If you could only keep one rifle in .22LR, which would it be and why?

[TrappedinCalifornia]

If you could only keep one rifle in .22LR, which would it be and why?

For me, ignoring the combos like the Springfield Armory M6 or the Savage Model 24, it would come down to a choice between some version of the Ruger 10/22 or the CZ 452 Ultra Lux.

It would be a tough choice. The Ruger has the advantage of parts availability (not to mention, generally, lower pricing), but the CZ is just so consistent and accurate without any work done to it. The Ruger can be adapted and is available in several different versions, while the CZ is out of production. The Ruger is more compact, but the CZ is more ergonomic, at least for me.

Of course, there's also the Browning SA-22. It's a takedown. It's light. It's accurate enough. Then again, there's the Ruger 10/22 takedown. It's heavier, but the...

Uh... Can I get back to you on this?

[jarhead714]

Remington 511 or 512 series.

[AirCav]

9422 Lam Stock

[jarhead714]

To answer the “why” part, some of these rifles needn’t an explanation other than the 80-90 years worth of legend they’ve already established. The 10/22 nor any other semiautomatic rimfire qualifies in my opinion.

[bigbossman]

Remington 511 or 512 series.

Those Remington 500 series .22 rifles are iconic, and wonderful shooters. Every fan of the .22 caliber rifles should have at least one. I went distinguished with a 513T, and would have to be in dire straights to sell mine.

That being said, if I could only keep one .22 rifle, it would be my Winchester Model 72. Why? My father (may he rest in peace) gave it to me when I was 14, way back in 1971. It was the first gun I ever owned, and it has a place of honor in my gun room.

20240114-123740.jpg

[AirCav]

To answer the “why” part, some of these rifles needn’t an explanation other than the 80-90 years worth of legend they’ve already established. The 10/22 nor any other semiautomatic rimfire qualifies in my opinion.

I can relate i was gifted a 67 Winchester when i was 12 circa 1970 it still functions like the first day i got it, Second year production with rifling and finger grooves on the stock, long barrel .... Late 80s bought a Marlin 60 shot it so much it wont go through a magazine without a feed issue, no matter how clean it is or the ammo, Few years ago found a laminated stock 9422 have not shot it thousands of times yet but i cannot imagine it having issues

[beerman]

Mine would be the Nylon 66 I got when I was about 10..(circa ‘64)

[jarhead714]

I think the salient point here is if you’re gonna have just one .22LR rifle, it’s gotta be a bolt or lever gun. Even a single shot before a semiautomatic rimfire. Too damn fussy.

[Jimi Jah]

My Henry Golden Boy. Fitted with a Leopold scope.

It's more accurate than my others and I look good shooting it.

[AirCav]

What i think is sad is the late semi autos could probably be made to run a long time but traditionally stamped metallic parts are soft and less than exacting dimensions with budget springs, great for a season but not a life time

And if your down to one .22 you don't want the season to be over when you need it

[CGT80]

The Kidd 10/22 that I custom built to shoot silhouette and steel challenge. It runs great with my best groups .375 at 50 yards and .750 at 100 yards with cci standardvelocity ammo. I machined custom sight bases for the front globe site and rear peep. The front clamps on the barrel and I drill an index hole in the bottom of the barrel for alignment. The rear clamps to a picatiny rail and I made steel weights that fit inside the curved carbon fiber handguard. In a couple minutes I can switch between the cmore red dot with no weights and no front sight for steel challenge over to peep sights for silhouette. I fabricated and welded an aluminum tubular buttstock to fit my body and clear my ear muffs. The top of thr buttplate has an Olympic style tang to index on top of my shoulder. I have the trigger set mid weight..... 10 ounces on the first stage and 4 ounces on the second stage. It runs very reliably and I have scored as high as 37 out of 40 animals in silhouette. When I have time, I will powder coat the rear stock and weights with a candy metallic red to go with the red tacom carbon fiber. The sample I sprayed looked great.

This rifle earned me the name "Machine Gun Kelly" from the assistant match director and got me mostly banned from shooting the falling plates during practice.....I have to shoot swingers to give others a chance to sight in. Mine is always right on for each animal with the clicks written on top of the receiver. It was well worth the $1200 or so in parts and I used the ruger receiver of the first gun I ever bought. It wasn't my intention to go that far but it kept getting better and better.

[ar15barrels]

Mine would be my first10-22.
It's currently setup as a heavy barreled target rifle.
It shoots about 3/4moa at 100yds on a good day and 1.5moa on a bad day.
It does everything I need a 22lr rifle to do.

[stormvet]

That’s a tough one, but I’d have to go with versatility, of the ones I own it would be my Radical Firearms 10/22. It’s basically a semi-custom version of the Ruger but built much better, with all the weaknesses of the 10/22 corrected and improved on. It is extremely reliable and very accurate and still in a handy fairly small package. I own many 22 rifles but if only one, the radical would be it.

[newbie1234]

Had around 10 .22LR rifles , the one I like most is CZ 457 Cougar.

[MeatyMac]

Winchester Model 1906 pump action Gallery Gun w/a Lyman tang sight that was my Grandfather's and the first .22 I ever shot.