I was looking at the "what do people do with nice .22 LR rifles?" thread and realized I should probably put a nice, accurate semiauto on my to buy list since I'm able to shoot rimfire way more often than center fire and I don't have any ranges over 100yds within two hours of me. However, there isn't really much talk about them so I don't know where to begin looking. Ideally I would find one that has a lefty/ ambi stock, a good method for mounting a scope, a nice trigger, and good accuracy. Is there anything that fits the bill?
Accurate semiauto 22s?
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The_Next_Generation
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People upgrade and modify 10/22s like they are legos. I am sure you could do the same, but then the next question is how deep are your pockets? 
I saw a YouTube video where a couple of guys where hitting a bullet trap at 400yards with a modified 10/22. They are capable of great accuracy in the right hands with the right upgrades. In fact, I believe there are entire forums dedicated to the 10/22.
Of course, you may have an easier time with a bolt action if money is a concern. Either way, good luck!
- TNG
I saw a YouTube video where a couple of guys where hitting a bullet trap at 400yards with a modified 10/22. They are capable of great accuracy in the right hands with the right upgrades. In fact, I believe there are entire forums dedicated to the 10/22.
Of course, you may have an easier time with a bolt action if money is a concern. Either way, good luck!
- TNG
poolingmyignorance
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Check out rimfire central forum. If it's 22 related..it's on there!
dak0ta
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Out of the box the Marlin Model 60/795 series are reliable and accurate out of the box with the microgroove rifling and automatic last shot bolt hold open feature.
Ruger 10/22 are reliable, decently accurate out of the box, and have lots of aftermarket support.
Savage 64 is okay, but no aftermarket, thinner stock profile, mags are easy to find. Made in Canada.
Mossberg 702 is pretty accurate and reliable for a Made in Brazil (CBC) gun. Extra mags are easy to find.
Remington 597 - advanced, teflon coated parts, built like a adult rifle, decent aftermarket, accuracy potential.. hit or miss
I still think the Marlins are the best bang for the buck for accuracy and reliability.
Tech sights are available for the Ruger and Marlin which increase their accuracy potential with irons.
Expensive ones:
Browning SA-22, rear stock magazine, downward ejection, probably accurate, little aftermarket. JMB design.
Remington speedmaster (?), it's on the website, no experience.
Ruger 10/22 are reliable, decently accurate out of the box, and have lots of aftermarket support.
Savage 64 is okay, but no aftermarket, thinner stock profile, mags are easy to find. Made in Canada.
Mossberg 702 is pretty accurate and reliable for a Made in Brazil (CBC) gun. Extra mags are easy to find.
Remington 597 - advanced, teflon coated parts, built like a adult rifle, decent aftermarket, accuracy potential.. hit or miss
I still think the Marlins are the best bang for the buck for accuracy and reliability.
Tech sights are available for the Ruger and Marlin which increase their accuracy potential with irons.
Expensive ones:
Browning SA-22, rear stock magazine, downward ejection, probably accurate, little aftermarket. JMB design.
Remington speedmaster (?), it's on the website, no experience.
I have both the 10/22 ruger and the marlin 60 both excellent and accurate rifles. I mostly use my 10/22 because I modified it by buying a tac-sol barrel and a thumbhole laminated stock. I stoned and polished the trigger assembly down to approximately 3.5 lb trigger pull. Never had I done anything like this before but with the ruger 10/22 it is extremley easy and there is a lot of directions on the internet to help you.
BTW I shoot clay targets at 230 yds with this get up. Do not believe anyone that says 22's are only accurate up to 50 yds.
BTW I shoot clay targets at 230 yds with this get up. Do not believe anyone that says 22's are only accurate up to 50 yds.
I own a Ruger 10/22 and a Marlin Model 60ss. The 10/22 I've had a while, it sports a few upgrades, like its Choate pistol grip, better springs, charging handle, buffer etc. but it is basically a stock receiver and barrel. The Model 60ss is newer to me and bone stock.
The 10/22 is a good shooter and accurate enough. I have no optics on it and keep it that way for iron site practice.
The Model 60ss is(will be) the "accuracy shooter" out of the box it far and away out shoots the 10/22. All I had for it on hand was an old Tasco 1-4x33 with Simmons rings. Even with the crap setup the inherent accuracy of the rifle was obvious. The Marlin 60/795 dovetail is notoriously bad for mounting, but this rifle needs to be scoped. After a little research I found my setup. I'm going with a Leapers Accushot 1-piece base w/set screws(prevents "scope walk) and a Bushnell Trophy 3-9x40
Base:
http://www.pyramydair.com/s/a/Leapers_Accushot_1_Pc_Mount_w_1_Rings_3_8_Dovetail/805
Scope:
http://www.natchezss.com/product.cfm?contentID=productDetail&prodID=BH733940S&src=sim
The 10/22 is a good shooter and accurate enough. I have no optics on it and keep it that way for iron site practice.
The Model 60ss is(will be) the "accuracy shooter" out of the box it far and away out shoots the 10/22. All I had for it on hand was an old Tasco 1-4x33 with Simmons rings. Even with the crap setup the inherent accuracy of the rifle was obvious. The Marlin 60/795 dovetail is notoriously bad for mounting, but this rifle needs to be scoped. After a little research I found my setup. I'm going with a Leapers Accushot 1-piece base w/set screws(prevents "scope walk) and a Bushnell Trophy 3-9x40
Base:
http://www.pyramydair.com/s/a/Leapers_Accushot_1_Pc_Mount_w_1_Rings_3_8_Dovetail/805
Scope:
http://www.natchezss.com/product.cfm?contentID=productDetail&prodID=BH733940S&src=sim
oldfool
Member
Dak0ta pretty much covered the mainstream choices
for economical accuracy in a semi, I would recommend the Marlin 60
but the most accurate semi-22 we own is the little Browning SA22 (left hand or right hand matters not, it throws' em out the bottom)
for economical accuracy in a semi, I would recommend the Marlin 60
but the most accurate semi-22 we own is the little Browning SA22 (left hand or right hand matters not, it throws' em out the bottom)
velocette
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I note that no-one has mentioned the now discontinued Thompson Center (Now S&W)
R55 semi auto rifles. Out of the box extremely accurate and reliable. They had a design problem with the early models but the later ones are excellent rifles. They were (and are) more expensive than any of the usual suspects, but they do not require modifications and upgrades to make them accurate. I spent a lot of money on a 10-22 to make it as accurate with a slightly better trigger than my R55 Benchmark. In truth, not much of the 10-22 was left after all the "upgrades". With the R55, all I did was polish the trigger/ sear /hammer parts.
Roger
R55 semi auto rifles. Out of the box extremely accurate and reliable. They had a design problem with the early models but the later ones are excellent rifles. They were (and are) more expensive than any of the usual suspects, but they do not require modifications and upgrades to make them accurate. I spent a lot of money on a 10-22 to make it as accurate with a slightly better trigger than my R55 Benchmark. In truth, not much of the 10-22 was left after all the "upgrades". With the R55, all I did was polish the trigger/ sear /hammer parts.
Roger
No need for a left-hand specific semi-auto. It's not like you have to manipulate a bolt between every shot. The 10/22 at least doesn't throw brass in your face, either. The stock isn't biased either. I've been shooting a 10/22 left-handed since I was a little kid and has never even thought twice about it being "right-handed".
lowerunit411
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Remington 552 speedmaster....not "tacticool" but a fine rifle
If I were to go for something based on a 10/22 would you suggest going for something like a Kidd Supergrade? It's at the upper limits of what I have to spend, but if it's worth the money figure I I should spend it on a gun I'll actually shoot.
Furncliff
Member
Marlin 60 for an inexpensive, accurate out of the box SA .22
All of the $300 and under SA .22's will have pretty awful triggers. Check in at rimfirecentral.com for fixes.
The browning SA is a petite, beautifully made and accurate rifle. In the past these were made in Belgium, the new ones are made in Japan. The Japanese rifles are very nicely made. The triggers on these will be much better. They seem to run from ~$400 to several thousand for the engraved models.
CZ611 and 611a. High quality Czech rifles ... ~$800.
All of the $300 and under SA .22's will have pretty awful triggers. Check in at rimfirecentral.com for fixes.
The browning SA is a petite, beautifully made and accurate rifle. In the past these were made in Belgium, the new ones are made in Japan. The Japanese rifles are very nicely made. The triggers on these will be much better. They seem to run from ~$400 to several thousand for the engraved models.
CZ611 and 611a. High quality Czech rifles ... ~$800.
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paintballdude902
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i want to pick up an RMR-30 in .22mag
Straight out the box, the most accurate semi-auto I have used so far is my Thompson Center R55 Benchmark. I had a lot of feed issues with it, but they seem to have been resolved now. It is a very fine rifle:
(Okay the scope, suppressor and bipod are not standard, but that lovely wood is and so is the accuracy)
(Okay the scope, suppressor and bipod are not standard, but that lovely wood is and so is the accuracy)
22-rimfire
Member
TC R-55 or one of its predacessors. I have the Lynx. Shoots great!
CZ 611 (not actually familiar with the rifle, but if it shoots close to their 452/453/455 rifles it would be a good one).
Weatherby Mark XXII in either tube or detachable mag. They are fine rifles! Kind of spendy now however. You have to want one.
Browning SA rifle. If it is Browning, it is probably good but probably not as accurate as the Weatherby or TC.
Left hand models? No idea.
CZ 611 (not actually familiar with the rifle, but if it shoots close to their 452/453/455 rifles it would be a good one).
Weatherby Mark XXII in either tube or detachable mag. They are fine rifles! Kind of spendy now however. You have to want one.
Browning SA rifle. If it is Browning, it is probably good but probably not as accurate as the Weatherby or TC.
Left hand models? No idea.
My biggest concern with a rifle being ambi/ lefty lies in the stock. I don't care if the bolt handle is on the other side or that a push safety is backwards for me, but a righty thumbhole stock/ a stock with a built up righty cheek pad won't work so well.
Are the CZ 611, Weatherby Mark XXII, and/or TC R-55 still being made? I can't find anything on any of them on their websites.
Are the CZ 611, Weatherby Mark XXII, and/or TC R-55 still being made? I can't find anything on any of them on their websites.
Regarding the R55, unfortunately they don't make a left hand stock (I enquired about this because I am right handed but my left eye is dominant and I was willing to try shooting left handed).
NeuseRvrRat
Member
easy, turbo. the OP only asked that the stock be ambidextrous or lefty, which really only rules out righty thumbhole or rollover stock styles.
Ignition Override
Member
My banged-up old Marlin 60 was bought over a year ago.
It misfeeds almost every round, and the experienced gun smith's work only helped a little. Now it stovebolts after about every third round.
The main problem is that you can't easily feed a single round, as you can with a bolt action.
I have no plans to ever again buy a semi-auto .22 rifle, even a newer type.
It misfeeds almost every round, and the experienced gun smith's work only helped a little. Now it stovebolts after about every third round.
The main problem is that you can't easily feed a single round, as you can with a bolt action.
I have no plans to ever again buy a semi-auto .22 rifle, even a newer type.
I did, and as a lefty, what I think is actually relevant. Why don't you try reading before telling someone off? To quote the OP in his original post:
Wow! And to think that I can't shoot a rifle as a lefty that points the wrong way in an online gunshop's ads. Time to get rid of all the guns in the safe...
Well because clearly that makes you the expert...
If you were nearly as familiar with cast off/on, you would know that modern rifles don't have any. Shotguns do, but usually only the pricey ones and they are custom fit to the shooter since the amount matters just as much as the direction.
And you don't understand either, so you might want to check your roll...
There is one patented model with someone else parading it around s his own work.
The Steyr AUG is configured that way, but it's a bullpup design so the side that the rounds eject actually matters. It is not ambidextrous because it has to be reconfigured for either hand and when configured one way, it cannot be shot safely the other. I own one (two if you consider basic operation only and not reloading) truly ambidextrous firearm and it is a shotgun. It is 95% symmetrical. Pump action. Loads and ejects from the bottom. Slide safety on the tang. The only thing that is not a mirror image is the action release. The other is a Model 1892 clone that has the loading gate on the right side. It flips the empties up and back straight out of the top of the action.
