First rifle, what to get?

After many 22 RF's I just picked up a Ruger American.
I have had more fun with that rifle in the last 2 weeks that I have had in a long time.
Went through 500 rounds in the first 2 trips out to the range and no problems with feeding or failing to fire.
It is a great little rifle and pretty accurate as well.
That would be my recommendation.

David
 
chadeech said:
Here is a vote for the 795 accurate out of the box ,had a blued years ago
and sold it always regretted it so i picked up the stainless model a while ago
mounted a simple 3x9 and shes a beauty tack driver

I would suggest a bolt action to really learn the skill first though i took that advice when i started in the sport and now know it was the way to go
and one to look at is the Marlin XT bolt

just as accurate as you can get out of the box and as a bonus the mags are compatible with the 795 and if that is not awesome enough you can get both for the price of a 10/22 that you will need to dump cash into to get anywhere as accurate
Now the 10/22 has its crowd if you want to mod its the ticket but myself i have a bang for the buck approach accuracy being the most important and with these two models you get both in spades
Safe shooting
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Either of these are perfect. I have a XT-22 and the 795. Both shoot great, are reliable and affordable. The promag 795 magazines work great and are inexpensive as well. Over a 10/22 they start out less expensive, have 25 round fun and are super accurate. Pretty sure value wise the 795 can't be beat.
 
gmctech said:
True dat... but beyond that I'd be going with the .17 WSM... Have the hmr and wsm and find the wsm a tad bit less prone to windage corrections... Not a huge difference but enough of a difference for reaching out and touching gophers beyond 100 yards....
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I like the concept of the .17WSM. Still just a little wary of the fact that it's only available in one rifle..... it's a deadly idea though.

-J.
 
I was reading reviews, and someone mentioned the stock trigger is pretty bad on Marlin 795, very heavy. If anything I'd prefer a clean trigger that I know exactly when it'll go.

johNTO said:
Out of your 3 choices I personally would get the lever action. Before you drop $700 on a BL-22 make sure you shoulder it. Sold my BL-22 because it didn't fit me (poor cheek-weld). A Henry Frontier or Golden Boy(even the base model) would be a good choice and save you some $$ for ammo.
Since you're ok with tube fed and you want a semi you may want to consider a Marlin 60 with a laminate stock(less plastic than the 795).

If it's for "target only" I'd be looking at a bolt action CZ with tangent sights….
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Did try it in store, feels okay with iron sights but I don't know if the stock would be too low if I put a scope on it.
 
Get a 10/22 i know its not what you want to hear but its what you should do.
I have had dozens of .22lr and just about all the lever actions too. Ive sold them all and now have 2 10/22s. One for me and one for the boy when hes old enough. They are decent for accuracy and the mags are reliable and the 25 rounders are the cats ass when you want to shoot a lot of lead. Sure the trigger is heavy but you can get used to that. I have a double action revolver that i shoot very well. Or pick up an after market hammer.

But if you really hate ruger for some reason i suggest a savage mrk ii g. It is low priced and very accurate with irons or a 4-12 scope. You can play around with that till you decide what you want which you will prpbably keep in the end.

Ive had all the above you mention and sold them all plus many others.
Pm for more if you want you can even give me a ring.
I would also suggest the marlin model 60 or the rem 552 accurate semi autos and no sore thumbs. The 552 will actually cycle shorts too.
But ive had those and sold them for my 10/22's which by the way are mostly stock.

Edit: one more thing to add many people i know have 10/22s and have no idea of how we complain about the heavy triggers.
 
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For what you'll pay for a Ruger, you can get a 795, a Boyds stock, scope, and rings. And it will outshoot the Ruger, all day, every day. I have both. The 795 gets used. The Ruger sits in the gun cabinet.

(Lousy pic, I know, but you get the idea).
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7 shot group (with the 7 shot mag that came with it). Only 25yards, but a stock Ruger simply won't pull this off, even with match ammo...

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You can also get the 25 round ProMag mags for it, that have been 100% reliable for me - I have 5 of them now.

