Lightweight .22 rifle recommendations.

[Gopher]

Funny ya mentioned that one Gopher. Friend had one in 22 mag back in the late 60s or around 70. His had a problem with ejection of spent cases. Not sure if this was common or not with this model. Only one I ever saw.

I'm not sure it's supposed to eject them. It pushes the brass about halfway out and it's easy to flick it out with your finger. I've never had anyone look at it but it's not a big deal. It would be nice if it did.

 

[diyj98]

Thought I would toss this out for comments.....

I really enjoy target shooting with my .22's and have plenty to choose from my Winchester model 52 on down. However, I have started carrying my rifles into the woods more just to shoot and all of my target rifles are a bit to heavy to carry and shoot off-hand. They are wonderful on the bench but are like a telephone pole after a longer walk (I ain't as young as I used to be, ha).

I know this forum is dedicated to the Ruger line and that the model 10/22 will pop up but just wanted to hear some recommendations from the group of a good, lightweight, accurate .22 for carrying through the woods whether it be Ruger or not.

Thanks

A CZ 457 American would be my first suggestion.

 

[old 41]

I have probably walked thousands of miles carrying a 22 rifle and prefer a slimmer stocked gun to carry, with no magazine protruding or with a wider stock such as a 10-22.

 

[KS25-06]

I started with my Dad's Remington 511 clip feed 22 S,L,LR at age 10. First year he kept the clip. I think it made me a better shot. When my grandson was starting to learn to shoot, I gave him the same gun. NO clip. IMHO, they are hard to beat for a starter rifle, one that will last a lifetime, and are very accurate. I thought so much of them I started collecting the 500 series. Almost have them all, except the Nylon 10.

 

[Lt Choate]

I started with my Dad's Remington 511 clip feed 22 S,L,LR at age 10. First year he kept the clip. I think it made me a better shot. When my grandson was starting to learn to shoot, I gave him the same gun. NO clip. IMHO, they are hard to beat for a starter rifle, one that will last a lifetime, and are very accurate. I thought so much of them I started collecting the 500 series. Almost have them all, except the Nylon 10.

Great story.
If possible, post pictures of the 500's that you do have.

 

[kickingandscreaming]

Taurus made a copy of the Winchester model 62 with a 16.5" barrel, and it's a take down. Another one not mentioned is the Marlin model 70P "Papoose", a take down semi-auto.

I had and would look for again, a Remington Nylon 66. It was the fastest, lightest, most accurate 22 sporting gun I ever owned. Had a Williams receiver dight with matching williams ramp front sight and gold bead.

 

[Watertender]

The Browning BL22 is a decent lever action .22 rifle. It weighs 5 lbs and the lever throw is 33 degrees with the trigger moving with the lever. The Henry Classic Lever Action .22 Carbine is 4.5 lbs with a 16.125" barrel and large loop lever. The Henry Small Game Carbine is 5.5 lbs with a 16.125" octagon barrel and Skinner peep sights. All 3 are nice .22's and worth a look.

 

[Hankus]

My father started my younger brother and me with my grandfather's old Savage-Steven's falling block single shot .22 Long (NOT LR!) made back in the early 19 oughts. It saw some rough years in my brother's "care" but I have it way back in the back of my safe, waiting for me to resurrect it. That rifle took a LOT of rabbits and squirrels back in the late 60s and early 70s. My father did the same with it back in the 30s and 40s, and my grandfather back in the early 1900s.

 

[bykerhd]

My son lusted after my Marlin 39M for many years. I finally gave up and gave it to him in hopes he would also share it with his son and so on.
As a partial replacement I bought a very nice Remington Nylon 66.
If circumstances ever permit I would like to acquire one of the very fine Belgian Browning Auto 22s.
Assuming one can be found in decent condition and that is affordable, to me.

 

[Lt Choate]

I never dreamed that this humble thread would generate so many responses. There have been some real classics discussed here along with some beautiful photos and I have learned a great deal about not only models I had a familiarity with, but in some cases, models I had no knowledge of. Thanks for that.

When I was younger, I always wanted to shoot the larger calibers and the "kewl" guns. And while I still like taking some of them out now and again, I believe the .22 cartridge is now my favorite to play with.

Again, thanks for contributing so much to this thread.

 

[Watertender]

If circumstances ever permit I would like to acquire one of the very fine Belgian Browning Auto 22s.
Assuming one can be found in decent condition and that is affordable, to me.

