Recommend a .22 rifle

Any suggestions on a good but relatively low cost (under $175) .22 rifle? It can be new or used; bolt, lever or semi-auto; box or tubular mag. Easy mounting of a scope is a small plus. I just want something decent for squirrel-popping and rabbit-banging.

-Blast

Run the budget up a touch, and go for the Ruger 10/22. Ruger also makes a bolt action rifle that uses the same magazine. 10/22 probably $220 or so. No questions asked the best for twice the price.

I would suggest you strongly consider something with a tubular magazine. You can't lose it, and it's very unlikely to fail. It also usually carries a lot of rounds, and you can mix all kinds of 22 ammo--long rifle, CB longs (very quiet lower-powered "stealth" rounds), shorts, whatever you can scrounge. I have a Marlin bolt action with a tubular magazine and a Weaver 3-6X or so variable scope that is a tack driver and tough. It came with a real black walnut stock.

The first thing that would come to mind is the little Chipmunk .22's; right around $170 new, but i've seen them as low as $100. They're accurate, simple, safe, compact, and light weight. The nice thing about them too, is since they are youth sized, you can use it to teach the little ones to shoot. Here is a review on them:

http://www.gunblast.com/Chipmunk.htm

Now, if you're looking for an adult size .22 then you might have to bump up your price range a bit if looking to buy new.

For an inexpensive bolt action .22 I like the Marlin 981T. It's a tube fed bolt action rifle with a 22" inch barrel and synthetic stock. The nice thing about being tube fed is it can use .22 shorts, .22 long, or .22lr ammunition; and because it's bolt action it's very reliable and it can be rendered very safe (take the bolt out and lock it up separate). It also has iron sights, as well as being drilled and tapped to be able to easily accept a scope. Price is right around $200 msrp.

Finally, the old standby, the Ruger 10/22. It's a bit more expensive than the other two options, but it's semi automatic with a removable magazine. This is probably the most common .22 people buy and it has a huge aftermarket. It can only shoot .22lr though, and it prefers higher velocity ammunition to properly cycle. Basic model is around $250 msrp, but you can find typically find them for less.

All are fine choices depending on what you're looking for.

if you can find one (they have been out of production for years) get a winchester model 77. it came in both clip and tubular mag, i loved it more than the ruger 10-22 i have now. sorr 'bout the lack of caps, typing one handed for a while...

Yup, 10/22. Just a little higher than your budget, but...
Lots of accessories if you want to pimp it out a little bit later.

+3 for the 10/22, you can't go wrong, reliable, well made, extended mag releases and bolt buffer are two upgrades worth the small investment.

One reason I don't like tubular magazines is that, in Nebraska anyway, you can't transport a loaded rifle in a vehicle. So unless you are shooting in your back yard (which I can't inside city limits) you have to unload to get to where you are going and unload again to get home. Or if you drive over to the next field, etc. Lots easier to just pop the mag out than to empty the tube and then refill it again, one at a time. Maybe I'm just lazy? All I know is that my buddy slows me down :p

I choose the Savage Arms 64FVXP over the Ruger 10/22 as much for asthetics as anything. Both rifles are well made and cost about the same (~$200.00 new) although the styling of the Ruger has never really appealed to me -- kind of an AK versus AR thing I guess. With the black synthetic stock and absence of barrel-mounted iron sights, the Savage has always reminded me of a mini Winchester 700.

The 64FVXP comes with a reasonable scope (Simmons 4 x 32) although unlike the photo shown on Savage's website, I had to purchase and add the sling attachments to mine separately.

If you plan to evently trick the rifle out with a bunch of aftermarket accessories, the Ruger would be a better choice.

Jim

I like the Marlin Papoose. Not cheap though. Barrel is removable for small storage/transport. Stainless steel.

nomad

My Ruger 10/22 has been going strong for 15+ years.

You can use CB-22 longs in a 10/22 if you want a subsonic short-range "pellet gun." It turns it into a single-shot, sort of, because you have to cycle the action manually. For some kinds of shooting (control of "flying rats" in my case) that's not all bad.

Frankly, if I were to buy again, I would go back to a bolt action. A semi-auto just isn't as practical as I thought it would be; I find myself unloading it a lot, since I don't trust a trigger lock safety. I would even consider a good single shot with a better scope. Simple and accurate.

My 2-cents.

Good luck my friend. I know the pain. Take care of yourself.

