Some rifle shooters may regard the .22 rimfire as a youth's firearm. It may have been seen as good for plinking and shooting some small game, but for serious men a more serious rifle was in order. While this may have been more true in the past than in today's often easily excitable climate, no doubt some traces of that view still exist.
Nevertheless, as in so many other areas quality is often reflected in the price tag. While it's possible to get a new centerfire rifle for under $600, the least expensive .22 rifles are half that price, less if a Norinco clone is desired. The basic rimfire is still inexpensive, and that's the continued appeal for many shooters, especially those who don't shoot them with great seriousness. There is an understandable attraction in something that shoots at a low cost.
Like many centerfire shooters who prefer something other than the entry-level firearm, the rimfire shooter who is looking for better quality and better accuracy is more willing to spend double or triple the price tag of the entry-level .22LR. As a shooter's expectations and demands increase, so too inevitably do the price tags.
The best rifles that can be obtained generally tend to cost more and more. It's possible to spend many thousands of dollars on a rifle alone, with a select action, a custom barrel with a custom chamber, a custom stock pillared and glass bedded. Add one of the best scopes available and the price becomes quite staggering. Custom work can add considerably to the cost. Shooters must always reconcile desires with means, no matter what the rimfire rifle is used for.
Other shooters may prefer to acquire rifles with certain unique qualities of collectability, uncommonness, or uniqueness. These too can cost a small fortune.
In the end, it is a good thing that there are .22 rimfire rifles for every budget, for every need. Many rimfire aficionados, however, suffer from an acquisitiveness that compels them to get more rifles whether they need them or not.
because you are definitely not the average .22 shooter. 
