Product Spotlight: Fletcher Rifle Works 11/22 Receiver

This one's for the folks who like to build custom rimfire rifles. Brownells Gun Tech™ Caleb shows us around the 11/22 OpenTop Receiver from Fletcher Rifle Works. But first, forget everything you know about 10/22® receivers. The 11/22 differs from a standard 10/22® receiver in that you do not have to disassemble the action to remove the bolt. On a 10/22®, you have to remove the action from the stock, then remove the trigger group from the action, and finally drop the bolt out the bottom of the receiver. Quite a faff (a lot of work) to clean a gunked-up bolt.

With the 11/22, you lift the bolt out the top of the receiver. Just pull out the very AR-15 like takedown pin, and slide the top panel of the receiver off to the rear to expose the bolt. Easy-peasy, yes? That top panel is keyed to ride in a neatly dovetailed set of rails in the receiver walls. Not convinced? Caleb shows us how easy it is to install the bolt through the "OpenTop" receiver. There is a bit of a trick to installing the charging handle / recoil spring assembly, which he demonstrates. Slide the receiver top panel back on, press in the takedown pin, and you're good to go!

The 11/22 receiver accepts trigger modules that fit the factory 10/22® receiver cutout, so you have PLENTY of trigger options to choose from. It uses the standard 10/22® V-block barrel mounting system. There's an M1913 Picatinny optic mounting rail on top, ahead of the sliding panel. You can get your 11/22 OpenTop receiver with a matte black OR clear anodized finish, the latter for you folks who want a silver receiver to match your natural-finish stainless steel barrel.

Since convenience is the order of the day, Fletcher Rifle Works thoughtfully includes in the back of their receiver the cleaning rod hole that is common to many aftermarket 10/22®-type receivers.