Best .22 on the market for under 200 bucks!

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wolverine_173

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I want a .22 because ammo is so cheap compared to 9mm. I would like a semiauto handgun but they are a little pricey. So whats the best .22 pistol (semiauto or revolver) on the market for under 200 bucks

and which is the best rifle for under 200 bucks?
 
That's going to be hard to fill without being used. Maybe the Taurus PT22.

https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/31390

As far as factory new guns, it might be the ONLY .22 on the market under 200 bucks. Therefore, I suppose it would also be the BEST in that specific category. The Heritage Rough Rider would be a .22 revolver that can be had for under $200.

The rifle though, hands down IMO, is the Marlin 60.
 
Phoenix HP 22a. $150 nice little reliable 22.

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The Heritage Arms single action revolver is a good choice too.
If you can go a little higher, some S&W 22A models start around $250.
Good luck, a good .22 is a fun gun to have.
 
For the rifle I like the 10/22 much better than the Marlin 60 and imo it's the best under $200. The biggest down fall to me on the Marlin is the scope base being made onto the receiver. I absolutely despise the narrow scope bases that use .22 rings. It seems like 95% of the time the rings eventually slide on the rail. It doesn't help that a lot of newer Marlin 60's don't seem to have them cut straight, so they really don't work well. I much prefer the Weaver style bases. On a 10/22 you can change the base to whatever style you want, but you are stuck with whats the Marlin 60 since it's made on there.

Another big advantage to the 10/22 is the amount of aftermarket parts. You can change almost anything you want.

Another downside to the Marlin is the horrible trigger, but to be honest the 10/22 isn't much better in stock form, but it's a lot easier to find an aftermarket trigger for.

The one advantage to the Marlin 60 is out of the box they usually seem just a slight bit more accurate. However, the 10/22 is plenty accurate for most peoples needs and it can be customized to be more accurate than the Marlin.
 
+ 1 on the Marlin rifles. I have a 795 which is the semi-automatic model 60. Cost me $99 brand new. That leaves you another hundred dollars to buy a scope or add tech sites.

I have a 10/22 that I tricked out and love. It is slightly more accurate with a scope on it, than my 795 with tech sites. I also have about $450 into the 10/22. I built the 10/22 for my wife, and she got what she wanted, but I could have had 4 and a half 795's lol.
 
Marlin 25n. Similar to the 60, but bolt action and feeds from a 7 rd detachable mag. Very accurate!

Group17: Is that a zombie target?
 
If you want a decent .22 pistol I would hold out until you could afford a ruger or a buck mark. Heritage makes a decent revolver if you don't mind the sights not being adjustable. for rifles, if you are just going to leave it stock I would go with a Marlin model 60. If you are going to put more into it then the 10/22 is pretty customizable, I just don't like the feel of the standard 10/22 stock. I did check out a 10/22 with a tapco collapsible stock, they run around 250 new and if you are going to have kids shooting it being able to shorten the stock could be an advantage.
 
Wolverine, it would help with a recommendation if we knew your intended use. You state you would prefer a semi-auto, but give no reason for the preference (not that you need a rational reason, "Because I think thy're cool" is reason enough). Are there gunshows and local gun shops with a good selection of used guns in your area? I see lots of good used 22 revolvers for under $200. Rarely do I see them for under $100, but it does happen occasionally. Nice used bolt action 22 rifles for under $100 are common. If you have done much reading about "what should my first gun be?" on the forums, you will have seen many of us singing the praises of bolt action 22 rifles. I don't know anyone who regrets having one.
-BothellBob
 
Thats easy. S&W 22a. I picked this on up as it sits for $250 at a gunshow NIB. I bought a basic one for my wife from Cabelas for $200 new when it was on sale. The one pictured I can hit gallon milk jugs til I'm bored at 100yrds. Great gun. I posted on a different thread about them. I'll look for it & paste it here in a bit.


http://m1229.photobucket.com/albumv...rI+gk36ROXlNwrWLqrIymx8T4IZmlE+6Rgxf5l0E/3yw=

Added: I get my recoil buffers from S&W & they send them to me free of charge. I've never bought any. I don't know why you guys have such a hard time field stripping a 22a? I will admit, the first time I shot the recoil spring & rod across the room, I was a little pissy about the design but once I figured out how to keep that from happening, I now find it one of the easiest pistols to field strip.

1). Lock the slide back.
2). Remove the barrel.
3). Cover the top of the slide with your right hand & release the slide with you left thumb. "Ride" the slide forward while still covering the slide. Covering the slide will keep the recoil spring from flying out.
4). Once the slide is all the way forward, lift the slide off the frame & remove the recoil spring & rod out of the bottom of the slide.


To put back together.
1). Without the recoil spring & rod put the slide on the frame.
2). From the top put the recoil spring & rod in place.
3). While covering the top of the slide with your right hand, pull the slide back & lock with your left thumb.
4). Put the barrel back on & your ready to rock & roll!!!

I'm a 22a freak!! I have 7 different models & all of them set up differently from just irons to various different Red-Dots. We shoot A LOT of rounds through them!! 1100rds an outing isn't uncommon for us. We have various "Spinner" .22 targets & a "Dueling Tree". These pistols are very fun & very accurate!! Yes, we do encounter FTF & FTE but that's the nature of a .22 semi-auto. Just polishing the feeding ramp has amazing results on cutting these back.

When I bought the first one, I was a "Heavy" oiler. I put oil on every moving part. What a mess!! Now I run them fairly "Dry". I lock the slide back, turn the pistol upside down & put just one drop of oil on the underside of each side of the slide. That's pretty much it. I'll put a drop on the slide lock spring & the trigger spring on the left side right under the slide as needed.

