Best Inexpensive 22

Marlin or Savage. I've heard bad about the Plinkster. Marlin 60 hard to beat.

Are we talking new or used? How do you define "inexpensive"???

The Mossberg 702 is a lot less expensive than an entry level Ruger 10/22. I wouldn't put them in the same category.

Also, define "best". Best at what?? Accuracy?? Reliability??

Hope this helps narrow down your train of thought a little...

Cheers...

I am not sure how you can beat a Model 60 right out of the box. Of course I recommend buying one used at a pawn shop or something.

They are just as good used and abused as NIB. Too bad you can't say the same for a 10/22 which requires lots of cash to make it cool

Yep boy, the Model 60 is the shiznit

I recently got a Marlin 60 stainless after considerable research, and i can say it lives up to the hype. Excellent product, you won't be disappointed.

I procured a neglected Marlin 60 when my sister-in-law got divorced. It needed a good home and I gave it one. I paid her more than it was technically worth due to the situation. I didn't have a clue what I had until I stapled a paper plate to my backstop, drew a circle on it and tried it out. I quickly learned I got a bargain.
I have never owned a 10/22 but I have shot a few, I really can't knock them or the others listed but if I had a do-over, I'd still go with the 60.

Can get a Savage MKll @ Wal Mart for around $120.00 and don't believe that you will find any better or more accurate rifle, out of the box for any price. Don't think that you can go wrong here.

Marlin 60 hard to beat

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very hard to beat....and your money doesn't reward gun grabber Bill

I've got 3 cheap-ish .22s: an old Glenfield (read low-end Marlin) Model 60 circa 1972-ish, a Tula TOZ-78, and--just this past weekend--a base 10/22. They're all cool in their own way. The TOZ is a stick shift ... ah, bolt action, and was the most accurate of the three right out of the box (although the old 60 doesn't give up very much to it in that department).

Apparently you prefer a semiauto. The 10/22 is cool and all, and it seems like everyone has at least one or two of 'em, and the sheer number of aftermarket mods for the thing is mind-boggling. Still, for hunting and informal target shooting/plinking, or really any course of fire that didn't involve time-critical magazine changes, I've gotta admit I'd lean towards the 60.

Marlin 60 is the best I have owned, traded into a MKII took the Savage back and ate the loss to get my old one back.

You'll spend a tad more in a 10/22 but look at all the things you can do to it if you want to change things up a bit.

Best? Who knows? I have heard a lot of bad reports about the Mossberg Plinkster. The old Mossberg semi-auto's are quite good however. My first 22 was a Mossberg and it shot under 0.5" at 50 yds if I tried.

If you have the interest and want to customize a rifle (ie rebuild), then the Ruger 10/22 is the rifle for you. They are not known for great out of the box accuracy. But I have one for plinking mostly. If you want an inexpensive semi-auto 22 that shoots well out of the box, then the Marlin Model 60 is the best choice for the price. You can always spend more money.

Both Savage and Marlin have excellent reputations with their bolt action 22 rifles as far as accuracy goes. I own neither, but I intend to pick up a Savage Mark II with the classic stock when I find one with nice wood. Many consider the CZ452 or 453 the best 22 rifle made for the money. They are typically extremely accurate and will give some of the $1000 22's a run for their money and often outshoot them.

Choose what you like and have fun. It is not the end of the world to buy a second 22 rifle. I have more than my share and keep buying them.

My el-cheapo .22 is a Stevens 300 bolt action. Its basically a Savage Mark II without the accu=-trigger. Its even got the Indian on the stock. I payed about 160 for it brand new. It works well for plinking out to about 25yds. I'm sure it does well further out, but I can't see .22in holes beyond 25yds.

I bought a stainless Marlin 60 after a good bit of research. I am very happy with it, and recommend it over my 10/22(though I like it, too).

Just yesterday, I picked up a new Ruger Charger. I haven't shot it yet, but WOW this thing looks and feels awesome! Supposedly, I won't see a significant decrease in velocity or accuracy.

So from your list I say Marlin 60, but If we are thinking outside the box here, I vote Ruger Charger.

On a side note, "gun grabber Bill" is dead, no? Ruger has done well with the LCP and the Charger in my opinion.

I cast my vote for the Marlin Model 60. Mine has been nothing less than a pleasure to shoot. Very accurate, and I have not had any problems with mine using Federal 550-round bricks (besides the occasional dud round). One of my favorites, cheap to shoot, plenty accurate (thanks to the micro-groove rifling). I plan on putting a scope on mine in the near future. I only paid $50 for mine. Really.

I prefer the Marlin Model 60 over the Ruger 10/22. The 10/22 would be a better choice however if you intend to accessorize. A friend has a 10/22 and likes it very much, and it is a good rifle nonetheless.

As for the Savage, my only experience with them is with a .22LR Mk II bolt-action. Got rid of it quick. It was failing to extract four out of five times. The firing pin would hit the rim of the cartridge with so much force that it would distort/warp the spent casing in the chamber (or so is my theory). In any case my frustration had gotten to me so I traded it for something else.

bolt=marlin 80 or 81 series, made from 1937 , until the present.
semi=marlin mod 60. Hands down.
followed by savage bolt and semi, in that order.
If buying a mod 60, allways make your first one a used one, from a pawn or gunshop. you can get them for around 70 or 80 bucks. If you do not know about them, get it from the gunshop if the gunshop uses a gunsmith; if you have a friend who is familiar with them, take him with you to a pawnshop, to look them over first.

ruger 10/22 every american should own one

I'm adding my vote for a Marlin model 60. My wife stole mine, so I need to buy a new one,

I bought a Savage MKII form Wal Mart last weekend. $127.00. Mounted a too big Center Point scope & a bi-pod. Spent the morning sighting it in & trying different ammo. Winchester Pro, Winchester 333 & Federal Target. At 100 ys, the Federal worked the best. It was a little too windy to be trying for tight groups. I'm going back to the range early in the moning before the wind comes up & try it again. Nice rifle.

marlin 60

All I can say is, if you want better accuracy, get a bolt-action .22. The 10/22 can be tempting being a semi-auto, but after owning and modding 2 of them, I am really not impressed with the accuracy they achieve, compared to a stock bolt-action right out of the box and with target ammo.

Marlin Golden 39A. Forget the semi-autos. Gotta love the lever action.

I've said it before. It's still true:
If you like to tinker, get a 10-22.
If you like to complain, get a 597.
If you like to shoot, get a 60.

not sure if it still made , have a Marlin 700 ( big 5 special ) that I bought 20 years ago or so. It still shoots circles around my 10/22 , but not around my Savage GVXP ( now with a Mueller APV as the included scope was terrible ).

Semi-auto I would go for the Marlin over the 10/22 , there aren't a ton of after market parts for the Marlin ( since they don't need it ).