When it comes to upgrading the barrel band for the Ruger 10/22 rifle, it is probably the most controversial and debated part. To some gun owners and gun users, they said that the band is needed. Some others said that it is purely for cosmetic purposes.
We will learn about the truth regarding the barrel bands of a Ruger 10/22. We will also find out about the best Ruger 10/22 rifle barrel band upgrades available on the market today.
| Barrel Bands | Name | Editor’s Comment | Rating | Get The Best Deal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Samson B-TM Barrel Band | Most Recommended Alternative 1. Great replacement for the factory barrel band | 10/10 | SHOP NOW |
 | Ruger 10/22 Barrel Band Polymer Synthetic | 1. Provides exceptional value 2. Factory barrel bands are very inexpensive 3. Many users like the appearance of a barrel band | 9.0/10 | SHOP NOW |
 | Tactical Innovations Barrel Band | 1. Makes a great factory replacement 2. Looks aesthetically sharp 3. Keeps the barrel solidly in place | 8.5/10 | SHOP NOW |
 | Picatinny Barrel Band | 1. Can hold a good number of 10/22 accessories 2. Super durable 3. Makes for a great replacement for stock default bands | 7.5/10 | Currently unavailable |
What Makes a Great Barrel Band?
While you may understand the importance of a good barrel, getting to know the characteristics and features of a great barrel band will help you in making the distinction between one that is the best compared to those that are considered unreliable and less than satisfactory in quality.
We are very sure that the last thing you want is to get yourself one that ends up being a huge disappointment in all possible aspects. Here are some things you will need to know about what makes a great barrel stand out, and what doesn’t.
Strength in Durability
The best high-quality materials should be used – usually material such as steel and aluminum are the 2 best kinds you can find. The reason behind is that they are proven to be durable and can take on all kinds of impact and abuse.
Furthermore, you will want something that is tough enough to hold the barrel perfectly together. If you wish for your band to last a very long time and be strong enough to hold the barrel in place, then find yourself one made of tough materials.
Quality Over Price
Money may be an issue for some of you who are currently reading this piece. But regardless of whether if you are on a tight budget or have plenty of money to spend, you will still need to opt for quality in a high regard over lower standard.
At the same time, you should not compromise budget for performance either. Do not, under any circumstances, sacrifice quality for the sake of saving that few extra dollars.
Ease of Installation
Installation can either be as easy as a piece of cake, or it can be a pain in your neck. You may want to go with something that will take you no more than a few minutes to install with the right kind of tools.
You should choose barrel bands that you know can fit this criterion since a lot of Ruger 10/22 rifle users possess some levels of gun-smithing skills. However, a great barrel band is something that can take very little of your time to install.
What Purpose Does the Barrel Band Serve?
Basically, the barrel band binds the action of the rifle to the stock. It’s there to strengthen the rifle assembly so that the barrel does not detrimentally fly off the stock. Apart from the barrel band, there is only 1 screw that holds the stock to the action of the Ruger 10/22 rifle.
Undoubtedly the barrel band provides added strength to this connection.
The stock with the barrel band will also add to the looks of the Ruger 10/22, which may make it look more like pre-WW2 era guns. In some cases, they have also been reported to affect the accuracy of the rifle. But individual discretion matters in this case.
For other rifles, especially the ones designed for military combat use, are used to keep the action in place while soldiers use bayonets.
That is definitely another purpose of the barrel band. It grips the action tightly. When a soldier performs slashing and cutting maneuvers, the assembly will stay firm.
Hopefully you will not have much use for a bayonet on your Ruger 10/22. In some cases the barrel band may also serve as a front sling shackle too.
Upgrading Barrel Bands
Upgrading with aftermarket products can help you improve the usability of your RImfire. Modern=day barrel bands allow you to use them as a sling shackle or to mount add-ons like optics, lasers, and lights without interfering with the front sight.
Similar to other upgrades, your rifle needs testing for barrel bands too. Different weather and environmental conditions can make a differences, and so can your tastes too. It isn’t a case where one is a clearly superior product or not.
Is a Barrel Band Worth It?
Some people may ask if the barrel band is really needed. Maybe you need it, maybe you don’t. It’s not entirely needed for sure. However, this is a case where you cannot determine the worth of an object until you see if it meets your tastes. That is definitely true with barrel bands for you Ruger 10/22.
It may seem like a worthless decorative piece of metal to someone. Some people claimed it is simply metal or plastic eye candies that is reminiscent of the 2nd World War period rifles.
However, some people believed that Ruger may have produced the band for a reason. After all, why would the company waste money on a non-essential part that can eat into their profits?
We should say that the amazing quality of rifles is that every piece is different. You have to test and check the workings of your own rifle and your references. Just so you can get it into its perfect working state.
