If you could only have one semiautomatic 22lr

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H&K 270. 22lr availible in the early to mid 80s. another irreplaceable gun I let go in my banquet chicken and totino pizza days.
 
This

https://ruger.com/products/1022Sporter/specSheets/1237.html

I don't care much for the standard Ruger Carbines and this one comes from the factory with most of the more common upgrades. It has a 20" medium weight target barrel, target chamber and trigger. Weight is still very reasonable even scoped and they are VERY accurate. I also have a custom 10/22 that I put together with a heavy target barrel and aftermarket stock as well as a CZ 452 bolt action 22. This one equals either of them in accuracy. Cost is only slightly more than the standard model.
 
I have several 10/22's and like them very much but I've always wanted a Winchester or Browning 63 with a receiver sight. Maybe the Browning High Grade.
 
If we're talking about only one .22 auto, like forever, then we're talking about survival. So it's not a matter of looks and petty preferences, but hardship endurance. In which case the Remington Nylon 66 is the obvious choice.
 
I have a 10/22 that I have so much money in I'm somewhat ashamed of myself. What with paying about $50 too much when I bought it at the hight of the shortage post Sandy Hook, buying stocks, slings, scopes and ruining actions I have way over $500 in it and its not the same gun I started with except for the trigger group which happens to be a 3 1/5 pound pull. It is what it is I guess. The Weaver K4 scope is nice bright and clear. I've hit ground hog in the head at a range finder measured 70 yards with it. I've never had a fail to do anything with it.

DSC02489_zpsasephtt4.jpg
 
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I still don't have an auto-loading .22LR rifle. I had a 10/22 Carbine years and years ago, but traded it towards something else.

I have noticed that when I fire my Marlin 39AS that my right hand automatically cycles the lever. I'm not sure why my hand does that . . . probably need to see a doctor.
 
I have a good friend who owns a Buckmark carbine,,,
He and I "duel" with it and my Beretta NEOS Carbine,,,
So I have a lot of experience shooting and shooting against the carbine.

I once purchased a Ruger 10/22 because so many people I knew owned and loved theirs,,,
I sold it within six months time because it just didn't make me smile when I shot it,,,
Don't get me wrong as it was a fine performing rifle,,,
It just didn't twang my personal chime.

I recently purchased the CZ-512 Carbine,,,
I like smaller guns so I treated myself with this little dark beauty.

I liked it so much that I decided to spend an unexpected windfall on the full size rifle,,,
This rifle is exactly the opposite experience than I had with the Ruger,,,
When I pick this rifle up and shoulder it, I always get me a smile,,,
I'll match it's out of the box performance with any 10/22.

So in my somewhat experienced state,,,
Here is my recommendation:

I would not recommend the Buckmark carbine as the only .22 semi-auto rifle,,,
It's just not a great performer against the other slightly larger rifles.

This is a gun that was designed not because it filled a great need,,,
It was designed and created simply because they could.

It (like my Beretta NEOS Carbine) is somewhat of a novelty,,,
Meant to be more of a fun gun than a great gun.

Also, there is a huge weakness in the design of the carbine,,,
My friend was rear-ended and his carbine was soft cased in the trunk of his car,,,
The rifle snapped in two just behind the pistol grip and Browning said there was no fixing that.

If you like to accessorize your guns then the 10/22 is the rifle for you,,,
It's like a Barbie Doll but for men that you can dress for the prom or a Saturday picnic.

I just don't like a gun that you have to modify to get any real accuracy out of it,,,
I would want my only .22 rifle to have good performance out of the box.

Maybe it's also because they are simply everywhere,,,
I do tend to want things that are a bit more unique.

So that brings me to my CZ-512,,,
Out of the box accuracy with CCI Standard was superb for me,,,
I tried some CCI Mini-Mags (both 36 grain HP's and 40 gain RN's) and they were just as precise.

So far I have tried at least 8 different types/brands of ammo,,,
The gun cycles every standard or high velocity rifle ammo I have fed to it,,,
Accuracy doesn't seem to vary much (with my 66 year old eyes) with any of the ammo.

Heck, it even cycles that Remington Golden Bullet that chokes every other semi I own.

So my humble opinion is that the CZ would be my first choice for an only .22 semi-auto rifle,,,
The 10/22 would be my second choice over the Browning Buckmark Carbine,,,
But that's really only because of that weak stock design,,,
Except for that, the Carbine makes me smile/

BTW, here are my CZ's paired with an appropriate handgun.

