Bolt or Semi .22 Rifle

S

snuzzo29

New member
I cannot decide between a semi or bolt .22 rifle. I plan on using it for small game and some target/plinking. Any suggestions on which to get?
 
May I suggest a semi auto Ruger 10/22. For a bolt gun, a CZ is good enough. The best are Cooper's. I have a match grade chambered Kimber Classic...but sadly --- Kimber --- located in Yonkers, New York, removed it from production. Why not get both?
 
Both types are great . If you are more interested in accuracy the bolt gun would be a good choice. Slower operation might mean less bullets consumed. The semi is a fun gun but sometimes you tend to shoot more without focusing on marksmanship. Be bold- Get both.
 
I'm a bolt gun fan myself, I have owned a few ruger 10/22s and they were great little reliable guns also, I just recently bought a heavy barrel model 93 savage .22 mag with thumbhole stock and I really like it, kinda depends on how much you want to spend, you can go all out these days on some very high end .22 target rifles
 
I have really come to appreciate my Marlin 981T Bolt action. Absolute tack driver. Only reason I can personally see to get a 10/22 is for something like an appleseed event or comp shooting.
 
I really like my Ruger 10/22 because I was able to turn it into a tack driver by simply replacing A LOT of parts. I think all that is left is the receiver and bolt, but it was a fun project, and it does shoot really well.
 
CZ makes a nifty bolt gun called the Farmer that has great ergos. I really enjoy my Henry but wouldn't mind picking one up anyway. Price was about $225 last time I checked.
 
A good bolt or lever instead of a semi-auto can give you more and perhaps better options for ammo & accuracy. Subsonic and shorts probably don't feed well or operate the action. They can be more accurate and quieter. Semi-autos often work best with certain brands of high velocity. These rifles using high velocity ammo, may or may not be dialed in well enough depending on your needs. I can make a single ragged hole with my Henry and Eley Sub-Sonic Hollow points, and I can do the same with my $200 Charles Daly Zastava import, but I can't be as good with my Ruger 10-22 and high velocity ammo.
 
I've found that, for hunting small game, it depends..........

If YOUR small game hunting consists of mostly Squill sniping, while a BA is just fine, and accurate too, I find that a semi-auto to be an advantage in closer Squill groves, where the motions of cycling a bolt is enough to drive the game into hiding for another half-hour or more. (With a semi, only your trigger finger moves ;) )

I've used both 10/22's and BA .22's out to 75+ yards, so it might be a option to buy one of each USED, so your hands-on experiences can help you.

Of course, if you're like most of us, it'll be no help at all :p - since you'll most likely use one gun for one type of hunt, and the other for another type and/or plinking.



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For what you want to use it for, a Marlin 60 would be hard to beat. Cheap. accurate and dependable. 11,000,000+ have been sold so they have been proven over time.
 
Both are nice. Just one? Go for the auto. For plinking and small game? Go for the bolt. As SteelChickenShooter mentioned, you'll have a larger ammo selection.
 
Actually why try to decide at all?
22's can be very inexpensive, so get one of each.
You might like the semi-auto for plinking and a bolt action for hunting.
I have a lever, bolt, and semi-auto just to suit whatever I happen to be doing. I guess for me there really isn't one single type that is "best". I like to plink, target shoot, competition shoot, as well as hunt. I have found one of each type covers my interests just fine.
 
My vote is for the 10/22. Lots of options, modifications, and adventures to be had. But in the end, I think you will be happy with any of the above suggested options. A good 22 is a staple, and something you'll likely own and enjoy for a long time.
 
I have both, I bougth the Ruger 10/22 first then bought the CZ 452 American later. I like both rifles But If I had to do It over again I'd get the CZ first.
 
I'm much happier with my Savage MKII than a 10/22. If you do decide on a semi, Savage makes a nice budget one of those too.
 
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