Spectre Ballistics International 10/22 Chassis • Spotter Up

I’ve had a romance with 10/22’s since high school, when I saw the first Ram-Line dress-up kits. My tastes have matured a little since then, as have the options and accessories available. One stock that just recently became available is a chassis-style stock from Canadian accessories manufacturer Spectre Ballistics International. Their Spectre 10/22 chassis is machined from a solid billet of 6061-T6 aluminum with a hard anodized black finish.

To accommodate a variety of OEM and aftermarket receivers, the Spectre 10/22 chassis uses an innovative “receiver stiffing system” that consists of an internally-threaded rear action pin. 2 small screws go through the stock and into this pin, thus anchoring the rear of the receiver. The standard front receiver screw holds the front portion of the receiver in place. This allows the 10/22 barrel to free-float. A word on that: free floating a 10/22 barrel isn’t always beneficial. In fact, the thin aluminum receiver isn’t the strongest mounting point for a heavy free-floated barrel. The new Aluminum and Carbon-fiber sleeved barrels are lighter weight and put less stress on this area, especially in some of the aftermarket receivers with built-in scope mounting rails. I am using an old Olympic Arms stainless-steel receiver that provides a lot stronger support for free-floated heavy barrels.

It accepts standard AR-15 pistol grips (other than beavertail models), and AR-15 stocks. I fitted this one with an Ergo-Grip and adjustable stock from XLR Industries. I like XLR chassis stocks for some of my precision centerfire rifles, and using the Spectre 10/22 chassis, I thought I might make a .22 LR “trainer” in the same configuration.

The fully free-floating forearm features M-lok mounting slots on the bottom and sides.

I did have some difficulty mounting an optic. With standard high rings the scope was still too low and too far back to achieve a good cheek weld and proper eye relief – even with the adjustable stock fully extended and the cheek rest at it’s lowest position. I solved this by using a one-piece offset mount from American Defense Manufacturing. This raised the height-over-bore offset slightly and corrected the eye relief issue by moving the scope forward a few inches. The Vortex Diamondback Tactical 4-16X44 is a very functional optic for Rimfire PRS – which is where this rifle will see most of its use.

Despite it’s rigid and sturdy construction, the Spectre 10/22 chassis is lighter than anticipated at just over 1 pound (minus grip and shoulder stock). It is appropriate for more “tactical” style builds, as well as precision builds like this one. It isn’t an inexpensive option, but quality gear seldom is. Ordering from SBI was a problem-free experience and shipping was fast.

RATING:

Finish: 4.5/5 The machining is fairly clean and the anodizing is good. I would prefer a more matte finish.

Fit: 5/5 It is well designed and there was no issue dropping the receiver right into the stock. The threaded action pin is very tight, but it is supposed to be to hold the rear of the receiver firmly. Use care tapping it in so as not to peen the head over the threaded portion.

Form: 4.5/5 It is an attractive design, but I would like a little longer forearm, but that’s personal preference. Some adaptation is necessary for larger magnified optics.

Function: 5/5 It does exactly what it was designed to do and does it well. The receiver mounts firmly and the barrel free-floats.

Value: 4.5/5 You get what you pay for. The price is reasonable for the product.

I score this product at 94%. There are other 10/22 chassis stocks out there, but this is the closest to a precision rifle chassis, which is what I had in mind for this build. It would also work well if you wanted a more “tactical” design with a telescoping stock and red-dot. The M-lok slots allow for the addition of a variety of accessories including Picatinny rail sections for non-M-Lok accessories. Over the years, there have been a lot of good options for 10/22 stocks. Today, there are plenty of options more durable and more versatile than the Ram-Line stocks I first ogled in the gun rags of the 80’s. The Spectre Ballistics 10/22 chassis is a unique offering that deserves the attention of the discerning 10/22 aficionado.

*The views and opinions expressed on this website are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Spotter Up Magazine, the administrative staff, and/or any/all contributors to this site.

ByMichael Lake

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By Michael Lake

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