The Ruger 10/22 is arguably the most popular .22 rimfire rifle sold in the United States. The Ruger 10/22 has so many variants and options that anyone can match their shooting style and needs. A big plus is an amazingly low price for such a well-crafted rifle. However, you can tweak anything to suit your preference, and one of the most changed things on a Ruger 10/22 is the sights.
There are many options available to upgrade the sights on your Ruger 10/22 rifle. Many people opt to stay traditional by upgrading the iron sights on their Ruger 10/22. Plinkers and casual shooters often elect to mount a red dot scope as an upgrade. Mounting a scope offers advantages like magnification that add versatility to the Ruger 10/22 rimfire rifle.
It doesn’t matter much what kind of upgraded sight you want for your Ruger 10/22. The key question is what is the best sight in the category you choose for your Ruger 10/22. Making the mistake of putting an inadequate sight on a great rifle only detracts from the rifle. My picks in each category for the best sight for your Ruger 10/22 are below.
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#1 Sight
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SKIP AHEAD
Best Ruger 10/22 Iron Sights – Tech Sights TSR100
Anyone who shoots iron sights regularly wants three things from their iron sights.
- Rugged and reliable construction
- Easy incremental adjustments
- Precision machining for accuracy
Tech Sights delivers on these wants in a big way. Tech Sights offers a wide range of sights for many different rifles. Their TSR100 aperture sights for the Ruger 10/22 are the choice of many Ruger 10/22 shooters for casual and competitive shooting. Looking at the features of the Tech Sights TSR100 shows why many shooters make this choice.
- The design of the Tech Sights TSR100 offers a six-inch longer sight radius than competing sights
- The rear sight mounts quickly and easily to the rear factory tapped scope base mount on your Ruger 10/22. No drilling or tapping is required.
- The TSR100 includes a dual aperture configuration compatible with mil-spec rear sights
- The rear sight is adjustable for both windage and elevation
- Locking detents on the windage and elevation adjustments ensure a solid and stable sight
- The front sight features incremental adjustments with detents.
- The front sight post is interchangeable with most AR15/M16 front sight posts adding more options to your sight.
- All steel construction for exceptional durability
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#1 Sight
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The Tech Sights TSR100 sights will fit all Rutgers Factory rifles, including the old model Rugger 44 Magnum. However, some aftermarket rear receivers, such as the Brownells’ BRN-22 receivers, won’t accept the TSR100 rear sight. Tech Sights does make a different version of their sights that will fit many of these after-market rear receivers.
Best Runner-up – West One Products Ruger 10/22 Carbine Style Sights
Ruger 10/22 rifles are adaptable to almost any configuration. One of the more popular changes many Ruger 10/22 shooters make is adding a Carbine style stock giving the Ruger 10/22 a nostalgic look. Adding a set of West One Ruger 10/22 carbine style sights completes the transformation and provides a great set of iron sights for your rifle.
Even if you aren’t interested in converting your Ruger 10/22 into a 22 caliber version of an M1 carbine rifle, the West One Products carbine style iron sights are a great upgrade to your rifle. Beyond the classic look of these sights, West One provides a set of features that get these sights a place on our list of Best 10/22 sights.
- The same sight picture as a standard M1 issue carbine rifle sight
- The West One sights are fully compatible with the trajectory and ballistics of the .22 rimfire cartridge
- Solid steel construction for strength and durability on a rifle that may see heavy use in the field
- These sights fit any Ruger 10/22 with a standard receiver and factory contour barrels. A barrel band is required to attach the front sight.
- Fully parkerized finish to protect the steel construction
- Windage and elevation adjustable exactly like the original M1 carbine sights
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You may be on track to create your M1 carbine replica using your Ruger 10/22. In that case, these carbine replica sights are a must-have. If you are looking for upgraded iron sights for your Ruger 10/22 with a slightly lower profile and the rugged construction needed for good iron sights, you won’t be disappointed.
