Best 22LR for plinking.

I got my Marlin 795 new for about $98 from Cabelas a year ago when they were on sale. I've seen them for the same price since then when they go on sale.
 
The 10/22 is the least accurate .22 out of the box I have ever seen. For the best bang for the buck and pretty good accuracy the Marlin 60. For better accuracy and the most fun the Henry Golden Boy.
 
I own a tricked out heavy barrelled 10/22 that I use for bench shooting and just recently picked up a super clean low round count LNIB CZ 452 American in 22lr thats going to be my field gun. Both serve their purpose very well..Having owned/shot that same 10/22 since I was 17, I gotta say that its really nice to shoot a thin stocked ,nimble, tight, buttery smooth quality bolt action in 22. The CZ is my new girlfriend. The beauty of it is this...both guns have plenty of aftermarket parts that make them fun to own. My vote goes for either the 10/22 or the CZ 452.
 
Depends on what type of plinking you are talking about! I own a ruger 10/22 carbine. In .22lr caliber the subsonic rounds are more accurate past appoximately 40 yards compared to regular HV(high velocity rounds) because the regular rounds go through the transsonic stage the transition from super sonic to sub sonic. Anyway... a Bolt action gun will tend to me more accurate. my 10/22 will shoot 1 1/2" groups at 50 yards with sub sonic all day.
Wal mart has great deals on all guns, If you have a local one that sells guns I'd go there.
 
100% agree with mrgoodwrench. L_Kilkenny doesn't like opinions to vary from his own.

I had a 10/22, and was not impressed. Had to send it back to Ruger twice. By all reports, I just got a bad one (bought it at Walmart) But the accuracy wasn't there. After two trips to Ruger, it was finally reliable, but still not very accurate. Sold it at a loss, and bought a 77/22. Much nicer gun, and loads more accurate. It was about $300.

I can't shoot 1/2" at 100 yards, but that is probably more a limit of my optics, rest, etc. than the rifle. It is under 1" all the time though.

For an accurate and affordable 22 that doesn't need to be rapid fire or tactical-looking, I second the recommendation for a bolt action. I'd probably go with a Marlin with the tubular magazine, but Savages get great press. I just prefer tubular magazines because they don't stick out the bottom of the stock. The rotary magazine of the 10/22 is a great design too, even more rugged than a tube or box magazine.

Edit: Oh, and stay away from the Walmart guns. Walmart will do anything to lower prices. They don't care if their vendors cut quality in order to lower the price. Oftentimes, they are made specially to that low price point for Walmart. Go to a gun shop or proper sporting goods store.
 
I've never seen a Ruger 10/22 nor Marlin 60 with an aperture sight.

Even my Savage .22 which was built in the 30s or 40s has an open sight, and the bead post is much better than what my Yugo Mauser has.

All I seem to understand is that my Garand, Enfield #4s/#5s all have nice apertures, therefore making my shots look much better than what my limited skill should produce.
Do .22s not work well with aperture sights?
Click to expand...
I put Tech aperture sights on my Ruger 10/22 carbine and it shoots more than adequately accurate enough for me out to 50 yards for iron sight class. Williams also sells an after market sight I like.

My recommendation is go with what feels good in your hands and what your pocketbook is willing to part with. Most 10/22's are not target accurate but even they shoot better out of the box than most shooters. If you are serious go with the Savage bolt action. My first rifle 46 years ago was a chap Savage single shot and I still beat most people with it in heads up shooting. So why do I have (11) 22LR's in the house? Because I am a sucker that's why and where else can you get so much shooting fun for so little money. .
 
I would def go with new over used when buying a 10/22. The price difference isnt that much.. Used 10/22's could have had a hard life.....
 
Get your Ruger, you won't regret it! I give my buddies crap all the time for their Rugers, as I can shoot just as well with my Marlin's. Personally, I do like the Ruger's too. They look nicer, shoot a bit smoother, and have plenty of add ons. I a huge bolt gun fan and my 981T is a first and favorite. My Glenfield 25 with open sights is an amazingly fun gun to shoot, because I can really hit stuff with it! Enjoy your Ruger, millions of others have enjoyed theirs before you!
 
.22

I've started shooting .22's quite a bit and have purchased 4 new rifles. Ruger .22 Heavy Barreled Target Stainless, Savage target Accu Trigger Heavy Barrel, CZ 452 American Single Set Trigger, Henry Single Shot Target.

All are accurate enough for pretty much anything. The CZ is absolutely astounding. At 30 yards a magazine through the same hole (I don't mean an enlarged hole! I'm talking 1/4 inch hole!) is the norm. I simply cannot imagine anything shooting better.

The Ruger is sufficiently accurate for anything. Less than dime size groups at 30 yards. Great fun to shoot, more so than any of the others. For actual use I prefer the Ruger. It's just more fun to shoot. Very reliable, box stock, heavy but manageable. The savage and Henry are perfectly good for anything too. Just the CZ and Ruger are OUTSTANDING in different ways. If you positively must shoot a squirrel in the eye at 30 yards, choose the CZ.
If a 30 yard head shot on a squirrel is sufficient, choose the Ruger. Just my opinion.
 
Take a good look at the CZ 453, or any of the .22LR CZs available to the shooter. Reliable, accurate, inexpensive and well made.
 
I'm a single-shot kind of guy,,,

And I have yet to see a .22 rifle that is more inherently accurate than my Henry Accu-Bolt,,,
I shoot alongside people (and regularly get trounced by them) who have CZ's and various other high end rifles,,,
But after they outshoot me at the range they grab my Henry and chalk up pretty much the same score they did with their own rifles.

But for fun plinking I reach for my Mossberg 702 Plinkster,,,
I know it's South American import but in this case,,,
They got something right.

With a cheap Cabella's 4x scope,,,
It's minute of coke can at 100 yards.

It never jams on me,,,
It likes pretty much anything I feed her,,,
And I'm always on a par with my friends and their tricked out Rugers.

Not bad for a rifle that cost me less that $110 at WalMart.

The Marlin 60 and/or the ruger 10/22 may be better rifles,,,
But the Plinkster seems to hold it's own most days.

Just something else to consider.

Aarond
 
If the OP is looking for a tremendously fun, utterly reliable, and very accurate rifle, I would first suggest a Sig 522 and second a S&W 15-22. I've never had as much fun with a .22 as I have with the Sig 522 with a 50 round drum. Over 1500 rounds and never had a malfunction. Definitely more expensive than the others mentioned but twice as fun. Marlin model 60 if you want a cheap and reliable beater or a Ruger 10/22 if you want a middle of the road rifle.
 
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