22 caliber rifle recommendations, please

T

Tall Man

New member
Goodness knows why, but I've got a hankering to obtain a quality 22 caliber rifle that can accept a scope.

My curiousity is piqued every time I see these rifles at gun shows.

Unfortunately, I've got little experience with rifles, pistols being my primary interest up until know.

I wanted to solicit your 22 rifle recommendations, to include a scope for the same. I won't complain about price, but I will complain about quality. Feel free to advise me of the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Thanks!

Tall Man

P.S. - Was that really a 22 caliber AK-47 -style rifle that I saw at a recent firearms bazaar?? :confused:
 
What kind of ".22?"

There's .22LR (rim fire) through the .22 centerfires (.223, .22-250, .220 Swift, etc.) & the next question is, "Whatcha gonna do with it?" Plinking, serious target shooting, varmits, fun gun .... ?
 
In my opinion the best .22 LR rifle on the market is the marlin M-39-A, especially in it's Golden 39-A form. This is a lever action rifle with a takedown feature for ease of cleaning and transportation.

Since it has a solid topped reciever with side ejection, any scope that suits you fancy will work. Mine has a 2-7X40mm Simmons compact.

If you are talking about .22 centerfires, I can't help you. I've never cared much for the .22 CF's especially the 5.56 NATO.

Doc Hudson
 
I am also interested in a .22 rifle strictly for target shooting. This will be my first rifle; or firearm for that matter. Right now my interests lie in the Ruger 10/22, Ruger 77/22, and CZ American series. Any recommendations?

By the way I am 16 and living in Los Angeles, if this information helps.

Thanks!
 
I have a 10/22 that is almost 15 years old. At 12 years, I replaced the barrel with the new heavy barrels and it is still shooting 1/2" groups at 30yds. With the stock barrel it was close to 1" at 30yds. I use the Rem standard velocity ammo and it is great.

You cannot go wrong with the 10/22. One of my uncles has had his for 20 years and it still shoots great.

ChrisW
 
My .22's are inexpensive, ie 10/22, marlins, USRA, etc. Good accuracy, solid rifles, good quality, so-so fit/finish. A co-worker has a Kimber 22 classic and a Winchester (USRA) model 52B, these are of very good fit/finish and accuracy but are expensive. If price is not a concern, either one of these would be my choice for a field (non heavy barrel) .22lr.

Have handled but not fired the CZ american and the Thomson Center .22 classic (autoloader). These are priced between my inexpensive .22's and the Kimber. Fit/finsh is much better than my inexpensive rifles. They appear to be made of steel and wood, very little or no plastic or aluminum.

I like the Burris compacts for .22s. A full size scope looks out of place on .22 (IMO). If your going to do a lot of short range shooting (< 50 yards) I recommend an adjustable parralax scope, which is available in compact versions.

Don't scrimp on the glass, because of the low report and cheap ammunition I spend more time looking through my .22 scopes than all my centerfire rifles combined.

Good luck and have fun.
 
I guess that if I offered any "advice", it would be to go to a major gun store with a large selection of all types of .22s and feel and fondle until you find something you like. Then go away and think about it before you actually lay the money down. They come in more shapes, sizes and styles than anything else, seems like, and the prices can run from just under $100 to over $1,000.

Generalizing, few are really "bad". That is, they will pretty much all shoot accurately enough to hit close-range mice on to tin cans at 100 yards. Some are better than others, and the higher cost rifles will sometimes truly be worth it for accuracy as well as "purty".

The "best" ammo? The only way to know is to test for what works best in whatever critter you buy.

Since recoil is not a factor, almost any scope will work. Overall, I'd say that it's better to put a quality scope on a cheap rifle than go the other way. While I've never had any problems with any of several Tascos, I just plain prefer my Leupolds. But, I've had good results from the Simmons 44 Mag on my '06, so what do I know? You generally "get what you pay for".

Hope this BS helps,

Art
 
Thanks Art, et al...

My interest, to answer an earlier question, rests with 22 LR for target shooting and plinking.

I'll make it a point to examine the merchandise at local gun shops (and gun shows as they occur).

Tall Man
 
I can't say enough good about my Anschuetz 1416D.
http://www.anschuetz-sport.com
An1416D.jpg

It has standard scope rails and is more accurate than I am... same quality as their high-end target rifles!

Right now, it's wearing a Redfield 4x

Squirrels shutter and my name!


10/22's are also great, and somewhat handier.
 
Every rifleman deserves a high end .22 rifle. My choice was the Cooper Arms Model 36 although I looked at Anschutz and the Sako Finnfire. I bought the Cooper at an auction for a price I couldn't refuse. Kimber also makes a high grade .22 that is a super rifle.

I don't care for the Ruger .22 bolt actions. I've seen some that were good but others that were not very accurate and the trigger pulls just don't compare to the quality rifles. If the budget is tight I don't think you can go wrong with a CZ American. I owned the identical rifle except it was called a BRNO Model 2E and it shot rings around the Rugers and Remingtons (Model 40X excepted).

