Looking for a new .22 rifle

[Onmilo]

To those touting the Savage rifles, excluding the falling block Crackshot models, you know Savage .22s are nothing more than product upgraded, overpriced, Canadian Lakefield rifles, right??
They are Ok but really nothing spectacular.
I will say that in my experience, if one is wanting a .17HMR Magnum rifle, the Savage WILL outshoot the Marlins, consistently.

 

[Sako Shooter]

If "not to epxensive" is the criteria, I would recommend, as have others, the CZ 452. The 455 is its replacement, and sales have been run latley on the 455 in the $300 odd dollar range online. The 455 is not the proven performer that the 452 was/is (at this time), but I have heard numerous good reports about them.

An upgrade would be a single barrel Sako Quad, but that is almost 2x the price of the CZ, if you can even locate one.

Cooper and Anschutz would be further upgrades, but definitely would not fit the "not to expensive" criteria.

The Savages also have their following and I believe at this time Cabellas is offering some dirt cheap prices on one model of Savage .22 rifle. Savages can be made to be extemely accurate, and some would argue the best buy for the $$.

 

[frisbee2421]

this is crazy speak. my ruger 10/22 is super accurate. mine is about 20 years old. not only was it accurate, it was reliable as all get out. i shot it so much that the extractor popped off. this was after about 5,000 rounds. i didn't replace it till last year. it was still kicking the spent casings out. the ruger would be an excellent choice. i can only imagine how accurate it would be if i scoped it.

 

[MacTech]

I've had each of the big three manufacturer's guns talked up in this thread…

Ruger 10/22; decently reliable, acceptable accuracy (3/4 to 1" groups at 50Y) but with an absolutely horrid factory trigger, first thing that needs replacing, IMHO, and yes, I've owned two of them, but sold them off as I was not happy with them and didn't want to sink money into them beyond mags, besides, per the OP's request they are neither a tube fed nor bolt action gun

Marlin; owned a couple Model 60's, noticeably more accurate than the 10/22, just as reliable, tube fed, but with a similar horrid trigger, these two were sold off, I do still have my old Model 25, an exceptionally accurate gun, dime to nickel sized groups at 50Y, trigger sucks though, but since this was my first gun, 16th birthday gift from Dad, I'll never sell it, in fact I may have a trigger job done on it
The current tube fed version of the 25 should be just as accurate as my 25

Savage; Mark II-G just as accurate as my Marlin 25 but the AccuTrigger is brilliantly good, in a rash of stupidity and wantanewgunitus I traded it off, shoulda' kept it, down the road I did replace it with a 93R17-GV though, and that rifle is one-hole accurate at 50Y…

CZ; have 2 452 series rifles, a Military Trainer with the YoDave trigger kit (bought it used that way, big score for me ) and a Scout
The Trainer is my precision fire/bench gun and can rival the one-hole accuracy of my 17HMR Savage, and the Scout is just my fun gun/plinker, spending more time on my backyard range shooting Super Colibris and CCI CB rounds and teaching my nephew responsible firearm use, that said, it's right up there with the Trainer in accuracy, the factory trigger is okay, light years better than the Ruger or Marlin, but not as good as the Savage AccuTrigger or the YoDave'd Trainer

If, knowing what I do now, I could go back in time and start it all over, I'd tell my past-self to forget the rugers, cheap Marlins (keep the 25 though) and Savage Mark II-G, and just get the CZ's and the Savage 93R17

There's a reason that CZ's are recommend, they really are that good, it's the total package, the feel of the bolt throw, the cheek weld, the balance, the trigger feel, they feel like a centerfire rifle

That said, they still don't match the OP's request as they are mag fed, if CZ ever did make a tube feeding rimfire, it'd be ideal, as it stands, my only two qualms about the tube fed bolt Marlin are the polymer stock, I hate "Tupperware" stocks, and the trigger feel, if those things don't bother the OP, they would be very happy with that Marlin

 

[dugasgunner]

This is my squirrel gun. Winchester 190 topped with a Vortex Crossfire 2x7x32. Under an inch at 60 yards and cost 150 bucks. Feed it with Winchester subsonic and squirrel pop is going down fast in my area...

 

[Get R Done Guns]

Have a CZ 455 22/17hmr (2 barrels) both are stellar accurate. Topped with a leupold 3-9 it works excellent. Also have the 527 american in 204 and it is equally exquisite.

 

[dc.fireman]

Not tube fed but the magazine fed Savage Mark II has been a great gun for me.

This. I picked up the Mark II TR three months ago. In Virginia, we have 'Dicks Sporting Goods' - a big box store similar to Sports Authority, or Big 5, etc.

It came with a a low grade 3x9 scope. Out the door, it was $378 - And it's a damn tack driver of a .22. It has the accu-trigger, and a bull barrel. I mounted an older folding bi-pod on it, and yesterday finally had some time to sight it in.

Holding 1 1/2" high, on the scope, I was consistently ringing the 200 meter steel plates at the range, with the CCI sub sonic .22 LR 100 round boxes.

The model I got has a tan stock (Dick's color), made by Boyds for Savage. The rest of them are generally black wood stocks. Great little rifle.

 

[mgkdrgn]

IF you could tolerate going semi-auto, I believe the Marlin 60 is the best bargain in a very nice 22 out there. And yes, it's tube fed.

 

[ccsniper]

I went to a local gun shop and found a used marlin 60 for 50 bucks and a used winchester 190 for 90, bought both. cleaned up real nice and the 190 is what my dad has.

 

[BCRider]

If your heart is set on a bolt then fine. Lots of great suggestions so far.

If you are open for something a little different I'll add in another plug for the Henry lever guns. I got the basic H001 model recently and it's making me look better than I think I am. It's so nice that I'm thinking of selling it to get money to buy the slightly nicer set up Frontier model with the octagonal barrel and metal barrel bands instead of the basic model's plastic bands.

Butter smooth action and you won't find a lot of folks with problems or old age issues.

 

[Paul Sjoberg]

Is the Marlin 981 still available?

Hello. I would like to have a new 981T or 981TS. I wonder if Marlin has discontinued this rifle. I have checked the Marlin web site and it does not initially list the 980 series. It seems that you have to specifically enter it, to obtain information on it. I would really like to have a bolt actin tube fed .22 rifle. Thanks.

 

[CCCP]

+1 cz 452fs

 

[jsimmons]

If you're planning on repairing your 512, you should probably acquire the parts NOW before Remington decides to stop making them, at which point, you'll be reduced to but parts guns just to scavenge used parts from.

BTW, I have a CZ-452 Silhouette. VERY accurate, but I wish it it had iron sights on it.