which .22 LR rifle

[gspn]

I have an old Winchester .22 LR. I have it mainly for nostalgic purposes…it belonged to my wifes grandfather. While it's neat to have an heirloom with some family history…I need a gun that will shoot. That old Winchester is about worn out, has a terrible trigger, and I don't shoot it any more than I have to.

So, I might be in the market for a new .22 LR. It will serve a few purposes, plinking, target shooting, and some small game hunting.

My immediate thought is to just go get a Ruger 10/22, mainly because I don't have much experience with any other type of .22 LR rifles. I hear that the Ruger 77/22 is really nice, and that CZ makes a nice gun. Just looking for some thoughts on a nice .22 that will fit the roles described above. Semi-auto or bolt doesn't matter too much…but I really like accurate guns.

 

[osteodoc08]

Bolt action on a budget- Ruger American

Bolt action mid range- CZ

Semiauto mag feed- 10/22

Semiauto tube feed- Marlin Model 60

Target grade 22- Anshutz

Just my .02

 

[fteter]

I'm in the same boat, but my older rifle is a Browning SA-22 Takedown. I'm looking hard at the Ruger 10/22...just like it better than anything else I've tried.

 

[bamajoey]

For the money you spend if you want accuracy, dependability, quality, fit and finish, CZ out of the box is very hard to beat. Anschutz is more accurate than a CZ, but costs 3 times as much. If you want to replace parts to get a better shooting rifle, you should go with a 10/22. Options are almost unlimited.

 

[BowerR64]

Top one i got from walmart for $120. cheap scope from walmart $40. strap off ebay $10. bipod i dont remember the cost flash hider $10. for Ruger 10/22

Fun to build and doesnt shoot bad for what i got into it.

Second one i also got from walmart, $238. and then i cut the ugly front rail down, flash hider and extended mag.

Both were fun to build and are a blast to shoot.

 

[d2wing]

I vote CZ too, although the others mentioned are good as well. The Remington 597 is said to be accurate. I had an old Winchester model 74 that was in bad shape, but a few new parts and a good cleaning and it shoots really well.

 

[sappyg]

I like the 10/22 so my admitted bias is to recommend that rifle. It's cheap and shoots good out of the box. It shoots great with some modification. Throw a little more cash at it and it shoots lights out. I'm happy to stop at good and great.
Want another heirloom to pass on? CZ for the win. An outstanding rifle. Mags are expensive but quality is high. You will pay for that fit and finish.
I don't have one but the Ruger American looks like it checks all the boxes. The trigger is crisp for targets. It's not too pretty for the woods and the price is very attractive. Big plus, it takes 10/22 mags.
Hard to go wrong with any choice IMO.

 

[BCRider]

For a budget bolt that Ruger does look nice. I'd also suggest a Savage Mk II fits into the budget bolt side of things. And they are certainly a shooter.

And along with the CZ's I'd stick the Browning T Bolt rifle in as a medium price alternative.

When you reach the $800 and up category there's more out there than only the Anchutz. Things like Cooper and the Ruger 77 come to mind but there are others as well.

For semi auto you can't get a whole lot more universal than a 10/22. Or if you know you're the sort that will fall into the "upgrades" disease you should just bite the bullet and buy one of the all aftermarket clone rifles. Cost is up around 4 times the cost of the basic Ruger. But many a person has gotten into the whole upgrading sickness and other than a few screws and the original stock rear sight that they had all the stuff they need to build ANOTHER STOCK 10/22.....

On the other hand if you simply will NOT upgrade diddly squat and you KNOW that you won't then the Remington 597 isn't a bad gun. For that matter lots of folks love their Marlin 60's.

 

[stormspotter]

I've been looking for another bolt action 22 to go with my Marlin XT-22 and decided to get a Marlin 880SQ. I saw a used one for sale on another site and went by my local dealer to check out their Blue Book of guns prices.