Best Red Dot Sight for a Ruger 10/22 – Vortex Strikefire II
If you have read very much about what I have written when it comes to scopes and optics, you should know by now that I am a huge Vortex fan. I believe that you can’t get more features or better optics for your firearm for the price.
In this case, my choice as the best red dot sight for a Ruger 10/22 is the Vortex Strikefire II red dot sight. This compact, rugged, and reliable little scope is packed full of features that bring it to the top of the list. From the clarity of the glass to the Vortex lifetime warranty, you can’t get a better value in a red dot scope.
- A larger objective lens than most other red dot sights gives a larger field of view
- The 30mm tube allows mounting the Vortex Strikefire II with standard ring mounts
- Red or Green user-selectable dot color
- A four MOA dot makes sight acquisition fast and easy
- Unlimited eye relief eases the strain of shooting a scoped rifle
- Adjustment per click – ½ MOA
- Total elevation and windage adjustment – 100 MOA
- Overall Length – 5.6 inches
- Total Weight – 7.2 ounces
Vortex provides you with a complete package ready to mount on your rifle. Included in each Vortex Strikefire II package are:
- One Vortex Strikefire II red dot scope
- One Vortex cantilever ring mount system
- A t-15 Torx wrench
- One CR2 battery
- A set of flip cap optic covers.
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The last feature that Vortex includes is their no questions asked warranty. I have never had a problem with a Vortex scope. However, the knowledge that my vortex scopes are covered for any damage or malfunction by the Vortex lifetime warranty is a comfort.
Runner Up Red Dot Scope – Bushnell TRS-25 Red Dot Sight
Bushnell often appears in best of lists for optics and scopes of all sorts. The reputation of Bushnell goes a long way to inspiring confidence in shooters of all types. The Bushnell TRS-25 is g great compact red dot sight that marries well with a Ruger 10/22. The low profile and tough construction make this red dot scope a perfect choice for rifles that see lots of rough duty in vehicles or in the field.
Bushnell scopes and optics don’t leave you short on features either. Looking at the rich list of features included with the Bushnell TRS-25 red dot sight gives you an understanding of the possibilities that can come with a Bushnell TRS-25 red dot scope.
- Fully waterproof construction with O-ring sealed optics
- Nitrogen purged tube keeps the internal optical parts fog-free even during rapid temperature changes
- Built tough to handle extreme conditions and use in the field or on the range
- Matt black finish for added protection
- 3 MOA red dot reticle for accurate target presentation
- Eleven intensity settings allow the red dot to be easily visible in all light conditions
- Requires a Picatinny rail to mount using the integral mounting system
You will need to add a Picatinny rail to the top of your Ruger 10/22 receiver to mount the Bushnell TSR-25 red dot scope. Other than the addition of a Picatinny rail, the Bushnell TSR-25 kit comes complete, including:
- One Bushnell TSR-25 red dot sight
- Hex tool for mounting
- One CR2 battery
- Lens caps
- Lens cloth
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If the larger Vortex Strikefire II scope seems overwhelming, the small and more compact Bushnell TSR-25 red dot scope is an excellent alternative. You won’t be disappointed in your choice if a red dot scope fits your needs.
Traditional Scope – Vortex Crossfire II 2-7×32 Scope
We are back to Vortex. Many shooters, especially those who want to reach out further, will benefit from a variable magnification scope with a traditional crosshair reticle. My choice in this category is the Vortex Optics Crossfire II 2-7×32 Scope.
This Vortex scope offers the best set of features for a Ruger 10/22 that I have found. The 2 – 7 variable magnification fits the range of the .22 long rifle cartridge almost perfectly. With this magnification, you can push the Ruger 10/22 rimfire rifle to its limits. Add this to the expected Vortex features list, and you have an almost perfect match for the Ruger 10/22 rifle.
