Tryin to decide which .22 rifle?

[streetstang67]

I have a .30-06 and a 12 gauge, now I want a .22 just for fun. I've shot my dad's Remington 552 speedmaster, my brother's 10/22, and my uncle's old no-name brand (possibly sears and roebuck) 22 rifle. I'm looking for an accurate autoloader, with detachable magazine, good iron sights, and a reasonable price. I know ruger 10/22's are popular, but I want to look at all my options, what do you suggest?

 

[Chilean]

well, not an autoloader, but the CZ 452 is a great rifle

Chilean

 

[ArmedBear]

CZ, always.

Remington's "new" Zastava-made Model 5 gets high marks, too, and comes with decent iron sights.

I don't like the standard 10/22 sights, but some models now come with better ones. I replaced mine with fiberoptic sights so I could see them better in low light; the standard front sight tends to disappear in shadows IMO.

What do you want?

Semiauto, pump, lever, bolt, and straight-bolt action rifles are all readily available, for prices ranging from $120 new to thousands of dollars for target rifles.

 

[ndh87]

You might want to consider the Mossberg Plinkster. That will be the next .22 that i pick up. The accuracy is very good, the mag design is easy to use, and the gun is under 100 dollars. If you dont like the plinkster, you might want to consider a Marlin, i have had one for about 7 or so years, i dont know how many rounds i've put through it, but i'd be willing to bet that its a higher number than what my odometer reads. still accurate, some feeding problems...probably due to over use

 

[MachIVshooter]

For an affordable, reliable, high-quality made-in-USA autoloading .22 look no further than the Marlin model 60.

I do like the 10/22, but they're kinda ugly and chunky compared to the Marlin.

That said, my personal favorite rimfire rifle period is the Marlin 39A. But at ~$450-$500, they're well above the average .22 plinker.

 

[ArmedBear]

A few good options:

The Speedmaster you've already tried. Can't argue with that.

Browning SA 22. Not cheap, but a nice little takedown rifle. Appeals to gun snobs, but it's for good reason.

The Remington 597 for a lot less money, with cheapened construction but still a good gun.

Marlin makes a good gun for pretty darned cheap, and it's not some oddball import that won't have available parts in a few years. Lots of variety.

10/22 Rifle

 

[andyjason]

+1 on the marlin 60

i have had one for about 15 years with only one problem. you can hit anything with in 50 yard with out a problem. i just wish it was about 3" shorter

 

[streetstang67]

The marlin 60 that yal are suggesting...its tube fed isn't it? I'll be shooting this a lot, it would be nice it had a detachable magazine for easier and faster reloading.

 

[MatthewVanitas]

The marlin 60 that yal are suggesting...its tube fed isn't it? I'll be shooting this a lot, it would be nice it had a detachable magazine for easier and faster reloading.

For what it's worth, I used to think the same thing. I now own several Marlin 60s and no detach-mags.

Loading the 14 or 18 round Marlin tube mag takes less time than loading the 10-round Ruger mag. Plus, there are many low-qual Ruger hi-caps on the market, but the Marlin tube is uber-reliable.

Better yet: the "hi-cap" Marlin tube comes with the gun, no need to shell out $20 each for a bunch of new mags. You can speed up the process even further by storing 18 rounds of .22 in long pieces of plastic tubing, and just pouring them into the Marlin.

Here in Central Texas, I buy Marlin 60s for $50-75 bucks, in great shape. If I go to a half-dozen Austin pawnshops, it's almost guaranteed that I'll find a Marlin 60 for a good price.

I've rambled enough. General gist: give them a good, hard look.

-MV

 

[ojibweindian]

If you'll be shooting it a lot, you'd be better served with the Marlin because after stuffing detachable mags for a while, your finger tips get a little sore.

 

[Jim Watson]

My rimfire friends say that Thompson Center has the bugs out of their .22 auto. One got a replacement gun for a dud that is reliable in function, very accurate, and has a piece of walnut that looks like something off a thousand dollar custom.