Told him I wanted to see what the prices were on a good used 880SQ. He told me he could do better than show me the prices in the book and went to the back and brought out 2 NIB Marlin 880SQ's.

One had an 02 beginning serial number and the other had an 01. I put the 02 in layaway and will pick it up in a couple of weeks. It came with the box, factory paperwork, targets and even a set of Weaver rings.

Not bad for $220 out the door.


Check out the Marlin XT-22 or even a good used Marlin 925. Neither will break the bank and leave $$$ left over for ammo.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

CZ in whatever model turns you on. It doesn't matter which. After you own one, you will want them all. I own four. I would not trade one for two of most of the other makes if I had to keep and shoot them.

 

[gspn]

I don't see a lot of upgrades in the future. I'll put a scope on it and if it needs trigger work it will get it…beyond that I can't imagine I'd change anything.

 

[viking499]

For the money you spend if you want accuracy, dependability, quality, fit and finish, CZ out of the box is very hard to beat. Anschutz is more accurate than a CZ, but costs 3 times as much. If you want to replace parts to get a better shooting rifle, you should go with a 10/22. Options are almost unlimited.

Ditto.......

 

[dvdcrr]

I recommend the marlin 795. Burris makes some good rings and a leupold 4x28 rimfire scope. I would put my 795 up against any out of the box ruger 10/22.

 

[BigBore44]

A good ole "which one" thread. I have shot countless 22's. from Sears to CZ. My two favorites were the 10/22 and Marlin 60. Can't choose one over the other. Wouldn't even try. Something to think about though.... The nostalgia of a firearm from a relative isn't the brand, it's the owner.

 

[tuj]

bolt: get a cz452. Outstanding rifles.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

Ain't nothing wrong with a 453 or 455, either.

 

[PO2Hammer]

Can't go too wrong with CZ or Ruger.
My CZ 452 Lux and 452 Scout are great guns.
I have my 10/22 tuned up with a Volquartsen hammer and it is a tack driver with no other mod's.

 

[32_d3gr33s]

Xt 22 or 10/22. Both are great rifles

 

[USAF_Vet]

The Savage Mk II bolt gun is an accurate-out-of-the-box rifle, as well as their semi auto budget rifle, the model 64. My 64 can out shoot a 10/22 any day of the week out of the box, and at roughly half the cost.

The only things I'll give the 10/22 an edge for are aftermarket options and longevity.

 

[Smith357]

Just looking for some thoughts on a nice .22

The Ruger, CZ, Marlin, et. are good rifles, and I'm not trying to bad mouth them, but they don't necessarily strike me a "nice". For me, to get into the "nice" category takes a bit more craftsmanship. The following is a list of Nice .22 rifles that can plink, hunt, and can be competitive with heavy target rifles in informal matches.


Cooper 57m Jackson Squirrel
Anschutz 1700 series, 54, and 64 sporters
Kimber KOA 82c, NY 22 series
Winchester 52 and 75 Sporter
Remington 541 T

 

[HGM22]

I'd go a Marlin 795 (detachable mag) or Marlin 60 (tube mag). They will outshoot a Ruger 10/22 unless you sink some money in the 10/22, though I'm not sure how durable the Marlins are compared to the Ruger.

 

[beatledog7]

If you want a bolt action, the CZ is hard to beat. My 452 Trainer is very accurate, likes any ammo, and even looks good.

 

[jsab9191]

I own a CZ 452 and two Ruger 10/22. When going to the range with the 452 my target at 50 yards is an aspirin . When I take the 10/22 to the range I shoot at bottle caps at 50 yards.

 

[FinnComm]

Semi-auto or bolt doesn't matter too much…but I really like accurate guns.

You've answered your own question sir. CZ is the way to go. Your only task is to choose which one

(10/22s are great fun for plinking but you need to spend some money to get them to come close to the accuracy of a CZ.)

 

[robert45]

Anschütz!

If you can find nice used Anschütz go for it, other 22LRs are like slingshot compared to Anschütz