Talk to me about tube-fed versus mag fed bolt action 22 rifles.

I have found the tube fed rifles to be very reliable and easy to reload. More of a pain to unload, but with a 22, I usually just shot it empty.

The tube is more apt to be damaged if you drop the rifle. But how many times in my entire life have I dropped a rifle.... once maybe in 40 years of shooting and carrying a rifle in the woods.

Box magazines are convenient to have an extra mag loaded when plinking, but are more prone to problems in my opinion. Plus you sometimes misplace the mag(s) or loose them.

I suppose you could wear out a tube magazine, but I never have. My tube fed 22 rifles are Weatherby Mark XXII, Marlin 39A, Henry, and a older Mossberg. All the bolt action rifles are box with the exception of a Marlin 22 mag. Never had to replace the inner tube (with the spring), but I suppose it could happen if you lost or bent it.

Some people say that a tube fed 22 rifle is less accurate than a detachable box mag rifle due to barrel harmonics.
 
The only thing I have ever seen go wrong with tube fed is someone over loading them and bind up or weaken the spring in the tube and the feed lips or shell carrier being damaged or sprung form over loading ( meaning putting to many shells in the tube . That is not the designs fault its shooter error .
But I like clip fed I do not like pulling the tube up and feeding shells to it . I carry extra mags also so there is no lose ammo rattle .
 
All the .22's I've shot as a kid and thru teen years,were tube-fed.Various makes,bought by adults,but always tube- fed.They were very reliable.:D
 
aarondhgraham,
That makes perfect sense about a used vs new rifle. I think many of us (myself included) are missing the fact that this is being bought for a younger'ish shooter. That alone makes me say Mag fed.

I can't think that many younger shooters are going to appreciate the finer points of a tube-fed rifle -even ammo flexibility- more than the ease of just sticking in a new mag. Also, has been shown, you've got alot more options in mag fed guns as well as many more wood-stocked options.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, I assume he's been using a mag-fed rifle with you? If that's the one he's really enjoying, then it's probably best to get him something as close to that as possible.
 
Hello Herluf,,,

... I assume he's been using a mag-fed rifle with you?
Click to expand...

Actually, he's been shooting my Henry Acu Bolt single-shot,,,
I shoot along side him with a CZ-452 trainer with a single-shot adaptor.

We swap back and forth quite often,,,
He seems to like the Henry better than the CZ.

For a short while I considered the Savage Mk I single-shot,,,
But the price for it is more than their mag fed Mk II. :confused:

I've got about a month before he finishes his last class,,,
So I still have time to think about the decision.

It's down to the Savage Mk II (wood/mag), the Marlin XT (wood/mag), or the Marlin XT (polymer/tube).

Aarond

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That does complicate things. I'd definitely go with something with wood.

Savage
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Vs Marlin
MFCXT-22-70759-lg.jpg


Alternatively Have you considered the CZ99, formerly sold as the Remington model 5? (with a different stock). Looks awfully nice and comparably priced.
95351_1.jpg
 
Point of order: The tube *IS* in fact a magazine, so it's "tube mag vs. detachable mag" - that's the dichotomy.

I still like tube mags better - in my experience, yes, they're just as reliable if not more so.

You CAN in fact lose the rod if you drop it while it's out and reloading, but (a) it's slightly less likely to lose if dropped than a 5-round detachable, being larger, and (b) most importantly, it's much much less likely to be accidentally disengaged and dropped when you are walking and not looking, and therefore assuredly lost.

However, as mentioned, it CAN be bent, so there's that...

I generally don't like any detachable mags, except in self-defense type guns. Other than self-defense "fighting rifles" (ARs etc.), I like: pumps with tube mags, levers with tube mags, single shots turnbolts, single shot break action or falling block, and hinged-floorplate / fixed-mag turnbolts. Only exception I make is the CZ 527...rock solid mag release.

I dislike detachable mags with cheap releases so much, that I've decided to do one of the following with an otherwise-beloved-and-very-high-quality CZ 453 Varmint with set trigger in .22 mag: Sell it, or put a single shot adapter in it and glue the adapter in with a mild heat-solvable adhesive.

The mag release situation on Savage rimfires is pretty solid, it should be noted, as it rides on that "rail", giving it needed friction.

Marlin rimfires are generally very good quality (in my opinion higher than Savage slightly), and specifically, their mag release situation isn't too bad either - pretty stiff and all steel, IIRC.
 
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About those CZ-99 rifles,,,

Yes, I have seen them advertised,,,
J&G sales has them with two 5-round mags for $169.95.

So far though I've never found one to physically handle,,,
I really like the looks of them but that's secondary.

I've read reviews stating that the rifles are accurate shooters,,,
Some say that the mags are not the best quality,,,
Others say the wood of the J&G models is bad.

But the next reviews I read say just the opposite,,,
Basically saying they are the sleeper rifles of the decade.

I'm not a fanatic about buying American made goods,,,
But I do like the fact that American made = American warranty support.

I sent an e-mail to J&G asking about warranty support,,,
I never heard a thing back from them,,,
Even after a 2nd e-mail.

Oh these decisions,,,
They make my head hurt. :p

Aarond

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Wow, that's even cheaper than I've seen!

