Welcome, Squat Squad, to Slav Guns. Do you have the need to go out and show your patriotism by screaming “America”? If so, Ruger made something for you: a limited edition collector’s series Ruger “Vote 2020” street sign. And oh yeah, apparently it also comes with a gun.
That gun is the Ruger 10/22 Collector’s Series #4 (model 31154) in .22 LR, Ruger’s tribute to Americans’ right to vote. I filmed this one back in the summer of 2020, when millions of Americans were joining the ranks of gun owners over lockdowns, riots and government overreach, and 9mm handguns, modern sporting rifles and even pistol-caliber carbines were hard to come by. If you already own one 10/22, or five, or ten, this one is still different. Let’s look at the features, the extras, and yes, I did shoot it.
Firearm was provided by Ruger for testing & evaluation. Ruger did not see this video prior to publication.
TL;DR
- The gun: polymer-stock Ruger 10/22 with an 18.5″ cold hammer-forged barrel on the standard 10/22 receiver.
- The upgrades people actually ask for: 1/2×28 threaded barrel, Picatinny rail on the receiver, and upgraded peep sights with a protected front post and longer sight radius.
- The collector stuff: American flag painted on the stock, a Collector’s Series inscribed bolt, a Ruger “Vote 2020” street sign, a campaign button, a decal, and a $25 ShopRuger gift certificate.
- Price: MSRP $369 when I filmed it, street price below that. Roughly $50 more than a regular 10/22, and even less once you use the gift certificate.
- Who it’s for: collectors and anyone who wants a conversation piece. If you want maximum accuracy, look elsewhere.
A short history of the Ruger Collector’s Series
This is the fourth installment in Ruger’s collector series of firearms:
- #1 (2014): celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Ruger 10/22.
- #2 (2015): “A Father’s Advice,” with an upgraded stock and a print of the book.
- #3 (2018): after a three-year break, dedicated to man’s best friend. That’s the first one that caught my eye, before I started the channel. By the time I wanted to buy one, they were all gone.
- #4 (2020): this one, celebrating the right to vote.
The timing on #4 was pretty opportune. It landed right when the firearms community was welcoming at least two or three million new gun owners to the club.
Features: the 10/22 with the upgrades already done
At the core, this is a polymer-stock Ruger 10/22 with an 18.5-inch cold hammer-forged barrel and the tried-and-true 10/22 receiver. For this model, Ruger rolled in a bunch of the most commonly asked-for improvements:
- Threaded barrel, 1/2×28. Install the muzzle device of your choice. A muzzle brake, or, to be more patriotic, a suppressor.
- Picatinny rail on the receiver. It’s optics-ready without buying and installing a separate rail.
- Upgraded peep sights front and back. They also increase the sight radius, which helps with accuracy.
- Protected front sight post. Helps keep it from getting damaged if you smack the muzzle around.
Collector-only touches
- The American flag painted on the polymer stock. The most obvious one. Ruger has done a few of these on the PC Carbine, and I’m glad they did it here. The gun is unapologetically American.
- Collector’s Series inscribed bolt.
Beyond the gun
As Ruger has done in the past, there’s stuff in the box besides the rifle: the Ruger “Vote 2020” street sign (it will certainly belong in any gun room), a Vote 2020 campaign button, and a decal. As a special thanks, Ruger also included a $25 gift certificate for extra magazines, parts and accessories on ShopRuger.com.
Shooting impressions
Even though I believe most of these guns will end up as collectibles, I loaded up some mags and put rounds downrange. I was ringing a plate at 45 yards.
- It’s a 10/22. Stupid fun. The mags go way too quick. I probably should get some of the bigger mags.
- Trigger is okay. It’s not the BX-25, but it’s not bad at all. If you want better, you can drop in a BX trigger.
- Suppressor makes it more America. It was hot, I got tired of wearing hearing protection, and look, the blue matches the blue.
High velocity vs. standard velocity with a can
Suppressed, I started with Blazer bulk-box ammo, then switched to CCI Standard Velocity. You can tell just how much quieter it is. It was significantly quieter with the standard velocity stuff. There’s about a 100 feet per second difference between the two, but on a suppressed 10/22 that’s the difference between fun and a joy to shoot. If you want a deeper dive on a suppressed rimfire setup, check out my Ruger 22 Charger suppressed plinker review.
Can you squat it?
Yes, you can.
Bottom line: shoot it or shelf it?
What most people don’t know about me is that beyond collecting firearms, I’m also into fine writing instruments, mainly nice fountain pens. Unlike many people in that hobby, I actually use and write with all my pens, much like I shoot all of my firearms. With this Collector’s Series 10/22, I’m really at a crossroads.
On one hand, it’s a very reasonably priced 10/22 that includes the most sought-after upgrades: threaded barrel, Picatinny rail and upgraded peep sights. All of that for about $50 more than a regular 10/22, and even less when you factor in the included $25 ShopRuger gift certificate.
On the other hand, just look at it. It’s a beautiful gun and a true piece of Americana firearms collecting, and being a 2020 edition, it will surely have lots of history around it. The center of it all is the flag-painted stock. Prior collector’s series guns were more of a unique combination of parts, with zero questions about whether you should shoot them. This is one firearm I would not dare drop on the ground.
The other point: if you’re looking for maximum accuracy, this is not the model for you. For a really nice shooter, I’d get something with a free-floated target barrel, either a more basic model with an upgraded stock, or start with the Target or Custom Shop competition models. Buying this one and then modifying it just seems both disrespectful and a waste, at least to me. If you’re going the build route, here’s my Azimuth, FAB and BX trigger 10/22 build and the Ruger Custom Shop 10/22 with the carbon fiber barrel.
Do I regret taking it out of the box and shooting it? No. And I understand anyone who buys this as a shooter. But going forward, I see it more as a conversation starter than a regular part of my range trip menu. Maybe we shoot it every Fourth of July. Or maybe I just need to get one more that stays in the box for years to come. Yeah, that sounds like a good idea.
Keep in mind this was filmed in 2020. It’s a limited edition, so check what’s still out there before you go shopping. And a reminder: if you enjoy shooting and want to secure your right to keep and bear arms, you’ve got to go vote.
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Keep on squatting.
Would you shoot the flag-stock Collector’s Series #4, or keep it in the box? Let me know in the comments.
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