the right 22 rifle?

[amflud]

MyDogsHunt - What kind of rear sight is that on your Henry? It doesn't look factory.

 

[Barrabas]

Thank you so much everyone!!!

I am seeing a lot of pro's for the lever actions..and Marlin at this point is ruling, with a close second by the CZ bolt..now my next question..My bro in-law is telling me that his marlin 22 can take either 22mags OR 22 longs, and possibly shorts (though he has never tried shorts yet in it)..can any of these other lever actions, or the CZ do the same?

Mydogs..gotta tell you that Henry with the octagon barrel is sweeeet..Dad has collected some vintage with the Octagons and, well, I'm tempted just because he loves them so!!..and those are some GREAT looking dogs..is that a Blue-tick or do my eyes deceive?

 

[coaldigger]

Best bang for the buck....Savage MKII Bolt with 10rd mag ! The new models have a good trigger & they are very accurate out of the box, only around $120 in my neck of the woods ! 2nd is the 10/22...I own two of them, the Carbine & the Sporter model. Both 10/22's are decent on accuracy but nothing like my Savage 64FV or Dads Savage MKII. The reason I like my 10/22's is because of all the aftermarket parts ! You can transform this .22 into a tack driver or a "mini - tactical" shooter !

 

[Bo T]

Thank you so much everyone!!!

I am seeing a lot of pro's for the lever actions..and Marlin at this point is ruling, with a close second by the CZ bolt..now my next question..My bro in-law is telling me that his marlin 22 can take either 22mags OR 22 longs, and possibly shorts (though he has never tried shorts yet in it)..can any of these other lever actions, or the CZ do the same?

Mydogs..gotta tell you that Henry with the octagon barrel is sweeeet..Dad has collected some vintage with the Octagons and, well, I'm tempted just because he loves them so!!..and those are some GREAT looking dogs..is that a Blue-tick or do my eyes deceive?

Your brother in law is pretty gutsy if he is doing this. The 22 rimfire (short, long, and long rifle) are different than the 22 mag. If he has a 22 mag he might get the 22 rimfire to chamber and shoot but the cases are shorter and they have a smaller diameter. Real poor accuracy and definately NOT recommended.
The 22 mag should not chamber in a 22 rimfire rifle. If it does send the firearm back to the manufacturer or hang it on the wall.
Are you certain he isn't confusing CCI 22 minimags (22 long rifle) with the 22 mag?
Winchester made a 22 Winchester Special years ago that shot a round that is the same diameter but a shorter case than the 22 mag.

 

[Doug C]

Might also want to check out a Take down 10/22,
I have no experience with them but it meets your price point and the youtube vids are positive.

Doug

 

[collecter]

I had the CZ 452 Trainer and it was very nice but I didn't like the excessively long barrel. A rimfire doesn't need more than a 16" barrel and the rear sight on the Trainer is overkill.

If buying one again I'd get the 452 Scout with one 5 and one 10 round mag. It's a very compact rifle and just as accurate as the Trainer.

I still have my old 10/22 but haven't touched it several years. I much prefer my S&W 15-22 for a semi auto 22. Many guys spend hundreds $ trying to turn their 10/22 into something different but they would be far better off just buying the 15-22. It's a great rifle.

If I was to keep only one 22 it would be the S&W 15-22.

 

[MyDogsHunt]

MyDogsHunt - What kind of rear sight is that on your Henry? It doesn't look factory.

It's a Skinner "Ghost Ring". Not really what I consider a ghost ring, but that's what they call it.

Works pretty good but I recently replaced it with a fold down rear leaf for close shots and this tang site to get the apature closer to the eye for longer shots on Rabbits and such..

Lord knows how much ammo and hair loss I'll go through getting all three of the sights lined up, but the idea looks good on paper.
Charlie

 

[MyDogsHunt]

Thank you so much everyone!!!

I am seeing a lot of pro's for the lever actions..and Marlin at this point is ruling, with a close second by the CZ bolt..now my next question..My bro in-law is telling me that his marlin 22 can take either 22mags OR 22 longs, and possibly shorts (though he has never tried shorts yet in it)..can any of these other lever actions, or the CZ do the same?

Mydogs..gotta tell you that Henry with the octagon barrel is sweeeet..Dad has collected some vintage with the Octagons and, well, I'm tempted just because he loves them so!!..and those are some GREAT looking dogs..is that a Blue-tick or do my eyes deceive?

Marlin lever's a great gun if you can find an older one that you can afford. The newer ones? Not so much. They seem to have lots of QC issues as well as trouble with the new cross bolt safety design. I'd be willing to bet a Henry'll out shoot em too.
As far as your BIL,,,, the 22LR and 22WMR are NOT interchangeable. Period.

