I have never shot a 22 magnum. Ever since I was a youngster I have been shooting 22lr in rifle and pistols. Recently I have been looking at 22 magnum rifles. The purpose would be just for fun. I didn’t want to spend too much and I really want to start with iron sights. I realize that is getting more difficult to find (same with manual transmissions). The Savage 93f has iron sights and was available locally i have read mixed reviews On it. I would rather get a bolt action just reliability. Maybe an auto loader . So I am looking for suggestions for a reasonable priced plinker. Used guns suggestions are welcome as well. Thanks in advance.
Looking at 22 magnums
- Thread starter dodo bird
- Start date
MacAR
Member
I have a Marlin 783 bolt action tube fed 22 mag. It's very accurate and makes a nice plinking or hunting gun. This is typical of all the Marlins I've come across. They're what I consider reasonably priced but not exactly cheap. That's my suggestion for used, for new I would recommend a CZ 457. Again not cheap but reasonable and highly accurate.
Mac
Mac
Dr T
Member
DIsclaimer: The 22 WRM is one of my favorite ranch working cartridges.
There are very few 22 WRM sem-iauto rifles available, and the good ones tend to be quite pricey. For some reason, it is difficult to make a semi-auto 22 WRM work reliably.
I have three 22 WRM rifles: An older (1980's) Marlin with a tube magazine, a Savage. and a Ruger American. All are good rifles. The Savage (Laminate stock with thumbhole grip) is likely the most accurate, but the Marlin holds its own (a surprise to me because of the magazine.) The Ruger (a compact) is OK, but not up with the Savage. I have used the Marlin more in the field (but I have had it 20 years longer than the other two). It has accounted for more than its share of jackrabbits, foxes, rattlesnakes and other varmints. It has knocked around a bunch in the pickup and shows its honest wear.
For me, these are working guns that I use because the terminal ballistics are much better than the 22 LR. If I was only punching paper, tin cans, and plastic bottles I would just stick to the 22 LR. But I don't. For me, the 22 WRM shines as a handgun caliber and a 22 WRM Ruger Single 6 with the 22 WRM was a constant companion for many years while I was hunting deer as a rattlesnake and coup d'grace gun. And I use a NA Arms Blackwidow as a CCW.
For me, the 22 WRM is the best argument for having a rifle and a handgun chambered for the same cartridge.
There are very few 22 WRM sem-iauto rifles available, and the good ones tend to be quite pricey. For some reason, it is difficult to make a semi-auto 22 WRM work reliably.
I have three 22 WRM rifles: An older (1980's) Marlin with a tube magazine, a Savage. and a Ruger American. All are good rifles. The Savage (Laminate stock with thumbhole grip) is likely the most accurate, but the Marlin holds its own (a surprise to me because of the magazine.) The Ruger (a compact) is OK, but not up with the Savage. I have used the Marlin more in the field (but I have had it 20 years longer than the other two). It has accounted for more than its share of jackrabbits, foxes, rattlesnakes and other varmints. It has knocked around a bunch in the pickup and shows its honest wear.
For me, these are working guns that I use because the terminal ballistics are much better than the 22 LR. If I was only punching paper, tin cans, and plastic bottles I would just stick to the 22 LR. But I don't. For me, the 22 WRM shines as a handgun caliber and a 22 WRM Ruger Single 6 with the 22 WRM was a constant companion for many years while I was hunting deer as a rattlesnake and coup d'grace gun. And I use a NA Arms Blackwidow as a CCW.
For me, the 22 WRM is the best argument for having a rifle and a handgun chambered for the same cartridge.
bigpower491
Member
My old Marlin 882 was a terror in the squirrel woods. Still shoot it here and there, but for the most part it's just a pest eliminator. The ammo can be pricey, I do alot more shooting with a 10/22 LVT for fun plinking
TTv2
Member
- Joined
- Mar 31, 2016
- Messages
- 5,564
Rossi makes a semi auto .22 Mag for about $350 online. No experience with it, but it looks to be the lowest in price for a semi auto.
Lots will suggest a bolt action, but you want this for a plinker, not precision and that means you want it for fun and bolt actions are the least fun of all manual repeaters. Rossi and Henry both make pump and lever action .22 Mags, the Rossi's are chepaer, the Henry pump action is not liked by most citing it being heavy and gritty to rack and it's double what the Rossi costs, so if you want a pump go Rossi. Lever action, again, Henry is more, but probably better made enough to the point it's worth the extra cost.
You may be awayre of this, but .22 Mag costs a lot more than .22 LR does and doesn't suit well as a plinker cartridge. It is more powerful and the bullets are better given they're jacketed and have the ability to penetrate well. I would opt for the semi auto as that's got more real world usefulness if it's reliable with feeding and cycling.
Lots will suggest a bolt action, but you want this for a plinker, not precision and that means you want it for fun and bolt actions are the least fun of all manual repeaters. Rossi and Henry both make pump and lever action .22 Mags, the Rossi's are chepaer, the Henry pump action is not liked by most citing it being heavy and gritty to rack and it's double what the Rossi costs, so if you want a pump go Rossi. Lever action, again, Henry is more, but probably better made enough to the point it's worth the extra cost.
You may be awayre of this, but .22 Mag costs a lot more than .22 LR does and doesn't suit well as a plinker cartridge. It is more powerful and the bullets are better given they're jacketed and have the ability to penetrate well. I would opt for the semi auto as that's got more real world usefulness if it's reliable with feeding and cycling.
My younger son has a Henry and it is slick as snot and shoots well, never got serious with testing it accuracy wise, but it shoots well, that's easy to tell.
