SR22 or AR-7 Survival Rifle or 10/22?

I don’t have an SR22 but do have a CMMG .22 LR AR 15 upper. Pretty much the same thing shooting .22’s as any other upper as far as weight and weight and ergonomics.

I also have more than a half dozen 10/22‘s that is the foundation of the SR-22 and they are all better suited for shooting.

I also have an AR-7 or Henry’s version of it. They are very light, like you can hold the entire weight of the rifle with the trigger, safety off and not drop the hammer. They are for a very specific niche and not really intended to be a primary shooter and plinker but they will work if that’s all you have with you.

Scrod314 said:

Hello... I don't have a .22LR rifle. I really like the SR22, but I have a Ruger Mark IV pistol. I always thought AR-7s were cool looking. I can get any of these for about the same price. Also, I was wondering if anyone has used Stinger's in their SR22, and if they cycled well.
Sorry to be all over the place. Thanks for any advice. Your comments are valued and appreciated.

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First off..........for what purpose?
I would be cautious about the AR-7's........I've wanted one since Charter Arms started selling them in the '70's. But the reason I've not bought a Charter or the current Henry is the woeful reputation of these rifles. Supposedly the Henry has an updated design.

The 10/22 has so many variations and a massive aftermarket that you can't go wrong.

I don’t use my AR-7 for that purpose but I have lots of others to choose from.

Many have used it as a plinker in the past, just to shoot one or because it was all there was there but no, I wouldn’t get one with the intention of just being a plinker.

Like I said, mine works and works well but they are very light (I have pistols that weigh more), have no forearm and because of the “everything fits in the floating stock” design are different than a normal rifle in fit and feel.

Like a take down 10/22 for example.

Get the Ruger 10/22. Unless the AR-7 is in your Piper Cub

Unless the SR22 is manufactured by Cirrus, and you can get it in your price range I wouldn't get it.
The SR22 pistol is not as good as your MK IV, except for CCW or practice for your CCW (in my never humble opinion)
The SR22 rifle is (I believe) now known as some sort of 10/22 Tactical, and I prefer the more traditional 10/22 carbine.

Unless you REALLY need the extra-small storage footprint I would not get the AR-7. (Maybe to keep in your Cirrus SR22 for emergency purposes?)

If you need something sorta-small I'd go for a 10/22 Takedown. Not as small as the AR-7, but it is actually a pretty good gun.
If you don't need something sorta-small I'd go for the more traditional 10/22 ready to be tricked out however you like.

The 10/22 is a decent gun that can be turned into a superb gun via parts-swappage, while the AR-7 is a lousy gun that can only get better with skilled labor (not merely swapping parts).

Ok, I may be confused, what SR22 are we talking about?






If it’s the 2nd one and you already have a mark IV, I’d get the Henry. If it’s the First one, I’d rather have it.

If I want a compact .22 rifle I almost always grab my SBR 10/22. It’s pretty much as compact as any of the takedown .22’s but doesn’t have to be put together to fire. Click the safety off and pull the trigger. Some, like the AR-7 can take a half a minute to put together and that’s with some practice.

I had a Charter Arms AR7 and it was one of the most disappointing .22s I have ever owned. Marginal construction, poor fitting of parts, and troublesome magazines all added up to one problematic take-down rifle. My Ruger 10/22 on the other hand has been the model of a reliable, durable, and accurate .22 rifle that took it well beyond the realm of just being a casual plinker. With Wolf Match Target ammo I can readily hit liter water bottles out to 100 yards. I have no experience with the SR22 semi-auto rifle.

I have a dozen or more 22 rifles. No doubt the ruger 10 22 is the most customizable gun on the planet.

If you just want a shooter and want to save money get a marlin model 60 or model 795

I think my funniest tactical blinker the sig 522

My favorite 22 of all time is the marlin 39 mountie ( lever action cowboy gun )

Just other options...

10-22, no hesitation.

If you really want a semiauto then get a marlin or a 10/22. Otherwise there are some really nice options all over the place on the price spectrum.