Then your 60 was malfunctioning. The reality is that as long as the ejection pattern is managed and the stock is not biased, a conventionally built (not bullpup) semi-auto is lefty friendly enough that it just doesn't matter. If you were not so hyper-sensitive about being other than 100% correct with your previous accusations maybe you would realize that. Maybe you would even see that the observations of someone who sees the world from the other side of the stock might have more weight in the conversation than your own slanted views.
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22-rimfire
Member
The Thompson Center R-55 is not made anymore. It was dropped a year or so ago. They had a lot of returns for jamming issues (pre-R-55) and then later chipped chambers. Anyone who sends one back to TC/S&W now will be offered a different rifle in exchange for it. I believe the M&P 22 is the current one. So the folks that continue to own them have to decide how to deal with the chipped chamber issue. It develops slowly, but is not a safety issue. Accuracy is superb for a out of the box 22 semi-auto rifle. They came in three models: Classic with walnut stock, heavy barrel with laminate stock, and the "all weather" which had a composite stock.
The Weatherby Mark XXII (semi-auto) is probably the best semi-auto 22 rifle made in the last 50 years. They have a bolt action now that uses the same model name. Good rifle too. But it is a Weatherby and you need to be aware of the stock relative to being a lefty. They run in the $600 > $900 range now used but in like new condition depending on where it was manufactured, the stock, and "clip" versus tubular magazine. It would be probably worth it to me to find an aftermarket stock and save the original for later resale. You can expect 1 MOA out of one in most cases with good 22 ammunition. I have only heard of one that didn't shoot well.
I have not seen a CZ semi-auto rifle yet. It is the 512 versus 612. It is pretty new... as in the last 6 months or so. As I said, if they are close to as accurate as the 452/453/455 bolt action models, it will be a winner. They are also supposed to be making the rifle in 22WMR too. I want one. It is not a light rifle however weighing in at about 5.9 lbs. http://www.cz-usa.com/products/view/cz-512/
I have the Weatherby and TC rifles.
The other rifle that may be of interest is the Remington 550. It is an oldie but goodie. It is not known for precise accuracy, rather "hunting" accuracy. I have also heard that that the Remington 597 shoots well. I have never owned one. Remington had feeding issues with it first came out and I believe that issue has been corrected. It is a chunkie little 22 semi-auto rifle that you can find at many retailers.
The Weatherby Mark XXII (semi-auto) is probably the best semi-auto 22 rifle made in the last 50 years. They have a bolt action now that uses the same model name. Good rifle too. But it is a Weatherby and you need to be aware of the stock relative to being a lefty. They run in the $600 > $900 range now used but in like new condition depending on where it was manufactured, the stock, and "clip" versus tubular magazine. It would be probably worth it to me to find an aftermarket stock and save the original for later resale. You can expect 1 MOA out of one in most cases with good 22 ammunition. I have only heard of one that didn't shoot well.
I have not seen a CZ semi-auto rifle yet. It is the 512 versus 612. It is pretty new... as in the last 6 months or so. As I said, if they are close to as accurate as the 452/453/455 bolt action models, it will be a winner. They are also supposed to be making the rifle in 22WMR too. I want one. It is not a light rifle however weighing in at about 5.9 lbs. http://www.cz-usa.com/products/view/cz-512/
I have the Weatherby and TC rifles.
The other rifle that may be of interest is the Remington 550. It is an oldie but goodie. It is not known for precise accuracy, rather "hunting" accuracy. I have also heard that that the Remington 597 shoots well. I have never owned one. Remington had feeding issues with it first came out and I believe that issue has been corrected. It is a chunkie little 22 semi-auto rifle that you can find at many retailers.
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I have owned both, a Ruger and a Marlin. I sold the Ruger. Didn't much care for it. The marlin is a nice rifle. I don't understand the hoopla on shooting a semi auto left handed. I have been shooting for 60 years left handed and never had any problems with so called right hand semi autos.....Never had a problem operating bolt rifles left handed either. You learn to adapt. Or, I just shoot them right handed. It is nice to be ambidextrous.....chris3
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