Plenty of people believe that barrel bands affect the accuracy of a Ruger 10/22 rifle. The band clams the barrel with a stock. Once a round has been fired, recoil and harmonic vibrations are generated inside the barrel.
The particular barrel of your gun may also affect your choice. If you have lighter barrels, it may affect group sizes. Heavier barrels like the 20” bull barrel do not need clamping because of their heavy weight and improved capability to handle harmonic vibrations. Not using a barrel band is called a free floating barrel.
The particular barrel of your gun may also affect your choice. Lighter barrels are said to affect group sizes. Heavier barrels like the 20” bull barrel do not need clamping because of its heavy weight and improved capability to handle harmonic vibrations. Not using a barrel band is called a free-floating barrel.
If you wish to check whether your gun needs a barrel band or not, you will have to test it accordingly. Fire some shots with the band on your Ruger 10/22 and some shots after removing it. Check the overall group sizes of those 2 phases. Those should help you decide.
In many cases the barrel band is a matter of choice, and not a necessity. It takes many experiments to see how your gun works and what you like before you make a choice.
The Best Barrel Bands for Your Ruger 10/22
Now that we have gotten over with the basics of barrel brands, let’s have a look at some of the best barrel bands for your Ruger 10/22 rifles. As you go through each barrel bands, take note of the characteristics and features that you like. That way you will have a good idea of which ones stand out as the ideal barrel band for you.
If you find one that fits your ideal description, then we guess it’s meant for you. Here are some of the best Ruger 10/22 barrel bands available on the market currently. These bands can be used to spruce up the functionality and usability of your Ruger 10/22 rifle.
1. Picatinny Barrel Band
Recently a lot of buyers are quite satisfies with this barrel band. The gun owners and gun users said that it made customizing their rifles a lot easier than before. They also have no complaints about the barrel band and said it can handle almost any Ruger 10/22 accessory they have equipped.
This barrel band is built strong and made to last (excuse any factory errors). It won’t just hold your barrel in place, but it will also work along with your favorite Picatinny rail. The Picatinny rails are most likely the best when it comes to customizing your rifle into something that can stand out.
Some of the most popular accessories for this rail are your scopes and optics. At times, flashlights are a necessary accessory for night time use. To simply say, this barrel band is like a multi-purpose tool for your rifle that you never knew existed until now.
As the name suggests, the Picatinny Barrel Band has Picatinny rails on 3 sides. It is made from high grade plastic and this barrel band can be used to add up to 3 accessories to your Ruger 10/22 at once.
At the same time, the band features 2 screws at the bottom, which can be tightened to fit perfectly on the stock. You can attach a bipod to the base rail, a laser to the left rail, and a torch to the right rail at the same time.
However, there were reports from gun users and gun owners that the band flexes a bit upon firing. Hence, it isn’t really meant for extremely rough uses. But if you wish to use several or multiple accessories at the same time with your Ruger 10/22 rifle, then this band will suit you the best.
We can expect Ruger 10/22 rifle users to use this the most, considering how the users may consider the idea of customizing their rifles into something that will be the talk and envy of the range.
Most importantly, they are probably customizing it so it can be more accurate and precise in shooting at small game targets. Either way, this barrel band can handle your favorite accessories if you choose to customize your rifle.
The Picatinny Barrel Band is perhaps one of the better barrel bands you can find on the market if you are looking for a factory replacement. If you wish to have something tough, a barrel band that allows for easy customization, and will make your rifle stand out more. Then you will be hard pressed to find anything else like this one.
2. Tactical Innovations
Perhaps what most gun buyers find interesting about this barrel band is that it has many color choices to choose from. However, regardless of how many color choices it offers, they are happy with their ability to install this easily on their Ruger 10/22 rifles.
At the same time, they also found that the barrel band stood out nicely on their rifles even without any additional accessories included. Another user mentioned how it attaches quite nicely on his shooting bipod!
This barrel band has a different kind of finish available at your disposal. Some gun owners say that a barrel band is not needed because it only exists for its “striking looks”.
But Pike Arms took that general skepticism and leveraged it. As a result, this barrel band does not just look good on your Ruger 10/22 rifles, but it also makes for a good accessory you can use to stabilize the barrel and use it for customization purposes.
This barrel band is from Tactical Innovations and is a replacement for the standard factory barrel band. Just in case you break your barrel bands, lose it, or merely just want to change its colors, then this is one of the best choices you can opt for.
At the same time, this barrel is made from billet aluminum. It is available in 8 different colors, ranging from satin blue to fire red. Also, it features a simple hex screw at the bottom which can be tightened using an Allen key.
Some gun owners and gun users mentioned that the price of this barrel band is moderately low. Hence, you can consider buying several colors for you to play around with or to keep. You can even buy different colors to give it away to your friends too, who knows!