As for the recoil spacers, the last 22a I bought was just your basic 22a I picked up from Cabelas used for $165. Came with just one mag & the box. The recoil spacer wasn't too bad looking so I didn't change it. I keep a pretty detailed "Log" on all of my firearms. This 22a has 3863rds through it since I bought it & I still haven't had the change the spacer. I do have a bull barrel that I've changed the spacer at 4178rds & 6298rds. I shoot A LOT of .22 ammo & have approx 20,000rds stock piled of various brands. They all have their special "Diet" that they like but believe it or not, Federal bulk 36gr copper HP seems to be the "Candy" they all like.

Sometimes this hobby of firearms can be worse than having a house full of kids!!! They all have their special "Needs" & "Wants". Every now & then they need to be "Punished" by leaving them in the safe for a couple plinking trips so they can adjust their attitudes!!


Since posting this a couple weeks ago I've done some more little "Tweaks" that has made my 22a run even better!! If your interested PM me.
 
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I have a S&W 22A that I picked up brand new at Gander Mountain. Price in store on sale was $220, but after signing up for (and subsequently canceling :p) a Gander Visa card, I saved another 20%, for a grand total of $220 after taxes and a spare magazine lol

It was a little picky on ammo at first, only like solid copper jacketed ammo. Loves Federal Bulk and will put them in a ragged hole all day. Go through 500 rounds an outing, take her home and give her a good cleaning and she's ready to go.

I had a H&R 999 Sportsman, 9 shot DA/SA revolver that I picked up at a pawn shop for $225 after a little haggling. That thing shoots great, but one of the screws came loose on the rear sight and it let go and flew Lord knows where one day. I sold it to my aunt for a "misc" gun to have in her house, she lets me borrow it from time to time to put some rounds through it and clean it lol

For rifles, I have a Marlin 25N that I love to death. Put a Simmons 3-9x40 on it and will hold 2-3" at 100 yards with good ammo. I did a little home tuning to the trigger, no polishing or anything just a little adjusting. Got that one as a gift so I don't know exactly what it cost, but they're not expensive.

My father has a Marlin 70 I think. Semi-auto, uses the same mags my 25 does. Has a squirrel carved in the grip on the stock. That thing has always been a fantastic shooter.
 
For the rifle, the mossberg 702 plinkster. 100 bucks the day after Thanksgiving at dicks sporting goods. Also the day after Thanksgiving I got a heritage rough rider for 100 bucks at academy. Both are far more accurate than me and are fairly reliable. The heratage has poor springs that need to be replaced every now and again but it's a very simple fix.
 
For the rifle, I like the Marlin 795. Find one on sale and it will be a little over $100, order up some spare magazines, and if you don't like the black plastic furniture, you can buy a wood stock for it. You would still be under $200, and it will be reliable, accurate, and above all fun. They make tech-sights for it if you want good iron sights, but that will put you over the $200. 25N is a great choice if you perfer a bolt action, but I like semi-auto in .22. (I have one of each, like them both, but tend towards the 795 for general plinking)

For the pistol, I recommend looking for a used buckmark or Ruger MK. I got my buckmark for $225 lightly used. I put $10 into the trigger and it is probably one of the best triggers I have. With a red-dot, the thing is almost boring to shoot it is so accurate...

With those two guns, you will be well on your way to a .22 addiction, and will use any money that you have convinced yourself you will save shooting rimfire on a revolver, and a higher end bolt action or tricked out 10/22. Ask me how I know...
 
Another vote for the Marlin mod 60.

I too would recommend the Ruger MK II or Buckmark and both can be found used in your price range.
 
B1gGr33n said:
For rifles, I have a Marlin 25N that I love to death. Put a Simmons 3-9x40 on it and will hold 2-3" at 100 yards with good ammo. I did a little home tuning to the trigger, no polishing or anything just a little adjusting. Got that one as a gift so I don't know exactly what it cost, but they're not expensive.
Click to expand...

I got one of these when I was in high school. It's been my regular squirrel rifle for 34 years now. Countless thousands of rounds have been run through it and it's still good as new.

Like any .22, it's sensitive to ammo. With Remington blue box target ammo, it'll shoot quarter-sized groups at 50 yds all day long.

The latest incarnation is the 925 for ~$170 at Bud's. If you want a cheap, accurate bolt gun, it's a good choice.
 
For the rifle I like the 10/22 much better than the Marlin 60 and imo it's the best under $200.
Click to expand...

Don't know where you live but 10/22 carbines are going for $239 or better at Walmarts. Marlin's are $189. Now used, I suppose a 10/22 for under $200 is possible but I've been searching pawnshops around here for one for over a year (want the receiver) and it's been a no-go.
 
I would just use it for plinking. 9mm cost me too much. I love shooting pistols but as you can tell the price range pretty much only leaves me with a heritage arms revolver. So thats why im looking at a rifle instead. I also dont want a pistol if i have to buy the more expensive rounds to make it feed good.
 
Try to find a used Ruger MK II. Used Buckmarks are not a plentifull. I agree with the others, save up and get one of these. Either of them will give you a lifetime of fun, accurate and reliable shooting.
 
+1 on the Marlin 60 and Mk II

The Marlin doesn't have all the aftermarket goodies that a 10/22 has, but it never made sense to me to buy a 10/22 and then replace pretty much everything in it.....
 
For the rifle, either the malin Model 60 or 795. They're basically the same, it's just your choice as to whether you want a tube mag or removeable box mag. If you get one of those check out this site.

http://www.diproductsinc.com

They have accessories for a lot of stuff other than Ruger, including a weaver adapter that lets you use standard scope rings.
 
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