22 Rifle Purchase

[Vermonter]

All,
I am considering the purchase of a 22 LR rifle. The standard response to the question would normally Be 10/22 so it would seem. I am a bit torn however because my LGS has somethin else that sparked my fancy. Both of the guns below are available at my LGS. Both are within $20 of each other so I am looking for pros and cons on both.

Savage Mark 2 GL In a left handed 22lr bolt gun.

Ruger 10/22 Stainless with a composite sotck and and 18.5 inch barrel.

Semi auto vs bolt does not seem to bother me. Range fun is high on the list but if the savage is noticably more accurate than the ruger I might lean in that dirrection.

I will be hunting small game with this as well as using it for pest control duties around the house.

Regards, Vermonter

[Pahoo]

JMHO
I'll bet that the 10/22 is the one that cost more. ...

The Savage does have the potential of being more accurate. ...

The Ruger will probably be more fun to shoot and tinker with. These days, 10/22's are getting harder to find. If this is an older one, all the better. If I had neither one, I'd go for the 10/22 ....

Good luck and;
Be Safe !!!

[velillen]

As far as accuracy my 10/22s are great shots. They shoot better than the ammo I give them and are more accurate than I am.

Accessory wise you can beat a 10/22. If you can think of it you can do it to one. Stocks, barrels, triggers, are all easy mods.

The nice thing on the semi auto would be faster follow up shots and the ability to just have fun plinking around. Not that bolts can't be fast but a semi is easier in my experience. But bolts are fun guns too and I own a couple of them.

Really either way you go I am sure you would be happy. The 10/22 is common and easy to find new and replacement parts. 3rd party support is everywhere. The savage is still a nice gun so really just comes down to what you want in a gun.



And I'm a lefty too and the 10/22s ejected brass doesn't bother me at all just so you know a leftys perspective on it

[nazshooter]

I have and like a 10/22 but one nice thing about a bolt action is that you can use subsonic ammo more easily.

[Vermonter]

I have and like a 10/22 but one nice thing about a bolt action is that you can use subsonic ammo more easily.

Care to expand on this. I am going to assume that subsonic may not function the semi well because it is under powered?

Regards, Vermonter

[REDBULL600]

Ya, I too am looking that same rifles at my LGS. I am going there tomorrow to talk with him some more and look at mag pouches.

[nazshooter]

Exactly.

[velillen]

Originally Posted by Vermonter

Care to expand on this. I am going to assume that subsonic may not function the semi well because it is under powered?

Regards, Vermonter

Correct the low power subsonic doesn't have enough kick in it to cycle the bolt reliably. Most of it like the coblari even says its unreliable in semi autos.

But the stuff like cci standard velocity which is around 1000fps is Su sonic and still cycles both my 10/22s and Sig 522. It's more when you drop below that in velocity you'll start having issues

[steveNChunter]

The Savage might be a little more accurate, but the 10/22 has everything else going for it. You will never notice the accuracy difference unless you buy comeptition grade ammo.

Get the 10/22 and if it doesnt suit you modify it till it does. The possibilities are endless.

[DarcyPotter1]

my first rifle was a bolt 22 coey single shot that my dad gave me when i was 5 just everyday back in the 60's in Watson Lake Yukon Canada it cost $8.oo and i still have it I have a 10/22 and its ok on the accurasy my boy shoots the Savage and loves it but I find my go to 22 is the Browning T-Bolt it comes close to being as fast as a semi but it will shoot 10 shot dime size groups at 50 yards the savage will do the same the only complaint my 22 year old son has about the savage is the fireing pin was strikeing light after about 200 rounds Savage fixed it at no cost my son had to pay the shipping but he has put over 1000 rounds through it since the isue with no problems. The 10/22 has the best 10 shot mag out as far as I am conserned but if you intend to plink all day say 200-500 rounds bring your cleaning kit they tend to build up crud fast even with good ammo .And i would by a box of 50 rounds from each ammo company and see what my rifle likes best my T-Bolt loves Remington Viper ammo and it gets its best groups with them it haits cci stingers get 1,1/2" groups with them but my 10/22 will feed them allday long and gets 10 shot 1" groups with the
'

[Mauser8mm]

On the Ruger you can get a Boyds Varminter stock and it will be great to maybe mount a bipod, or do pest control. Not a huge accuracy difference, and it is fun to modify the 10/22.

[Dragline45]

Although the Savage may be a tad bit more accurate unless you are shooting from a bench using premium ammo you will never notice the difference. For general plinking purposes you cant beat a 10/22.