170128-CZsAndHandguns.jpg

Aarond

.
 
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aarondhgraham said:
View attachment 776379

Aarond

.
Click to expand...

That CZ512 is tempting me since I don't have a semi-auto .22LR anymore. Especially since it should share magazines with my CZ452 Trainer. :cool:

I sold off my Beretta Neos Carbine kit and pistol a while back. It was a neat range toy and my only semi-auto .22 for several years. Speaking of the Browning Buckmark Carbine getting rear ended, I'm betting the Neos Carbine wouldn't have done any better as I've always thought that the barrel mounting screw was a little weak for a 16" barrel. :D
 
I was all set to just say "10-22" and then cp1969 said SA-22 and I thought oh yeah it's a classic and build to last and then Dave M. mentioned the Rem 550.... unique floating chamber, s,l and lr.... Then I started getting sentimental and thinking of the Model 60 Marlin/Glenfield I got for my 13 birthday and shot a boat load of ammo through (I lost count 30 years ago at about 30,000) which I still have and it still works.....Only thing I ever did to it was replace the feed throat. But if I really think about it in practical terms I'd probably go back to the 10-22... Lets make it a full stock mannlicher 10-22....

Oh BTW JT-AR-MG42, I had the pleasure once of messing around with one of those Walther Bolt action/semi- auto .22's..... very cool and unique, nice rifle you have there....
 
Hello Chicharrones:

Who knows whether or not the NEOS carbine would have fared better,,,
But there's no denying that the Buckmark has a weakness in that stock design.

BTW, you are the first person who I have known who sold their NEOS carbine,,,
Most people hold onto them with a death grip,,,
They are just so dang much fun.

One thing I didn't mention about the CZ-512 rifles,,,
Both of mine are the older ones with 2-guide rods in the action.

I have read that the newer models have gone to a 1-guide rod action.

I don't know if this is significant or not,,,
I just know that CZ touted the 2-rod thing as superior design,,,
Then when they went to the 1-rod design they touted it as better design.

That's a great example of hype in both rifles.

I just found that to be a bit amusing.

But, I will recommend that you find a 512 rifle and shoulder it,,,
I can see if someone doesn't want to purchase one,,,
I can't see the rifle not making them at least smile.

Aarond

.
 
aarondhgraham said:
Hello Chicharrones:

Who knows whether or not the NEOS carbine would have fared better,,,
But there's no denying that the Buckmark has a weakness in that stock design.

BTW, you are the first person who I have known who sold their NEOS carbine,,,
Most people hold onto them with a death grip,,,
They are just so dang much fun.
Click to expand...

It was a fun gun. I just didn't use it much and I didn't want to keep it long enough to accidentally damage it. I did make a fair profit on the sale even though I didn't buy the carbine kit to flip it. I think the new owner likes it much more than I ever could. :)

View attachment 776395

View attachment 776396
 
Ruger 10/22 Sporter Deluxe with a Volquartsen trigger or hammer kit installed . The Marlin 60 is good too , but not as many aftermarket parts and harder to do it yourself .
 
Have to go with the 10/22 as well.. parts will always be available if something needs replacing .
 
Enjoying this thread. My long term favorite recommendation is the 10/22. The one below was produced in 1968 and purchased new by me that year or the next. It has a walnut stock, anodized receiver, and all metal parts (including buttplate and barrel band). It has probably bagged a couple thousand rabbits and squirrel over its 50 year tenure with me, and also served as great farm/truck gun over the years resulting in the taking of many, many varmints. The still used orginal magazine has been cleaned out several times and the rifle remains totally reliable. Over the years, I have watched with some sadness as the new 10/22 receivers became painted rather than anodized, the stock changed to birch, and many of the metal parts becoming plastic. I did, though, break down a couple of years ago and purchase a plastic-stocked, stainless steel 10/22. It works just fine and resides in my F-150.

o1IAtn2.jpg

My best built .22 semi-auto is my original Winchester 63 that I bought from a collector four or five years ago. All wood and steel. Works fine.

hHCNhrb.jpg
 
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I have a 10-22, but I'm glad it's not my only .22 rifle. Sure, it's accurate, but I have zero luck with the rotary mags... I would not want to be tied down with that and no other option. I'll take my Marlin 60 or Marlin 15 (yes, single-shot) over the frustration of the 10-22.
 
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