what 22 to get

[Sub sailor]

Remington 597

I would also have to vote for the Remington 597, although I couldn't argue with any of the other suggestions either. Other options I would suggest are a Browning SA-22 or a Browning Buckmark rifle.

 

[eveled]

Way too hard to pick just one .22,

Any .22 I see for a good price, that looks like fun I buy. They are so cheap to shoot you can never have too many. Ed

 

[Major T]

Budget is important. If price is no problem, get an Anchutz in the 2K range. I suggest the classic stocked version. I tried four with the rollover when classics were not yet offered. I could not live with them.

The Ruger 10-22 is always a good choice.

Remington has done Marlin no favors since buying them. Go used there and look for the JM proof mark in the barrel, near the receiver. The lever 39A (JM proofed and before rebounding hammers) were generally excellent. Same for 60 and 795.

Remington 5xx models were all great performers. They came in several versions from single shot to match grade target models. I inherited a single shot 510. I recently found a magazine repeater 511 in great condition in a pawn shop for forty bucks. Super price and it shoots tiny groups. Past experience with a Junior target model and with a 541 deLux sporter were all great. Got to shop used for these. New Remingtons just don't do it for me.

Going new for a bolt gun, do not overlook the CZ offerings. Great reputations.

I hear mixed reports on the Henry lever guns. Some good some not so much.

Same on the Rossi pumps-mixed.

Good shopping, jack

 

[Snake45]

Remington 5xx models were all great performers. They came in several versions from single shot to match grade target models. I inherited a single shot 510. I recently found a magazine repeater 511 in great condition in a pawn shop for forty bucks. Super price and it shoots tiny groups. Past experience with a Junior target model and with a 541 deLux sporter were all great. Got to shop used for these. New Remingtons just don't do it for me.

I have experience with the 540/580 series and these are excellent rifles (I wish Rem still made them) but have one damning weakness: The extractor springs can either break or fly off and become lost, and no replacement parts are available. Last time I found them, I bought two or three "just in case."

Going new for a bolt gun, do not overlook the CZ offerings. Great reputations.

Excellent advice. You'll look long and hard to find a complaint on any CZ .22 bolt gun's accuracy or value. They seem to be uniformly excellent. Most need some trigger work, though (mine was absolutely horrendous out of the box).

 

[RugerForMe]

For a semi auto You can't beat the 1022. Easy to break down, Easy to clean, aftermarket parts galore. Lots and lots of plug and play parts for the 1022.

For a Bolt action I think the Browning T-Bolt would be my choice, I have shot one of my friends and hands down very fast to work the action and at 25 yards his groups you could cover with a dime. No tree rat would stand a chance. :mrgreen:

 

[BradB]

In the case of crowd defense or being attacked by a herd of whatever, you can't beat clip fed firearms. The 10 shot rotary mag for the 1022 is severely common and backed by vast amounts of after market banana 25 shot and then some.

Stick with the steel lip mags if using the 25 shot banana if you go 1022 because I had a plastic lip one wear out. Good luck on your choices

 

[leon670]

Even if you plan to eventually upgrade, everyone should have a 10-22. The Model 60 is junk.

 

[Rick Courtright]

Even if you plan to eventually upgrade, everyone should have a 10-22. The Model 60 is junk.

Hi,

Wish you would tell that to my various friends who have, or have had, Model 60s that never even hiccupped regardless of what they've been fed. In contrast to my 10/22 that gets the hiccups, gas, GERD, and a host of other digestive problems on a regular basis! It's pickier about what it eats than my cats...

Rick C

 

[leon670]

I have owned both. My experience with Marlin's inexpensive, tube fed .22s has been pretty much inline with what one sees when you take one apart. cheap, cheap, cheap! Just my opinion of course but one that I tend to take seriously

 

[Cedar Creek]

I've had several .22 rifles over the past 45 years and I am currently down to two that I will stick with. My scoped .22 is an early-production Ruger 77/22 with a Leupold 2X-7X Rimfire scope and the other is a Marlin 39A Mountie 1953 vintage with 24" barrel. I've had it for about 40 years and love its accuracy, reliability, and the flat-top iron sights. Those two cover all the bases for me.

Cedar Creek

 

[mohavesam]

If all you are worried about is the zombie apocalypse I suggest you get a baseball bat as that will be just as effective as any rifle.

First vampires, now zombies. WiskeyTangoFoxtrot. Just keep a garden sprayer full of gasoline next to your door?

+1 vote for the Marlin M60, but a cheap 10/22 runs pretty well also.

 

[Merle1948]

If all you are worried about is the zombie apocalypse I suggest you get a baseball bat as that will be just as effective as any rifle.

First vampires, now zombies. WiskeyTangoFoxtrot. Just keep a garden sprayer full of gasoline next to your door?

+1 vote for the Marlin M60, but a cheap 10/22 runs pretty well also.

wiskey tango foxtrot, oscar
Better to use kerosene - gasoline is pretty risky :mrgreen:

 

[dfletcher]

I have owned both. My experience with Marlin's inexpensive, tube fed .22s has been pretty much inline with what one sees when you take one apart. cheap, cheap, cheap! Just my opinion of course but one that I tend to take seriously

I don't own a Model 60, I do own a Ruger 10/22 .... and a Browning SA 22 and a Winchester 490 and a JC Higgins 31 and a few others. I like my Ruger 10/22 but have to admit it meets my definition of "cheap" in that it has alot of plastic parts and pretty much nothing is fitted. Spray paint finish parts are something I'd consider to be cheap too. The Ruger 10/22 seems to me on equal par with the Marlin 60, especially when compared to older 22 rifles - probably even when compared to earlier versions of themselves. To be clear, I like them for what they're good at but each seems pretty much cut from the same cloth - or to be more exact, from the same hardwood and plastic.

 

[Merle1948]

I have owned both. My experience with Marlin's inexpensive, tube fed .22s has been pretty much inline with what one sees when you take one apart. cheap, cheap, cheap! Just my opinion of course but one that I tend to take seriously

I don't own a Model 60, I do own a Ruger 10/22 .... and a Browning SA 22 and a Winchester 490 and a JC Higgins 31 and a few others. I like my Ruger 10/22 but have to admit it meets my definition of "cheap" in that it has alot of plastic parts and pretty much nothing is fitted. Spray paint finish parts are something I'd consider to be cheap too. The Ruger 10/22 seems to me on equal par with the Marlin 60, especially when compared to older 22 rifles - probably even when compared to earlier versions of themselves. To be clear, I like them for what they're good at but each seems pretty much cut from the same cloth - or to be more exact, from the same hardwood and plastic.

I have a 10/22 that is old enough to come in a walnut stock. The only plastic I see in it is the magazines. Guess it paid off to buy used! :lol:

 

[Snake45]

I've had several .22 rifles over the past 45 years and I am currently down to two that I will stick with. My scoped .22 is an early-production Ruger 77/22 with a Leupold 2X-7X Rimfire scope and the other is a Marlin 39A Mountie 1953 vintage with 24" barrel. I've had it for about 40 years and love its accuracy, reliability, and the flat-top iron sights. Those two cover all the bases for me.

Cedar Creek

If I absolutely HAD to, I could prolly get by quite nicely with just my 3X-9X AO scoped CZ 452 American bolt action (for accuracy), and my 10/22 with the peep sights (M14 front sight) for blasting and fun. But I'm glad I don't HAVE to. I have too many other nice .22 rifles I also enjoy shooting. :wink: