Best Semi-Automatic .22 LR?

[Will Beararms]

The $200.00 and change you spend on a plain Jane Ruger 10/22 will be well worth it. If I could have only one rifle, the 10/22 would be it. It is the best feeling long gun I have ever shouldered fwiw and imho.

[Picher]

The Ruger V-Block system isn't a problem. To make a more rigid connection, I use High-Strength Locktite to make a solid joint. Barrels can be removed easily, if necessary, with a heat gun. It's all good!

JP

[sc928porsche]

The best semi-auto .22 rifle I own is a Winchester #190. I have 2 Marlin #60, a Savage #64, a Remington #66, and a Ruger 10-22. All are fine rifles, but the Winchester is the most accurate and has never jamed reguardless of ammo.

[aden67]

My vote would be for either a Remington 552 Speedmaster, or a Remington Nylon 66. Have both and love them. I don't have a Ruger 10/22...but you can't go wrong with it either.

Good luck.

[timelinex]

I bought a marlin 795.
Its known to be more accurate out of the box, and its way cheaper than a 10/22. The only thing is it might take you a little while to learn what your rifle likes. Mine had all sorts of problems(FTF's,FTE's) until I cleaned it fully, didn't oil it at all, and found the ammo it likes. So I went from having atleast 1-2 FTE's every mag, to 0 problems in 500+ rounds.

[Mossy500]

My favorite is the Mossberg 702 plinkster, tremendous accuracy, good price, Got mine for about $120. if you like the AR platform Mossberg has a .22 Tactical. which is basically the 702 parts in a AR frame

[El Matadurr]

Yeah cerebral, I was going to say the same thing. XD

[jad0110]

For customization, the 10/22 is undoubtedly the best choice. But you state

I'm looking for a no bells-and-whistles .22 LR semi-automatic that fires the best, cleans easy, and most importantly, will last a lifetime.

Out of the box, the Glenfield / Marlin Model 60s are nice option. Like any .22 (semis in particular), they are ammo sensitive. Mine likes CCI Blazer bulk pack, but chokes on Federal or Winchester bulk packs.

All in all, a very nice little rifle for $65 at a Pawn Shop.

[tbird412s]

My Marlin 60 has never failed me yet!!

[Microgunner]

The Remington 552 Speedmaster is one fine .22 rimfire. It's full sized, well made, reliable, accurate and will cycle .22short, long or long rifle ammo.
I own dozens of rimfire rifles and the 552 is a keeper.

[mrbro]

Marlin 60.

[uncyboo]

The only semi-auto 22s I have are 10/22s (x2) and neither have any mods done at all. Can't speak of other makers, but both my 10/22s have no trouble feeding, and maybe once ever couple hundred rounds I'll get a stovepipe FTE. I can live with that.

BTW, I only use the factory 10 rounders.

[jhgreasemonkey]

Because of occasional imperfections with rimfire ammo, basic rules of Azlan the shooting goatlion and what have you, a semi auto .22lr that never has a hiccup in a lifetime of use is pretty unlikely. That being said my favorite is the 10/22. I could be biased because I got a 10/22 as my first but I do still use them and absolutely love them today. They will last you a lifetime if you take care of them.

[Vt.birdhunter]

I bought a marlin 795.
Its known to be more accurate out of the box, and its way cheaper than a 10/22.

So did I. Compared it to my out of the box 10/22 and the 795 really is a more accurate rifle; could just be my 2 examples.
I swear the thing would almost shoot like a CZ bolt if it had 6 lbs. shaved off it's trigger (my trigger broke at 7.5 lb out of the box)

I guess the 795 is ammo picky...Ive heard lots of issues but mine has run great on a diet of Federal automatch. I did have a bad mag from Midway; they replaced for free.

[Cowboy_mo]

Take the money you spend on a 10/22 and then the money you spend customizing it and buy the T/C semi auto.

I purchased mine used on GB for the same money a new 10/22 cost and after about 2000 rounds it hasn't had a single ftf or fte. The best part is, it looks and feels like my centerfire rifles and will shoot dime size groups at 100 yds even with my poor skills. It also locks the bolt back when a mag is empty like a rifle should.

Accuracy wise I loved my 10/22 from the bench but I couldn't shoot that carbine size rifle offhand for anything. But, to each his own.

[cracked91]

I own a Marlin 795 and it is/was will be a mistake to buy one.

Thats funny. Love mine. Only have about 5k through it, but after about 200 minimags it will digest any kind of bulk with minimal hangups(1 in 100) except Winchester Gray Box (none of my guns like that stuff)

Have shot a LOT of 10/22s. Great guns also. Trigger is a little sloppy out of the box. Failure rate is about the same as the 795.

