Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires Looking for a Good 22 Rifle

I have plenty of good 22 LR handguns but no rifles. Yesterday, I made the mistake of taking my son’s Remington 511 to the range, and now I need a 22 rifle of my own.

I’ll hunt with it, so it will be out in the rain. Stainless/synthetic would be nice but are not mandatory.

It will get a scope, probably a 4x Leupold.

I’d like for it to be accurate out of the box. The 511 made a couple of sub 1” groups at 50 yards with a couple of loads, which was nice, but I won’t compete with it.

Either bolt or semi would be fine.

Widely available magazines would be ideal so the various Rugers catch my eye. Not a fan of tube magazines.

Top end is around $500 for the rifle but I’m a sucker for the $189 pawnshop special.

Should I just get a 511 like his?

Other thoughts?


Okie John

CZ457.

If you would be satisfied with sub-one inch groups then a Ruger American Rimfire would probably do just fine, the ones I have owned (3 ea) would do 3/4" to 1" for five shots at 50yds.
If you want something that will likely shoot closer to 1/2" five shot groups at 50 yds then I would recommend the Tikka T1X.

drover

Everyone should have a 10/22. I actually have the 4x leupold rimfire on one and its a nice setup. That being said, the american rimfire should/would be more accurate out of the box. Other than those, the cz would be a nice one, I actually just bought the tikka but haven't shot it yet.

CZ for the win.
Ruger 10/22 are to rifles what McDonalds cheeseburgers are to Diner cheeseburgers.

That Tika is a top shelf rifle.

"I know Ginther. He is an attention whore and....wait for it..... a closet Trump supporter as well!"

LMAO

i would get the Ruger 10-22 S.S. this rifle still has the best magazine/clip made on the market and buy a spare or 2 magazine/clip. this rifle is easy to use and accurate enough for any one to use and its American made too.

I was going to offer up my 541T until I saw your $500.00 max.

I have some arthritis in my hands, and loading 10/22 (or Ruger American) magazines a real chore in the colder weather. Last Friday I was messing with my 10/22s, and had a heckuva time loading the magazines, temps were in the lower 40s, not even really cold weather.

That's one of the reasons I'm really liking the CZ rimfires now, the five round magazines load easier and the rifles are "pretty accurate" by the standards you put forth. I have ten of them, and the worst ones will shoot 1" at 50 yards with plinking ammo, but nearer to 1/2" with "good" ammo. The better shooting CZs seem to shoot under .3" with "good" ammo, and about 5/8" with plinking ammo. I have a CZ 512 autoloader that will average .368" at 50 yards with Geco ammo, or a bit worse with CCI Blazers.

I hear the Tikkas are a bit better, but I don't have any experience with them, so I can't say for sure. I DO know that my better CZs will shoot under a 1/2"at 50 yards with decent ammo and modest 3-9X scopes, which is all I want. None of mine have heavy barrels, they're all sporters.

My CZ452, shoots like that. 1" at 50 is a bad group with it. I generally am trying to hit the same hole. On a good day, I can do that 4 out of 5 times. 2 others that shoot with the CZ, are a left hand Remington 581, and believe it or not, a 1955 Marlin model 56 lever action. That Marlin is a VERY accurate rifle.

Im always shocked how well my marlin 56 and 57's shoot.

Okie john: I have a pair of these Rifles that I am going to recommend to you.
The Rifle is the heavy barrel Ruger American Varmint in either stainless or blued.
They have the wonderful Ruger rotary magazines (unsurpassed!), the "accu-trigger", laminated stocks for stability and comfort when shooting.
And both my Ruger American Varmints are very pleasingly accurate.
The stainless of these is about $425.00 the last I saw.
Best of luck with whichever you choose.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

From what you describe...

Pawnshop special: Remington 581
New: Ruger American Rimfire. I have this one https://www.ruger.com/products/americanRimfire/specSheets/8334.html 10/22 mags and it shoot great with CCI Standard Velocity

I have a CZ 455 Stainless, and it shoots between 1/2 & 3/4” reliably with hunting ammo it likes, not just SV or low-end match ammo. The trigger is quite nice, better than a previous 455, and right there with the 453 I had, though with a different feel. The synthetic stock needs some non-slip tape on the butt, but it has an excellent feel to it otherwise and puts my eye right behind the scope. Discontinued, but still out there.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/882103484

That one aside, within your budget I’d look for one of the SS Ruger Americans and hope for the best. Seems to be some variation in those, based on comments here. In semi-autos, the 10/22 Target has been available in SS/laminated, and a range buddy likes his very much; says it shoots very well.

More money will yield more choices.

I have two 452s, an American, and a 452 Scout. The American is a real shooter, the Scout has a typical trigger, if you can manage it, it shoots like a sonuvagun, if not, it's just a .22. One of these days, I'll fool around and start working on the triggers, but for now, they work well enough. Six of them are 455s, which have better triggers out of the box than any 452 I've shot, and that little 512 Carbine came with an excellent trigger right out of the box. It shoots almost as well as the daggoned 452 American, it's truly a work of art, despite it's awkward looks.The 455s are wildcards, some shoot exceptionally well, some, not so much. They might just need more shooting..................................................

Oddly enough Remington Golden Bullet HP shoot really well in my 452 American lefty...trigger is ok, not tremendously so....the 581 and Marlin 56 like CCI standard velocity.

CZ 457 synthetic

The nitride finish should be more rust resistant than stainless, and the rifles are outstanding.

+2 on the Ruger American lam/stainless HB

I put a SWFA SS 10X on mine, and am 47 kills for 50 shots from my front porch.

Virgil B.