I had one of the 10/22 takedown rifles at one time. It never grew on me. For about 1/2 the cost I bought one of these. I paid about $170 IIRC. In put this together with my wife in mind. She is recoil and noise sensitive. She will barely tolerate a 38 or 9mm handgun and doesn't like to practice with that due mostly to noise. Even with hearing protection. But she will shoot this. Of course I shoot it too.

IME 10/22's vary a lot as to accuracy. I have another that is an honest 1/2" rifle at 50 yards and I shoot clay targets with it at 200+ yards. But this one is at best minute of beer can at 50 yards and minute of paper plate at 200. But for it's intended purpose that is good enough. With the mounted light and 25 round magazines I could do worse.

Buy the 10/22. You will never regret it.

I built this some years ago now. I think I bought it here . The barrels had been chopped and some pipe welded on to make it legal. I reamed the chamber of the upper barrel from .222 Rem. to .223 Rem. A .223 to .22RF adaptor now sits in a compartment I carved in the inside of the forearm. To extend the barrels I put an FN-FAL muzzle brake on the upper barrel , and had a friend build an extension with screw in chokes for the bottom barrel. I have a IC and a rifled tube for the 20 gauge.
I made the butt plate and grip plate from 1/4 inch aluminum. I have a cylinder that locks into the center of the butt that is spring loaded and one quarter turn for locking it in or removing it. It holds .22 RF ammo. It is my survival firearm. The finish is a bake on dark green with the wood paint. The barrels are tuned for same point of impact at 30 yards ed with a quality auto rim black paint. The gun breaks down easily into three pieces.

For a plinker I would much prefer a rifle to a pistol. Plinking is much more fun when you hit the things you're aiming at. Unless you have a specific need for a rifle that floats go for the 10-22.

Even if you do have a need for a rifle that floats I would rather tie a life vest to a 10-22.

Scrod314 said:

Sorry again... I meant the SR22 pistol, as it is around the same price as the rifles. I didn't know there was an SR22 rifle.

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I’d rather have the Henry.

Scrod314 said:

I found this reasonably priced Ruger .22LR.View attachment 941869

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That’s the SR-22 rifle and I would choose it over the Henry for almost every use.

Isn't the SR22 rifle basically a 10/22 stuck in an AR looking stock?

As to the SR22 pistol I've owned one for a long time and it's as dependable as a rock with decent HV ammo. It's a fun little plinker.

Scrod314 said:

Hello... I don't have a .22LR rifle. I really like the SR22, but I have a Ruger Mark IV pistol. I always thought AR-7s were cool looking. I can get any of these for about the same price. Also, I was wondering if anyone has used Stinger's in their SR22, and if they cycled well.
Sorry to be all over the place. Thanks for any advice. Your comments are valued and appreciated.

Click to expand...

I had the SR22 pistol. Fun gun with not a problem or complaint. Never tried stingers in it.... I don't really see the need or or particularly like them.


I would want a 22 rifle before a 2nd 22 pistol. In fact I would have bought the 22 rifle before a 22 pistol.. but that's me.

Your mark4 is better than the SR22 so unless don't like the mark4... or just can't live another day with out the SR22... I would save the SR22 purchase for another day.

Rifles... I really prefer the 10/22. My original I got in the early 80s is still stock except a scope and it has about 75k-80k thru it with no parts breakage.

However, the marlin 60 that westkentucky mentioned is a good 2nd fiddle* to the 10/22. It doesn't have the aftermarket support, isn't as durable as the 10/22, and is tube fed rather than mag fed...but...

The marlin 60 is svelte compared to a 10/22. The plastic buffers that break are cheap and easy to replace. It still lacks the aftermarket but they're normally good shooters and noticeably cheaper than a 10/22.

I've had a couple of Armalite AR-7s. They were fun while they lasted but Dad did away with them long ago and I didn't bother to replace them.
I DID pick up an AR-7 Explorer II pistol that needed a new firing pin - I put in a titanium one that works just fine - and I've still got it.
I have about 25 .22 rifles, none of which are mentioned above.
All are better than an AR-7, but I don't have an opinion about the other two rifles mentioned above.

I would only say get an AR 7 if you needed one for your collection because you wanted one.
Otherwise 10/22.