Getting a 22 LR Rifle

[Sharpie1]

I currently own one .22LR rifle -- a Ruger 10/22. I have never liked this rifle.

It jams, and it is inaccurate.

I am thinking about getting a Winchester Model 190.

Does anyone have any experience with this gun? My father has one, and he likes it.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

--tadyson

 

[firestar]

I currently own one .22LR rifle -- a Ruger 10/22. I have never liked this rifle. It jams, and it is inaccurate.

Amen brother! I had one and I felt the same way. Check out the CZ-452 line of rimefires, they are old world good. Also the 542 "Standard" can be had for about $200 and it will outshoot ANY factory 10/22 period.

 

[Jim Watson]

Most 10-22s are quite reliable and at least reasonably accurate. You have a lemon. Call Ruger.

The Winchester 190 was discontinued in 1980. There ought to be plenty on the used market, they made over two million.

 

[SteelyDan]

The 10-22 is kind of the standard against which others are measured. I've bought two, and never had a problem. Might be worth spending $10 on a new mag to see if that helps (well, it probably won't help the accuracy problem...). Okay, I'd give Ruger a chance to do the right thing; see what happens. Otherwise, there are a number of other good choices, but I'm trying really hard not to comment on guns I haven't actually used.

 

[firestar]

Nothing is going to make it shoot like a CZ-452. There are plety of suckers that will buy that 10/22 off you so you can get a real .22 rifle.

 

[WonderNine]

I highly recommend a Marlin Model 60.

I own a blued one and my father owns a stainless one.

Cheap, reliable, no messing with magazines as it's tube fed. It's considerably more accurate than a 10/22 and if it breaks after 100,000 rounds you can sell it for scrap and buy a new one for $120 (minus from that what you get for the old one ).

You should be able to find one at your local Walmart or sporting goods store.

Wallyworld and many other places also sell the 550 round Remington and Federal .22 long rifle "Value Packs" in the square cardboard boxes for about ten bucks that work great in the gun.

How can you go wrong there?

The biggest downside to the Model 60 is that there are almost no accessories out there! I want to find a brass catcher for mine, so that I don't leave such a mess in certain places and do you think they make one??? No!

 

[Peter M. Eick]

I have a winchester 190.....(but wish I did not).


What a pain in the butt to clean..................


The problem is the recoil spring is not captured, so you have to jam the spring and plastic guide back up into the reciever, then get the bolt block in and alighned. Even after having the gun for 30 years I still have problems with it.

The gun is my brothers, and I am storing it for him because I have a safe and he has small kids. With that said, if it were mine I would have sold it 20 years ago.

If you want a nice 22, consider a 9422. about the same speed to load and easier to clean!

 

[Dave Markowitz]

Have you tried different kinds of ammo? Semiauto .22s can be sensitive to the ammo used. E.g., my 10/22 feeds Winchester PowerPoints well and prints ~1" groups at 50 yards with it. OTH, Winchester XPert .22s don't feed worth spit.

 

[JohnBT]

tadyson,

You have named my 2 least favorite .22 rifles. Well, 2 of the 3, the other being the Nylon 66. Given the choice of one I'd take the 190. They are okay if you can keep the barrel tight to the receiver.

I'd would rather have a CZ or Marlin bolt.
If an autoloader is what you're looking for I'd again take a Marlin, a Browning Auto .22, an old Remington, or anything but one of those chunky-stocked 10/22s with the horrible triggers.

Disclaimer: I was 13 when I got a Marlin Golden 39-A Mountie for my birthday. I was 14 when Ruger introduced the 10/22 and people immediately started to figure out ways of making them shoot straight. They're still having fun trying

John

 

[4v50 Gary]

Like Frodo suggested, change ammo and it may be an entirely different gun. Most 10/22s are extremely reliable and any gun with bad ammunition is prone to failure. My 10/22 generally gobbles up anything that my pistols don't like or revolvers don't like.

 

[firestar]

The Marlin 60 is a good auto. My brother had one when I had my 10/22 is it was much more accurate and reliable. He paid $30 for it used and I bought my Ruger 10/22 new. It was the first time in my life I was mad at someone because they had a better gun than me at a better price.:banghead: He would laugh at me every time my 10/22 would jam.

My first gun ever was a Rem Nylon 66 (or 77 whatever the clip fed one was called) and it was accurate but very unreliable unless you kept it very clean, I don't miss it at all, I just wish my dad had given me a better gun for my first, a CZ-452 or any nice bolt action with a wood stock would really be a keepsake but I couldn't stand that Nylon POS anymore so I sold it for $50.