Not a good sign regarding customer service and support though. For a guy's first rifle, it may be better to get him something american with a longer track record so that if it goes wrong he can just send it to the well-established manufacturer for repair.
 
I wrote too soon,,,

I sent an e-mail to J&G asking about warranty support,,,
I never heard a thing back from them,,,
Even after a 2nd e-mail.
Click to expand...

I received the reply from J&G sales:

Sir,
J&G Sales has a 30 day return policy, however we can only exchange or offer a refund, we do not perform any repairs. Century has a one year warranty and can perform repairs.

It's better than I would have expected,,,
And I might just get one for myself just for the heck of it.

But for a gift to a new shooter,,,
I think I'll stick with an American named company.

Aarond

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I have handled both the Remington Model FIVE (discontinued) and the Zastava rifles in person at gun shops. Neither particularly impressed me, but they are inexpensive for what you get. I know they work just fine and are reasonably accurate. But I really wasn't looking for something necessarily "cheap" at the time. This was the beginning of expanding my rimfire rifle inventory. Bought neither.

I also prefer "wood". But I like walnut and not just "wood". The composite stocks aren't bad really. Have one on my Thompson Center 22 rifle. The wood you are looking at in these is birch I believe and I think the composite stocks look just as good as birch. In your case (and situation), I would lean toward either a Marlin or Savage. The Savage set triggers are good. Walmart used to (perhaps still does?) sell a version of the Savage that did not have the set trigger and I think they were specially made for them.

I like tube fed rifles. Never had a problem with rounds feeding over the years which I can't say with detachable box magazines. I also think the under barrel tube magazines are easier to load (no springs to push down to slide rounds into the mag).
 
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Hello 22-rimfire,,,

The Savage set triggers are good. Walmart used to (perhaps still does?) sell a version of the Savage that did not have the set trigger and I think they were specially made for them.
Click to expand...

They still sell that version of the Mk-IIF,,,
I bought one last year for (iirc) $147.00 plus sales tax.

I don't think it's a Wal-Mart exclusive though,,,
Buds has the same rifle listed for $154.00.

It's a very decent shooter but has a polymer stock,,,
If it weren't for that aspect it's what he would get as a gift.

I just don't like buying the same rifle twice I guess. :p

Aarond

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You know this person. If you think the "cool factor" is important to them, the detachable box mags may be a better choice and you have wood. They might think the composite polymer stocks are cool too? As always, it comes down to your personal knowledge, but you really can't go wrong as long as the rifle functions reliably.

My first 22 rifle (in the 9th grade) was a semi-auto and I feel sure my Dad and Mom talked about that issue. The trigger was terrible, but you learn the adjust. I never regretted the semi-auto choice one bit, you just can't go wrong with a Marlin M60 and they are typically pretty accurate too. It's fun to blast away from time to time quickly (and safely of course), but rapid fire was certainly not the dominant manner of shooting my rifle.

As you know, hard to beat the open sights on your CZ 452 Trainer. But that is another thread.
 
It's been a while but he solved the problem for me.

It's been a while but he solved the problem for me.

I still hadn't decided when we went to the range two weeks ago,,,
I brought my Henry Acu Bolt and Savage Mk-IIF.

He was shooting the Savage and doing very well with it,,,
So I says to myself, "Self, that's the rifle for him."

It turns out I was correct,,,
Two days later he bought one at Wal Mart. :p

So I guess that I'll get him a nice case for it,,,
And donate 1,100 rounds of bulk ammo.

Problem solved.

Aarond

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Can't lose the tube.

But you can't dent the box.

Tube holds more than all but the ridiculous looking boxes.

But the box is easier to load (IMO).

I think the tube under the barrel is ugly.

But I also think the box sticking out the bottom is ugly (yay for the 10//22 with a flush fit).

There you go.
 
Box magazines in 22 rifles are more often the cause of malfunctions than are tubes. IMO the biggest problem with a tube feed is a potential safety problem due to incomplete emptying of the magazine.
 
For rimfire ammo or shotgun shells, tubes are preferable. For rimless centerfire ammo, magazines are preferable. From an engineering standpoint.
 
For all you young'uns who ain't been taught the way of the Tube Mag...

If you get a dent in the mag, remove it. Place in a vise.
Take a brass or iron rod that is nearly the inside diameter of the tube,
and run it up it...when you get to the dent, it'll stop...
you then gently tap the rod steadily with a hammer until the dent is mostly/completely popped out...
if need be, once the tube is totally full of rod, tap lightly around the remaining dent until shape is achieved...
Check for Function, then repaint if needed and re-install...

Basically the same thing you do to a car panel...

Some old g'smith's keep a wooden dowel/brass rod around just for that purpose...
as all .22 tube mags are the same inner diameter...
so if its really bunged up, just find another the same length and replace it.
 
Close call, but I prefer the tube mag over the detachable box mag in a .22lr manual repeater, because I feel like the rod is less likely to come out and lose than a box mag. However, on the other hand, if you DO lose the rod, you're out of commission. If you lose a box mag, but have a 2nd one in your pack, you're still in business. So it ends up being 6 of one; half dozen of the other.
 
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