I will throw in that every semi auto .22 can be picky about ammo. But I have never had any gun choke on CCI Stingers or minimags. The funny thing is that between my Ruger Mk II, Marlin 795, P22, friends 10/22, and Sig Mosquito, the one that will eat ANYTHING(excluding gray box) with less than 1 failure per brick, is my P22, the gun with the most controversial reviews.

Just make sure to be extremely sparing with the oil, as in 1 drop for the whole action is enough. Though I have found that just a layer of rem-oil from an aerosol can will generally not cause problems.

[Terry A]

Marlin Model 60. I bought 2 of them in case one ever wore out...one in 1975 & the other one in 1979. I literally can't even guess at how many rounds have been thru them. And yet someday my grandkids will still be plinking with 'em.

[bailey bud]

I own an older Marlin semi-auto (model 60). It's okay - but I'd recommend the 10/22.

My Marlin jams if I use the wrong ammo (spent casing gets caught in the bolt on the way out).

[essohbe]

Can't go wrong with a 10|22. You can do ANYTHING to them...



It's a good alternative to spending on .223 for plinking. With a target barrel, a 10/22 is allot of fun and can be made very accurate.

[dmazur]

...no bells-and-whistles .22 LR semi-automatic that fires the best, cleans easy, and most importantly, will last a lifetime...

I'm surprised nobody mentioned the Browning SA-22. This little take-down is one of the best-designed .22's made, IMO. (John Browning, of course.)

I understand they are surprisingly accurate for a "field rifle". You can take them down without tools, and the manufacturing quality is excellent.

They are old-fashioned in appearance, and will be instantly dismissed by those looking for an AR-15 in a .22. No 10-22 type modifications are available, so you are stuck with the factory barrel and trigger.

In terms of meeting your originally stated goals, I believe you should give it some consideration.

Browning Semi-Auto 22

[El Matadurr]

Yeah sure thing, I'm open to looking at all types. Regardless of what I get I'll make sure to have a good look at each one at a gun store.

[Big Shrek]

Who sez ya can't customize a Marlin 795??
I've put a buncha stuff on mine...


Ramline folding stock, Remmy Bipod, Marlin Adjustable Target Rear Sight, Razor Sling, DIP adjustable trigger & trigger guard,
DIP Pic rail (not shown, need to take new pics...), did a trigger job on it (3# pull)...

Lots more available than most know about, but ya have to hunt a little harder for it
I do have a Marlin 60/795 accessories thread on GunandGamedotcom that has
more Marlin accessories on it than ANY listing anywhere.

And if you know how to mod like a madman...ANY 1022 stock kit can be modded to fit a 795
Especially that MG42 kit...hides a 795 well

Heck, I've seen an M1-stock converted to a 795 stock...
a P90 airsoft stock converted for a 795...
bullpupstocks.com has a bullpup stocks for both the 60 & 795...
tons more stuff if ya look!!

And...Shooter's Ridge has come out with a Marlin 795 mag that holds 25 rounds
HiCap is HERE!!

Oh, and if anyone has issues with a Marlin, read my Marlin FTE thread on G&G as well...
fixes 98% of Marlin issues with a few easy steps that ANYONE can do...
also solves the FTE problems for all sorts of rifles & pistols...

[El Matadurr]

wow, thanks for the info Big Shrek! You gave some good points on the Marlins, I see they are starting to jump on the customization bandwagon. lol
Now i wish I could get these many good points on the other guns......nah I'm just kidding, for the most part everyone is at least giving one or two reasons they like their plinkers so much, and that's good enough for me.

I think just for a toy I'm going to get one of the tactical 10/.22's and get the Black Dog 10/22 Drum Magazine that holds 50 rounds, and all the rounds are viewable. Plus, everyone says it functions a hell of a lot better than the ProMag version, god I tried using that thing at the range a few days ago, and I literally got a fail to feed EVERY single shot. I'm only partially blaming the magazine, because the rounds seemed like they were pointing at more of a down-angle then they needed to be to load into the chamber, and possibly some of the plastic on the top end of the feeder needed to be filed down to fit flush with the receiver. but still, just the fact that you can see all the rounds in your mag, I'm going to get that dang Black Dog. that's just too cool.

[gyvel]

I'm surprised nobody mentioned the Browning SA-22. This little take-down is one of the best-designed .22's made, IMO. (John Browning, of course.)

$640.00 MSRP; That's why nobody's mentioned it.

[El Matadurr]

gyvel, good point. haha
although i'm sure after the full modifications I'm going to do to my 10/22 it won't exactly come out to being "cheap". but it's all relative anyway.