- Fully coated optical glass for extreme light transmission and clarity at the highest magnification
- The second focal plane reticle maintains a constant reticle size despite the magnification for quick and accurate elevation and windage estimates
- Vortex’s BDS Deadhold MOA reticle eliminates the guesswork in making scope corrections.
- Long eye relief for comfortable shooting
- Resettable MOA turrets
- Overall length – 11.52 inches
- Weight – 14.3 ounces
When you purchase your Crossfire II scope, you also get the backing of Vortex with their lifetime No Questions Asked warranty. In the kit, you will find:
- One Vortex Crossfire II 2-7×32 scope
- One set of removable lens covers
- One lens cloth
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You will need to purchase a set of one-inch rings to finish your Vortex Crossfire II mount.
Runner-up Traditional Scope – Barska 3-9×32 Plinker-22 Rifle Scope
Barska is a well-known name in optics and scopes for rifles, shotguns, and pistols. The Barska 3-9×32 Plinker-22 rifle scope is purpose-made for mounting on .22 rimfire rifles and works well with the Ruger 10/22 platform. Barska has a great reputation for building scopes with a rich feature list and an affordable price.
The Barska 3-9×32 Plinker-22 rifle scope performs double-duty on our list as the runner-up for best traditional rifle scope and as a top budget pick. If you are budget constrained but want a quality optic for your Ruger 10/22, the Barska Plinker-22 is an excellent option.
- Designed especially for the .22 rimfire cartridge
- Bright, clear optics
- Waterproof
- Fogproof
- Shockproof
- Fully coated optics for top-level clarity
- One inch tube construction
- Adjustment per click – ¼ MOA
- Length overall – 12 inches
- Weight – 11.46 ounces
In addition to these outstanding features, Barska provides a complete ready-to-go set up in the box. When you purchase your Barska Plinker-22, you will get:
- One Barska 3-9×32 Plinker-22 rifle scope
- One set of one-inch dovetail mounting rings
- Lens covers
- Scope covers
- Lens cloth
- Full mounting instructions.
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With your Barska Plinker-2 scope kit in hand, you are only minutes away from enjoying a great scope mounted on your Ruger 10/22. You will need to add a rail to the top of your Ruger 10/22 rifle.
Best Reflex Sight – Holosun 2 MOA Reflex Optic
A very popular conversion for the Ruger 10/22 rifle is adding a stock and other accessories to make the rifle look and run like a tactical-style gun. Many people who perform these types of conversions on the Ruger 10/22 opt for a reflex style optic to complete the look and feel of a tactical rifle.
Reflex sights are a type of red dot sight. These sights offer unique characteristics that put them between a standard red dot and much more expensive holographic sights. Holosun has become known for its reflex sights. Industry-leading technology and innovative design make a Holosun 2 MOA Reflex Sight perfect atop a Ruger 10/22 in tactical furniture.
- Advanced LED technology provides up to 50,000 hours of operation on one CR2032 battery
- 2 MOA dot is precise and accurate
- A 65 MOA ring around the dot aids in rapid target acquisition
- Unlimited Eye relief
- Multiple reticle combinations allow a choice of sight pictures
- Unique solar technology extends battery life
- Integrated quick detach mounts for easy removal and remounts
- Overall length – 4.75 inches
- Weight – 8.3 ounces
- Aircraft-grade aluminum construction
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In its brief history in the marketplace, Holosun has built a fearsome reputation. Their aggressive engineering and tight quality control have become well known among shooters. Short of putting an extremely expensive holographic sight on your Ruger 10/22 rifle, the Holosun 2 MOA reflex sight is the next best option.
Fitting Your Scope and Rifle to Your Needs and Expectations
No matter your preference, iron sights, red dots, or traditional scopes, finding the one that meets your requirements and fulfills your expectations is the goal. I hope that this article and the information it contains helps you find that perfect match of rifle and optic for your shooting needs.
If you have questions or want to share your experiences, please use the comments section below. We all benefit from our shared knowledge. Please share yours.
