Adapting Your Ruger 10/22 for Home Defense

Home defense is one the most common reasons people purchase firearms today, considering that tough situations tend to occur in both urban areas and smaller towns with a slow law enforcement response.

Whether it’s a home invasion scenario or just a burglar looking to make a quick buck, your desire to protect the sanctity of your home demands that you’re prepared. While purchasing a gun to defend your home, keep in mind that it needs to be both a threat and an effective deterrent for any potential intruders. It should have the stopping power to put down a bad guy if necessary as well as enough accuracy to actually ensure the bullet hits the target.

Why the 10/22 Can Be a Solid Home Defense Weapon

There are several objections to using the 10/22 as a home defense weapon based on the perception that size and range in such a situation do not suit this gun. A shotgun makes it much harder to miss the target at close range. The stopping power of a large caliber pistol will make short work of any intruders. The 10/22 is allegedly not 100% effective in instant kills for larger animals.

In fact, the 10/22 is both precise and powerful enough to take out bad guys within the shooting range of a home invasion scenario. Placement needs to be good in order to maximize the damage, but the semi-automatic firing mode allows you to create tiny spreads with stunning accuracy. Practice and training are required to get the effective shot placement that allows big game to be downed with a single shot. Unfortunately, you might be in a situation where big game translates to someone endangering your hearth and home.

Though not designed for personal defense like most handguns or pistols, the Ruger 10/22 will definitely inspire confidence in you when you grab it from your bedside rack in the middle of the night. If you are familiar with its capabilities and characteristics, you won’t have any issues with firing a burst at threats within your home. And when combined with having a couple high-capacity magazines at the ready, it can be a formidable threat to intruders or burglars.

Some of the Advantages of the 10/22

Yes, we know it’s not the perfect home defense weapon. Nothing is. But let’s look at some of the advantages of this classic.

Low Recoil

With very little recoil and the least amount of noise that you can get out of any firearm short of using a suppressor, the 10/22 is easy to shoot. You could easily train someone unfamiliar with guns to start shooting one and within 5 minutes they could easily hit something. If you want to help your spouse learn to defend the home in your absence, this is a great rifle to start with.

Semi-automatic

The Ruger 10/22 has the advantage of fast-fire accuracy. At close range, it has similar power to a handgun, and at a range past 15 yards there is a distinct advantage with the Ruger. You can shoot with precision with a 10/22, while with a handgun you are limited to general body shots.

Because you’re dealing with a small round, you need to put as many bullets in the target as quickly as possible. The Ruger will do that at any range you may be forced to use this gun in a home defense situation. And a high-capacity magazine will allow for additional shots if they are required to end a violent confrontation.

Accurate

Shot placement is the name of the game when it comes to taking down larger targets with a 10/22. People have killed fairly large animals with a .22LR at around 100 yards. In most home-defense situations, the typical shooting distance is approximately 5-10 yards. The 10/22 is light, accurate, capable of firing many rounds rapidly into a small target. It’s also easy to transition from one target to another.

Reliable design

The Ruger 10/22 is a very reliable design that has functioned well with different brands of ammunition for several decades. When you’re faced with a bad guy invading your house, you don’t want to have an iota of doubt about your gun’s effectiveness. Furthermore, a rifle/carbine provides better performance for the .22 long rifle cartridge than that produced by a shorter barreled handgun.

Is The 10/22 Really An Ideal Home Defense Weapon?

Let’s be clear – the 10/22 is a fine weapon but it is not the ideal home defense weapon. There are other guns that have more stopping power, are more suited to one-handed operation and are just as easy for a novice to operate. However, for basic use the 10/22 should be sufficient for protecting your property from burglars.

It is not recommended for all extreme situations, but can serve its intended purpose during break-ins. For those times when you expect to go up against a gang of armed hoodlums, you’d be much better off with a large-caliber semi-automatic like the AR-15 or better yet, avoiding confrontation at all.

You can bet that it will be a source of comfort for you to see your trusted 10/22 by your bedside when things go bump in the night. So, if you’re planning on a rifle for home defense, then the 10/22 certainly deserves close examination.

Conclusion

The 10/22 is a great choice for basic home-defense situations, and can also double for varmint hunting or even bringing home venison. While you can still get other guns with a larger caliber for around the same price, the semi-automatic capability, the unmatched reliability and the ease of use of this all-American gun make it a force to be reckoned with. You can easily get aftermarket parts and accessories to customize this gun to your heart’s desire, ensuring that your personal 10/22 is just right for your needs.

Bio

Josh Lewis is a lifelong gun fanatic and shares his thoughts on the best rifles and accessories on his website Gunmann.com.