General purpose 22LR Rifle

[Safety First]

What rifle would you buy if you were looking for something to hold up to a high round count that is accurate, rugged and again reliable. To be used as a varmint type gun, i.e. squirrel, rabbit, Armadillo, etc. I am thinking Ruger 10/22 but looking for other opinions and options I have not considered.

 

[12gaugeTim]

Little known fact - I can predict the future
I sense you will experience lots of 10/22 recommendations very soon

 

[TexasPatriot.308]

sounds like you are trying to talk yourself out of the Ruger, I got one, got a few old .22s, the 10/22 is proven, unless you want a high dollar tack driver and want to dish out some more bucks...stick with the Ruger.

 

[MrDig]

another option is a Marlin model 60

 

[NeuseRvrRat]

unless you're gonna customize it, the ruger 10/22 offers no advantage over the marlin 795. the 795 is more accurate out of the box and much cheaper.

for the same money as a new 795, you can find a nice used marlin 60. they have higher capacity with the tube magazine.

once you start fooling with accessories and customizing, the 10/22 has more options.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

Rem 550

 

[Geckgo]

Okay, I'll bite. Savage would be another one you could go with (supposedly better accuracy) or mossberg. OR...

http://henryrepeating.com/rifle-lever-action.cfm

There is a special place in my heart for a little lever action 22.


or you could just stick with the 10/22. I love mine. Tear it down every 500-1000 rounds and give it a good cleaning, other than that I just run a snake down the pipe after shooting and it runs like a champ. If you are a "modder" then it's the perfect gun, like the honda civic of the gun world. Got mine made up with rifle sights, still gotta get a sling for it one day and maybe a M1 stock.

If you are looking for more of the survival kit deal, whatever that is, you can get a breakdown rifle that will fit in a backpack. I'm not really sure what to call it but I think everyone knows what I'm talking about. That crowd. I forget who makes it but you can find it on the survival forums for certain.

 

[Safety First]

Thanks guys... I have a 22win Mag Henry Golden Boy which I love, so yes Henry is one that I am considering as well. I am looking to replace a well worn Marlin 60, it still shoots but having a few extraction issues even after thorough cleaning and I have the itch for a new 22LR.

 

[travisd]

I love my Marlin 795 with tech sights and a couple extra mags stuck on it. Makes a great little light weight plinker and small game gun. Accurate enough and very reliable.

 

[MrBorland]

General purpose 22LR Rifle

What rifle would you buy if you were looking for something to hold up to a high round count that is accurate, rugged and again reliable

A general purpose .22LR rifle might start with a CZ452 Trainer bolt rifle. A decent rimfire scope, Leupold QR rings (so the very good irons can also be used if needed (drop in a rear ghost ring to really sweeten them)). Add a good leather military sling, tune the trigger with a YoDave kit, maybe buy a 10-shot mag, and you've got a terrific all-arounder.

 

[theCan]

Marlin 60 or 795. Lighter weight. Ever so slightly more accurate. Better bore. Lower Cost. Screw a 10/22.

 

[Kynoch]

The Ruger 10/22 and the Marlin 60 are the two standards. For bolts I like the Savage with an accutrigger.

 

[dubya450]

Mrborland's suggestion sounds awesome if you're willing to spend that kind of money. Myself, id stick with a 10/22 synthetic and stainless with iron sights. I actually picked one up last sunday. They're cheap, durable, cheap and highly customizable! Cant go wrong with the good old 10/22

 

[StrawHat]

For the last 49 years I have owned and used a Winchester Model 1890. Not a common rifle but certainly not an uncommon one. Is it a target reifle, no but certainly good enough for squirrels and groundhogs when I was growing up. It has been shot a lot and given decent care it will continue for another 50 years. Maybe not for everyone but it is certainly a durable rifle. I have plans to rebuild a beat up one, maybe even fancy it up some.

 

[OilyPablo]

I second Strawhat's vote, with a little specificity: Winchester XTR 9422.

First gun I bought when I was on my own. Yes you need to pump the handle to put one in the chamber, but that's the only "drawback". OK they are getting rare (more expensive!)

http://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/winchester-model-9422-rifle/

 

[ironhead7544]

+1 on the CZ452. Best buy right out of the box. If you must have the semiauto then the 10/22. JMHO.

 

[TAKtical]

10/22 if you are ever going to want to customize or change anything at all about the rifle, trigger, barrel, stock, etc. If you know for sure that you will never want to change anything, any of the suggestions so far will work just fine.

 

[chicharrones]

For a good out of the box autoloader that no one wants to modify, the Remington 597 is a pretty nice choice too. The stock fills the hands like a centerfire rifle and if one finds they want aperture sights, Techsights makes a set for the 597 like many other brands.

 

[CraigC]

Pretty much any standard weight .22LR will do. Pick the one YOU like.

 

[benzy2]

Realistically, just about everything being made today will be squirrel hunting accurate. They all have pluses and minuses from there.

For a semi-auto, the old standby of the Ruger 10/22 and Marlin 60 are both great choices. The 60 is a rifle you buy and shoot, the 10/22 is one you buy, shoot, and then debate what you want to personalize/upgrade/change. In stock form the 10/22 and model 60 will be more than hunting accurate.

For a new bolt rifle, it's hard to go wrong with the more basic Savage Mk II options. When you get into the more expensive models you quickly get close to CZ 452/455 price range, in which I'd take the CZ. The CZ line is a great value for a well built rifle. Plenty of other good new rifles built but those two get the most attention.

The used market is another great way to go. Many of the old Remington, Winchester, and Savage models will shoot a treat and are built with a care that isn't available in many rifles today. They may have a few dents and dings and a trigger that's a little heavier than some of the target models available today but overall the value is outstanding for used rimfires.

I don't think there are many bad options today. Find one you like and buy it.

 

[45aber]

Remington 572 BDL Fieldmaster. I have a one thats 30 or 40 years old that still shoots great and looks good on the rack with my 870 and 7600.

 

[M91/30]

I haven't used much other than a 597, 10/22, and marlin 60 and varients. But In my experience the accuracy of the marlin 60 far surpasses the others. Though after about 100 rounds they can get pretty dirty and stop cycling at all. However the 10/22 is far looser internally and will keep firing for hundreds even thousands of rounds. marlins are cheaper and not customisable, rugers are designed to be. Id vote 10/22 but they are also more expensive.

 

[Neo-Luddite]

10/22 hands down. Mine is now 27 yrs and has been tossed around a bit--still solid reliable AND Ruger now makes high cap mags that feed well.

 

[CraigC]

...rugers are designed to be.

Not really. Their design just happens to lend itself to easy modification without specialized tools, equipment and skill. They weren't deliberately designed that way.

 

[powder]

I have a Marlin Papoose I have grown to really like-won it at a banquet.

Have an old Rem 552 Speedmaster that's been loaned out, and never returned.

Found a 597 in 22 wmr HB LS that's REALLY turning my crank lately.

go to www.rimfirecentral.com IIRC, for decent upgrdae ideas on 597s you can do yourself in less than a couple hours.