Lets Talk 22s...takedown or solid build? What is your go to model for 22?

Western Canuck

Western Canuck

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I have heard many great things about the Ruger 10/22. I grew up learning to shoot with a wood stock 22 my father has. Beautiful gun. I've finally received my PAL and I'm looking to buy my own 22. The backpack 10/22 or takedown model with an additional black Magpull stock looks fantastic. It seems quite useful with the triple magazine storage in the butt, waterproof storage in the handle and nice foldability. They seem highly customizable and reliable.

Today I looked at a Savage 64 precision (black) in 22LR and it looked like a pretty fun model too with a 20 round magazine and M-Lok slots.
I am curious though if there are any drawbacks to the takedown models, or what peoples thoughts are on different brands and models. Accuracy, reliability, usefulness and durability are all nice traits to have. Looking nice is the cherry on top.

Cheers All,
 
I always liked the Winchester 63 takedown rifles.Miroku made replicas of the original 63 s and I a couple of them,sadly in a moment of temporary madness I traded them off for something else.Something I ve regretted ever since
 
I kinda married my first .22. I worked as a wee boy in our family sawmill doing cleanup after schools until I saved up $500 (88/89). 1989 my dad went in and bought me my Brno 2e id been saving for. It’s still my one and only .22. Love it so much I restocked it with custom walnut… and don’t dare touch another 🤣.
 
So many great 22’s options out there…including the ones mentioned about. There are many more non-takedown 22 LR options…but there are still a few good take downs. The 10/22 is a great choice, as is the Browning SA22 and Savage M64. No experience with the Savage A22 takedown and not sure if marlin is still making the M70.
Many other take-downs are survivalist style guns, which are useful in more specific applications.
What do you want to do with the gun?
What is your price point?
Semi, bolt or lever action?
 
OP, other than ease of storage or transport, I don't see a need for "take down" firearms.

I have a good reason for this.

I've never had one that didn't have to have it's "zero" checked, if it wore a scope" after being reassembled and they always needed adjustment, sometimes quite extreme adjustments.

Unlike detachable scopes, detachable barrels are a different ball game, or so it seems with the rifles I had.

The last take down rifle I owned was a Browning semi SA-22. It was a dream to carry and shoot with a scope, but the stock comb is too high for the iron sights that come with the rifle.

I bought it for pack in hunts, where space was limited.

It was very accurate with standard velocity ammo and fed, ejected flawlessly. However, if it was taken apart, and reassembled, if the torque on the retaining nut wasn't exactly where it liked to be for best accuracy, it wasn't an ideal rifle for taking small game and Grouse for camp meat, because poi kept shifting.

When that retaining nut was right where it needed to be, head shots on Grouse out to 20 yds were doable, but that depended on the shooter.

Getting the torque setting was just a matter of shooting at a target and tightening the nut until the gun shot to POA.

The big problem with it was the torque required on the nut was greater than the strength of my hands could generate.

I've had a couple of Ruger 10-22 take down rifles, acquired in trades and at best, the accuracy expections were minute of pop can at 25 yards, so I never kept them.

The Browning is now in my Step Son's safe and he's never taken it apart. He hasn't seen a need to.

Some people swear by their take down firearms and many swear at them.

If you get one that retains a reasonably acceptable zero after taking down and assembly keep it.

There is an "emergency" take down rifle called an AR-7, 22 sem-auto, which stores in the stock and floats. It has an aluminum receiver and barrel which is "lined" with a steel sleeve. Very light/handy, but I wouldn't want to bet my life on it. People store them on boats and planes as survival rifles because they can be had in a very handy case, which has compartments for extra ammo, etc.

I've sold every one of them I've acquired because I've never been able to get one to shoot well, no matter which ammo it was fed.
 
I am looking at getting a 10/22 and wrestling with the same question. Will use mostly for backpacking/plinking.

Way I am thinking is getting the cheapest one I can with the barrel profile I want... then get a super light weight chassis with a folding stock.

Of course, I am accepting that it may be a but of a money pit as I will probably continue to upgrade parts, lol, I like the lego guns.
 
Personally I have no love for either the 10/22 or the Savage 64 platforms. IMO 10/22 is great IF you plan to sink a bunch of money into it replacing parts, but what you get from Ruger leaves a lot to be desired. Savage 64s are hit-and-miss, seems you either love 'em or hate 'em, and my buddies takedown Savage64 is a piece of junk so you can put me in the Hate 'em camp.

For a first gun I always suggest a bolt action. Semi autos are great for plinking, but a bolt action is the way to go if you want to actually work on your marksmanship skills. Not that a semi auto CAN'T be used for that purpose, lots of people who shoot better than me learned on a semi auto, but bolt actions tend to be more accurate, and thus you spend less time wondering if its the ammo/gun or the mug behind it.
 
