BACKPACK-SIZED GAME GETTER

The New SB Tactical SB22 Chassis Kit as a Survival Gun

- Alexander Crown

EDITOR’S NOTE:

We know that the legal status of pistol braces and related systems is under some nonsensical scrutiny by the ATF right now. But, at time of publishing, no policy letters have been published or legislation passed altering the classification of braced firearms. Until that happens, they are legal, and we will continue to cover them as such.

The Ruger 10/22 is a decades-old, highly proven design that belongs in the safe of every red-blooded American. The 22LR cartridge has been used to take a wide variety of games and provides a reliable, lightweight, sometimes inexpensive plinking round that can be carried by the hundreds. The 10/22 is supported by an immense amount of aftermarket part manufacturers, and we were lucky enough to get our hands on SB Tactical’s new SB22 fixed kit for review.

Why Rimfire?

First, let’s beat the dead horse of how great the 22LR is as a survivalist cartridge. Carrying a brick of 22LR takes up little space and provides the shooter with several hundred rounds of ammunition for squirrels and such. We can all agree, however, that 22LR wouldn’t be our first, or even fifth, the choice for a defensive cartridge. But for small and possibly even medium games, it’s a decent choice. In the not-so-distant past, when ammo flowed freely, the venerable rimfire cartridge was plentiful and the shooter had plenty of options to tailor the equipment to the mission. The shooter could carry a mixed bag of hollow points, heavy subsonic, shotshells, and even match ammo that’d give them different capabilities when it came to hunting and, in a pinch, defense. The 10/22 design is generally very reliable in feeding and functioning with these different loads, so in the lucky instance you come across a less-common load, you can feel confident it’ll run in your gun.