg
    Hey Tom,

    The Ruger 10/22 is a great weapon. I have not seen a reverseable safety for one, but doesn't mean there isn't one out there. They are made for a lot of shotguns and other rifles, just haven't seen one for a Ruger 10/22.

    As far as the whole, left handed arguement...why not make it more convenient for the shooter? There are several examples of left handed bolt guns, bottom ejection rifles and shotguns, etc. Yes, we live in a right handed world, but there are left handed baseball gloves, golf clubs...shoot even fishing poles are able to be reversed for lefties.

    Make the gun adapt to you how you see fit.
     

    JettaKnight

    Я з Україною
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    6   0   0
    Oct 13, 2010
    26,517
    113
    Fort Wayne
    The boy can manage a right hand rifle and very well too, but what's wrong with fixing one he doesn't have to adapt to?

    That's called improvisation. In any other context it'd be seen as a good thing, not "being soft on the boy", but the American way of doing things.

    Personally, I might buy a few of those myself, then we (my wife and I) can use that safety safely.
     

    Tom Threetoes

    Marksman
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Jan 14, 2010
    256
    28
    Southwestern IN
    Hey Tom,

    The Ruger 10/22 is a great weapon. I have not seen a reverseable safety for one, but doesn't mean there isn't one out there. They are made for a lot of shotguns and other rifles, just haven't seen one for a Ruger 10/22.

    As far as the whole, left handed arguement...why not make it more convenient for the shooter? There are several examples of left handed bolt guns, bottom ejection rifles and shotguns, etc. Yes, we live in a right handed world, but there are left handed baseball gloves, golf clubs...shoot even fishing poles are able to be reversed for lefties.

    Make the gun adapt to you how you see fit.
    Thank you!
     

    rem788

    Marksman
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Apr 19, 2009
    239
    43
    indy west
    OP, being left handed in a right handed world is a PIA! A little convenience once in a while is refreshing. Even with a left handed bolt action, the spent shells are still bouncing off my right arm sometimes. Worse with a semi-auto. Change what you can to accommodate him, I know I would appreciate it.
     

    Hookeye

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Dec 19, 2011
    15,039
    77
    armpit of the midwest
    Well at least the Ruger #1 rifle is ambidextrous.
    Can't catch any hell there.

    Personally I don't see why all the worry.
    Saw right handed guns ran by lefties, with safeties switched......as a kid.
    Thought it kinda cool, making something work better for them.

    Hell, I thought such modifications for lefties was normal.
     
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