TJCote said:
So many great 22’s options out there…including the ones mentioned about. There are many more non-takedown 22 LR options…but there are still a few good take downs. The 10/22 is a great choice, as is the Browning SA22 and Savage M64. No experience with the Savage A22 takedown and not sure if marlin is still making the M70.
Many other take-downs are survivalist style guns, which are useful in more specific applications.
What do you want to do with the gun?
What is your price point?
Semi, bolt or lever action?
Click to expand...
There are a lot of good options. Plinking and some grouse hunting. I do gold pan and hike/camp/fish a lot where it would be fun to bring out even just to hit targets. I'd rather pay less than $500 but I could go more. Semi auto is preferred.
 
Does $500 include a scope? Or do you want to run iron sights?


My personal Go-To model of semi auto 22lr recently is the Winchester Wildcat. I like its lightweight (4lb), the fact its reasonably ambidextrous (reversible safety and an ambi mag release, I shoot left so these are nice to have for me), the last round bolt hold open, and how bloody easy it is to take apart and clean. I absolutely LOVE a 22lr semi with a last round bolt hold open, and I'm also a big fan of being able to use a cleaning rod from the chamber-side on my gun (with a 10/22 you have to modify the receiver or clean from the front if using a rod, otherwise you're limited to pull-throughs like bore snakes and the OTIS kits.)

2nd place goes to the Marlin 795. It would be 1st place if they still made them, but they haven't been made in like 5 years and prices have been climbing on them. The Marlin 795 also has a last round hold open. Did I mention I like last round hold opens? lol
 
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You can't really go to far wrong with the takedown 10/22 in the magpul stock, I saw a stainless one on the EE with 3 mags for a reasonable price yesterday. Shoot it and see how you like the accuracy, if you want to chase smaller groups you can try different barrels from many different companies but the chances are you will be happy as is.
 
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You either love Ruger 10-22 rifles on any level or you hate them.

I don't like them at all, but thats just me. They're functional but off the shelf, that's about all I can say good about them.

I don't particularly like any 22 semi auto rifles, and if they don't shoot well, not all.

OP, why do you want a semi auto 22???????? Shooting Grouse with them is fine, until it isn't. Most of them are good for body shots only.
 
I went down the 10/22 rabbit hole years ago. Started building all sorts of interesting set ups to try out. Ended up building a take down with the tacsol receiver and a volquartsen barrel that I still use as my hunting rifle out grousing.

Why? Because I like the tacsol receiver. (dual guide rod set up) The VQ barrel because the scope mounts to it. I never have to reset it even after taking it down. It is a tight tennon to receiver fit, but this only aids in lining things up.

There are some nice newer TD versions from VQ, the V2 series, but they get pricey. Bonus is you can get different caliber barrels to swap. Nice option if you are into that stuff.

VQ has a 10.5" takedown barrel with optics cantilever on barrel that you could marry to a decent TD receiver. As long as the stock you used let you be at 26" overall you would be golden.

I think Dlask has started to go the TD receivers as well. Match that up to a short 9", or 12" TD carbon barrel, add the barrel scope mount and just start looking for a stock. Again, just watch that you are 26" overall length. You can't use a folding stock either unless screwed fixed, unless folded you are still 26" overall length. (that negates your short barrel though)

Many options out there that get you compact, light, and quick to put together and still be accurate with. I usually only head shot my grouse, with the right ammo.

https://dlaskarms.com/product/dlask-arms-corp-tuf-22td-receiver-2/
 
Go with the takedown. Way more convenient to move around and transport. I bought mine for small game hunting, iron sights no scope. The simple fact that the ruger bag is generally the same form factor as everything else I bring. Sleeping bag, tent, duffle bag, air pad. Makes loading my car that much easier than a 40” long rifle softshell.
 
Forgot all about another great option. A TD bolt action. These I have never tried, but have been fascinated by the concept ever since they came out. Unfortunately not a cheap option either. But none of your options for putting one together that is going to be decent that you will enjoy for years to come is actually going to be cheap.

https://tillsonburggunshop.com/Tact...imfire-Rifle-Canada?search=tactical solutions

These look like your standard TD 10/22 barrel would work as well on it, but don't quote me on that. Would put in an email to Tacsol on that question for sure. By me, that would get a quick upgrade to the dlask 12.5" TD with the cantilever scope rail on the barrel.

I think Italian Sporting Goods has these in as well.
 
Under $500.... :)

Fact is what ever you get won't be your last .22lr. The magpul takedown10/22 is not perfect but it's a pretty sweet out of the box compact unit, not the lightest..... for that a little badger is hard to beat and they shoot well, one shot at a time.... :)
 
IMO, Unless you put more than $500 into a semi, you won't be very happy with the accuracy - unless you "hit the barrel Lottery" and get a good one. Even at 'under 50-yds' for grouse/rabbits most semis will only be good for body shots until you spend a lot 'accurizing'. You can get into a small Scorpio bolt action for ca $300 tax/shipping incl. I have a couple Sav-64s, one 'pencil-barrel' and one FV and they're OK but only good for 1" at 25-30 yds. - the 'precision might be a bit more accurate BUT the mags wear out if you shoot a lot, @ $30 each. I have a Savage B-22 FV bolt action with a rotary mag that is almost as accurate as my CZ455, they sell ca $4-500.
PS - You'll spend more $$ on ammo with a semi ;)
 
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