We should mention that the Ruger 10/22 rifle is one of the best-selling rifles in the USA. It is stereotypically known as the “first 22 for adults”. Before its launch, the bulk of its rim fire rifles is aimed at younger shooters who are just starting to learn the basics.
In all fairness and truth, military trainers were the first to really get hold of the concept of using a 22 rim fire as a training aid. They have grasped the concept of a variety of semi-automatic pistols and single shot or bolt action rifles, which were made for this express purpose.
It can take a while for the semi-automatic rifle manufacturers catch on that adults wanted to take advantage of the relatively low cost of 22 long rifle. However, the biggest hang up to reliability is producing a reliable magazine.
| Ruger 10/22 Magazines | Name | Editor’s Comment | Rating | Get The Deal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Ruger .22LR 10 Round Rotary | Most Recommended Option 1. Optimal durability | 10/10 | SHOP NOW |
 | Ruger BX-1 10 Round Magazine | Premium Option 1. Compact and lightweight | 9.5/10 | SHOP NOW |
 | Ruger 10/22 Magazine 22LR 10rd Polymer | 1. Made from harden polymer 2. Lightweight 3. Flush fitting design | 8.0/10 | Currently unavailable |
 | Ruger BX25 25rd Magazine 22LR | 1. High capacity 2. Sturdy hard molded polymer body 3. Easy to disassemble | 8.0/10 | Currently unavailable |
 | Champion 25rd Magazine with Metal Head and Magazine Loader | 1. Compact to the feel 2. Reduced weight with the polymer body 3. Stainless steel feed lips | 7.5/10 | Currently unavailable |
 | Ruger 10/22 Magazine 22LR 15rd Polymer (Black) | 1. Extremely lightweight | 7.0/10 | Currently unavailable |
| Ruger 22LR 10rd Polymer (Black, 3 Packs) | 1. All-in-one 2. Reduced changing time 3. Can be worn around like holster | 7.0/10 | Currently unavailable |
Why Have More Than 1 10/22 Mag?
This question’s answer is almost as intuitive as it is self-explanatory. If you wish to have more than 1 magazine, there will have multiple benefits. One of the main benefits is obviously more accessories will serve well as back-up.
Safe to say, magazines are often dropped, stomped, and kicked at the range. All those misuse and abuse may cause the magazine to deform or crack. Having a spare magazine can cover your back.
Another benefit is to have separate reliable sets for specific uses. As mentioned before, magazines are prone to being kicked, dropped, and many other malfunctions. Hence, you should not trust them for competitions or home defenses. That means having a separate set of magazines for such purposes will be of great advantage to you.
Last but not least, a really casual reason for having multiple magazines is reloading. You will not want to waste time filling up magazines at the range. Or the fact that you found yourself in a less-than-savory situation like a house break-in.
Having explained that, that means having more than 1 magazine lets you focus more on shooting than spending time reloading your gun.
How To Choose a Ruger 10/22 Magazine: The Criteria
Before you delve into the many choices of magazines, it is for obvious reasons that there are some important traits and factors to look for when choosing the best 10/22 magazine. Rifles may be mostly used for practice, competitions, and home defenses. They are all serious matters.
Hence, it is very important to choose the right magazine for your Ruger 10/22 gun. Below are some basic criteria for you to look into before choosing the best Ruger 10/22 magazine that fits you.
Quality
It is of utmost concern that with almost every product you purchase that the quality is important. However, with magazines it is of no huge difference. As a matter of fact, it’s even more important when it comes with dealing with a magazine’s quality.
Furthermore, a magazine made from a weak material can rupture or crack open your magazine while during a shoot-out. Therefore, you will have to buy a magazine that is made of sturdy and durable material for reliability.
Feed Lips
The magazine’s feed lips are the part which comes in contact with the bolt. It is responsible for the proper collection of a round inside the chamber. It’s preferable to have metal feed lips on a magazine, so it will not deform or break under the influence of time and pressure. Hence, causing malfunctions.
Follower and Spring
Both the follower and the spring are responsible for the proper cycling of rounds in a semi-auto weapon like the Ruger 10/22 rifle. Having a good spring maintains the proper pressure inside the magazine.
Furthermore, having a god follower ensures proper cycling of rounds in any situation. A follower can be made of polymer or metal, and as long as it is high-quality, the material does not really matter.
Capacity
The capacity of a magazine is what defines it. It separates one magazine from the other. The original Ruger 10/22 factory magazine (also known as a rotary magazine) can only hold 5 rounds at any given time.
