Well, I'd say the inexpensive-without-being-cheap option in clearly the Model 60, although I don't personally own one. Might rectify that, but I don't know.
On the other hand, there's the 10/22, which is for .22's what the AR is for semi-auto rifles. Sure, you can spend mucho $$$$ tricking it out, or you can do what I'm doing and simply drop a set of Tech-Sights on it, buy a half-dozen or so Butler Creek mags and call it good.
My personal favorite so far, though, is my Mossberg 351CB, which should still have a thread up here about it.
It's a classy little rifle, and accurate to boot. Enough so that I'm stocking up on Wolf Match ammo for this spring, so I can really see what she'll do. Usually prints 1.5" groups at 50 yards, which I'm pretty happy with, especially out of a 40-ish year old rifle that didn't look like it'd ever been cleaned before I owned it.
If you wanted to get something a little different, though, you could get a Henry Pump .22lr, or even better, an old Winny M1890 in .22lr. You'll pay for the Winny, and it might need re-lined/restored, but they're just about the most awesome thing I've ever laid hands upon. The Henry would be a nice runner up, if you don't like top ejectors or don't want to spend the $$$ on the Winchester.