A tubular mag is always a good choice also. I learned on nothing but tubular mag's. Having said that I have also poured the little suckers out on the ground more than once by accident while loading. If you go that route, be careful. I have recently noticed Remington has a new (at least to me) .22 Semi-Auto and have heard good things on it.

Whinchester made a .22 semi-auto in the distant past that the tube mag went thru the stock. That would reduce the chances of a ding causing a problem. Long out of production though. It was old when I was born 37 years ago.

Still and all, my money buys some version of 10/22. It is the M14 of .22 rifles.

I love my Marlin model 25M, its 22 mag, not .22 though. Its called the 925M now

I am a big, biased fan of Marlin .22 rifles. 10/22s work fine, but they really are the McDonalds of plinkers. Now, I'll eat at McD's when I'm hungry and broke, but I prefer not to. Why, exactly, would I need a thirty-round banana clip and a folding tactical stock on a .22? Are we being invaded by an army of terrorist woodchucks? :-]

I've never shot a 981T, but it looks like a decent bang-around critter gitter in your price range. And it's a Marlin with a tube magazine.

On my list of "things to buy when money is no object" is a Marlin Golden 39A lever-action .22. I used one of those every summer while growing up, while doing my "chore" (heeheehee) of keeping the garden clear of the aforementioned woodchuck, rabbit and ground squirrel invaders. They're closer to $500, but it's something to hand down for generations.

You can put a 10/22 with a folded stock into a backpack, just one reason why it's a nice alternative.

As for the banana clips, gotta agree with you there.

John E

Does anyone know if the Enfield No8 .22LR is still available. I remember using these a long time ago and they were durable accurate rifles.

http://www.rifleman.org.uk/Enfield_Rifle_No.8.html

CZ bolt action, clip fed.

http://www.gunblast.com/Paco_CZ452.htm

More money but you can have a 100 yard sub moa rifle out of the box
that feels like a quick handling centerfire and is more accurate than most stock rifles of any caliber. Some are putting a 32 power
scope on them and seeing how many bullets they can get through the
same hole at 50 yards.

"...I know the pain..."

got a pain pump this time, that combined with darvocet is a huge improvement!!!

Makes you wonder exactly how the professional athletes can return to the field or rink 7-12 days after surgery huh? It was about 10 days before I could have a deep thought without it causing pain.


I think that Model 77 was the winchester I was thinking of. My grandmother's rifle. She could hit a yellow 20 Ga empty hull sitting at 25 yards into her 60's. Wish I knew which of my sorry cousins got it.

Hard to beat a 10/22 for all around use and use as a survival gun. I've a stainless 10/22 with a folding butler creek stock ans a 3-9 variable power scope. It is a tack driver. Easy to maintain, with tons of aftermarket parts. Never had a failure to fire with it.

I own a number of .22's including a Remington Tube fed and a winchester lever tube fed, The 10/22 is the firearm I grab 95% of the time for plinking and hunting.

When I make custom Survival kits, the 10/22 is the recommended .22 rifle followed by the Marlin Papoose.

i suspect that being in real good physical condition has something to do with that.

if you find out where that mod 77 is, try to talk him/her out of it, you won't be sorry...

Hey, you've got options with a sweet lever-gun. You can put a sling on it . . . or not put a sling on it. Whatever. They also come with a short, heavy stick for beating back the crowds of shiksas. True story. Hard to go about your day surrounded by adoring women.

I did mention that I was biased, right? :-]

Having owned .22's from Marlin, Ruger, Remington, Winchester and Springfield Armory of different ages of manufacture I am speaking from a position of experience not preference. If we are getting into preference, ignoring the OP, Anshutz or Springfield Armory target bolt actions. Since we then leave the $175 region and enter the $2000 region I do not think it practical to go there.
BTW, I have a Marlin .22, it is what I refer to as a JAMAMATIC. Couldn't give me one. Have been working with the thing for 20 years and several gunsmiths. 1 round in three "stovepipes" sideways. Marlin has basically told me tough stuff, deal with it. When my Ruger 10/22 goes bang and there is another round in the mag it reloads itself reliably.

Or just call his/her parole officer. On that side of the family I am the good one. Everyone else has a P.O. that calls me looking for them. I am betting the 77 is long gone. Would be a parole violation for them to have them anyway. You know, felons with firearms and all that.

