.22 on a budget
- Thread starter cheechako
- Start date
I just bought a marlin 795, it's pretty accurate and very reliable - shot 300 rounds so far of cci standard velocity without a single issue.
I think it's pretty much a marlin 60 with detachable mag instead of tube.
was $220 at cabelas, toss a scope on for $100 if you want and bobs your uncle.
it's semi though
I think it's pretty much a marlin 60 with detachable mag instead of tube.
was $220 at cabelas, toss a scope on for $100 if you want and bobs your uncle.
it's semi though
Thanks for the feed back everyone. As much as I would love to buy a Henry or a CZ I don't think that is going to happen at the moment. I am for sure going to look into the Marlin, I didn't realize they were that inexpensive. Also I am waiting to get approved to view the equipment exchange so once that happens I might hit the knowledgeable voices out their for more opinions.
Much appreciated
Much appreciated
First-off, congrats on becoming a dad!The best job a guy could have.
Re: a .22 "that just gets the job done"~the 3 rifles you've listed wouldn't be on my radar personally, and I've owned a 10/22 (bought new) as well as a Henry pump...I've shot a couple of Henry levers, and believe that the CZ452s (predecessors to the 455s) were better-built guns. However, opinions "are like a_ _ _ _ _ _ _" they say~everybody has one.
As for what to get~clearly, the best value can be had if you're open to the idea of "used" of course. Try as I might, I personally can't warm-up to Cooeys that much...and I've owned at least 3 different models..maybe 4. I mean, simple..robust things, just not my cup of tea. As far as I'm concerned, their charm is about the most endearing thing about them. I'm also not a fan of semis for a host of reasons, and I've had a bunch of them. Down to just one, a Marlin 795 that only sees the light of day a few times a year.
Budget rifles~there are several options, but to many...Savage would be pretty hard to beat. Mark II series, available in heavy or standard weight barrels, blued or stainless steel. Spare magazines are affordable and readily available. The heavy-barrel versions would be a poor choice unless you shoot prone, or know you'll always have a rest (tree branch?) close by. Offhand shots with them would be an uphill battle. Marlin bolt guns are also tough to beat for the price and personally...I prefer them a bit over the Savages. Just a little less common to find too.
If your budget allowed for a CZ ($500-$600) then a 452 American would be awfully tough to beat. It's a standard-weight barrel, better for off hand shots/long hikes. The model is not equipped with iron sights, so scopes are a must. If you were set on using iron sights, then a 452 LUX (or BRNO 2E, it's predecessor) would be a superb pick. You could scope one of these down the road, but the shape of the stock is better-suited for use with it's iron sights.
If you have any buddies with 22s...see if they'll let you try them. Often times, it's impossible to explain why one is better than the other...but in trying them, you can sometimes get sense of what you're getting for the extra $. I don't know what the OPs sensibilities are...but some people are well-served by a $100 Cooey their hole lives and never want anything else. Other people have 20 or more 22s and are still trying to find the "perfect" gun. I think for hunting~a simple bolt-action repeater is the best combination of accuracy, ease of use, dependability, easy to clean, etc.
Appreciate the kudos on the baby. It certainly is a trip so far, looking forward to what the future holds.
I think I am going to keep an eye out for a savage, although I didn't realize Marlins were so inexpensive, I do prefer the action of a bolt/lever.
All fine rifles mentioned here. No argument from me, just to add one I think is a viable option: Henry US Survival (a.k.a. AR-7).
Pros:
- Very light - only 1.6Kg
- Very compact - only 42cm long when packed.
- Not watertight but can be made so for storage in humid environments. Floats for a while if dropped in water.
- Room for up to 59 bullets when completely packed (24 in 3 magazines, rest in the stock)
- Easy to carry/transport. There's nothing to scratch or snag wherever you keep it.
- Easy and quick to assemble and disassemble without tools.
- Barrel very easy to clean, the rest can be completely disassembled with a flat-head screwdriver.
- Mine is very reliable. Feeds, fires and cycles even the cheapest ammo.
- Cheapest take-down .22 I could find
Cons:
- Not a tack-driver. I'd say accurate enough to hit a rabbit at 25m.
- Relatively hard single stage trigger. Can be somewhat lightened.
