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Hello and welcome to another edition of The Rimfire Report! This ongoing series is all about the rimfire firearm world and its many guns, sports, ammunition, and trends. Last week, we talked about the new Fletcher Rifle Works Bandera OpenTop 11/22 pistol. Since that article was posted, I’ve had the opportunity to take it to the range a few more times and thus far it has held up quite well on the reliability side of things and the pistol really has been a joy to shoot – I will be sad to see it go when I send it back to Mr. Fletcher! In that same vein, part of why I like the 10/22 platform so much is due to the sheer amount of customization options you have on the market for it. I recently stumbled upon a new limited edition conversion kit for the Ruger 10/22 rifles designed by RSM Firearms. Dubbed the MINI-50, this conversion kit takes your standard 10/22 rifle and fits it into a nice new mini Barrett M82A1 skin suit.
More Rimfire Report Articles @ TFB:
- The Rimfire Report: The Bandera OpenTop 11/22 Pistol
- The Rimfire Report: Gemtech Integra Suppressed Upper vs Oil Filter
- The Rimfire Report: The SIG P322 – 10,000 Rounds Later
The Rimfire Report: RSM Firearms MINI-50 Ruger 10/22 Conversion Kit
Announcing the RSM Firearms Product Line!
Introducing The All Aluminum, 6061, Type 3 Mil Spec Hard Coat Anodized, Precision Machined, Performance Chassis, that uses YOUR RUGER 10-22 Rifle and MAKES IT LOOK LIKE A BARRETT M82a1!!! Folks grab one now before they’re gone. These are a Limited Edition 1-400! Only 400 will be made this year, so don’t wait. Go to RSM Firearms website to make your purchase!
The Kit includes: The Upper and Lower Chassis, 2 Side Plates, 1 Bracket, 1 Butt Pad, 1 Butt Plate, 1 Grip Mount, 1 Grip and the Tools and Hardware. (Rifle and accessories are not included. )
A standard Ruger 10/22 carbine is all that is needed to complete this kit but it is certainly lacking a few key aesthetic looks that would make it convincing. | Photo: Ruger
Basically, what we’ve got here is a highly specific look we’re going for. It’s obvious from the choice of materials that the MINI-50 is more window dressing than a function upgrade and you know what? I’m okay with that. Back when I bought my second Ruger 10/22 rifle, one of the first customization projects I worked on at home was gutting out a P90 airsoft gun and stuffing my beloved 10/22 carbine inside of it.
A few observations can be made just by looking at the kit and what it contains. Being an all-aluminum chassis/stock, you’d probably guess that this would be a lot heavier than a standard Ruger 10/22 and you’re most likely right. However, what you’re gaining in exchange is a ton of extra rail space both on the top and the bottom of the rifle, as well as access to plenty of M-LOK slots for additional attachments.
An RSM Firearms MINI-50 with a more appropriate barrel and set of attachments – a monopod should be available sometime down the road.
A final functional upgrade that can probably be noted from this is that you also now have access to a pistol grip. Just like the M82A1, any aftermarket mil-spec AR-15 grip will do but the one that comes with the kit looks like it is meant to emulate the standard one issued with the full-size Barrett M81A1. The RSM Firearms MINI-50 definitely looks the part, but a few things are missing from your standard 10/22 that keep the MINI-50 from being a convincing mini-sized Barrett.
How much Does it Cost…Really?
The RSM Firearms MINI-50 conversion kit is listed for a price of $899.99 – or the price of three 10/22 rifles. Thankfully, most of you probably already have a 10/22 and taking one out of its regular stock and placing it inside a new one isn’t a task that really requires a gunsmith – from the looks of it, neither does the RSM MINI-50 kit. What the kit does lack however is a few key components that make it look as convincing as it is in photos we’ve seen so far.
Depending on what caught your eye first, this answer may change but for me what I first noticed was the barrel and muzzle brake. The full-size Barrett M81A1 (and M107 for that matter) not only features a fluted bull barrel but are always topped with a removable muzzle device that’s pretty distinctive. The M107’s muzzle brake is a rounded affair with an odd 7/8×14 thread pitch. In contrast, the Barrett M82A1 features a flat, rectangular muzzle brake shaped like an arrow but it still retains the same thread pitch as the one from the M107.
There are a few companies out there that make similar components as to what you’d find on the M82A1 and these include the fluted barrel, bipod, carry handle, and muzzle brake. Thankfully, these items should be available soon for purchase along with the RSM MINI-50 kit so that you can really make it as convincing as possible. At the time of writing, it is unknown how much the extra parts would cost but I think even conservative estimates would put your conversion well above $1,250 when all is said and done. However, much like every other hobby out there, I’ve seen people spend far more time and money on far less appealing things so I don’t think $1,250 for a miniaturized M82A1 is all that much to pay for an interesting range toy that will no doubt get lots of looks and laughs from fellow range patrons. RSM Firearms even says there will be a magazine cover that turns your 10/22 magazines into a more convincing imitation.
Final Thoughts
As if I didn’t have enough “man I wanna build that” ideas floating around in my head right now, I think this is one that is definitely going to be on the bucket list if they ever go back into production. The sad thing about the RSM MINI-50 kit is that there will only be 400 made this year and it’s unknown if RSM Firearms will be convinced enough to make more of them down the road – that will likely depend on the response and popularity of this first batch.
As always, I’d like to hear your thoughts on this little conversion kit from RSM Firearms. Is this a conversion kit you’d pick up to have some range fun with or do you think these kits and the rifles that get jammed into them will inevitably wind up on Gunbroker.com in another edition of Austin Rex’s “Hot Gat or Fudd Crap” series? Your comments are always welcome down below and thank you for stopping by to check out another edition of The Rimfire Report! We’ll see you all next week!
