Virginia Gun Owners Forum - VGOF

I am looking to pick up a 22 rifle in the next month or so. Probably a semi-auto, but I haven't ruled out a bolt action. I haven't fired a bolt action, but I hear they're less likely to jam with this round. My budget is about $200-250 and this will just be an inexpensive plinker. It must also be able to chew through Walmart bulk ammo (Winchester and Federal). Here is what I am leaning towards so far.

Marlin 795 – I'd rather get this than the tube fed Marlin 60, but I hear both shoot great right out of the box.



http://www.basspro.com/Marlin-795--22LR ... 903/102281

Mossberg Plinkster – heard some good reviews on this one too. They make a lot of varieties of this, but I like the brushed chrome on the black synthetic stock.



http://www.tombstonetactical.com/catalo ... 0rd-black/


I know the Ruger 10/22s are popular, but I hear that people do a lot of upgrades to them to get them to shoot right. While I do like their high capacity magazines, I'd rather have a straight magazine than a banana shaped one.

This is a little outside my stated budget, but I'd be willing to spend more for the takedown option. Would fit great in a bug out bag. Any thoughts on this?



http://www.henryrepeating.com/rifle-survival-ar7.cfm

Any other ones I should consider? I know all of the pictures I've shown have synthetic stocks but I wouldn't be opposed to a wood stock. My local Walmart sells guns (don't know if they actually have them in stock or if I'd have to order it). Do they sell a lower quality version than what other stores have like they tend to do with other products? Any ones that have a higher capacity straight magazine so I'm not reloading all the time?

I used to be involved in the Appleseed program. I heard nothing but good comments about the Marlin 795's. Reliable, accurate, magazines were fairly cheap and easy to get.

The Ruger 10/22's are good rifles but darned expensive for what they are.

The Remington 597's where said to be unreliable by many who bought them.

When you do get a rifle be sure you try different brands of ammo to find the one your rifle likes best (reliable and accurate). .22's can be picky about the ammo you feed them. My Ruger 10/22 like Remington Golden Bullets and so does my little XM177 clone with the .22 conversion kit in it. My son's AR15 with the .22 converion kit likes the Federal bulk boxes we get at Walmart (accuracy wise, but he stopped using .22 ammo in it).

Get several, then you can take a buddy shooting with you.
I cut my teeth on a Savage Stevens Model 80 w the tubular mag. I loved how you could lock the bolt with the handle to make it a single shot, instead of an auto loader. It helped slow an ammo poor youngster down and get full value out of a box of Western Auto Revelations...
The lines on a rifle with no external mag hanging out will serve you better for hunting.

That said, I love my 10/22, and the mag choices available for it. I bought it in the '80's, used, with thousands of rounds through it, and I've put thousands more through since then. Never had any problem getting it to shoot right.

To me, it's a tie between the 795 + tech sights + trigger and a stock 10/22 (similar cost category). Both are good, solid rifles.

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I personally have a 10/22, but at first, the stock didn't feel good to me at all. I now have a blackhawk axiom stock and it fits me perfectly!

The basic, plastic-stocked 10/22 has been a great performer for me, earning a Rifleman patch at my first Appleseed. The only mod I made was a set of Tech-sights, which are modestly priced and easy to install.

I am installing a trigger upgrade (about $50) but that's only because I'm a perfectionist.

I picked up a Ruger 10/22 takedown, and it shoots well. No upgrades other than the Volquartsen 10/22 Automatic Bolt Release.

I have had the Marlin 60 for about 20 years and it is the best little .22. knocks the pretty little heads right off a Tree Rat it does.

I can get 12 shots in the tube not sure what you can hold in the mag on the 10/22 and the tube does not catch on anything walking through the woods

Vern

If you're doing an Appleseed the tube is kind of a PITA. You can do the exercises and your score will count, but have to skip the mag changes. On any of these, Tech-sights or similar are critical to extend the sight radius. This becomes a big deal at 50 yds or more.

I paid about 140 for my stock 10/22.

I bought my wife a Marlin Model 60 Stainless Steel w/ Wood Stock . Also came with a 4x20 Scope ! $227 + tax at Walmart. Shoots great right out of the box...We shot about 800 rounds last weekend at the Cove ...never jambed once. I have also shot the Henry .22 Survival Take Down Rifle...Also a great shooter. Good luck with choice ! Snakester

I have owned a LOT of 22's over the years. My favorite for accuracy and reliability would be the Marlin 60 if you plan to leave it as is. If you want to customize it...the 10/22 by a mile.

Another vote for the Marlin 795. Great out of the box shooter.

I have numerous .22 rifles. My favorite, hands down, is my Ruger 10-22 that I modified. Now this gun was a shooter right out of the box when I bought it in 1986. But recently, I decided to upgrade it. It now is an unbelievable tack driver. I regularly shoot ¼ inch, 10-shot groups at 25-yards using my UTV bed as a rest while standing and Wolf match ammo. My next favorite is my Mossberg 144-LS bolt action. There are plenty of them out there to be had at reasonable used prices. After that would be my Marlin Golden 39A Lever action.

Just my two cents, for what its worth.

Jay

Hard to beat a Ruger 10/22.

I ended up getting a Savage 93 22 WMR and a Savage Mark II TRR-SR.

I see a lot of guys posting up about semi's. I have to say I bought two 22's. A semi and a bolt gun.

The bolt gun is a really nice Savage Mark II. The base gun is right in your price range at $250 for the rifle. I spent an additional $70 for the bi-pod and $80 for the 3x9 scope. So, roughly $400 for this complete setup.

This gun is super accurate with the 22" barrel. I can send 100 rounds down range at 100 yards and keep a 3/4 MOA group with the whole 100 rounds. I've actually made it look like someone cut the center of the target out.

As far as ammo goes... it will eat anything. LOL

Not a great picture... sorry.




On the semi auto side... I went radical instead of traditional. I bought a German Sport Guns GSG-5. It is an MP5-SD replica. The base gun was $400. I put a $50 red dot on it and a $50 collapsing stock. So about $500 all together.

Man, 22 round mag dumps in 10 seconds is fun as sin. But this is a 16" barrel rifle. With the 22 LR, 50 yards is about max for this gun to be tight grouped. At 100 yards, aim at the head and hit the belly. But good God, it is fun to shot. LOL

I bought my daughter the M&P 15/22 and it is a great shooter. Put a scope on it for her and at 100 yards she is making that metal spinning target spin like a fan.

Not sure why the 597 gets such a bad rap, reasonably priced and fairly reliable, no real advantages over a 10/22 but if you can get a deal on one definitely worth considering.

I just picked up a Henry h001t lever action and really enjoy it. Lighter and easier to grab and go than my bolt action M44US. New to 22s so just exploring.

kkinderen wrote:I just picked up a Henry h001t lever action and really enjoy it. Lighter and easier to grab and go than my bolt action M44US. New to 22s so just exploring.

You're going to love that "Henry".....May as well plan on several more . I have 5 and enjoy shooting them all !

Snakester wrote:

kkinderen wrote:I just picked up a Henry h001t lever action and really enjoy it. Lighter and easier to grab and go than my bolt action M44US. New to 22s so just exploring.

You're going to love that "Henry".....May as well plan on several more . I have 5 and enjoy shooting them all !

I think you're right. I've been looking at the options. Probably something other than a .22 next but most likely a Henry.

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