My Cooper carries a Leupold Compact 2x-7x RF with the shorter range parallax setting. I like it but would consider the Leupold EFR 3x-9x with the adjustable objective for target shooting.

I have as much invested in my .22 as and of my centerfire rifles but I shoot my .22 more often and I love the way the sun glints off the oil-finished Claro walnut.
 
Having started out with a .22 rifle, this is a subject dear to my heart. It brings back memories of my childhood squirrel hunting adventures with my father.

During the past three months I have purchased two Taurus Model 62 .22LR (SS) carbines. While these rifles are only about 39" long, they also provide a takedown feature that make them very portable (as in a backpack, car trunk, etc.). Both of my rifles are in stainless steel, but they are available in blue as well. Accuracy is excellent, probably exceeding that of the original Winchester Model 62 from which they were copied. However, these rifles must use LONG EYE RELIEF SCOPES because of their design. In other words the scope is mounted over the barrel and chamber, not over the bolt. If you like the "scout rifle" concept you'll love this little rifle with a scope. The retail price for the stainless steel carbine was $ 229.95 although I note Taurus web page now shows them at a higher price.
http://www.taurususa.com/m62.html

The Remington Model 572 BDL is also an excellent .22 rifle. It is also a slide action (pump) rifle and the scope can be mounted with normal eye relief. The prices of these rifles approach $ 400.
http://www.remington.com/firearms/rimfire/572.htm

The Winchester Model 9422 lever action rifle in .22LR is a quality rifle. Recently I downloaded a sales catalog from CDNN INVESTMENTS that listed a short barrel Trapper version of the Winchester Model 9422. Price was around $ 329. Just checked CDNN's website and the PDF file on this catalog has disappeared so the sale maybe over, and the Trapper Model 9422 has been discontinued by Winchester. Maybe just SOL on getting one of these.

Personally I do not like the Marlin 39A because of the #*&@%#& micro grove barrel. I don't even like to clean those micro groves. Wish Marlin would offer conventional barrel designs as they've started doing with some of their centerfire rifles.

Yes, .22LR rifles have a special place in my collection. I'm now planning on ordering some of the little Chipmunk rifles for my grandchildren. Guess I'll never stop buying .22 rifles and handguns.
 
For plinking a semi-auto is hard to beat. For all-out accuracy you need a bolt action. I would go with the 10/22 because Ruger is my favorite gun company, but there are lots of other ones out there. Good luck and happy shooting!
 
Like AUTiger73, I started out life as a boy shooting .22LR's and I still enjoy taking one to the range now and again. Unlike PJR, I love the Ruger .22's. I have a 77/22 topped with a Weaver 2-7 scope and it's a dream to shoot. Highly accurate and looks nice, too! :) But like most of the posters have said, you can't go very wrong with any .22 as long as you stick to a known make. I see lots of the Ruger 10/22's at the range and the people shooting them all have smiles on their faces. I might get one next! :)
 
Ever since I got my latest copy of the American Rifleman, with a Kimber 22 ad on the back cover, I haven't been able to keep my mind off of it. That looks like a real nice gun. Expensive though, and I'd probably end up shooting such expensive ammo that it would negate the whole idea of getting a bolt 22.
Guess I'll wait until I improve my skills with my other long guns. Nobody's banning bolt .22s *yet*.
 
G23CT:

You don't need the really expensive .22 ammo in a high end gun. Federal Gold Medal Target works well for me and it's not one of the more costly .22 target rounds.

I thought long and hard about a high end .22 and while not cheap I've never regretted the purchase. Think of it on a cost per use basis. I shoot and hunt with my .22 far more often than my centerfires. If you consider the cost per use the high priced .22 looks better and better.

You only get to live once but if you do it right, once is enough.
 
you will get more actual use out of a .22lr than any other rifle you own. the cost of target grade ammo is less than the cost of mil-surpl of any other round.

i was looking at the anschutz 54 or the cooper as i think they are on top of the heap for .22 rifles. i was saving my pennies...lots and lots of...but ended up with a weatherby mark XXII semi-auto. i'd always wanted one but they stopped production before i could buy new, happened across a used one at a gun shop. beautiful wood(highly figured claro w/rosewood accents), finish and stock proportions(monte carlo w/cheek rest). very accurate with the weatherby 4x scope that came with it.

it is right next to my 10/22 right now, yep the ruger is alot of fun...but the mark XXII warms the soul.

i'm still saving for that anschutz 54
 
Everyone should have a 10/22. I have owned several and they were all winners. My current 10/22 has a heavy stainless match barrel in a Hogue stock with some trigger work. It is topped with a Leupold 2-7x rimfire special scope. Lots of fun. Shoots as well as most bolt guns. Even without the match barrel the standard 10/22 is quite accurate. Enjoy.
 
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