Survival .22 Rifle

Hmmm. All this talk about .22 rifles reminds me that I'm long overdue for a hunt with one.

I like the look of those bigger magazines you guys can get for the 10/22. Sure, I can't really justify why I need to have more than 10 rounds waiting to go, but it would be nice to have something longer to click into position when I needed it.

One semi-auto that I have a lot of respect for is the Gervarm (Gevarm?). These fire from an open bolt position, but if you can keep leaves and stuff from falling into the open mechanism they are very rugged and reliable. The only deer I've ever shot with a .22 was dropped with one round of Peters from a Gervarm.

Still.... I know I'm not answering the original question. I'm just enthusing about .22s I've played with.

As I said, if I had to rely on just one rifle it would most likely be a bolt action. There have been times, though, when a semi-auto would have been really handy.

I had a lovely old Browning semi-auto once. This was a nice, sleek, accurate little gun. But boy you had to be careful to ensure that you made it safe. It had a tube magazine and it wasn't simple to ensure that there wasn't another cartridge somewhere in the system. A clip magazine is much safer than a tube mag in my opinion. I know I've posted this pic here before, but here it is again. There is a moderator fitted to this Browning.

BrowningPig.jpg


Enjoy your new gun.
 
I have had most of the modern survival type 22s. My faves are the Ruger10-22 and the Marlin Papoose. The only real difference between them to me is the Ruger has so many more accessories available to customize it if you want. Both are gonna serve you well.
 
The Marlin 795 is a pretty good rifle as well; not as many accessories as the 10/22, but a much more inexpensive option that still gives excellent accuracy and some nice features built in.

If you're just interested in basic marksmanship, plinking, etc., you really can't go wrong with a quality semi-auto .22LR. I would limit yourself to Marlin and Ruger, Browning, etc. The 10/22's have been around a long time and it's one of the first rifles I was introduced to as a young kid.

Another option is Marlin's Model 60. It's a semi-auto, but with a tube magazine. It's a different manual of arms, so you when you unload, it's not as simple as ejecting a magazine and making sure the chamber is clear. The advantage is an integral magazine that doesn't get lost!

I would recommend using Gunbroker.com to compare prices as most bigger retail stores don't always have the best prices. I've done several purchases from Gunbroker and only pay (on average) about $40 over the bid/listed price (~$20 shipping and $20 for my local Pawn/FFL dealer fee). It sounds difficult, but the process is simple and I've made some significant savings purchasing used and new firearms. You can PM me if you want any more details.

Brerarnold is spot on with getting some different varieties of ammo as ammo is you're easiest fix to accuracy with .22 rifles. I just ran into an old co-worker who's a retired Infantry NCO and a big gun enthusiast, gunsmith and competitor. He told me he just ordered a custom 10/22 (free-floated barrel, Timney trigger upgrade, etc.), and found the most accurate ammo was Wolf match! It's actualy manufactured in Germany and was the best against a dozen other manufactures (Eli, Remington, CCI, etc). You're doing a good job on your research before making a decision. Let us know what you end up with. Good luck!

ROCK6
 
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U mite consider checking out Wal Mart for a .22 or a local gunshop/pawn shop for used guns..watch out for the pawn shops..they sometimes sell stuff that is sub standard IMHO...
 
I started out with a Marlin Glenfield 60 over 40 years ago. I still have it. I have also used many other 22 rifles as well. The Marlin always shot well if kept clean being a semi auto. I think it would be a good one to start with. It is very accurate without spending a lot of money to make it shoot better. I have a Ruger 10/22 as well. Get one at a pawn shop. Have fun cleaning it up. Shoot a bunch of different ammo to find out what works best. If you want to upgrade later, you can sell it and not take much of a loss. I have a number of 22 rifles and pistols. A 22 will get me anything I want.
 
I have the newest model of this rifle. (Henry Survival Rifle) It's a dull black. stores two 10 round mags in the stock. Well made, not too heavy, and can pack down into your backpack for hiking. Pretty accurate with just the factory sights. Fun little gun for the price. It's also watertight once it's sealed up for carry. Reasonable price. Check on galleryofguns.com for a retailer near you. Usually they have discounts, etc. Just make sure you get the newest up to date model, not one of the earlier silver/camo models.
 
Ruger 10/22; for all the reasons stated above.

I have had mine since 1993 and it is still as accurate and reliable as the day I bought it with federal copper plated bulk ammo, after countless thousands of rounds. It was my first rifle, and I am nostalgic about it...

Stick with the ruger factory mags ($20?), as they feed the most reliably in comparison to the after market mags in my experience; though Ruger has come out with a 25 round factory mag now, so that will probably be worth getting to.

Also, when you get a few extra bucks you can add things like tech-sights, synthetic stocks, slings - you can do this incrementally or not at all, as it is a good rifle straight from the factory with no modifications.

Good luck!
 
I've been playing around with a Springfield M-6, the "old" survival gun. It's the double barrel, 410/22LR, some of you know this gun I'm sure.
I'm not suggesting it's the best gun for the OP, but he had been considering a shotgun. The M-6 gives you both, breaks down into two pieces, and can be a good choice for some situations.
http://www.oldjimbo.com/survival/v-shrake/m6.html
 
I have owned alot of .22's the only two I own currently are: 1) Stainless laminated 10/22 2) Romanian military trainer bolt action. I would be very happy with a CZ452 though- excellent rifles.

There are many good choices but those above have proven themselves in many hands.
 
be advised that the henry is (currently) only available new in the black color. and do some online research regarding the limitations of the ar7; it may not be the kind of .22 you are looking for. i have one and love it, but i understand it's limitations...
 
Pilot1 said:
Save up and buy this.

http://www.marlinfirearms.com/Firearms/SelfLoading/70PSS.asp
Click to expand...

I should have also mentioned the Papoose as it's one of my favorites and a very functional and compact .22LR rifle:

RangeDay-2.jpg


RangeDay-1.jpg


Of course the M6 Scout (no longer available and well out of your price range at the moment) is a very effective survival firearm:

DSC03172.jpg


Here's a comparison between the Marlin Papoose, Marlin model 60 (stainless w/ laminated stock), Marlin model 981 (bolt action) and a Ruger 10/22 w/ folding stock and ghost ring sights.

DSC04262.jpg


ROCK6
 
I had an Armalite survival 22. (Same as that Henry AR-7...) The biggest problem was after shooting it a little bit, the barrel nut would come loose... :(
 
As far as a "survival" rifle the ar-7 can't be beat. For survival im thinking backpacking, light load, need to shoot some food. For hunting whatever moves for nourishment while still being able to carry comfortably and no be burdened by a full size rifle its an excellent choice.
 
Stay away from the Henry AR7, I bought one and as cool as it seems, it's about as accurate as a rock, my Mrlin I can remove the barrel from the stock with one screw and strap it to my pack, I can drive nails with the Marlin and it's iron peep sites at 50 yards with no problem.
 
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