 

[streetstang67]

I checked out the thompson center rimfires, man they look nice, but too expensive for me.

 

[ArmedBear]

BTW I haven't played with a 60 in 20+ years.

How do they load?

The tube fed old Mossberg I have is nice-looking, well-balanced, and accurate, but the tube feed is a royal PITA. It's a tube in the stock, though, and spring loaded.

I'm toying with the idea of a Marlin semiauto or boltie with a tube feed.

 

[bulltaco]

Get A Ruger 10/22!

You will not regret it!

 

[MatthewVanitas]

BTW I haven't played with a 60 in 20+ years.

How do they load?

You pull out brass rod from the tube, and dump 18 rounds tail-down into the tube.

If you pre-stage them in a plastic tube, you can just upend the whole "speedloader" into the Marlin tube in one pour. You can also pull the rod out slightly and put rounds individually into a cutout in the tube.

It's no hassle at all, compared to pressing down on a spring follower.

If you'll be shooting it a lot, you'd be better served with the Marlin because after stuffing detachable mags for a while, your finger tips get a little sore.

Bingo.

-MV

 

[ArmedBear]

The gun I have, you dump the rounds down the tube, but then you have a fun time trying to push the follower tube down over the rounds. Sometimes you can't do it at all.

I suppose the reason that Marlin tube feed guns still sell is that they have a better system (ditto for the Remingtons and others).

 

[MatthewVanitas]

I suppose the reason that Marlin tube feed guns still sell is that they have a better system (ditto for the Remingtons and others).

8 million Marlin 60 buyers can't all be wrong...

I believe it's still the best-selling .22 of all time.

-MV

 

[ArmedBear]

Yeah, Mossberg got out of the .22 biz a long time ago.

Reminds me, I gotta sell that thing to a collector. It's in 99%+ condition, and a neat gun, if you like such things. Wish I'd have gotten the 60 back then; I'd never have bought another .22, and wanted yet another.

My 10/22 is okay. I'm neither thrilled with it, nor unhappy with it. It's missing basic features (last-shot-hold-open), the stock sights are poor, and the bolt lock/unlock is TERRIBLE. I've never minded the mag release; I like it flush. But I live in San Diego so I don't use it with Winter gloves on.

 

[tubeshooter]

8 mil is probably right, but I could have sworn I heard 11 mill somewhere before. It was my first rifle; now relegated to "loaner" status. I'm sure that happened to many others also.


Marlin uses brass tube followers, maybe that helps as far as the problem described above. I have 3 Marlin tubes and have never such an issue at all.

 

[borrowedtime69]

options:

ok, i own a few .22's and have owned many over the years.

if you would like an affordable, accurate out of the box, reliable, clip feed, carbine .22 LR i HIGHLY recommend a Marlin 795.

you can find them out there for between $120-$140.

take a look at one, if you buy one, i think you'll be pleased. -Eric

 

[Ramius]

If you don't mind used, find a Nylon 66 or 77!

All of the mentioned .22's are great plinkers... but if you don't mind buying used, may I suggest the humble Remington Nylon 66 (14+1 tube fed) or Nylon 77 (10+1 round clip fed)

Growning up, friend of mine had a 10/22 and I had a 66, and it was a rare Saturday indeed when we came home with any ammo left... regulars at the pizza parlor used to joke that the smoke was still coming off our clothes when we walked in (at least I think they were joking!)

We both had excellent service from those rifles, although Stan managed to totally wear out his 10/22 by emptying 30 round banana clips as fast as he could... my Nylon (which had better care) still shoots about as good as it did 25 years ago...

Although some folks overprice used Nylon 66's and 77's, it's still not hard to find a decent shooter for $100 or so, if you don't mind a few scratches sometimes even less. Even a really nice one is usually cheaper than a new 597.

Hope this helps.