The Ruger wins on aftermarket gew-gaws, and that's about it. Reliability is a wash between the two. So is the trigger - nothing to write home about for either one of them, but both have aftermarket options. The 795 wins on accuracy. And I prefer to hit what I'm pointing at.
 
grelmar….that's a nice looking rifle. Marlin's micro-groove bbls can really shoot!
I bought a Marlin 781T a few years ago and since then many 22lr's have come and gone but this one's staying. Shoots groups like yours, not fussy with ammo (LR, shorts, quiets, etc) and feels like an adult sized rifle. I have a inexpensive Tasco Vamint 6-24x with AO on mine….a wood stock would complete it.
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Check Del Seline (often post in EE). BLR 22 =$600. I think you would be very happy with a gun that your grandkids will still injoy, a CZ bolt in whatever model you like. I have/had many average 22s but something that always shoots well is a pleasure to have. If you decide to sell it, resale is good to. For a semi-fudd I find a good bolt still works well in the gopher patch. I have other gopher/field guns that cost more but CZs keep up well.
 
johNTO said:
grelmar….that's a nice looking rifle. Marlin's micro-groove bbls can really shoot!
I bought a Marlin 781T a few years ago and since then many 22lr's have come and gone but this one's staying. Shoots groups like yours, not fussy with ammo (LR, shorts, quiets, etc) and feels like an adult sized rifle. I have a inexpensive Tasco Vamint 6-24x with AO on mine….a wood stock would complete it.
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Thanks. Love my 795 and Papoose. Just great, accurate guns. Keep an eye on Boyd's, they have flash sales every now and then (which is when I grabbed the stock for my 795 - as well as a stock for my M-14), and they make stocks for the 981 rifles (assuming a typo on your part).

https://www.boydsgunstocks.com/ProductDetail/2zb75571c111_rimfire-varmint-thumbhole-marlin-981t-bolt-short-action-tube-feed-factory-barrel-channel-nutmeg-laminate
 
I've had a ruger m77/22 for 15 years and hands down the best grouse getter I own. Accurate,reliable and just plain fun to shoot!
 
The first brand new gun I ever purchased myself was a browning .22 lever back in 1985 , I have shot thousands of rounds through it over the years and it is still running tight groups in s/l/lr , light accurate and fast , easily the best purchase I have ever made
 
Well I was at Sail earlier, card in hand ready to buy the Browning BL22. They only had the floor model. I don't know how it works with firearms, but I don't really want the floor model of anything, certainly not at full price. Not to mention there's a piece of what looks like dog hair sticking out of the ejection port, so I dunno wtf was done with it.

Am I overthinking it?
 
I'm in the same boat as OP. Been doing lots of reading up and I've done a bit of shooting but never with "my own". I'd like a semi rather than bolt action and I've come to think that a Marlin model 60 SS is the one for me. Anyone have thoughts on why this would *not* make a good first rifle and a long term enjoyable gun to build up skill with? Are there any particularly good Marlin dealers in Canada? I've only found Ellwood Epps as a Canadian online store that sells this one so it's kinda hard to comparison shop ;)
 
Grouse Man said:
So you think you're only going to buy one? Silly boy. Your question really should be "which three rimfire rifles should I buy?".
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There will probably be more down the road, but you know, walk before run. :D

Jailcee said:
I'm in the same boat as OP. Been doing lots of reading up and I've done a bit of shooting but never with "my own". I'd like a semi rather than bolt action and I've come to think that a Marlin model 60 SS is the one for me. Anyone have thoughts on why this would *not* make a good first rifle and a long term enjoyable gun to build up skill with? Are there any particularly good Marlin dealers in Canada? I've only found Ellwood Epps as a Canadian online store that sells this one so it's kinda hard to comparison shop ;)
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From what I see the online price isn't really much (if any at all) better than in store price as far as rimfire goes, so check out your local B&M store as well
 
jzmtl said:
Well I was at Sail earlier, card in hand ready to buy the Browning BL22. They only had the floor model. I don't know how it works with firearms, but I don't really want the floor model of anything, certainly not at full price. Not to mention there's a piece of what looks like dog hair sticking out of the ejection port, so I dunno wtf was done with it.

Am I overthinking it?
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I recently bought my first rifle, from the LGS. It is a bl-22 and was was made in 1972. I think you are over thinking the floor model issue.
dan
 
Nothing wrong with 10/22. Beauty of them is they are good for a variety of roles.

This is like saying don't get a pickup cause not a fan of low riders.
jzmtl said:
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Any opinions? Don't really want a Ruger 10/22, not a fan of any tactical clip ons. Also it's for target only, no plan for anything else.
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