I had a Browning SA22 made in Japan by Miroku. It was a great little rifle that made a friend of mine very happy. I gave it to him for his wife and she absolutely loves it. She is left handed and the bottom eject is perfect.

 

[Rat76]

Here is the heirloom single shot 22 I grew up with. It was my uncles & I have no idea how many rounds it has thu it. I know I personally put at least 2,000 rounds thru it back in the 60's & early 70's. I shot it so much that after it sat for 30 years, I took it out & I was still so accurate it was boring.

Most of my life I thought it was my Dad's. Around 10 years ago I found out is was really Uncle Jim's, I sent it off to him, made his day.

No S/N of course.

 

[Mauser9]

Nice Rat! No shortage of long barrels back then. Hard to believe so many different models made by different makers over the years.

 

[Johnnu2]

I had a Browning SA22 made in Japan by Miroku. It was a great little rifle that made a friend of mine very happy. I gave it to him for his wife and she absolutely loves it. She is left handed and the bottom eject is perfect.

I have a cheap 22 scope on my Norinco "knock-off"; and it is a tack-driver. Years ago, I found out that the Norinco and the Browning seemed to become more, or less accurate based upon how I adjusted the barrel fit. I can't recall all the details, but I do remember that there is a ball detent at the back-end of the barrel (large knurled nut) that seems to control the headspace (?) when the (barrel and fore-end) assembly is re-attached to the rest of the gun via the normal "take-down" reassembly process. Apologies for my lack of memory, it's been years......... IIRC the tighter the fit when reassembling, the better; so, I would adjust the barrel (back) to get a fit that required me to give it a bit of a snug torque when re-assembling.
J.

 

[jgt]

I too have owned a lot of 22 rifles. I started with a Remington 510 and they are so accurate I never needed but one shot to harvest game. Gave lots of them to other people over the years. I have a couple of the target versions of them with peep sights, 521T I think but too lazy to get them out of the safe to check. I also have owned some Winchesters that were light weight and accurate. I bought a model 290 in a pawn shop by redeeming a pawn ticket a guy gave me because he didn't want them to sell it for more than they gave him for it. It shot S, l, lr even though it was a semi-auto. Shot it for twenty years or so then gave it to my mother because she needed something light. I think my niece or nephew has it now. I have had some Marlins that were real accurate and light weight also. I too always wanted a Browning and a Winchester pump or clone. Never got either. Had the Ithaca single shot lever and it was accurate and lightweight. Lots out there to choose from. Good luck in your quest.

 

[Johnnu2]

Win. 1906 IIRC.... bought it back in the mid-70's when living in Mn. Had a totally pitted barrel and to this day is still "beer can" accurate 25-50 yds..... maybe more, but I can't see the sights anymore

 

[hittman]

I prefer #'s 1 and 2 from this old ad. Number 1 in particular since the title of the thread is lightweight 22s.

 

[WV338]

Ruger 10/22

 

[Iroc]

I've always liked the rimfire .22lr and I've bought and sold a number over the years. I currently own a Ruger 10/22 Carbine with the black plastic stock that I bought a couple years ago for my grandkids to shoot, weighs 5lbs 7 3/4oz with the Viridian scope. In my opinion the trigger as they come on these are a piece of junk, mine was right at a 6 pound pull, it took me some work but using all the original parts I finally got mine breaking at 3lbs. One .22lr I've never regretted buying is my Marlin Golden 39AS. I've been using it for the last 36 years, it has a clean breaking trigger and I've shot a lot of small game and pests with it over the years. At 6lbs 14oz it's not light but it's very accurate for killing things. With the 24" barrel and subsonic ammo it's also pretty quiet. I had a mil-dot Weaver K-4 on it till the cross hairs broke so I replaced that with a Williams peep sight that it still wears. I've read a lot of good things about the CZ457 and I'm currently waiting to pick up an American in a week, we'll see how that one does.

 

[kickingandscreaming]

The Browning BL22 is a decent lever action .22 rifle. It weighs 5 lbs and the lever throw is 33 degrees with the trigger moving with the lever. The Henry Classic Lever Action .22 Carbine is 4.5 lbs with a 16.125" barrel and large loop lever. The Henry Small Game Carbine is 5.5 lbs with a 16.125" octagon barrel and Skinner peep sights. All 3 are nice .22's and worth a look. View attachment 37056

What us the receiver made of? Pot metal or 6061, 7075 ?