Looking for a "plinker".

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I am interested in a 22 rifle that will shoot .22 and .22lr. I only want it to play with, no serious marksmanship, just for fun. I would like to spend under $200, but will go over if need be. I would like one drilled and tapped for a scope. It only needs to be accurate for about 40 yards with the scope, as that is the distance at my house that I will be shooting. My WASR 10 draws a little too much attention from the neighbors, and I would like NOT to have to go to the middle of nowhere to shoot. Doesn't matter if it's bolt action or semi-auto, either is fine.

Where can I find a new, good 22 rifle that will work for my needs, and better yet, what am I looking for?

 

[nwilliams]

May I be the first to recommend a Ruger 10/22

-Can be easily found used for under $200, or new for under $300
-Accurate and reliable
-Lots of accessory/customizing options
-Quick and easy to scope
-Hi-cap mags available
-Fun to shoot

http://www.ruger-firearms.com/Firea...ding&famlst=39&variation=Mini-14® Ranch Rifle

 

[joab]

If you want it to shoot .22 and .22lr you don't want a semi

Look into a Marlin magazine fed bolt action

You should have no problem finding a good .22 for $200 or less, especially if you don't mind used
Most any pawn shop will have a good selection of good .22 rifles for around $100 to $150 and if you are not picky about cosmetics you can find them well below $100

 

[SaMx]

take a look at the Henry H001 or Golden Boy too.
they're lever action and take .22lr, long, and short.

 

[heron]

Savage. Lots to choose from, inexpensive, accurate.

 

[rangerruck]

new, there is only one. the marlin 981, it is tube fed, fires s, l, lr's, and will hold 25 shorts in the tube at one time. there are others madeby marlin, savage, henry, etc., that are single shot as well. but for the money, and it being a repeater, the marlin is the best. now if you want a semi auto, the remmington speedmaster will do it, but new, they are about 400 bucks, and beautiflul However, you can find them used, invarious conditions for 120 bucks, on up.
and they are the only one i have ever found , that can reliably cycle the 22 short round.

 

[rangerruck]

ruger 10.22 is not reliable, and only fires 22lr.

 

[MIL-DOT]

a while back i was also interested in a .22 rifle and many,if not most of the responses i got were for the marlin, model 60 i believe. some responders had theirs for decades,loved them,and no one had a bad word to say about them. when i finally get around to getting one, that'll almost for sure be what i'll buy.

 

[supraneurotoxin]

+1 to nwilliams.
you can customize the 10/22 to anything you want, from an accurized scoped rifle, to a pseudo tactical rifle. I caught the tacticool bug a while ago. here's mine:

 

[MassMark]

ruger 10.22 is not reliable, and only fires 22lr.

Point #1: Horse Puckey

Point #2: Accurate.

 

[JesseL]

I am interested in a 22 rifle that will shoot .22 and .22lr.

I'm not aware of a rimfire cartridge called simply ".22". I'm aware of:

• .22 BB Cap
• .22 CB Cap
• .22 Short
• .22 Long
• .22 Long Rifle
• .22 Winchester Rimfire (WRF)
• .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire (WMR)

 

[Il Duca]

Head to your local pawn shop and take a gander at the used rack. For $200 you should have your pick of most of their .22s. And most of the older rifles will use .22 S-L-LR.

 

[martinc64]

ucfd cyclist, Why do you want it to shoot .22 short and .22lr? I am just curious.

.22lr is dirt cheap. I get 550 rounds for about 12 bucks at walmart. Also .22lr is extremely common in rifles and handguns.

If you are willing to settle for a rifle chambered for .22lr only then I would recommend (highly) the ruger 10/22 or Marlin model 60.

Both are excellent rifles. Both are reliable and since you said you are looking for a rifle to play with not serious marksmanship I think you will be delighted with the out-of-the-box accuracy.

Either can be had for under 200 .

 

[Odnar]

ucfd cyclist, Why do you want it to shoot .22 short and .22lr? I am just curious.

The .22 shorts are very quiet. I have a tube fed bolt action JC Higgins that I occasionally shoot .22 CBs out of. It's barely louder than a CO2 BB gun.

Oh, and I got it in great condition off the used rack at the local gun store for $60 about 10 years ago.

 

[ArmedBear]

Fun + top quality?

Marlin Golden 39A. Most fun plinker I've ever had.

Shoots and feeds ANYTHING from .22 CB Shorts to .22 LR Velocitors, feeds 'em all the same. Holds 26 shorts or 19 LR's plus one in the chamber. Easy to clean, and doesn't require much cleaning. Action gets very little fouling and requires little cleaning, and very infrequently, unlike a semiauto. Comes drilled and tapped, with a mount. Has iron sights like a centerfire lever gun; great for plinking.

Takedown design also allows cleaning the barrel from the breech, quickly and easily. The gun is all-steel and comes with nice checkered walnut and a rubber buttpad. It's a minor update of 1891 Annie Oakley used for trickshooting (original was not a takedown AFAIK).

Much better geometry than my 10/22, much nicer stock, doesn't slide around on my shoulder, and the Marlin has more heft to it.

Lever gun will make most neighbors curious in a positive way, not scare them.

http://www.marlinfirearms.com/Firearms/22Rifle/Golden39A.aspx

Haven't shot my 10/22 since I bought mine.

Yes, it's more expensive than a plain-jane 10/22, but I was not immediately tempted to add a new stock, barrel, and trigger to the Marlin, and I love not having it all gummed up after a few hundred rounds.

Buy one now, or you'll want one later.

 

[Squidward]

Lots of info at RimfireCentral.com

 

[SShooterZ]

Get a CZ 452 or a Marlin 39.

For the price, the CZ cannot be beat IMHO.

Much better quality than the 10/22 for a fraction more.

 

[Sulaco]

I plink in a suburban area with an old Marlin 39A using Aquila Super Colibri's. They don't have any powder in them. They use a special primer mix to propel the bullet. They make less noise than a BB gun and work very well on squirrels. Not so hot on Raccoons though.

 

[michael_aos]

I've been plinking lately with a Marlin 981T.

Scoped with a Burris 4-12x32mm R/A, I get ~1" 5-shot groups @ 25yrs.

Best ammo so far seems to be the CCI Short Target, followed by the CCI CB Long.

My rifle doesn't like the CCI CB Short (poor accuracy).

I want to like the Super Colibri, but it's just not accurate.

Haven't quite settled on a single load. The CB Long's are a little quieter, and a little less-expensive. The Short Target are a slightly more accurate and the rifle holds 25 -vs- 19 of the CB Long.

Overall it SEEMS quieter than an air-rifle at the same power-level.

Mike

 

[RockyMtnTactical]

Ruger 10/22 all the way. They are cheap, plentiful, work great, and have a ton of accessories available.

 

[sm]

Short, Long, and Long Rifle -

These will shoot .22 short, .22 long, and .22 long rifle

Bolt:
Find a good used Single shot .22 like a Remington 514.
I wish I still had mine...I still shoot some that belongs to others.


Semi : Remington Speed-master.
Yep, this one shoots all 3, not sure of price point though

Pump :Remington Fieldmaster.
Again, not sure of price point, still shoots all 3


.22 short is NOT dead in a rifle.

Some state regulations still allow night hunting for Raccoon for instance, and one MUST use .22 short.
Lots of fun, the dawgs, good memories.

Teaching new shooters (kids) and these guns just flat work, especially with .22 short

New gun for plinking, .22 lr only, I still prefer a Marlin 60

Check out the used guns at a pawn shop, or gun store.
Some NICE plinker's can be had "right".