Somewhere there are two remington model 11 's and an old S&W .357 Mag that was built on the N frame (.44 mag and 45 LC) If I find one of them has them, I am going to drop dime and collect the guns.

Ironically, two have the same P.O. and he and I were in the army together. Small world.

"... Small world..."

indeed it is...

I was thinking xylocane (sp?) injections in the locker room.

Consider going up a little on power by getting a Marlin bolt action in .22WMR. They are nice rifles with a reputation for accuracy and reliability and they are available for around $180.

WMR isn't quite as cheap as .22LR but it isn't as expensive as .223. It also gives you just enough extra power to make a real difference. Given the same throw weight a WMR will usually have slightly more velocity at 100 meters than the LR has at the muzzle. It also shoots noticeably flatter which can make for fun shooting.

WMR is favored by many hunters shooting coyotes and other moderately sized nuisance animals because the extra power gives reliable results at 100 meter ranges even without perfect shot placement. It is powerful enough to be marginal but acceptable for personal defense. In comparison a .22LR is not considered as even a marginally practical round for personal defense. You would use it that way unless it is all you have. The .22WMR gives you a lot more to work with for just few cents more a round.

The Marlin in .22WMR with a low magnification scope is a handy weapon that will fill the bill for more rolls than a .22LR. The round is not quite cheap enough to go mad with like you can with .22LR but your not going to go broke feeding your iron for casual and occasional use.

I have a bolt action .22 that with an appropriate .22 scope. It uses 10 round metal clips. Wish I could remember the maker. I think it is a Winchester but honestly can't recall. Loved shooting it though. True tack driver.

My long term trusty .22 is a Ruger on a Butler Creek folding stock. Next year I am upgrading to a Tapco AR15 with 6 position stock and 4 sided rail system up front. That or maybe a Bullpup stock. I have always loved those. In any regard, Ruger has a great rep.

As far as higher priced .22's go, I can vouch for both of these. Both are awesome pieces. The Marlin lever gun is a classic, the CZ's are built like much more expensive guns. I've found both to be extremely accurate as well. The Marlin is also pretty neat as it can shoot shorts/longs/LR and it can be broken down into two pieces for storage/trasport.

Another neat .22 that breaks down into two parts is the Rossi/Taurus .22 pump carbines and rifles. This is basically a copy of the old winchester shooting gallery guns. The carbine models are a real nice size, light weight, easy to carry, and quick to point. They also have a neat feature of being able to slam-fire, meaning you can hold down the trigger and it will fire after every time you work the slide. This makes for a very quick, though inaccurate, shooter. If you ever wind up having to use it as a defensive gun though (not that a .22lr would be my first choice, but anything is possible), it's a nice feature to have.

Here's a review and pic:
http://www.theothersideofkim.com/index.php/ggps/7686/

IIRC some but not all .22 WMR will also shoot .22 LR??? I know my Ruger single six had two cylinders (.22 LR / .22 WMR). Will any repeating rifle fire both? I have never had a .22 WMR rifle to base any experience on. No, I don't work for Ruger, they just figured out how to do the .22 right.

Since the cases are different, I never seen one. Not saying there aren't any, just I've never heard of one. Some of the single barrel rifles may have different barrels for each, but not both in the same barrel.

I'm partial to the lever actions for .22's. But they would be above your desired budget ($250 for the basic Henry levergun, new).

Have you considered an air rifle? You can get a very nice one in your price range. You can take squirrels and rabbits with these easily. Ammo is dirt cheap, the most commonly found being .22 and .177 caliber. They can be dead-on accurate if you buy a reasonable one.

Yea, .22WMR and .22LR aren't interchangeable like .44mag/.44spl, .357mag/44spl, .45lc/.454casull, ect. This is because .22wmr isn't simply a lengthened .22lr case. Loading a .22lr in a rifle chambered for .22WMR could result in the case rupturing.

Therefore, you either have to buy a gun with two barrels/chambers or, in the case of a revolver, two cylinders.

I'd go with the .22 long rifle due to the the availability of cheap ammo. Some of the hotter .22lr ammo is close to the .22mag. I like CCI Stingers, but they are rather costly.

IMHO, in most areas where there are farms or out of the bigger cities, the chances of "finding" .22lr ammo is far greater than finding .22mag ammo should you ever have Scrounge.

Many rural "General" stores carry .22 ammo, but often don't have .22mag ammo.

Get a Ruger 10/22 and several extra factory mags and you won't be unhappy.

I'll jump on the 10/22 bandwagon as well.

Here is a thread you might be interested in Blast.

http://www.northeastshooters.com/vbullet...+training+rifle

Thanks for the link, Blitz. I've been wanting to do an appleseed shoot for a while and 10/22 come highly recommended for that. However, the question is when I'd ever find time.

I'm bummed to hear about he stovepiping of the Marlin #60. Most reviews I've found on-line for this rifle say only good things and the price is definately right. I don't need this to be a SHTF rifle (that's already nicely covered) so a dinged tube magazine doesn't worry me.

I guess I need to keep thinking. The pan shops around here seem to have a bunch of $300+ Henry lever action .22s but no cheap used poppers.

-Blast

Another vote for the 10/22.

Is there a range around that has .22s available to rent so you can try them out and compare on a one-by-one basis? I've never heard of a range that rented "mere" .22s, but that's fine I've never heard of a lot of things.

$0.02

another good thing 'bout the 10-22 is that yuo can add on butler creek accessories, like bull barrels, which reportedly turn them into tack drivers. i don't have one yet, but one of these days...

$300+ is too steep for a used Henry .22 IMHO. Even their most expensive .22, the Golden Boy, can be had for $375 new around here. The cheapest I've seen the basic model for is $239 new. The Frontier (octagonal barrel) model is $315 new. I'm ignoring the custom hand inscribed models which obviously can run hundreds and hundreds more.

Bass Pro Shops had a Remington 597 .22 with 30 round magazine and 3-9x32 scope for $150 on Black Friday. I don't think those sell for significantly more than that normally. I've never shot or held one, but I have a friend who says he really likes his.

I have an old, no longer made, Winchester 190 .22 (semi-auto tubular magazine). They are decent guns, so if you find one used it might be a nice purchase. I think they vary from $100-$200 used these days. Mine was bought for $39 about 40 (or more) years ago.

I hear you Blast. I gotta get my butt to one, maybe Patriots day

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patriot's_Day

I don't know why these aren't posting as hot links but whatever.

I guess they have a bunch running then.

Savage Model 64FXP. Semi Auto, 10 shot detachable box mag with synthetic stock. With standard 22 type scope included, $165. MSR.

This is a good, basic shooter. Reminds me a lot of the old model 77s. With them throwing in a scope, the price is right for a new one.

I've got a 10/22, and a handful of 10 shot magazines. It is fun, I've put thousands of rounds through it, but over-hyped relative to all the other makes and models out there these days it seems like. They (the 10/22s) have their quirks, just like anything else. The Savage seems right now to be the best bang for the buck that I can find for new. Just my opinion.

Hey Blast,

I have owned a pile of .22's over the years and think I now have 6 at home?

If I had to start from scratch again; I would buy a Ruger 10/22, in stainless steel with a synthetic stock. It would not be as nice as my Browning T-Bolt or compactable as my Marlin Papoose but I think the Ruger would get the job done in most situations.

Mike

Might I suggest an *AR-15?

That's a .22 aka .223

Might want to grab one while you still can.

JMO

XXXOOOXXX

Blitz

You might try snooping around at http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/index.php to see what is recommended. The forums are organized into groups for different manufacturers, so people there may have already taken up sides and dug into their trenches to defend their personal choice. I don't know, I've only been to that site a few times looking for specific pieces of information.

Blast,, I have a Glenfield semi-auto (18 round magazine) with a scope. It is cheap but highly accurate and reliable!

While not my first choice for self defense, this simply isn't true.

I've owned, and still do own, .22s by Ruger, Remington, Marlin, Savage, and Winchester. The Ruger 10-22 is a great little rifle, and handy to load and unload with the detachable magazine, but it's not my favorite, even though I have two. My second favorite is a Remington pump with tubular magazine; it shoots LR, Long and Short ammo, even mixed in the same magazine, and is great for left-handed shooters. My most favorite is a Remington bolt action single shot, which also shoots LR, L and S ammo, with remarkable accuracy. I like the option of the different loads, for different purposes.
\I've never had a problem with misfires, jams or failures to feed with my Marlin M-60's, M-70's, the 10/22's nor any other semi auto, but then I clean them regularly, inside and out, and use good ammo. The Savage bolt-actions newly on the market are tack-drivers, and relatively inexpensive.
You can often get a good quality rifle for a reasonable price, well below MSRP, at your local K-Mart or Wal-Mart, which has the cheapest prices for new rifles I've found, much as I hate shopping there. Also check out GunBroker.com and AuctionArms.com for good deals on new or used rifles.

