Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires Best .22 under $200

I've been thinking about getting a new .22 and wrapping my Savage around a tree. Are there any .22s that anyone would reccomend? I really want a bolt gun, but anything reliable and accurate will do. I like the Marlin 900s and xts and would prefere tube fed. I love the old 700s Marlin used to make and I like the versatility of the ruger 10/22.

The only thing I plan on (or should I say "can afford to") doing to it is a scope and maybe a stock if I don't like it.


PS. If anyone wants to buy a Savage 64 with a twisted barrel, i'll throw in the tree for free!

Bass Pro has the 10/22 sporter on sale for 219.00 . The one without the barrel band. Can't much more reliable than that. If it doesn't shoot get a Green Mtn barrel for 150.00 and your done.

Is there any way to make it feed shorts without single-feeding?
That's what I like about the tube fed marlins, just shove whatever in there an' blow stuff up.

Oh, and i'll look into that, thanks.

For a 10-22 to feen shorts you need to get a short kit http://www.midwayusa.com/product/355152/volquartsen-22-short-kit-ruger-10-22

I've got a couple of the base model stainless 10/22's and they drive tacks, feed well, and were both under $200. Seems like one was on sale at Dicks and the other at Wal Mart, but they don't know they didn't come from the gun library at Cabela's.

I don't know how to beat them for under or around $200.

DJ

I like the 1960s vintage Winchester 190/290 semi-autos or their cousin, the Sears 3-T, which was Sears' house-brand of the 190.

These rifles will shoot 22 S/L/LR without any troubles and you can regularly find them in minty condition for under $130. I recently bought some of the Winchester 290 Deluxe wood, stocks and forearms, for a couple of plain 190s and 3-Ts that I had around. The 3-Ts needed a little mill work to fit the stocks, but the 190s were a straight swap. So, for under $200, you could end up with a reliable 22 semi-auto that will work reliably with any good brand of short, long, and long rifle ammo and sport a piece of walnut that almost anyone would be proud to be seen with.

They aren't competition grade target rifles, but will shoot minute-of-squirrel or minute-of-bullfrog or minute-of-turtle or minute-of-bunny, etc.

Jeff

PS - I bought each of my kids a Marlin 981TS in 2010, 'cause they liked loading the magazine with 1/2 a box of 22 Shorts and being able to fire 25 rounds without reloading. I'm not sure what "The New Marlin" is calling the 981TS in 2012, but I'm sure that they are still making the same basic rifle.

Remington 512 would make a likely candidate.
Tube fed bolt action, all steel construction, walnut stock, no plastic, aluminum or composite metals, shoots Short, long, or Long Rifle, and have good accuracy.
$200 Should buy a nice one.

All of these are under $200 and leave room for some basic optics.

Win 190
Marlin 60 (or a glenfield brand etc.)
Rem 581
Win Wildcat

and they all shoot very well.

Well, it ain't a bolt, but i just love plinking/hunting with my H&R Sportster. Paid $199 for it. I intend to do most of my squirrel hunting with it, this fall.


maddog

New or used 10/22. No it doesn't have tube feed and no it won't cycle shorts and if thats a must have than just go find yourself a $75-$100 Marlin/Glenfield 25.

Also, I'd like to see where you guys are findin used "others" for the prices you're quoting. Except for the Marlins and Savages I rarely see .22's under under $200 in any sort of condition. Maybe if someone is willin to wait around for a deal but I definitely don't see them often enough to recommend them to someone looking to get a gun anytime soon. YMMV.

CB

I just went to Gunbroker and found a couple used Marlin Bolt Action Tube Feed .22's. Current bid is under $100.00 for each of them.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=280560154
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=281095621

Larry

It's not a bolt action and doesn't feed shorts but the Marlin Model 60; tube fed, semiauto, under $200, is a pretty decent little rifle. They've been making them for a long time.

I prefer the Model 60 over the 10/22 myself, have found them to be generally more accurate out of the box. Granted not as many things that you can do to them, but you don't have to.

I was waiting for someone to mention the Russian-made Winchester Wildcat! I bought one of the actual Russian TOZ versions a few years ago for $150. The stock is horrendous-looking, but comfortable; the Winchester versions have nicer looking stocks. The Russian models have what I consider to be better sights, an excellent adjustable trigger, and came with five and ten round magazines. Interestingly, the magazines feed Aquila Colibris, which is my preferred round for backyard squirrels, starlings, feral cats, etc. Accuracy with a variety of .22 ammo has been very good to scary accurate. I think it's a bargain for a utility .22 boltgun.

I agree, I really like my wildcat.

This is the direction I would go; whether standard or wmr, the 780 series are very good for the money. I have a couple, as well as my grandfathers Model 80, which is an incredible shooter for what it is.