How to Disassemble a Ruger 10/22: 7 Easy Steps

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By Bryan Lynch •  3 min read

There are two main reasons to disassemble your 10/22. For inspection purposes due to a malfunction or other issue and to clean it. 

If you have never disassembled a Ruger 10/22 do not worry as it is not all that difficult. Before getting started there are a few things you will need. 

What You Will Need

While disassembling the rifle it is helpful to have the owner’s manual out because it describes this process and has a diagram breakdown of the rifle and its components. If you do not have an owner’s manual, one can be viewed at this link. 

Disassembling the Ruger 10/22

The following steps were obtained from the Ruger 10/22 manual. I highly recommend using the manual whenever doing anything to your rifle to help make sure it is not damaged and stays in good working order. 

Step 1

The first step in cleaning any firearm to ensure that it is not loaded. Point the 10/22 in a safe direction, open the bolt and make sure it is completely unloaded. 

Step 2

If the rifle has a barrel band, loosen the hardware and remove the band. 

Step 3

Using an Allen wrench, loosen the takedown screw. 

Step 4

Push the safety in so that there equal amounts of it sticking out on either side. If this step is not done then there is potential for the stock to be damaged when the barrel is removed. 

Step 5

Grasp onto the barrel and lift it upward and away from the stock of the rifle. Take care to not let the receiver cross pins fall out during this step. 

Step 6

At this point, push the safety to the on position. Now the trigger guard can be removed by pushing out the two receiver pins. Ruger recommends that the trigger guard assembly itself not be taken apart. 

Ruger also recommends that this be the stopping point of disassembly of the 10/22 for cleaning and inspection. However, this can be taken one step further by removing the bolt. 

Step 7

Turn the rifle upside.

Push out the bolt stop pin which is located at the rear of the receiver. 

Pull the bolt handle to the back of the receiver and when it is at the rear of the receiver use your other hand to lift the front of the bolt until it is not engaged with the bolt handle. 

The bolt handle assembly can be removed through the ejection port and the bolt can now be lifted out and away from the receiver. 

Wrap Up

Taking apart the Ruger 10/22 is not a difficult process and after practicing a few times it will probably become second nature. 

However, if you run into a problem during this process, it is always best to take your rifle to a professional firearm technician to help you out. 

This way the rifle will not be damaged which will reduce any safety concerns during its operation. 

I hope this quick walk-through for disassembling a Ruger 10/22 rifle was helpful and thank you for reading. 

If you have any questions or thoughts on this topic, please sound off in the comment section below and let us know! 

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Bryan Lynch

Bryan grew up in the Midwest and spent every waking moment outdoors. Learning how to hunt, fish, read the land, and be self-reliant was part of everyday life. Eventually, he combined his passions for the outdoors, emergency preparedness, and writing. His goal was to spread positive information about this field. In 2019, Bryan authored the book Swiss Army Knife Camping and Outdoor Survival Guide. His second book, Paracord Projects For Camping and Outdoor Survival, is scheduled to be released on March 2, 2021.