The dog's actually a GSP. My other Cur dog died on me and since I find that Cats stay in the tree better with multiple dogs on the ground, I bring her along. She handles well and actually runs a trail pretty good, although no where near as fast as my little Cur dog and naturally there no sweet baying to listen to.
FWIW,,, while people generally think of the German breeds as bird dogs, they're quite versatile and used for a wide variety of game in other parts of the world.
Here's an old trapper that lives across the river from Me's Griffon and my Cur getting their bark on with a trainer Coon. He catches as many Coon with that little "bird dog" as allot of the hard core houndsmen I know. LOL

And my other GSP treeing a resident Squirrel. He trees Squirrel like it's his job.

I even know a guy that runs Bear with a pack of Drahthaars. He doesn't get to hear the dogs baying either, but he catches allot of Bear and dosen't get his dogs killed by the "Relocated" Wolves that have taken over the forests around here.

Anyway,,, Get what YOU want, but take a look at the Henry Carbine.
With the 16" barrel and at 4.5 lbs, it would sure be my choice for a utilitarian 22 for hiking and plinking.
http://www.henryrepeating.com/images/rifles/h001l-levercarbine-main.jpg
Luck
Charlie

 

[theorangecat]

I have a CZ 452 American 16" (with the barrel threaded for a suppressor which I cannot possess in my current state of residence) that is a very nice, short .22LR, but it lacked backup irons which I consider essential in a "survival" or "beater" rifle. So I ended up mounting a set of NECG's irons on it, but I find that my aging eyes really need the front blade a bit further forward. It was a neat little weapon when completed, probably overbuilt (and with the Leupold on it, definitely overscoped) for most purposes. The only issue I have with the rig is that despite multiple "fixes," it ejects the last empty poorly when using steel magazines and often not at all when using polymer magazines... otherwise, it is a dynamite little companion gun, sort of a bonsai version of a big game rifle.

But...

I keep thinking I need a 10/22. Now, I have owned - and discarded - four different 10/22s over the years, and for some reason have never actually gotten all that fond of any of them. Still, I consider getting another one because they are accurate enough for most work; parts - especially magazines - are common and cheap (unlike the CZ 452); and nearly anyone can clean, fix and generally fool around with them and not put them out of action. They continue to be "improved" (some would say "cheapened") by Ruger to achieve a retail price point, but I don't think their utility has been compromised. (For instance, the new polymer trigger housing is likely to be as - or more - serviceable than the old aluminum one... I have found this to be the case with Remington 870s.) My sneaking suspicion is that one of the many factory models of the 10/22 is the best choice for the average shooter, but once a person's requirements become more specialized they are better served by either other rimfires or more extensively modified 10/22s.

 

[NihontoEd]

While I do own some nicer guns, if you are looking for a lightweight, durable and dependable gun to carry a lot, find you Remington Nylon 66.

They are super lightweight and surprisingly accurate, making them a dream to pack through mountain, forest or swamp. They will take years of abuse and maintenance neglect and just keep on shooting.

I bought one brand new around 1970 when I was 13-14 y/o. Never once took it apart to clean it, just sprayed a little WD-40 on the action and down the barrel a couple of times a year. The closest it came to being cleaned was swimming a creek with it or washing the mud off of it with the water hose. Living in the wilds of Louisiana, it was drug through mud, water, dirt, sand and bramble, throw behind the seat of the truck, bottom of the boat, etc.. I shot it almost daily and have killed every critter living in these parts with it ie; squirrel, rabbits, coons, cats, deer, coyotes, fox, alligator, wild hogs, etc., etc. Probably killed more game with it than you could haul in a 20 yard dump truck. There is no concern of scratching the wood, or keeping it oiled, just shoot it. The only reason I am not shooting it today, is I lost it in a house fire in 1995.

I know they are out of production presently, and have no idea of current prices. However, since they were made from around 1959-1991, they should be abundant.

 

[rpn]

What about a bolt action? There's no arguing that the 10/22's firing rate is going to be faster, but with practice you should be able to quickly get off follow up shots with a boltie. Read abou the mad minute here.

Look no further than the CZ 452, specifically the Trainer model. This gun falls within your budget and has some of the finest iron sights available in a .22lr.

Reliability and durability will be better with a bolt action due to the design. It's simpler, so there is less to go wrong mechanically. It will also be more accurate, an important consideration since you will be using this gun for hunting. There are few factory 10/22s that are as accurate out of the box as a good bolt action. They can be made more accurate, but that usually takes a few hundred dollars of aftermarket accessories.

One disadvantage is that the CZ is better looking than the Ruger. You might be more hesitant to take it afield.

Great! I've been looking at CZ's in 22 mag and that one escaped me. A scope doable with the iron sights?

 

[daizee]

Look no further than the CZ 452, specifically the Trainer model. This gun falls within your budget and has some of the finest iron sights available in a .22lr.

Hey, get outta my gun safe!
I love mine. It's a sub-moa gun. And has an adjustable trigger out of the box...

but a 10/22 is clearly better for plinking, training, etc.