If you are someone who cares about aesthetics, we will not judge you. This is the barrel band for you if you wish for your Ruger 10/22 rifle to look good. However, remember that it also has other purposes besides making it stick out aesthetically. If you want to customize your rifle and have limited options, a great barrel band will be your kind of accessory.
To say the least, the Tactical Innovations Barrel Band will probably be your best option if you want a good-looking band to hold it together. We mean that your accessories or even the rifle barrel itself.
Just keep in mind that a barrel band is not just for show. It has its practical uses besides aesthetics only.
3. Ruger 10/22 Barrel Band Polymer Synthetic
Most recent gun buyers and gun users say they are quite happy with the barrel band. The majority of them are able to install this in a matter of a short time. Also, they are able to add on some accessories like optics for the purpose of better accuracy.
Another user mentioned that he uses his Ruger 10/22 for varmint hunting and managed to land his kill shots consistently from about 150 yards away.
This barrel band is made from high-quality polymer – like a lot of other better grade gun accessories are made of. That means it can handle a good deal of impact and can stay secure through so many rounds.
If you want a nice accessory that can just not be for show, then this may be what you will need for some minor customization.
One of the hotly debated parts of the Ruger 10/22 rifle is probably the barrel bands. There are so many views regarding whether the band is necessary or whether if it is just an aesthetic choice.
If you have ever removed the band because you think it is strictly cosmetic, you will know that it does serve a purpose in fact. You can either choose a factory band such as this one, or buy a 3rd party band.
The Ruger 10/22 Barrel Band binds the stock and rifle action together. Aside from the band, there is a single screw holding the stock to the Ruger 10/22 rifle‘s action. Having this band improves the connection’s strength.
As you may have expected, the band clamping the barrel and stock means that when a round is fired, the recoil is confined to the barrel. Hence, it helps in improving the rifle’s accuracy.
However, some gun owners and gun users debated that it generates more recoil. Users should see for themselves as everyone may have a different opinion on this matter. Nonetheless, the effect should be quite minimal in either direction.
For obvious reasons, it is also aesthetic and makes the rifle look like a pre-World War 2 period rifle. The reason why those bands existed is that the bands were used to hold bayonets.
As many users have either removed the band at some point or buy a Ruger 10/22 rifle without the band, buying this band is a great idea. It is super expensive so to speak. At the same time, the default band adds almost 0 weight to your guns.
This will most likely be used for the purpose of customization. If you have some sights that you want to add on for the sake of a small accuracy boost, then this little unit will get the job done. It does not matter what application you use it for, it will still come in handy in more ways than one.
If you want a barrel band that you can use for anything other than for looks, then this barrel band in particular is exactly what you will need. This accessory is not one of those kind of accessories where you get for no reasons at all.
Not forgetting to mention, this barrel band is inexpensive so to speak. At the same time, this barrel band improves the connection between a stock and the rifle’s actions while giving a bit of classic flair.
Some people may argue that having a barrel band is unnecessary. However, with its market prices so low, why go without it?
Our Verdict
A barrel band can undoubtedly be an important accessory for the Ruger 10/22 rifle, regardless of what people has to say. If you are unsure of using one, test your rifle with and without a barrel band. You will find out for yourself what works best for you and your gun.
Aftermarket upgrades of barrel bands are quite effective so to speak. They can provide increased stability and can also give you the liberty to use shooting equipment like lasers and lights on the rails.
Buying a new one will certainly not burn a huge hole in your bank account. Not that barrel bands cost a lot anyway. They are generally inexpensive and you can consider getting an upgrade without having to think twice!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Here are some frequently asked questions (FAQ) if any new gun owners and gun users may need to refer to.
Q: Which Barrel Band Is The Best One For Me?
This is quite a difficult question to answer as different barrel bands are catered for different kinds of shooters.
When looking for the ideal barrel band, you need to pay attention to the features as it will set the direction on which suits you better. Quality is pretty consistent, although fit and finish can differ between different brands. Choose what best suits your intended use and you are guaranteed to be happy with the results.
If you want a sling and nothing more for a field or hunting rifle, any of the previously listed offerings will suit your needs. Consider a secondary option of whether you would like a rail attachment or need a rear sling post and you simply cannot go wrong with it.
The material may be one of your considerations too, depending on how hard you are on your rifle. Although nylons can be very strong material in itself, it may not stand against what steel or aluminum can take. Consider a nylon-made barrel band if you use anything that will endure stress like a bipod or hand grip.
Q: Is threaded barrel available for Ruger 10/22?
Yes,it does. You may find great convenience in the factory ½-28 thread barrel. Besides, it is considered pretty cost effective as a threaded barrel, which is necessary for some of the customization.
Hello there, it’s Michael here. A gun lover since young, served the country for the last 20 years. I started the blog to share my experience and gun-related knowledge accumulated throughout the years. Hopefully, you will find something useful over here or just have fun! You can learn more about me here.