Best .22 cal rifle

My choice was a Stevens model 987. Very accurate with open sights or a scope, tube fed 15 round semi auto. $100 in most cases can't be.a bad thing.

There's a Savage MKII TR boltie w/ scope & bi-pod on the local forums for $400 right now. Betcha he'd take $350. A stainless 10/22 popped up this morning for $225 too.

Best as in most accurate? Best as in most versatile? Best as in most accessories and aftermarket stuff? Best as in best bang for the buck? Best as in best quality?

The Marlin 60 is the most popular commercial rifle ever made primarily because it is the cheapest, most mass produced and mass marketed (commercial) rifle ever for the last 60 years. (and only the AK47 beats it overall)

The Ruger 10/22 is the second most popular ever and has been beating the 60 in sales in recent years because it has a reliable flush fitting, detachable magazine and has a much larger accessory aftermarket. Because of the aftermarket it is the most versatile rifle on the market and can be easily make into anything you want it to be.

I have dozens of 22 rifles, high and low end of all kinds of makes, models and types. The one I most always use for everything is a 10/22.

Another +1 for the Savage MkII

Mines a great shooter and I have under $400 in it for rifle, EGW mount and glass.

My best 22 rifle is also my oldest: Remington 582 bolt action tube feed rifle. It came from an old feed store in the early 70s and I've had it since I was about 7 years old. It has been hell on squirrels, rabbits, coons, and most recently shoot-n-see targets at the range. It seems to get better with age.

I am going to try the FV-SR. I have a rug lvt which is pretty nice proly the best ruger I could have gotten out of the box.
I would also like to try a 795 with tech sights

I don't have any idea what the best .22 is. I do have a couple of Marlin model 60's I like a lot.

As I have never owned a marlin 60 I can not speak to them, BUT having owned many 10/22s I must say I really can't say enough about them in accuracy and craftsmanship they are hard to beat. YMMV

I've had Ruger 10/22s, Marlin 39A's, etc. -- they cannot hold a candle to the accuracy of the Savages and the CZs.

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I wouldn't disagree with a word of that. The only thing that makes the Marlin a viable choice is the fact it's a semi-auto and bolt action rifles can't do some things that a semi-auto can. If you find that you need to shoot several feral dogs running in a pack on your property trust me you're going to wish you had a semi-auto instead of a bolt action. Whether that's important to the OP or not is another question. He'll need to answer that for himself. But absolutely those rifles you named are very accurate.

BTW Rugers have not outsold Marlins in recent years. As always Marlin sells more .22's than anyone. And another thing no one mentions is that there are several different designs that are all called 10/22's. There is one design of a 60 with some differences like stocks and blue vs. stainless. The Rugers have different lengths etc. and they're all called 10/22's so really they are selling several different rifles under that name. There's the Carbine, the Target, the Sporter, the Tactical, the Compact, and the Takedown. Those rifles all have different features that matter a good bit beyond just stocks. Marlin sells just one style of rifle called the 60 and it still sells more than Ruger sells.

I don't know where people get the information that Ruger is selling more rifles. I know where I got my information. It came from a Marlin rep in a magazine article where he stated categorically that Marlin still sells more 60's than Ruger sells 10/22's. Plus Marlin sells a lot of other very popular .22's like the 795, the 925, the 39A, and the whole new line of XT rifles that have a new trigger that is a big improvement and much better than anything Ruger sells. Ruger does sell other .22's. They just don't sell a lot of them. Marlin sells a whole lot of other .22's. Marlin is far and away the leader in sales of .22's of all kinds and the leader in sales of the semi-auto 60 vs. the semi-auto 10/22.

If there are actual sales figures released by anyone I'd be willing to look at them. But I've looked for this very information and it is not readily available. Considering that Marlin says they have sold 11 million 60s and Ruger says they have sold under 6 million 10/22's I find the comments made by the Marlin rep to be both viable and likely to be true. Without any actual evidence to the contrary I will find it VERY hard to believe that suddenly Ruger is selling more 10/22's even if there are really 6 different rifles known as a 10/22.

I've never owned a 10/22. That's because I have shot a lot of 10/22's. They don't compare to Marlins in quality. Some will shoot as accurate but it's rare. I've compared them side by side with old rifles and brand new rifles and with two shooters swapping rifles back and forth. The Marlins win every time. They are more accurate, more durable, more reliable and they cost less. That's why they sell at double the rate of the 10/22. Yes that is the well known figures that have been around for several years. I'm sure the numbers are very different now as to actual sales figures but no one has announced an official number for either rifle. All we have to go on is the same numbers that have been used for at least 5 years and probably another 5 before that. They just don't release those numbers the best I can tell. If you have evidence I'd really like to see it.

OK, I'll be the odd-ball and say ,,,, ITHACA Mod.49 saddle gun good luck finding one , I'm not selling mine , as for a new gun I'd go with a ruger 10/22

Just my opinion. Dollar for dollar, the best all around 22 rifle is the Ruger 10/22.There are more of them that has been past down from father to son to grandson than probably any other rifle ever made in any caliber. After market accessories are endless. There just a blast to shoot and cheap to buy and maintain. For $400 you could buy a very nice 10/22 and a boat load of ammo.

I have a couple 22 rifles, one being and old 1952 bolt action Marlin 81 DL that is still plenty accurate. Probably more accurate than the 10/22 at longer ranges. Each have there own personalities and fun to shoot.
I'm currently thinking about picking up a Henry lever action 22.