[mr.t7024]

They are both nice rifle. I would also put the Marlin 60 in the mix. I would shoulder each rifle and you will know which fits best for you.I have all three rifles and then some. My go to rifle is the Marlin 60, and second place is the Savage. My Ruger's rarely do anything except collect dust. The Marlin & Ruger eject Remington and Winchester sub-sonics, but will not eject CCI Quiet Rounds. Enjoy your quest! Cliff

[Pahoo]

Care to expand on this.

If you go for the 10/22, know that most will eat just about anything you feed it. I say most but not all. If you do encounter a problem, it will be with the bulk ammo. It's gotten to the point, where I don't trust any of them. I have owned and still own a few 10/22's as well as work on them. The last one that had problems, was the 10/22 Charger. I save most bulk ammo for the bolts. Yes, to many bulk ammo, are under-powered and dirty. There are many that will give good performance like the CCI's and Suyper-X. ...

Good luck and;
Be Safe !!!

[Vermonter]

Inability to feed bulk is a bad thing because thats all I have. I shoot a Ruger SR 22 that will eat anything. Also subsonic loads may be a reality for around the house skunk getting.

[steveNChunter]

my 10/22 has very, very rarely had a failure to feed bulk ammo or any ammo for that matter. I've shot mostly CCI and Winchester bulk but I've had some Remington and Federal through it as well and they have all fed fine 99% of the time. Hollow points seem to feed about as well as the solids.

My 10/22 is an older model, I dont know if that would make a difference.

[Striker1]

If having the capability to fire Long Rifle, Long and Shorts is important to you, the bolt gun may be a better choice.

[osbornk]

I like my Marlin 60. Can over 11,000,000 owners be wrong?

[alex0535]

If having the capability to fire Long Rifle, Long and Shorts is important to you, the bolt gun may be a better choice.

You might also consider a .22 lever action if this is important to you. My Henry H001 lever action can shoot long rifle, long, and shorts in any velocity. Holds up to 15 rounds of LR, 17 rounds of Long, and 21 rounds of shorts.

Accuracy and reliability have been great. Great walking rifle for small game and pest control. It is light, and easy to carry. I have loved mine for more than a decade. It has killed so many squirrel. On the topic of pest control, sometimes it stays loaded with Winchester Super-X #12 LR shotshell for keeping the racoons off the porch.

[Willihunt]

It's a fun little gun, Heavy in comparison but stable, quiet, and very reliable. Accurate to boot. I just plink with it but when I have money left over for beer after shooting days my AR buddies seem pretty envious. Nice not having to choose between shooting and taking my girlfriend to dinner. She wouldn't be too thrilled with the outcome of that decision.

[dullone]

I'll second the suggestion for a Henry .22 lever gun. I've got the H001. It's kinda their base , no frills model. Can be had for under $300. Very smooth action and very, very accurate. Throw in fun to shoot and I find it a winner.

I also have a 10/22, Marlin 60 and Savage Mark II. They are all great guns, but the Henry matches or betters their accuracy and is the gun I take most of the time.

[stumper1300]

I'm kind of a rimfire junkie so to speak...my "truck "gun is a 10/22 itac. I have 7 other 10/22's of various configurations as well as 3 marlin mod 60's 2 Henry's and over 20 bolt. 22's. The itac has not been cleaned since the day I bought it which was about a year and over 2500 rounds ago (I have a bet going with a buddy on how long it will take to get it unfireable) . I primarily shoot federal bulk pack through it and will be willing to be my rimfire collection I have had less than 10 ftf with that gun. My model 60's are safe queens and will be sold. They plug up to fast. I liike the Henry's but they don't compare to the rugers. You simply can not beat the rugers magazine design for reliable feeding. I did buy one ruger that looked like new but wouldn't fire more than one round at a time. When I cleened it it looked like it had been lubed with stp, lol. As far as I'm concerned you can not beat the ruger for the price.

[BigD_in_FL]

By the time many folks buy the 10/22, then a new barrel, trigger group and stock, they could have easily bought a stock Anschutz that would be even better in the accuracy department

[stumper1300]

its been my experiance that Most mods that get done to 10/ 22's are beacause they can, not because they need it.

[BigD_in_FL]

its been my experiance that Most mods that get done to 10/ 22's are beacause they can, not because they need it.

Why would folks spend upwards of $800 on a $169 rifle? They replace the trigger because it is kinda crappy; they replace the barrel, typically with a bull barrel for better accuracy; they replace the stock for better fit - and yes a lot for cool looks; They even replace the bolt handle for better functioning.

Again, they could buy an even more accurate rifle for equal or less money