This guy wants a 22, also want something like a lever or pump so I can wear a cowboy hat and walk around the woods pretending I'm tough. It will mostly be shot at the range but I kind of want something I can take backpacking with me and rabbit hunting. The mares leg in .22 is looking awesome because its super handy to pack and probably pretty light but its so damn short it looks awkward to shoot. Anyways I dont know the first thing about rimfires, any recommendations?
Recommend a 22 that isnt a bolt action
- Thread starter GunNewb
- Start date
++1
I have 1 and its great.
TransAm1991
Regular
- Location
- Windsor, Ontario
I bought a 'Frontier' model Henry .22, it's the octagon barrel, with the better front sight than the standard model.
I like it, very smooth action, fun to shoot, and it's nice and light.
I like it, very smooth action, fun to shoot, and it's nice and light.
I love my 10/22's but the relationship is a relatively high maintenance one. As in I spend more time "fixing" them than shooting them at times. 
The aftermarket and accurizing potential of those guns is incredible.
The Henry lever action guns are very nice looking indeed. I haven't shot one but have given a couple of models a good once over. Weight was ok, length of pull was great, fit and finish were very good. Action cycled very smoothly and didn't feel flimsy. What's nice is that they also come in 22 mag for a bit more oomph, and one of the models I looked at could shoot 22 short, long and long rifle rounds all from the same gun.
Also, don't be hasty in downplaying a bolt gun, some of the older ones can be reworked into real gems (I fixed up a Lakefield single shot a couple of years ago into a real nice plinker, as accurate as I am out to 40 yards) and I'm told newer generation boltys can deliver impressive results out of box as well. I have a Savage 93R17 on the way to hopefully give a good workout to before the snow flies.
The aftermarket and accurizing potential of those guns is incredible.The Henry lever action guns are very nice looking indeed. I haven't shot one but have given a couple of models a good once over. Weight was ok, length of pull was great, fit and finish were very good. Action cycled very smoothly and didn't feel flimsy. What's nice is that they also come in 22 mag for a bit more oomph, and one of the models I looked at could shoot 22 short, long and long rifle rounds all from the same gun.
Also, don't be hasty in downplaying a bolt gun, some of the older ones can be reworked into real gems (I fixed up a Lakefield single shot a couple of years ago into a real nice plinker, as accurate as I am out to 40 yards) and I'm told newer generation boltys can deliver impressive results out of box as well. I have a Savage 93R17 on the way to hopefully give a good workout to before the snow flies.
- Location
- Winnipeg,Man.
winchester model 490 semi auto...bought for $200 c/w new scope, 4- 10 shot mags and flambo case. Never looked back...
- Location
- Niagara Region, Ontario. For now
'tis true.
But oh, what good paint.
Mine hasn't chipped, flaked or even been scratched, yet.
'tis true.
But oh, what good paint.
Mine hasn't chipped, flaked or even been scratched, yet.
And if it does, you can do what i did, remove all the paint with a stripper and coat the zamac with clear tremclad to make it look like a stainless receiver. It looks REALLY sharp and you will never ever see a scratch on it..
I'd say a Marlin 795. I have an older 10/22 but have never liked it. Don't get me wrong, it shoots well and with the aftermarket extractor it will grab everything from the chamber be they empty cases or duds. It simply feels unpleasant to me. I have a Nylon 66 and though it only has irons it carries and shoots so well. My boy's Marlin 795ss is one of the best little 22's I have ever shot. Accurate and consistent and is a pleasure to carry. It belonged to my mother.
I may try and trade my 10/22 for a pre-Remington 795ss and a few bricks of ammo.
So my recommendation is for the Marlin 795
I may try and trade my 10/22 for a pre-Remington 795ss and a few bricks of ammo.
So my recommendation is for the Marlin 795
Another option is to strip the paint and use gun blue to produce a sort of "colour case" look. While the alloy used on the receivers won't blue in the normal way it does react with the alloy to produce colour changes that range from a bronze to dark'ish brown. The pictures of the results I've seen out there look acceptably like color case hardening on steel.
Don't dismiss the Henrys due to the use of the alloy receiver. The use of this molded alloy allows the cost to be kept reasonable and the alloy seems to produce an anti friction like effect. It gives the lever a wonderfully smooth and silky feel when cylcing in a round. And the low recoil impulse energy of the .22 means that nothing is stressed so hard that the alloy over real steel is going to produce an issue over time.
There's not much in the lineup these days for .22's that are not bolt action other than semis and levers. Two stand out though that are still currently available. First is the Henry pump action. Second is the Stevens Favourite single shot falling block.
Pump .22's are really fun but other than the Henry you'll need to shop for a used one. In the past year I've managed to get an old 1926'ish vintage Remington 12 pump that is in nice shape and shoots into a loonie at 50 yards with the aid of an old Tasco 4x scope and my rather shakey arms. And recently I bought a used Rossi pump .22 which is a clone of the Winchester 61 gallery gun. Operating these pump rifles is pretty slick and I highly recomend the style of action.
If its a pump or a lever your after do some research, try some guns, find something you like. There are many good older models out there as well. I would not recommend to run out and buy a 10/22 because of its popularity. I own .22's in every type of action including a 10/22, and I still have more fun shooting my Rossi pump, Ithaca saddle gun, or Browning BL. All seem to be good guns by the way.