My go to rifle would still be the 10/22 though because it just flat out works, and if you ever had to put alot of rounds down range in a hurry with exceptable accuracy it is more than capable of doing so.

Here is my Favorite.......and she shoots spot on..............

I have an older Marlin model 25 bolt action .22 that's a great shooter.

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I gave my Model 25 to my son. He put a nice scope on it and loves the thing. It was always a very accurate rifle.

Old Marlin bolt actions can be had for $100 or so and are good buys. I have a 70 year old Model 81, with Ballard rifling, that is still a tack driver.

I would strongly suggest that you go handle as many as you possibly can. Figure out what YOU like, develop some preferences and come back with specific questions.

It came from a Marlin rep in a magazine article where he stated categorically that Marlin still sells more 60's than Ruger sells 10/22's.

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You really think you got the truth about Ruger from a Marlin rep??? Ruger doesn't release production figures so I don't know where your Marlin rep got his info.

Those rifles all have different features that matter a good bit beyond just stocks.

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No they don't.

The bottom line is that Ruger builds a great rifle in the 10/22 but to hear Marlin true believers talk about it, it's been 50yrs of garbage. Nothing could be further from the truth. If Marlin sells more guns, it's because they're cheap, not better. IMHO, having had a Marlin 60 for 30yrs, Rugers are better made guns in every way. What makes them more appealing is that they can also be easily modified to be anything the user wants them to be.

Model 60 is a rifle that asks for no upgrades.

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Clark Custom Guns started the heavy barrel 10/22 craze. They needed a fast shooting semi-auto for the Sportsman's Team Challenge that was also steady to hold and highly accurate. They found what they needed in the 10/22 because its design lent itself well to customization. The Marlin design is NOT easily upgraded. It just is what it is and can be nothing more.

I've never owned a 10/22.

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And the expert has spoken.

Sorry for the thread deviation. I just get tired of this Ruger-bashing, Marlin true believer-ism. Give it a rest.

I'd say for bolt action look at CZ, Savage, or Marlin. You can get a Marlin tube fed bolt action 22 that will shoot shorts, long, and Long Rifle.

Semi auto Marlin 60 or Ruger 10/22.

Lever, i'd say Henry or Marlin. Both will shoot shorts, long, and long rifle.

there is no "best"..
like any tool there are so many choices. Please be more specific describing your needs. then we can offer more precise suggestions

Not sure if it's feasible where you live, but if possible I suggest that you try to find someone locally with a CZ 452 that you can fire a few rounds through and see what you think about it. You might be like a lot of other people, myself included, and really connect with the CZ. I've been shooting .22's and many other guns for about 50 years and have owned a 1966 model 10/22 for about 35 years now. Like a lot of people here, I've shot all manner of Marlins, Winchesters, Remingtons, Brownings, Savages, Stevens, and who knows what else. Through all those, I was still content with the old 10/22 because it was accurate, reliable, maneuverable, and just felt good somehow. THEN, I bought a CZ 452 FS in March of this year. Then in July I bought another CZ because I loved the first one so much. Then in September I bought another CZ because I loved the first two so much. Now I'm trying to restock the gun fund for a 4th CZ. I plan to stop there, but the guys in the CZ/Brno forum on RFC -- guys who own 6 or 10 or 15 or more CZs -- warn about CZitis, and I'm thinking that I'm beginning to understand...

recently looking at the rimfire central activity it seems that the most interest in 22's is broken down like this:

1 Ruger
2. CZ
3. Marlin


CZ's are getting alot of positive talk.
Another good one : Zastava Z5

The Zastava's I have handled were poorly finished with horrible stock triggers.

Roadking Rider said:

...
I have a couple 22 rifles, one being and old 1952 bolt action Marlin 81 DL that is still plenty accurate. Probably more accurate than the 10/22 at longer ranges. Each have there own personalities and fun to shoot.
I'm currently thinking about picking up a Henry lever action 22....

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A few years back I was looking for a .22 levergun and I couldn't find a good used Marlin M39 and new was very costly. I decided to check into the Henry and I am very happy I did. I bought the basic model, Part # H001 but it's still very nice. The lever is smooth as glass and it's extremely accurate. I like my bolt action .22 but there just something about a levergun...

Although I don't own one I would advise the 10/ 22 because of price and the fact you can do so many more things with it by customizing it. I would lean towards the CZ if I were wanting a bolt gun. Don't overlook some of the older guns like the Remington Mod. 12, or the 151 pump.

One rifle that has not been mentioned is the Ruger 77-22. Priced higher than a CZ 452, but they are well built and very accurate.

Marlin 60 for semi-auto
CZ 452 for bolt

I own both. I do not have any other .22's

I have a Ruger 77-22 with heavy barrel and laminated stock that shoots very well, and a heavily custom 10-22 that also shoots well. My CZ is also a nice shooter. I hate to admit it, but the Norinco "deluxe" model that I bought for about $100 15 or so years ago, crude as it may be, shoots damn near as good as any other .22 that I own.

My, my there are a lot of choices. Personally, I like my CZ452 Lux best. But the 10/22 and Marlin 60 are good choices too, as are the Savage bolt action varients (a friend has the target model with the accutrigger and he loves it).

Maybe go to a store (or three), and see what fits and feels good to you? The caliber is inherently accurate, and a lot of the differences described can only be seen by very good shooters on paper with ideal ammunition...

Good luck, and happy shooting!