Best .22 Semi-Auto

[henschman]

I have a lot of experience with various .22 mag-fed semi autos, being an Appleseed Shoot Boss, and having owned and shot quite a few myself. My vote would be for the 10/22. Preferably an older one. The older the better. The new ones are as reliable as ever, but the finish isn't very good quality (at least on the base model carbines) and the trigger pull is terrible. They have some upper scale models like the Deluxe and International that have better finish and come with rubber butt pads, sling swivels, etc., but the new factory triggers are universally atrocious.

My Dad bought a Marlin 795, and while it was cheaper than the Ruger, it took a lot of work to make it work as well. It had a bad stovepiping problem until I polished the feed ramp and inside of the receiver. From the many reports of similar feeding issues I have read, I am not the only one to experience this problem. Also the Ruger comes with a picatinny mount from the factory, while the Marlin just has a dovetail mount. We kept having trouble with scope rings sliding rearward on the Marlin after prolonged range sessions, so we had to shell out the bucks for a picatinny mount. Plus, there is just no mistaking that you are shooting a .22 when you are shooting the Marlin. It comes with a narrow, flimsy plastic stock, as compared to the more substantial wood stock that is standard on the Ruger. Another annoying feature about the Marlin is that it has a mag disconnect. This makes it hard to dry fire, which is something that is very important to building good fundamentals.

The Ruger may have a terrible factory trigger pull, but that is easily remedied by an inexpensive target sear from Volquartsen. At least they generally run reliably out of the box. As for accuracy, the base carbines are typically are capable of 2 MOA or so in factory configuration. If this isn't good enough for you, it can be improved by the many aftermarket barrels, stocks, trigger groups, and other parts that are made for the Ruger.

 

[DM~]

It's a SAD day when a rifle is called "best" and "recommended" because you can spend money on it, making it the way it SHOULD HAVE BEEN from the factory!!

"If" it can be "fixed" so easily and cheaply, then it should have come with those FIXES already in place!

DM

 

[Cee Zee]

"Best" implies top dog......that would have to be a Volquartsen.

Bingo! A Marlin 60 is much better rifle than a 10/22 out of the box IMO. But a Ruger designed, custom rifle - including those built and sold as a different model but based on the 10/22 - can certainly be the best by far. It won't be cheap but it will be good, accurate and reliable.

My second choice would be a T/C model (Classic or R55) but of course they are out of production. There could still be new old stock out there somewhere.

 

[Ifishsum]

I really like the Remington 597s - enough so that I have replaced two 10/22s with them. They feel heftier to me and I like the stock open sights much better than what most base .22s get. Only one of them came with the iffy 2nd generation magazines, Remington must have sold a whole bunch during those couple of years because it's still heard about. Out of the box they all shoot as well as my brother's modified 10/22. To be fair I did add a Volquartsen trigger and extractor to each of them, the last one was switched before I ever fired it. Great upgrade for both the 597 and the 10/22 BTW. Anyway that's my preference but you can't go wrong with a 10/22 or a Marlin either.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

Marlin 60/Micro Groove barrel.

Gotta love 'em.
Relatively inexpensive
Well supported in the after-market/parts world
Not the least bit finnicky
Tack driving Micro-Groove barrel
Easily loaded/unloaded
Quiet operation (long barrel/low vel ammo)
Very easy to prettify for the hobbyist

 

[tlynch]

My Marlin model 60 and my daughter's Marlin 795 are both very accurate. My most accurate .22 is a Browning SA22. It is also the prettiest of our bunch.

I consider the Browning to be my best .22 semiauto.

Regards,
Tom

 

[AKMtnRunner]

As an owner and "parent" of a 10/22 project, a 10/22 should be bought because you want the experience of developing it yourself. If you simply want the "best" in a single purchase, look elsewhere. Besides, you'll end up spending at least as much improving the 10/22 up to the standards of other's as paying for the higher end up front.

 

[Sheepdog1968]

Search for best and you will never find it. Search a good or very good choice and there are options. A Ruger 10-22 won't disappoint. Most are capable of 1" groups at 25 yards. Most can't do that with iron sights.

 

[inkinskin]

I would suggest a S&W M&P 15-22. It was the first .22 rifle I owned and I traded it for an AR15 almost a year ago because it was too good of a deal to pass by. I did always regret getting rid of it just because it was so fun to shoot. On a whim one day I decided to pick up a Ruger 10/22 from Walmart when they were on sale for like $180 bux. I figured why not since I still had a bunch of bricks left over from when I traded my 15-22. While I have nothing bad to say about the Ruger since they hold up to their reputation and building a great firearm, it was just not as fun to shoot. The 15-22 is just as accurate as the Ruger and functions just the same. I like the 15-22 because out of the box, you already have the ability to accessorize and customize it, it is easier to clean, already comes with a high capacity magazine, and it feels more like a rifle while the 10/22 felt really small in my hands. I traded the 10/22 and a few bux for another 15-22 and I havent looked back. I have put easily 5000 rounds through it and not a jam yet .


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[Big JJ]

Marlin model 60 and Marlin model 795.
I own both and they both shoot great.
I have shot a lot of Ruger 10/22 guns. You can’t go wrong with it either.
I prefer the Marlin 795 for carrying in the woods because it is light as a feather.
Now mind you there are more accurate 22LR’s out there however you can pay well over 10 times more for some of them.
It kind of just depends on what you want the gun for.

 

[d2wing]

My Ruger 10/22 outshoots my Marlin 795 by a good margin. Some others mentioned are good shooters. The Remington 597 have had issues but I hear they are very accurate. I have not shot one.

 

[Cee Zee]

My Ruger 10/22 outshoots my Marlin 795 by a good margin.

Every rifle is an individual and we should never forget that. Just because my Marlins shoot better than any unmodified Ruger I've ever seen it doesn't mean they will all do that. I've seen Rugers that shoot very well without modifications and I've seen Marlins that didn't shoot well at all. But for the most part between a Marlin and a Ruger semi-auto my experience is the Marlins shoot better a big majority of the time.

 

[Mad Jack McMad]

Bought the Ruger 10/22 Takedown, it felt kind of nice and seems easy to clean

 

[StrutStopper]

I'm a Marlin 60 guy too. The gun was accurate out of the box. The action is reliable and can go quite a few hundred rounds without a thorough cleaning. It may not be as customizable as a 10/22 but I did decide it might be fun to upgrade anyway. I threw in an aftermarket spring kit that really did wonders for the trigger pull (and there are other kits that can really lighten things up). I added a Boyd's RVT stock, and a Sweet 22 scope on one piece UTG rings (that are rock solid) and the gun is now even better. I just hope my new CZ is as accurate (if temps ever get above freezing and these winds die down I will find out.)

 

[Odd Job]

Thompson Center R55 is worth a look

In principle I agree: out of the box the R55 Benchmark is great. I have two of them, one is factory spec and the other has a slightly smoothed trigger, Harris bipod and a suppressor. This one here has more than 16k rounds through it and is 6 years old:



The problem is, Smith and Wesson bought T/C and they don't sell spares for the R55 Benchmark. If you happen to send your R55 in for repairs and they can't cannibalize the necessary parts from another second hand returned rifle, you are going to be out of luck.

They will honour the T/C lifetime warranty by sending you a brand new S&W M&P 15/22 instead.

The R55 is a great rifle (I've researched it a lot and I think you are going to have the best reliability from the Benchmark version) but you need to know you will be buying it second hand in all probability and you will have much less support from the manufacturer than a rifle in current production.

 

[mac66]

I have a couple Marlin 60, a couple Marlin 795s, a Remington 597, a bunch of other Remingtons and several Ruger 10/22s. The most versatile and my favorite is the 10/22.

 

[Cee Zee]

The problem is, Smith and Wesson bought T/C...

Yeah they bummed me out buying T/C. I came very, very close to getting a T/C right before that all happened and I'm glad I didn't now even though I really wanted one. I wouldn't want to count on the second hand support situation they have now.

 

[ole farmerbuck]

I have a couple of Marlin 60's, a couple of 10-22's and others but the Magnum Research I just got will (and should) out shoot them all. Of course I could buy 2.5 10-22's for what the Mag Research cost.

 

[arizona]

Anyone have experience with the Browning 22 semi-auto? They seem to be high quality rifles.

 

[targetshooter22]

Best? Holy buckets, there's a big question there!

Lots and lots of good info here already. It really comes down to what you want to do and how much you want to spend. My advice would be set the budget after some minimal research (i.e. can you afford this hobby at all), and then stick to it. Pretty much all of them shoot well, at least for some people, and the highest performing rimfires costs are in line with a post-panic AR.

1. 10/22 - the Barbie Doll of the rimfire world. Zillions out there, and more after market custom widgets than you can shake a stick all.
2. Marlin/Stevens Mod 60 - classic buy it and shoot it. Accurate, fun, reliable, and low cost.
3. Remington models - see #'s 1 and 2 above. Tons of options for the 597, plus other models.
4. CZ - what's not to like? Fantastic guns, right from the factory.

I could on (and on and on and on), but you get the point. There are a lot of them, and they are all good. Maybe start with the budget, then try to find a few and handle them. Try the feel of the stock, cheek weld, trigger pull (don't from anywhere that won't let you dry fire), sight picture, etc.

 

[NHCraigT]

Ruger 10/22 heavy/target barrel

 

[Deltaboy1984]

Model 60 or a 500 series Remington.

 

[skoro]

Best one I've owned is a Remington 552 Speedmaster - good capacity, excellent accuracy and great reliability, as long as you don't feed it Remington ammo.

 

[jehu]

You asked for the best and those that told you Volquartsen told you the truth! The rest have never shot one or owned one. I have owned and shot the REm. 597 and still own a Ruger 10/22 and both will get the job done but neither are the quality of the Volquartsen because it's a custom built rifle. I have killed thousands of Nutria,Ground Hogs, Foxes,and other varmints with Volquartsen 22mag & 22LR rifles which are exteremly accurate and well built. By the time you get a Ruger 10/22 and customize it you will find that you should of just saved a gotten the Volquartsen anyway,just my .02 from experiance.:banghead:

 

[PGT]

You can buy a complete rifle from Kidd or from Volquartsen. Having parts from both, the VC stuff seems more mass produced whereas the Kidd seems more Swiss watch maker-like quality. Both are known to shoot as good as one can expect from a semi-auto rimfire (i.e. better than most shooters).