 

[goon]

I have had alot of experience with .22's over the years.
Here is my take on them.
CZ-452- Is worth three times what they ask for one. Mine will shoot every shot into the same hole at 50 yds.
Winchester 94/22- I had one and it was a very good gun. I liked it because it was a full sized gun chambered for the .22LR, rather than a kiddie gun. Reliable, holds lots of ammo and accurate (but not CZ accurate).
Rossi 62- Knock off of the old Winchester gallery guns. I bought one for my dad, and it is a great little gun. Not as accurate as the CZ, but still a good little plinker and game gun.
Romanian .22 trainer- Often overlooked. My brother bought one for $69, and he got alot of gun for that price. Some are a little rough, and most could stand to have the stock refinished, but they are well worth the price when you can see them before you buy.

A Marlin Papoose is on my list.

 

[MolonLabe416]

I recommend the CZ. It's accurate way beyond it's price and well made.

 

[PATH]

I have two 10/22s and they are accurate and work like a charm. Never had a problem with either. I'd get yours looked at as there is someting definitely wrong from what you are saying. A marlin Mod 60 is a great rifle to have as well though and it is so nicely priced. CZ is putting out some great stuff as well.

 

[Kevlarman]

I have a 190, and I'll admit it isn't the easiest thing to clean. Is there a way to get the barrel and forend off of the receiver?

 

[Peter M. Eick]

Kevlarman,

It looks to me as if the barrel is "torque fitted" and not easily removable. Frankly I think we are stuck with hard to clean guns.

Oh well, some day my brother will ask for it back and then I can recover the space in the safe.

 

[Kevlarman]

Frankly, I like the 190. I was going to spend the $200 to get a 10/22, but my friend sold me the 190 for $30.

 

[DAL]

My 290, a cosmetic upgrade of the 190, is a good, reliable gun. I can't remember when I last had a jam, and it's accurate to boot. But after 29 years (I bought it new), you'd think that trigger would have smoothed up some and become a bit lighter. Nope.

Peter M. Eick, I agree that cleaning the 190/290 is a bear, although it has become less so over the years (either the spring weakened or my fingers have strengthened). That's why I don't clean it all that often; it usually goes MANY hundreds of rounds between cleanings. Of course, I can get away with this because I live in a dry climate. If I lived in Alabama, where I was stationed in the army, I might have to be more diligent with its hygiene.
DAL

 

[Peter M. Eick]

DAL,

I live in Houston, TX, not Alabama humidity by any stretch, but bad enough.

The 190 is just a pain to clean. It is a good gun otherwise. I find it accurate and reliable (if clean) but when I think about taking it to the range, and I see my wifes 9422 sitting next to it, it is such an easy choice. 9422 ANY DAY!

 

[rebbryan]

i've got a remingtom 597, hasn't jammed in 1000 rounds w/ winchester xpert ammo. only thing i hate about it's the plastic magazines and the guide rails are a pain in the ass if you dissassemble it

 

[ftw46]

I have a 190 also that I have had for 25 years or so. It is very accurate and never jams. It can be a pain to clean but I really don't clean it but maybe every 1000 rounds.

I also have everything but the barrel from a 190 that my crazy friend tried to remove the barrel and destroyed the rifle.

I have heard good things about the CZ's but have never handled one. Likewise I never heard of anyone having problems with the 1022.

I saw an interview on tv with the late Bill Ruger and he was laughing at all the barell changing and customizing people do to that rifle. He said it was just fine as designed.

 

[Tropical Z]

Second the Remington 597.10/22's are WWAAAYYYY overrated.

 

[standingbear]

JohnBT,i got mine probably about the same time as you.my father paid 89 bucks for it brand new.i got the marlin golden 39a.still have it to this day and it still can shoot like a champ.i had a 10/22.it didnt really have problems until i tried to add a scope for longer eyeballing range and non ruger base(the grooved ruger bases supplied kept slipping the mounts and zero off). that had steel screws(which promptly ate all the threads on the alloy receiver)that light alloy receiver is the only thing i have against them.mossberg had a semiauto some time ago,it had a plastic thumbhole stock,no sights on the barrel,tube fed through the stock.grooved for scope.good plinker.cant find them anymore.

 

[RandyB]

I'd check with Ruger on your 10/22. Mine would only jam after WAY too much buildup was in gun. It was also extremely accurate. It should be easy to sell however as the market (at least in Indiana) is quite good for the 10/22. I have a Marlin 39M which was my 1st .22 and wouldn't trade it for any other gun. Very accurate. My grandfathers 39A is also a shooter.