I respectfully disagree with the implicit assumptions behind the definition of 'better'.

If rate of fire is high on your priority list, perhaps so, but it is by no means a must-have for many folk. The OP seems to be on the fence on this issue. Personally, I find manually working the trigger AND the action to be immensely pleasurable, and have always been an accuracy-over-volume kind of guy. Semi's also generally run dirtier and require more take-down to clean.

 

[collecter]

Great! I've been looking at CZ's in 22 mag and that one escaped me. A scope doable with the iron sights?

Yes a scope is doable with iron sights but finding the right height rings for a scope is a bit tricky. The stock on the trainer was designed for use with iron sights so you want the scope mounted as low as possible but it still needs to clear the bolt. Check out rimfirecentral for more info. I haven't visited there for a long time but they have a few CZ 452 experts and can most likely spare you some grief if you ask their advice.

Also look a the Savage bolt guns. They are very good and cost less than the CZ.

 

[amflud]

I'm looking at the Marlin 981TS. It's a bolt gun with a tube magazine, so no lost box mags!

 

[flatfoot]

The 10/22 is like the AK of the 22 world , reliable , rugged , so-so trigger , not real accurate , lots of fun . CZ 452 American with 16" barrel , or CZ Scout are GREAT bolt action 22's IMO . My 452 American is MOA with the right ammo . The Marlin bolt rifles that I have owned are very accurate , but not as refined as the CZ . Good used CZ's can be had for under $400.00 .

 

[daizee]

I had the CZ 452 Trainer and it was very nice but I didn't like the excessively long barrel. A rimfire doesn't need more than a 16" barrel and the rear sight on the Trainer is overkill.

I cut mine down to 20.5" and put an M1 carbine front sight on it.
200yd gong, open sights. Just sayin'.

I have all three major levers and the CZ. The shortened CZ is what I take to the woods.
The Golden Boy is beautiful, but not a woods gun. The plain model is a lot of rifle for the money, and the slickness of the action is only nearly matched by the Winchester 94/22. The marlin has a much harder-to-operate action, but the mountie model (carbine, straight stock) is frickin' awesome. A tubular magazine is not what I'd prefer in the woods, but the older marlins have a fairly thick-walled mag tube.

reiterating on the .22mag issue: the .22mag is NOT interchangeable with the other .22's. Short, Long, and Long Rifle are all in the same family, with the only overall difference being length. The .22mag is a completely different animal. Never put the other rimfires in a .22wmr/mag (split/stuck cases, gases escaping the wrong direction, etc.).

That being said, there ARE rifles with interchangeable barrels (chamber is in the barrel), and revolvers with interchangeable cylinders. This works because the difference in BULLET diameter (not CASE diameter) is only 0.001.

 

[daizee]

Yes a scope is doable with iron sights but finding the right height rings for a scope is a bit tricky. The stock on the trainer was designed for use with iron sights so you want the scope mounted as low as possible but it still needs to clear the bolt. Check out rimfirecentral for more info. I haven't visited there for a long time but they have a few CZ 452 experts and can most likely spare you some grief if you ask their advice.

Also look a the Savage bolt guns. They are very good and cost less than the CZ.

Agreed on both points. The European-style butt stock on the CZ's mounts like a shotgun, fast and natural. If a scope is a certainty, look at the 'American' models with the straight combs.

The Savages are solid, functional, accurate, but the CZ is more refined in every respect.

 

[MyDogsHunt]

A tubular magazine is not what I'd prefer in the woods

Every one's needs/likes are different, but the tub mag is one thing I like about lever guns.
My little Henry holds ten, which is more than enough for a day following my dogs around.
I load er up and forget about it. With leashes, tracking receivers, shock collars and all the other paraphernalia, it's one less thing to loose or (at my age ) forget.

Other than that, I agree with every thing you've said. Especially about accurate rifles.
Truth is, I won't keep a rifle that's only capable of 2MOA.

Again, everyone prefers something different, and fortunately there still a bunch of manufacturers out there to cater to all of our whims.

 

[rpn]

Agreed on both points. The European-style butt stock on the CZ's mounts like a shotgun, fast and natural. If a scope is a certainty, look at the 'American' models with the straight combs.

The Savages are solid, functional, accurate, but the CZ is more refined in every respect.

Yeah, I have the upgrade itch from my Marlin! I would really like to have iron sights and scope...believe it or not, the 22 mag is my shtf gun! :thumbup:

 

[Crazyotter]

Speaking of the CZ .22s, theres a few clones out there that are more than decent for half the price. I picked up a basic Remington Model 5 (made in Serbia if I recall, assembled in the US, and labeled Remington) for $200. Its not a tack driver, but its easily accurate enough for hunting, and cheap enough for me to beat it up without worrying. I've had no problems with mine, it carries and handles well, and the folding sight is really nice.