Rebel Dave
Member
I was eyeing the Rossi. I have been reading about it on the Taurus site. The .22WMR Rossi semi-auto, has a habit of the cocking lever flying off, out of the blue. No one has mentioned whether that has been fixed by Rossi yet. So I haven't jumped on one.
Dave
Dave
It might be worthwhile to look at 17HMR too. It is faster, shoots flatter and bucks the wind better. I have never owned either but have a friend that sold his 22wmr after trying a 17HMR and says he will never go back. But you will probably need a scope to realize the 17HMR's advantages. Just a thought.
www.americanhunter.org
An Official Journal Of The NRA | Head to Head: .17 HMR vs. .22 WMR
Contributor Philip Massaro examines the pros and cons of two of the most popular magnum rimfire cartridges. Which comes out on top?
doubleh
Member
Many years ago I went to the 22 WMR to extend my range on small pests. Even with excellent eyesight I found I really needed a scope to take advantage of it's capabilities. I finally moved on to 22 centerfire for even more range and sold the 22 mag. When the 17HMR came out I had to try it and it's even better than the 22 mag IMO.
I just had to try out RIA's 1911 look alike in 22 mag a few years ago. Finiky, finiky, finiky on what ammo it would function with and 22 mag was rather scare then. I would buy a couple of boxes of what I could find in hopes it would work dependably. With it ear splitting muzzle blast and not much more effect down range, only one type of ammo that was dependable, and the lack of that I gave up and sold it. I have a pretty good stack of 22 mag ammo and one revolver to shoot in and no desire to do so. A grandson has a 22 mag and last week offered to trade 38 special for 22 mag and I said OK to the trade.
I just had to try out RIA's 1911 look alike in 22 mag a few years ago. Finiky, finiky, finiky on what ammo it would function with and 22 mag was rather scare then. I would buy a couple of boxes of what I could find in hopes it would work dependably. With it ear splitting muzzle blast and not much more effect down range, only one type of ammo that was dependable, and the lack of that I gave up and sold it. I have a pretty good stack of 22 mag ammo and one revolver to shoot in and no desire to do so. A grandson has a 22 mag and last week offered to trade 38 special for 22 mag and I said OK to the trade.
Dave DeLaurant
Contributing Member
A friend of mine owns two of these and (obviously) likes them a lot:
shopkahrfirearmsgroup.com
He also has about a pallet load of .22 WMR ammo and a Grendel WMR semiauto pistol that produces a fireball like a .454 Casull.
.22WMR Barracuda Laminate Nutmeg Rifle
He also has about a pallet load of .22 WMR ammo and a Grendel WMR semiauto pistol that produces a fireball like a .454 Casull.
Dave DeLaurant
Contributing Member
Simpson's has had this on their rack for about the past two years:
CarJunkieLS1
Member
For $500 used they can keep it on their rack too. I've got a Marlin XT 22mag that's tube fed, and with a scope, inside of 75 yards it's a death ray on any little critter that gets in it's way.Simpson's has had this on their rack for about the past two years:
If money isn't an object, CZ, Bergara, or Tikka would be money well spent. If budget minded used and look at Savage, Marlin, or Ruger models
I like .22 WMR, but if it's just for fun, .22 LR is a lot less expensive.
CZ makes the 457 Lux in .22 WMR. I don't own that particular one, but CZ rimfire rifles are excellent.
I realize this is the rifle forum, but if you want something really inexpensive just to try out the caliber, you can get a Heritage Rough Rider revolver with both .22 LR and .22 WMR cylinders for under $100, especially around the holidays when they do the rebates.
22lr is always going to be in my stable. Perhaps my favorite round. I am just looking to go a little further and waste a little more money. 22 wmr has always intrigued me in a rifle. It may be a truck gun off and on, just because I can.
dickydalton
Member
Ruger American.
Necessary_Nutrient
Member
A classic option from Savage, hard to beat for value and likely to be accurate out of the box.
Savage 93 G 22 WMR w/ Iron Sights
Savage 93 G 22 WMR w/ Iron Sights
That is what I am leaning towards. A lot of reviews complain about the magazines not feeding great. Any validity to this?
Necessary_Nutrient
Member
I have a Savage 93 in 17WMR so it's very similar. I don't recall any issues with the magazine feeding but it's not as slick as Ruger's rotary mag. No doubt, Savage rimfire mags are a little old-school and utilize simple, pressed-metal construction, but they seem to work for me. I also have the Mark IIG in .22 LR, which is virtually the same rifle down to the stock and that hasn't had any feeding problems.
Thank you. 17WMR is an interesting caliber as well.
chicharrones
needs more ammo
My .22 WMR rifle experience has only been with lever guns and bolt actions. I much prefer .22 WMR in a bolt gun.
If I had to start over, and wanted iron sights only, I'd get a Ruger American Rimfire and install a set of TechSights.
The question then would become (for me), would I want a basic RAR carbine or nicer RAR?
If I had to start over, and wanted iron sights only, I'd get a Ruger American Rimfire and install a set of TechSights.
The question then would become (for me), would I want a basic RAR carbine or nicer RAR?
Last edited:
Gordon
Member
I have the Rossi .22SA .22 WMR semi rifle . The 10 round mags feed flawlessly. I bought three extra, reasonable. The gun is not blow back it is machined metal delay , the whole gun is well made. It shot better after a box of shells and a careful cleaning . I read about the handle blowing off. I did not lubricate that bart but put a little tiny bit of The Right Stuff silicone to make sure it wont and it still is removable for cleaning. The gun is so accurate that I put a decent Burris Fullfield scope on it and it rides in my truck as a California ok truck gun with 10 round mags and no "features" . I shot one coyote so far and quite a few ground squirrels with it the last couple years.
Last edited:
