Guns: Ruger 10/22 carbine

In my opinion, the best firearm for teaching basic marksmanship is the .22 rifle, and without a doubt one of the most ubiquitous .22 rifles is the Ruger 10/22. The 10/22 is a semiautomatic design that has been manufactured since the 1960s. Many writers more experienced than myself have recommended it as part of a beginner's arsenal.

The unique thing about the 10/22 is that every single part of the rifle is available as an aftermarket replacement - you can literally build a 10/22 with no Ruger parts at all. There are overmolded stocks, bull barrels, target trigger groups, sights, and even fresh receivers that can be purchased to customize a 10/22 to your liking. It's the 1911/AR/small block Chevy of the rimfire rifle world.

To be honest, out of the box, I wasn't very impressed with the 10/22. While the fit and finish wasn't bad for a sub-$200 rifle, the rifle seemed primitive compared to, say, a Marlin Model 60. There's no last shot bolt hold-open, for example - unless you count each shot, you'll hear a *click* as you inadvertently pull the trigger on an empty chamber. The stock, by default, is clumsy and fat, and almost too big for a young person to easily handle.

Accuracy-wise, the default Ruger parts aren't going to win any awards. A lot of people have slammed the factory trigger, but I don't think that's the problem. Unless you get the target models, the lower-tier 10/22 carbine will have a barrel band that probably isn't aces for shooting. All in all, it's not my favorite .22 rifle, but it does offer the unique ability to upgrade.