- Not a lot of aftermarket accessories. Those that are available mostly defy it's original purpose.
- No large capacity magazines. 8 is what you get, 15 were available but not reliable.
- No bolt open after last round. It's easy to loose the count and dry-fire, but it doesn't seem to do it any harm.
- The feeding ramp is integrated in the magazine. You need to be careful not to apply any pressure to the magazine when shooting.
Other remarks:
- Don't let anyone tell you it's no good for plinking. I regularly fire 4-500 rounds in 3-4 hours without cleaning.
- I've shot about 3,000 rounds out of mine so far. CCI Subsonic is my favorite, but it eats anything else CCI (including Blazer), Remington Golden Bullet and all other bulk ammo. I only had issues with Winchester ValuePak for some reason.
https://www.henryusa.com/rifles/u-s-survival-ar-7/
Pros:
- Very light - only 1.6Kg
- Very compact - only 42cm long when packed.
- Not watertight but can be made so for storage in humid environments. Floats for a while if dropped in water.
- Room for up to 59 bullets when completely packed (24 in 3 magazines, rest in the stock)
- Easy to carry/transport. There's nothing to scratch or snag wherever you keep it.
- Easy and quick to assemble and disassemble without tools.
- Barrel very easy to clean, the rest can be completely disassembled with a flat-head screwdriver.
- Mine is very reliable. Feeds, fires and cycles even the cheapest ammo.
- Cheapest take-down .22 I could find
Cons:
- Not a tack-driver. I'd say accurate enough to hit a rabbit at 25m.
- Relatively hard single stage trigger. Can be somewhat lightened.
- Not a lot of aftermarket accessories. Those that are available mostly defy it's original purpose.
- No large capacity magazines. 8 is what you get, 15 were available but not reliable.
- No bolt open after last round. It's easy to loose the count and dry-fire, but it doesn't seem to do it any harm.
- The feeding ramp is integrated in the magazine. You need to be careful not to apply any pressure to the magazine when shooting.
Other remarks:
- Don't let anyone tell you it's no good for plinking. I regularly fire 4-500 rounds in 3-4 hours without cleaning.
- I've shot about 3,000 rounds out of mine so far. CCI Subsonic is my favorite, but it eats anything else CCI (including Blazer), Remington Golden Bullet and all other bulk ammo. I only had issues with Winchester ValuePak for some reason.
https://www.henryusa.com/rifles/u-s-survival-ar-7/
- Location
- Quebec city
Have you considered Zastava rifles? Look at them. Trade Ex has a few of standard and full stock models.
All fine rifles mentioned here. No argument from me, just to add one I think is a viable option: Henry US Survival (a.k.a. AR-7).
Pros:
- Very light - only 1.6Kg
- Very compact - only 42cm long when packed.
- Not watertight but can be made so for storage in humid environments. Floats for a while if dropped in water.
- Room for up to 59 bullets when completely packed (24 in 3 magazines, rest in the stock)
- Easy to carry/transport. There's nothing to scratch or snag wherever you keep it.
- Easy and quick to assemble and disassemble without tools.
- Barrel very easy to clean, the rest can be completely disassembled with a flat-head screwdriver.
- Mine is very reliable. Feeds, fires and cycles even the cheapest ammo.
- Cheapest take-down .22 I could find
Cons:
- Not a tack-driver. I'd say accurate enough to hit a rabbit at 25m.
- Relatively hard single stage trigger. Can be somewhat lightened.
- Not a lot of aftermarket accessories. Those that are available mostly defy it's original purpose.
- No large capacity magazines. 8 is what you get, 15 were available but not reliable.
- No bolt open after last round. It's easy to loose the count and dry-fire, but it doesn't seem to do it any harm.
- The feeding ramp is integrated in the magazine. You need to be careful not to apply any pressure to the magazine when shooting.
Other remarks:
- Don't let anyone tell you it's no good for plinking. I regularly fire 4-500 rounds in 3-4 hours without cleaning.
- I've shot about 3,000 rounds out of mine so far. CCI Subsonic is my favorite, but it eats anything else CCI (including Blazer), Remington Golden Bullet and all other bulk ammo. I only had issues with Winchester ValuePak for some reason.
https://www.henryusa.com/rifles/u-s-survival-ar-7/
Survival rifle at best, terrible trigger, terribly inaccurate, terribly balanced and not at all something I would ever suggest to anyone for a first 22......a tool only.
