When it comes to the most all-around popular firearms in the world, the 10/22 platform has to rank up in the top 10. For 54 years the reliable rimfire rifle (and later pistol) has enjoyed a slow but steady dose of enhancements, most recently including a takedown version that allows owners to easily pack and carry a woods gun or hunting rifle. But some of the best upgrades have come from aftermarket companies who make everything from barrels to receivers. Could this Austrian twist on a classic be the next advancement for the classic gun that has graced the closets and safes of millions of shooters for a half a century?

TFB reader and fan Sebastian U. From Austria reached out to us a few months ago with a working design that allows for the user to remove the top of a 10/22 receiver to more easily access the bolt and internals while still allowing for a return-to-zero for optics like scopes and red dot sights.

I’ll let Sebastian do most of the talking – he’s done a lot of work and even though his current job is not in the firearm industry, he hopes that a company might be interested in producing his now patent pending design. Interested parties can contact me via email and I will put you in touch with Sebastian.

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Austrian Twist: Innovative 10/22 Receiver – Patent Pending

As I have mentioned in the video, I have always lost the pins of the trigger group and ruined the screws while cleaning my Ruger 10/22

Therefor I’ve started to build a first simple prototype of the receiver with a removable top cover and 3 screws (prototype1.jpg) that was never finished, because it came to my mind that mabye other people have the same complaint about their 10/22s.

So I defined the requirements for a receiver that could be suitable for every 10/22 owner and started with the construction.

After some months I came up with the receiver you see in the video and on the photos,

It fullfills the following requirements:

• Possible maximum of durability, top part helps to absorb the impact of the bolt. Depending on the material, the durability can be superior to the original version of the receiver
• Easy disassembling/assembling procedure without the need for tools and without removing the receiver from the stock, in a shorter period of times (only a few seconds)
• No removal of a reddot/scope, it can remain at the top part and stays zeroed
• Full compatibility with existing Ruger 10/22 rifles/parts (except extraordinary stocks)
• A minimum number of additional parts
• Innovative, so there is a possibility to protect it – the patent is pending

The receiver, the bolt and the barrel were made in a small garage/homeworkshop with a german milling machine from 1968 and a chinese lathe.

For the barrel I’ve used a german Anschütz Barrel from the 1960s, the chamber was reamed with the dimensions of the original ruger version and the rifle shoots sub-moa at 100 yards.

The receiver has a individual serial number under the stock and the rifle is registered, so everything is 100% legal. Before I have built the rifle, I have asked the public authorities, how it can be done legal.

It is my only passion to build things like that, but my job has nothing to do with gunsmithing, therefor time as well as money is limited. If the community likes this project and supports it with comments, likes and shares, so the worth is proven, I am sure it is possible to find a manufacturer for the receiver or even a complete rifle. As soon as this happens, I would use the licence fees to reduce my daily job and increase the number of innovative projects.