Being a lefty, this is really useful info. Do you have a model number and MSRP on this rifle?

Thanks!
-Blast

Remington 572 Fieldmaster
I've had one since I was 14, many many moons ago. A great Rabbit gun

prices ...

I'm not big on recommending firearms to anyone, but this I like.

Marlin 981T
http://www.marlinfirearms.com/Firearms/BoltAction22/981T.asp


- reliable bolt gun with tube magazine. You don't see me walking around with a .22 very often tho.

Ruger 10/22! Plenty of aftermarket parts and it is bullet proof. Pardon the pun

no offense meant, but ruger 10/22's are extremely over-rated.....

[quote=DannyL]

"no offense meant, but ruger 10/22's are extremely over-rated..... "

DannyL


Over-rated? How so, please be specific.

John E

ok, in order:
- plastic everywhere where metal was used in the past
- rotary magazine, which without proper TLC will give you a very expensive single shot.
- all the "trick out bling parts" on the aftermarket leaves you with a 500.00 .22 rifle, which shoots no better than my 140.00 .22 bolt gun.
- and last but not least, these are not the 10/22's we bought 10 years ago, especially 15 yrs ago.

I like simple and dependable. But that's just me. Too each their own....

I have not checked current 10-22s out, so they may have gone down hill, but there are certain firearms that you buy due not only for their own sake, but because of the aftermarket support

Ruger 10-22 - .22 rifles
Remington M-700 - Bolt action centerfires
Mossburg 500 or Rem 870 - shotguns
AR-15 type lowers/uppers - may not be the best semi-auto rifle out there (in fact I'd say it's not - I prefer something with an op rod), but the aftermarket support....

I was about to recommend a savage 24c- .22 rf over 20 gauge, single shot to encourage accuracy and economy, 20ga backup to stop that charging wounded squirrel before he gets at your throat, grooved for tip-off scope. The accuracy is remarkable, I suspect because the attached shotgun barrel provides unusual rigidity to the rf barrel. Nice compact little firearm, disassembles to fit under the seat of the pick-up, cheap and reliable...

Then I discovered that used ones were selling for $375-1250. Anazing-mine gas a nasty birch stock and plastic appointments. The world has gone mad.

BTW, as I understand it, TX law prohibits rabbit-banging.

That's not necessarily bad. Plastic is pretty good these days, and the parts that Ruger does use plastic on does not seem to suffer for it. YMMV?

I have not had any problems with any of my magazines after maybe a thousand rounds. I've never given them more than a cursory cleaning.

Just don't buy them if you don't want them. The only aftermarket parts I bought were a GI sling, Tech Sights (for Appleseed), and an extended mag release (cause if you do a hundred mag changes in a day your thumb starts to feel it).

Not sure what you mean by this. It's the same design that's been around since forever. Do you think that build quality is down? They seem solid to me when I handle them behind the counter, but I have not shot a recent example.

I think the 10/22 is just that. But I sure wouldn't mind it if you sent me a different rifle to shoot for a year or so to learn the difference, a Henry if you got one.

I've had my 10/22 hang a few times, usually from an extended session at the range with dirty ammo. The bolt won't close all the way, leading to a misfire. It happens. A manual cycle, like a bolt or a lever gun, will usually overcome such a predicament, though closing the bolt in such a case becomes more laborious. Eventually even they may refuse to return fully to battery, which means a quick strip clean up.

I like the 10/22 for removing the 1" black circle from the center of the target at 50 yards, arcade style. Even just using 10 round magazines it is amazing how fast one can go through a brick or two.

[quote=Nishnabotna
[/quote]

All your points are valid and make sense, which is another reason I usually stay out of firearms discussions, unless someone is doing something dangerous.
10/22's are probably the best over-all value for a semi-auto .22, and being a "lefty" also I can say they are "southpaw friendly" (I've owned 2 in the past).
It's something with the ejection design that keeps it from "spitting" on your cheek after each round, which the Marlin 60 is notorious for (at least in my past experience).

Also, Rugar is a solid company, with probably the best customer service in the market, along with Henry Firearms.