Have owned one for many years, even my kids, who were looking forward to trying it at the range when they saw it, were totally disappointed within a few shots
and had no interest in using it again after shooting anything with a level of accuracy and quality. It's great for what it was/is designed for, that's about it.
For semiauto, look around for a Savage 6 or Stevens 87, sometimes called "gill guns" for the slots in the receiver (see my profile photo for an example of what the slots look like).
With long and relatively heavy barrels they tend to be quite accurate. All the internals are metal -- no plastic in the actions. The actions look complex but I find them easy to troubleshoot and maintain.
Where I am (within 1 hour drive time of Ellwood Epps) they tend to go for $100 to $140 or so.
The unique action is interesting and entertaining. Mine always get comments and questions at the range.
And it's always fun to spend the afternoon shooting with what looks like an old clapped out Grandpa Fudd gun while the guy beside me with the tricked out tactical black 10/22 spends his afternoon dealing with failures to feed, failures to extract, light strikes, and so on.
For bolt action, I'd go with any of the Savage Mark II variants.
With long and relatively heavy barrels they tend to be quite accurate. All the internals are metal -- no plastic in the actions. The actions look complex but I find them easy to troubleshoot and maintain.
Where I am (within 1 hour drive time of Ellwood Epps) they tend to go for $100 to $140 or so.
The unique action is interesting and entertaining. Mine always get comments and questions at the range.
And it's always fun to spend the afternoon shooting with what looks like an old clapped out Grandpa Fudd gun while the guy beside me with the tricked out tactical black 10/22 spends his afternoon dealing with failures to feed, failures to extract, light strikes, and so on.
For bolt action, I'd go with any of the Savage Mark II variants.
easyrider604
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Greater Vancouver, BC
Marlin 60s, 795s and Xts/981s, are great inexpensive rifles, but for accuracy, I'd vote Savage MKII bolt action. My MKIIs and MKI are/were marginally more accurate than my Marlins. Just enough to convince me to sell both my Marlin 981s and both my Marlin 60s. I have a classic Marlin 81DL with open sights, no receiver grooves, which might just be a keeper.
But my all time favorite .22LR rifle is a CZ452 Scout. Does everything a 22 should do, in a compact lightweight package.
And yes, congrats on your baby. Raise him/her the right way....firearms safety first.
this all day long
blasted_saber
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- A blue part of Ontario
Look at a Savage, theyre made in Canada, so youre supporting Canadians and the Canadian firearms industry.
I'll also suggest a Savage mark 2. I have one, my brother has two more. Very accurate. Very reasonably priced. Good trigger for the price. Can't go wrong with one.
If you like iron sights, the base model has you covered, if you plan to scope it right away then go with the FV for the heavy barrel.
If you like iron sights, the base model has you covered, if you plan to scope it right away then go with the FV for the heavy barrel.
Many great suggestions so far.
I own the CZ455 and the Marlin 795. While the CZ is the more accurate, finer rifle....the Marlin is a phenomenal value that is a great critter gitter as well as a great range toy. Not picky on ammo and is a ball to plink with. I have my CZ 455 setup with a 16x scope and a bipod for bench shooting. My 795 has a Bushnell red dot. I love them both for what they are however if I could only pick 1 and was on a tight budget, it would be the Marlin 795 or the Marlin 60. I have seen the Savage Mark II's and many 10/22's in action and they are fine rifles aswell. I would also look at the Savage A22 as Cabelas has them on sale right now for 279.99
I own the CZ455 and the Marlin 795. While the CZ is the more accurate, finer rifle....the Marlin is a phenomenal value that is a great critter gitter as well as a great range toy. Not picky on ammo and is a ball to plink with. I have my CZ 455 setup with a 16x scope and a bipod for bench shooting. My 795 has a Bushnell red dot. I love them both for what they are however if I could only pick 1 and was on a tight budget, it would be the Marlin 795 or the Marlin 60. I have seen the Savage Mark II's and many 10/22's in action and they are fine rifles aswell. I would also look at the Savage A22 as Cabelas has them on sale right now for 279.99
x2 - Love my Marlin 795
