Winchester 9410, 9422 or Remington 572 Fieldmaster

[SloopG]

Trying to decide on a first rifle. Mostly for target shooting at the range. Only have experience with handguns. Have looked at a lot of different rifles and shotguns and have narrowed it down to either a Winchester 9422 (22LR), Winchester 9410 (.410 shotgun) or a Remington 572 Fieldmaster (22LR). All seem to be in the same price $400 price range.

Would appreciate opinions on the pro/con of

22LR vs .410 caliber
Winchester lever vs Remington pump

Not really interested in autoloaders as I like the simplicity of the lever or pump action designs. Will probably use this gun to introduce wife to target shooting.

What's your recommendation?

 

[Dave Markowitz]

Forget the 9410, it's a shotgun. It's best used for small game hunting. While you can shoot slugs out of it, .410 bore ammo is A LOT more expensive than .22 rimfire.

Either the Winchester 9422 or the Remington 572 will be a fine choice, however. I have a 9422 and it's very accurate with ammo it likes. The Remington should also be accurate. Both are quality pieces. Were I in your shoes, I'd handle both and buy whichever "spoke" more to me.

 

[Al Thompson]

Totally agree with Dave (as usual). IMHO, you may want to look at the Taurus pump rifle and Marlin M39 rifle as well. All listed are very nice.

 

[SloopG]

Will drop the win9410 from the list as it is a shotgun and more for skeet or trap. Unfortunately, my skill level is still challenged by a fixed bullseye. Would like to progress to shotgun for skeet, trap & home defense at some point in the future. Suspect my first shotgun will be a Remington 870 Wingmaster but that's after I master some technique with the rimfire rifle. There are some absolutely beautiful double barrel shotguns out there in the $1-2,000 range.

This gun purchasing thing is contagious. Am coming down with serious case of GAS... Gun Acquisition Syndrome.

Back to my rimfire hunt... any recommendations regarding the Marlins or Browning lever action rimfires? Are they better than the Winchesters?

 

[russlate]

There'll always be guys claiming the Marlins are better than Winchesters. It's Chevy vs. Ford. I've heard nothing but praise from owners of the Brownings, and some of it may even be justified.

The other levergun you may want to check out, though less traditional, is the Ruger. Oddly I've heard absolutely nothing on it.

 

[SloopG]

I am a Ruger fan owning a 22/45 and a P89. If their rifles are anything like their handguns, they will reliable and accurate.... but their lever action rifle just doesn't appeal to me. I like the more traditional style of the Winchesters or even the Remington Fieldmaster.

 

[Master Blaster]

I have a 94/22 in walnut, its a classic good trigger out of the box no crossblock safety, excellent accuracy, I shoot mine at sillouhettes, its a fun gun and a future family heirloom. it breaks down easily for cleaning via the takedown screw.

Get it you wont be sorry.

 

[Lone Star]

The M9422 is a classic, one of the few modern .22's still made with traditional steel and walnut construction. It would be an excellent choice.

But you compare it to a Remington pump??? (Personally, I'd take the Fieldmaster's semiauto companion, the M552 Speedmaster over a pump-action .22.)

The logical comparisons would be to Marlin's M39 and maybe whatever that Browning lever .22 is, if they make one. I'd not even consider the Browning in this case. The Winchester 9422 and the Marlin M39 are THE classic lever .22's that everyone respects and will hold their value. (The original form of this Marlin came out in 1891!)

Why didn't you consider a bolt-action .22, especially the CZ-M452, which comes in both American Classic and traditional European (Bavarian) stock styles? You'd save money and get a superb squirrel rifle that would work like the deer rifle that I hope you'll eventually want.

I know that both the Remington Wingmaster shotgun and the Fieldmaster .22 are pumps, but in a rifle, I wouldn't choose a pump-action.

You have to suit yourself. I just think you picked two odd choices to compare...

Lone Star

 

[SloopG]

Thanks Lone Star

I was considering the Remington Fieldmaster because I thought it would give me an idea as to how a pump shotgun would work and feel and might be a good way to grow into a 12 or 20 gauge shotgun. At some point down the road, I would like to try trap and skeet shooting. The 22 I am shopping for is specifically for the target range. For whatever the reason, I seem to have a preference for the lever action over a bolt action.

Browning does make a 22lr lever action rifle (BL-22). Will be shopping this weekend to look at the Marlin, Winchester, Browning and just to scrtatch my itch, the Remington Fieldmaster. Am really leaning towards the lever action 22s.

 

[TimRB]

"For whatever the reason, I seem to have a preference for the lever action over a bolt action."

Nothing wrong with that. I also have a 9422 that I really like. I bought it because I wanted a western-style lever 22, but unwittingly discovered something about my preferences in rifles. Namely, *for me* bolt 22s are too slow to be interesting plinkers, and autoloaders are boring because there's nothing to do between shots. Go figure.

Tim

 

[SloopG]

"and autoloaders are boring because there's nothing to do between shots"

Mabe that's it. I even load my semi-automatic handgun with only five rounds in a clip so it slows me down and gives me a chance to think about what I did and what I want to try next. I know you can do that also with a semi-automatic rifle but I also find the look and mechanical simplicity of a traditional lever or even a pump action appealing.

 

[Z_Infidel]

I have a Remington Fieldmaster, and it's a fine rifle. It is plenty accurate and I've never had a single failure with it. Nothing fancy, it just works. It sits next to a Remington 870 pump 12 guage in my safe.

 

[SloopG]

What influenced you to purchase the Fieldmaster. Did you already have the 870?

 

[Sunray]

The last thing a new shotgunner needs is a .410. Any .410. You'd just get frustrated and quit. Not enough pellets in a .410 for a new shotgun shooter.
If you're thinking formal .22 target shooting, neither of your choices is good enough. If you're just plinking or shooting informally, then either would do nicely. The 9422 lists at around $500 though. The Remington 552 BDL at around $400. Mind you, it won't help much with a pump shotgun. The throw is much longer in a pump shotgun.

 

[Z_Infidel]

What influenced you to purchase the Fieldmaster. Did you already have the 870?

This was a long time ago... Let's see... my brother had a Ruger 10/22 semi-auto and I wanted a repeater but something different than what he had. This was before I was into centerfire rifles, and I believe the 870 came after as well. Come to think of it, that Fieldmaster has been serving faithfully for well over twenty years. It's the only .22LR gun I still have and doesn't get shot as much as the larger caliber rifles I own, but at one time it got shot an awful lot!

 

[SloopG]

Thanks for all the advice and suggestions.

Decided on a new Winchester 9422 Legacy (39.5" barrel and pistol grip).

Any recommendations for a good rimfire range scope?
What size rings does it take?

 

[yankytrash]

4x is a good magnification to start with on a 22. Try not to spoil yourself past a 3-9 variable though, since you're just starting out.

Get the largest objective as possible if there's any threat that you might go huntin with the rifle. Hard to find jumpy squirrels with a 12 or 20mm objective.

Ring size will be decided by the scope you choose. There'll be different sized rings for different sized scope tubes, and the choices are boiled down to your rifle type. To make it easier yet, buy from a local shop and make them mount the scope for you (usually done for free, especially if buy the scope or gun from them). That puts the ring type decision on them, not you.

 

[SloopG]

Like a Bushnell Rimfire 3-9X32?

 

[yankytrash]

Not a bad choice at all.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

My wifes 9422 delux is really nice. I put a peep sight on it and one can snap shoot it with ease. Very nicely made, sturdy, solid and accurate. Everyone shoots it well, especially with the peep sight.

Go for the 9422, it is a true american classic.