Help me find a .22 rifle

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-terry

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Oct 25, 2006
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Location
WA, Bellingham
Hi Guize,
I'm an Alien here from the Handgun forums. Never owned a rifle. I was out shooting yesterday and a friend had a .22 rifle, bolt action, tubular mag, 50 years old. It was a hoot to shoot! So I am interested in getting one. Here are some details.

Accurate
Will not be used for hunting
Reasonable price (I don't know the $ range for these kinds of rifles)
I appreciate reasonably high quality (I own Sigs and Walther handguns)
Plinking and target shooting only
Semi automatic
Capable of mounting a red dot or Magnifying scope on it
Reliable with all quality ammo
Would buy a used one if that's what it takes to get a good gun
Not interested in any kind of Collector or Antique gun
Be nice if I could get it in stainless but this is not a bit issue


Thanks,

-terry
 
And I just bought a Ruger 10/22! It seems like the 10/22s and MArlin 60s are the top two choices among people on this board. They can be had brand new for about $200, and will be more than adequate for what you want.

Josh
 
I like my Browning Buckmark handgun - this weekend, I finally go to look at the Buckmark carbine - it's kind of a merger between a rifle and a handgun. It is a nice gun, If I wanted a 22 rifle, I'd probably get one.
 
Really still depends on what you want to do with it regarding add-ons.
Ruger 10-22s are the choice if you want to add bells and whistles. Marlin model 60s if you just want to shoot till you have no more ammo.
I have two model 60s one with a scope one without. They will shoot till I'm tired of shooting or I run out of ammo. I usually run out of ammo :D
 
If you are set on a semi-auto, then I'd recommend a Thompson Center R-55. You can check them out under "Rimfire Rifles" at www.tcarms.com.

If you are okay w/ a bolt-action, CZ makes some of the finest medium priced rifles on the market. I bought the 452 FS for $425, but you can get a 452 Basic or LUX for $250-325.

Cameron
 
I definately agree on the Marlin 60.

Tube fed, semi auto, reliable, and accurate straight from the box.

Best part SUPER CHEAP! You can find them reliably at gun shows and pawn shops used for around $50-100

I got mine for $50 at the last gun show :evil: :evil: Best $50 I ever spent on a rifle.
 
get the same rifle, which was proly a marlin mod 81 or 81 dl, or any of those made in this series, from 1937, until current. they made 781 881 now up to 981's. they shoot short, long, or lr''s, and are quite accurate. They cost about 150 dollars new , everyday. Any of the old 81's will cost you about `75 to 200, depending on model number , and quality/condition. I have a 1940 81dl with factory peep sites, and it is about as fun as it gets, plus it shoots as good as a 3x9 scoped rifle, with it's excellent peeper.
 
Remington also made some nice tube fed .22's, I have a 512 I really like. It like the Marlins and a few others can be had under $200 in like new shape. Do smoe research like your doing now as lots of nice older .22's have been made over the years. Great blue and walnut guns can be found as cheap or cheaper than many of todays guns.
 
The others have suggested great second choices but first choice for quality, accuracy, style and just plain fun is a Marlin 39A. Nit picking differences aside, none of the plinkers are better than the others in my opinion, not for field plinking anyway, but none of the others have the class of an all steel and walnut lever gun.
 
Same thing akolleth said for all the same reasons.
Marlin 60's are crazy accurate right out of the box.

They don't have nearly the aftermarket stuff a 10/22 has available, but, they don't have a base cost of $250.00 either.

My local Kmart has Marlin 60's for $135.00. Don't know about Wallyworld, but, they are usually always cheaper than Kmart. So, you might want to check there.
 
39A is a great gun and all.... but the man specifically said "semi".


My answers: 10/22 or Model 60, both can be had in stainless.
 
You might want to try a lever-action .22 out before you buy a semi - I've got a .22 Henry rifle that works great. Lever-actions seem to come to your shoulder more naturally and quickly than semis, in my experience. No idea why, but you might want to try one out sometime.

If you're after a semi, Marlins seem to be pretty good - got one of those, too, but it's a magazine-fed version whose number I don't remember. I think the gun's older than I am - but it runs pretty well. Even takes the Remington subsonics.
 
Great suggestions, guize. Thanks. I've looked at the 10-22 and it just doesn't light my fire. I also don't want to get into an "aftermarket swirl" of titanium this and super duper that.

I just don't want a lever action but it's a beautiful rifle.

Marlin 60's, hmmm. They also look really plain and give me the sense that they won't be as accurate as I want. Of course I say this having never shot one. ;)

The one 22 that struck me the instant I saw it was the TC-55R Benchmark. It's stainless, semi, target grade. I took one look and decided that this was the one for me. I'm now looking for a used one. Do you guize think this will do me for my one rifle for ever?
 
With all due respect, if you get one you'll probably need to shoot quite a few bricks before you can honestly claim to outshoot a Model 60. Defintely not the sexiest .22 rifle you can buy, but it doesn't really deserve to be disparaged that way IMO.
 
I just had another thought, the super beauties, called remington 552 speedmasters. they have been made the same way, unchanged for about 50 years, best part is, even though semi auto , they will do short, long, and long rifle. they are very good, but cost a few bucks.
dont kid yourself on the mod 60. they are as accurate or more so, than 95 % of rifles costing 500 bucks or less. here is mine, done at 1oo yds, now then , this is an exceptionally accurate mod 60, but they are all pretty accurate like this one.
mod60016.jpg
mod60013.jpg
mod60010.jpg
mod60006.jpg
mod60005.jpg
mod60003.jpg

it is also a well know fact , in the rimfire world, that the semi auto made by
thompson /center is one of the best ever made, great fit and finish, and will be super accurate.
for a mindblowing array of ideas, lurk here;
http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/
 
TC Classic

A friend with a couple of dozen .22 rifles consitently grabs his TC Classic to come shoot in our local club's .22 sporter matches (CMP Sporter and Fifty Fifty Sporter). It is the only .22 semi-auto that takes to a heavy sling hold (prone and sitting positions) without shifting POI. I have first hand experience with this and one other TC Classic and they are both very accurate. However, both had feeding issues early on. Be patient. They began to run smooth after two or three hundred rounds. Steel on steel guns often need a break in period.

But for my taste, a bolt gun usually gets the nod:

CZ452American1st-2.gif

CZ American with Swift 6-18X44.

It delivered this 100-10X for me in the 50 yard sitting position slow fire stage of a recent CMP Sporter Match.

CMPSporter100-10X-1.jpg
 
My model 60 shoots nickle-sized groups easily at 50yds with a fixed 4x scope (using the rail of my back porch as a rest). It doesn't get a whole heck of a lot better than that.
I shot a remington speedmaster made sometime in the 70's last week - an incredible piece of machinery, and I'm definately on the lookout for one.


Anyway...
 
I just been through what you have been going through. Iactually purchased a ruger 10/22 and then the same week sold it for what I paid for it. I just didn't like it that much. I ended up going for the gun I orignally wanted but could not find. The H&R Ultra Varmint 22 Mag. I know it's only a single shot, but it is probably the best looking, best shooting rifle for it's price... Take a look. You might be interested.

I know you looked at the Marlin 39A, but if you have the cash, look again. Everyone who owns one, raves about them..

Chad
 
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