Its your gun and we really don't care what you do with it. Common sense seems to indicate the first things you try are ones that don't involve modifying the gun. You've been told to change ammo, and I agree with that. You can find 22 caliber in bullet weights from 36 to 60 grains. That's a pretty good weight range. And then with the common 36 and 40 grain bullets, you can drive them from just under the speed of sound to the hyper velocity rounds.
22 caliber guns are kind of unique. Some seem to do better with one brand, weight, or velocity and others don't do well with it at all. Identical guns other than serial number.
Before I'd spend $100 on "repairs" that may not be necessary, I'd go to the nearest well stocked gun shop (good luck with that) and buy a variety of different ammo. Make sure you get different velocities.
Then just go to the range, taking along a supply of targets and a pen. Record where each seems to want to group.
It would shock me if you didn't see 4" differences in elevation between them. You'll also see differences in how they group. Most of us try to include Federal 550s just because they're cheap, fairly dependable, and not too dirty. The 60 grain Aquila rounds are the oddballs, buy its nice to own a box just to test with. The hypers, like Stingers and what not won't shoot accurately for me, but they're out of the barrel so fast they normally are much lower than the standard rounds. A lot of folks like the CCI offerings. Test them, maybe they'll work well for you.
Changing the gun is the last thing you do, not the first.
o @ 25 & @ 50 center with lr.
