Excellent post I agree totallyI own many 22lr rifles. This is my recommended list from some of what I own that are closer to your budget. I own others but these are the ones i'd recommend.
I would recommend
- Any CZ 22lr rifle, bolt or semi (452,455,457 or semi 512)
These rifles are the measure that all affordable 22lrs are now judged by. They are well made quality pieces that are accurate and are all magazine compatible (~$450-$800 used-new avg)
- Norinco JW25a
Norinco JW25a , is a 22lr K98 rifle trainer....this rifle is simply awesome. I have loaned it out to my mother who at 68yrs old has started shooting at the range and got her licence last year. This Norinco is just as accurate as my CZ rifles at 100m. They are about $300 used on the EE boards when they come up but are not as common.
- GSG-15,
I have put over 2000rd thru mine and it is one fun semi that is just as accurate as my CZ512. These rifles are similar to an AR in design and cost about $450
- Ruger 10/22
I have the takedown and had to send it for warranty due to poorly aligned sights and a loose receiver lockup. I had just about given up on the rifle not being able to hit the broad side of a barn with it.....after warranty and proper fitting this rifle is accurate as heck and very reliable. You may get a good one or at least Ruger honours there product and you will get a good one back after service. You are stuck with only 10rd magazines though thanks to stupid arbitrary RCMP made unconstitutional laws.
A realistic budget is btw $300-$800 for a good 22lr. Like others have said if you are only going to buy a few rifles you are better off buying something of quality. As for cheaper options I hosted a fellow at the range a while ago that brought out a Mossberg blaze which is a cheaper 22lr semi. He has nothing but problems with the rifle jamming like crazy. It may have been ammo related but my logic is my guns shoot anything or they are gotten rid of. Even my good rifles have had trials with junk ammo to see if I can actually rely on them, if they haven't passed that test I don't even bother feeding them good ammo I pass them on.
Scorpio. Great rifles, very accurate, and nicely finished.
savage A22 would be my vote. budget around $500 with an inexpensive scope. Sorry to say it but if that's too much don't get into shooting.
Hey guy in looking for a cheaper .22 just got my pal want some thing cheap Beacuse I know I'm going to where it out lol I'm trying to find some thing bolt or semi for under 200$ any ideas .
Marlin xt or 795 best bang for the buck
Respectfully, that is a load of crap. I started on a single shot Cooey about 55 years ago. When I got back into shooting, I got both a Nork JW 15 with the long barrel, and the Scorpio. The Nork took a lot of work to spot the action in, but was exceptionally accurate; the Scorpio was great right out of the box, and only took a little JB plastic to firm it up in it's stock. Both the fit and finish on the Scorpio rifle and action as well as the bluing are about 2 x better than on any savage built today. While I have moved on to CZs from both of these rifles (I just like their look and feel better) both of the Chinese rifles routinely out shot about everything else at our competitions.
It's not nearly so much about the rifle as it is about the shooter. Most bolt action rifles shoot very well with the right ammo; when they don't it's the shooter, and throwing money at at a rifle will not make anyone a good shot. Likewise, throwing an expensive scope on an expensive rifle before learning how to shoot well with irons will guarantee you will never be much more than an average shot with an expensive toy.
The OP should just go and buy the cost effective Scorpio; go out and have a lot of fun setting up the sights, finding a good ammo (mine liked CCI STD better than any of the more expensive stuff out to 50 yards); once he get's it shooting where he wants it to; then maybe put a good scope on it and start reaching out to 100 yards plus. He can likely sell it for almost what he paid for it if he decides to upgrade to something else in a year or two, but this will get him shooting; and he can try other rifles out at the range before he spends big money on something he is unsure if he will like it or not.