If you are in the range or in a self-defense situation, having a limited number of rounds can be frustrating. 5-round magazines may have been a charm back in the 19th century. However, they are not very useful today. Therefore, consider having a magazine with ample capacity, respective of your intended use.
The Best Ruger 10/22 Magazines: Reviewed and Discoursed
Now that we have gotten over with the criteria when choosing a magazine, let’s have a look at some of the best Ruger 10/22 magazines.
1. 22LR 10rd Polymer
Ruger 10/22 Magazine 22LR 10rd Polymer is considered one of the best basic 10 round polymer magazine that has ever come from Ruger itself. It is said that the Ruger 10/22 guns originally used these 10 round magazine.
These magazines have been made from hardened polymer in order to reduce the weight of the overall setup – although Ruger originally used to manufacture their magazines from steel.
The magazine features the same “rotary mechanisms” used in the top 10/22 magazines you can find on the market. It sits flush inside the receiver and drops freely. You will not need to have to worry about a malfunction or jamming of your rifle with these magazines – since they have been tested over and over again for decades.
The flush fitting design of those magazines makes your rifle a more compact setup to carry. You will not need to worry about a malfunction or jamming of your rifle with these magazines since they have been tested over and over again for many decades.
Furthermore, it does not interfere with your stance whether if you are shooting prone or from behind a rock. The reel feed lips are very durable and trustworthy too. It’s good for hunting, practice, and competitive shooting.
The 10-round polymer magazine from Ruger 10/22 sits flush inside the rifle, which further improves handling to some extent. This is likely one of the best 10/22 ruger mags is reliable and works really well with your Ruger 10/22 rifle. Safe to say that if this magazine does not work with your Ruger 10/22, then it just means that your rifle has a problem instead.
2. BX25 25rd Magazine 22LR
A lot of gun owners rejoiced with Ruger 10/22 finally coming up with a Ruger 10/22 high cap mag. It has even taken the market by storm. This is not the first time that Ruger 10/22 makes its own magazine, and there is nothing better than a gun maker manufacturing its own magazine.
These magazines from Ruger have an enormous 25 round capacity, which is more than enough to take your rifle into a battle. The mags feature a hard molded polymer body, which is lightweight and sturdy at the same time.
The magazine’s feed lips have been made from stainless steel, which will not twist or crack with time and pressure. When it comes to its internals, the magazine is powered by a high grade tempered steel spring and a polymer-based follower.
This 10/22 high capacity magazine is easy to disassemble and clean too. The curved shape of the magazines offers a sturdy grip and consumes lesser space when stacking 25 rounds at a time. You will probably never get to experience a malfunction with these amazing magazines.
The 25 rounds capacity makes the magazines good for competitions, practice, and even hunting – games that are suitable for a .22 rifle. The magazines have a black finish, so you will find them aesthetically pleasing.
The 25 round detachable magazine is a masterpiece from Ruger. IT is lightweight and increases the capacity of your Ruger 10/22 similar to that of an assault rifle. Not forgetting to mention how it is easily serviceable and economical to use too.
3. Champion 25rd Magazine with Metal Head and Magazine Loader (Combo)
It is said that Champion Range and Target produces a range of great target shooting and safety gear from its headquarters in Oroville, California. A lot of people like plinking with a .22 LR rifle. It is easy to run through a brick or 2 of ammo in an afternoon and this is how many of first learn to shoot when they are younger.
There’s a very good reason why the 10/22 is America’s most popular rim-fire rifle. While plinking with a Ruger 10/22 is utter bliss, reloading fussy .22 LR rounds into high capacity magazines is no one’s favorite past time. Champion magazine loaders work well with any .22 LR magazines quickly. It can easily orient up to 50 rounds with just a few simple shakes.
The loader is also lightweight and compact to the feel, easy to pack around in a range bag and similar. The 25 rounds magazine that comes with it has the 1 key feature you will want from a polymer magazine. That us a metal head to ensure the feed lips do not wear out.
The see through design is not necessarily less robust than steel. However, it tends to bounce back into shape where steel may permanently bed.
The best feature of this loader and magazine combo are the ease of leading. That and the clear polymer for quick indexing of how many rounds you may have left in it.
4. .22LR 10 Round Rotary
It’s a known fact that Ruger is currently America’s most popular firearms manufacturer. Thanks to its affordable products and legendary reliability!
Many of its models are unbeatable classics that almost every average American gun owners have used. The Ruger 10/22 is one such firearm.
As it is the most popular and common gun in USA currently, many people will have first learned how to shoot with a Ruger 10/22 gun. Hence, the options for aftermarket customization, like stocks and sights for your Ruger 10/22 are basically endless. Expect plenty of companies producing components and upgrades.
However, nothing beats the peace of mind and flawless compatibility you get from using Ruger factory original components such as this magazine.
Ruger’s unique rotary .22 LR magazine is one of the innovations that contributed to the Ruger 10/22’s soaring popularity. With their steel feed lips, it is hard to beat the reliability of this magazine.
Although they both fit entirely into the receiver of your rifle, Ruger 10/22 gives you the option of black or clear polymer. The clear option is nice in a sense that it is able to quickly tell you which un-seated magazines are loaded, and which ones needed to be reloaded.
They also come in handy if you like to load a few different magazines with different kinds of ammo. The top features of these magazines are the choice of black or clear polymer construction and the unique and compact rotary design!
5. 22LR 15rd Polymer (Black)
This is a mid cap Ruger 10/22 magazine made for its guns and rifles. It can be seen as a smaller version of their similar models. These magazines are made from a hard molded polymer which imparts plenty of strength while keeping them lightweight. The magazine has a more ergonomic design and the 15 round capacity makes it even better for multiple applications.
The high grade tempered spring steel ensures reliable function in conjunction with a polymer-based follower. The feed lips are made from steel, so that’s definitely a plus-point. The magazine will not crack because of its durable construction.
The magazine is also serviceable, should you need to know. To dis-assemble the magazine, all you have to do is to pull out a couple of screws. The magazine works well with the Ruger 10/22 SR22 and .22 inventory.
Also, the magazine is good for hunting, competitions, and self-defense. The 15 round capacity may be prohibited in some states. Just make sure to check your local laws before buying one!
This 10/22 magazine is more compact and easy to carry and store. The magazine is lightweight and has metal feed lips to prevent any jamming and mal-function.
6. 22LR 10rd Polymer (Black, 3 Packs)
This product is a really smart and intelligent way to outsmart high capacity magazines. The package includes one tri-magazine coupler, three 10 round rotary 10/22 mags, and 1 tri-magazine pouch to hold all of them.
Perhaps the smartest thing about this product is the coupler. It gives you a chance to carry 30 rounds at a finger’s distance. It’s actually a smarter solution than those high capacity banana magazines. You can load up those 3 magazines with 10 rounds each and then mount them on the coupler.
Mounting is as easy as you only need to snap the magazines into the platforms and tighten the screw. The coupler aligns the magazines into a triangular shape. Hence, you can quickly switch between magazines.
This can help prevent you from fumbling and greatly reduced the changing time. If you sue this setup, it also eliminates the reliability issues that can be imminent with a single banana magazine. If one of your magazine jams, you can always change to another one.
The coupler uses the regular Ruger 10/22 10 round factory magazines. Hence, you do not have to get any special ones. Its included tri-magazine pouch holds the coupler with magazines mounted using the indexing slot for proper alignment. Furthermore, it can be worn around your belt like a holster too.
The coupler setup increases your firing capacity straight up to 30 rounds. It will less likely compromise on reliability and feed issues. If one of your magazines malfunctions or dries out, you can always quickly change to another one. The price isn’t as bad as considering the contents you are getting in the package.
Our Verdict
Perhaps we can say that Ruger produces quite a lot of really good magazines for its own guns and rifles. We have thrown in a couple of other brands for suggestions too, as seeing how they works just as great and can giver Ruger a run for their money.
A good magazine can be perfect for almost every single type of shooter and will do its job perfectly. Get one that is at the top of the line and you will not be let down!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some frequently asked questions (FAQ) for gun owners and gun users.
Q: What is a rotary magazine?
The rotary (or also known as spool) magazine consists of a star-shaped sprocket actuated by a torsion spring. The magazine can be fixed or detachable.
Q: Do I need a spare 10/22 mag?
To each of its own, we always like to carry an extra magazine just for our convenience. As much as people might find it too bulky, we find it didn’t affect the mobility nor did it bother us. After all, it boils down to personal preference.
Q: What is the best Ruger 10/22 magazine?
There are plenty of well made Ruger 10/22 magazines, and it is hard to settle for just 1 best magazine. However, we can safely say that Ruger produces some of the best magazines itself. Who else knows its own guns better than the gun manufacturer itself, right?
Q: Is the Ruger 10/22 an assault rifle?
The Ruger 10/22 comes with a pistol grip and a folding stock. This rifle was classified as an assault rifle under the Federal Assault Weapons Ban.
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.