I thought it would be fun to start a discussion dedicated specifically to .22 caliber rifles. This has always been one of my favorite categories—affordable, low recoil, easy to shoot all day, and surprisingly versatile. Whether you’re plinking targets in the backyard, teaching someone to shoot for the first time, hunting small game, or even getting serious about precision rimfire competitions, the humble .22 has a place in almost every shooter’s collection.

I’d love to hear what everyone is using these days. Are you loyal to the classics like the Ruger 10/22, Marlin Model 60, or CZ bolt actions? Or have you upgraded to something modern and tactical with rails, suppressors, and optics? Have you done any interesting modifications, like custom stocks or triggers? How about your go-to ammo brands for accuracy or reliability?

Personally, I’ve been experimenting with different types of .22LR ammo to see what groups best out of my rifle. I’m also looking at picking up another .22 soon and can’t decide between something lightweight for hiking or a heavy-barrel target setup. Any suggestions?

It would be great if folks could share their experiences, recommendations, and even photos of their setups. Tips for new shooters are also more than welcome—I think .22 rifles are one of the best ways to introduce someone to shooting, so any advice on that front would be valuable too.

Looking forward to hearing everyone’s thoughts on this timeless caliber. Let’s see what you’ve got!

My first quality 22 was a Belgium made Browning T-bolt. Extremely accurate rifle that lost its ’shine’ after discovering salt wood and terrible corrosion under the stock line. Bought an Anschutz 1710 1-200 anniversary model as its replacement which was also extremely accurate and was my go to squirrel rifle for many years. Later I picked up a CZ453 that had a terrible barrel (not common). I bought a custom Mullerworks bbl with identical contour and chambered/fit that. It’s now another incredible shooter as good as the Anschutz.

Recently picked up a LH CZ457 for my left eye dominant 10yo son and that one’s a respectable shooter too. Doesn’t seem as accurate as the others but we haven’t shot anything but cheaper bulk ammo so far. He’s excited about this fall when squirrels and rabbits will be fair game though.

I love a good 22. An interesting one was the Norinco copy of the brno/CZ 452 I bought as I had read they were a really good copy/value. That one shot poorly, so I had a good takeoff CZ 452 barrel I re-machined to fit and bedded in the cheap wood stock. After that work, it shoots very acceptable and keep it around the house to clear out the garden raiding rabbits every so often.

Ruger m77/22 stainless with the boat paddle stock barrel cut to 16.5 and a ruger suppressor screwed on

What I have and like depends on what I’m doing at the time.

My most accurate one is my Anschutz.

The hunting gun is an older Kimber that is almost as accurate.

For pest work, my dad’s old Remington auto loader.

For training drills I got a “colt” branded M4 clone that is not very accurate (minute of cantaloupe at 20 yards) but is reliable with almost any ammo- especially the cheap stuff.

For nostalgia I have my grandfather’s old Winchester that my dad and all my uncles learned to shoot with. It works, but is not very accurate probably due to the uncles also learning to clean guns on it…

Right now, it's a minty Brno model 1

Favorite squirrel rifle----Winchester M69A with Weaver K4 scope . Shot a Sh&t loads of squirrels with it , ate them for dinner at the hunting cabin and also sold the tails to Mepps for their lures to help pay for my ammo. Killed many a wo0dchuck with that rifle also.

Hip

Winchester Model 52 heavy barreled sporter with 2x7 Leupold. It shoots better than I can aim it.

I have Pops 513T remmy and a mannlicher cz

For close to 50 years now my 22RF has been a Gevarm E1 semi-auto takedown. Has been and still is a wonderful gun on rabbits, possums and more than a few feral goats.
I love the open bolt feature of the E1, curl the finger around the front of the clip magazine, squeeze the release and pull mag free giving an empty gun. A good safety feature especially when hunting from vehicles or in darkness when spotlighting.
Despite firing from an open bolt the E1 is surprisingly accurate with the ability to reliably use both high velocity and subsonic ammo.

Have used a variety of ammo over the years, finding CCI one of the best. Their subsonic 45gr 970fps Suppressor load produces great results.

Our nocturnal possum is a hardy animal requiring heads shots to effect DRT kills when spotlighting for them so need an accurate rifle and ammo for these critters.

When I started high school my dad bought me a BSA on the Martini action. As I was a city boy it's primary purpose was just dry-fire practice to supplement the 50 rounds a week we shot in the school shooting team.

Almost 40 years later it is still one of my favorite firearms. This one is pretty heavy with a long and fairly heavy-profile barrel.

After I left school I had a gunsmith friend of the family thread it for a can, and I made some scope mounts for it and fitted a Tasco 4x44 "euro" scope (the first scope I ever saw on a 30mm tube). Of course I had to mount that pretty high destroying my cheek-weld, so the next thing was to make a new stock for it, my first foray into stock-making.

In a moment of stupidity and because I was trying my hand at longer-range shooting I replaced the scope with a Leopold VXIII 4.5-14 x 40 "long range". This had less adjustment than the Tasco and I then ended up making an adjustable scope mount for it.

It has "killed" many beer cans at ranges up to 300m.

I also have two .22 handguns. Both are Rugers, a Mk.1 Target Model and a single-six.

Hands down it has to be a Pre WW2 Winchester 75 Sporter, all factory with Lyman 57 peep sight

An upgraded 69A follows in 2nd place

JW

My first SERIOUS rifle purchase as a young man fresh out of high school was an Anschutz 1418 full-stocked carbine with double set triggers. An absolute joy to carry and silly accurate.

My "new" working .22 is a Cooper M57. A full-sized rifle, it's my safari prep tool and also my go-to trainer for new shooters. I noticed the other day how much of the bluing I've rubbed off the bolt knob and grip cap from shooting it over the past twenty years.

There's a half-dozen other rimfires around the place, but those two draw the bulk of the work...

I grew up with a Remington 510P in the house, still like the five-teen rifles.
For reasons I can't fathom, ARA bans them from factory class.

My CZ457 Lux shoots better than me.

Have 2,a wIN 63 auto that I shot a lot of deer in Mexico with to feed a fencing crew many moons past. A Mauser bolt action sporter thats a gem and bench rest accuracy Ive had since ww 2.

My OLD favorite is a Walther KKJ I picked up some years ago at a larger gun show. I love it!

hands DOWN my favorite 22 is the mossburg 144LS - it's what I shot on the rifle team in ROTC in HS.

just a well fitted action with a heavy barrel, a decent trigger, and peep sights -- i bought one shortly after HS, and it's been a family favorite since --

10/22s are fun, CZ/BNROs are great, the mauser patrone 22s are a blast .. but i would be happy with 1/2 a box of shells and a cricket, if it meant i got to go down to the creekbank and shot in the mud!!

Bought a ‘decent’ Remington 572 Fieldmaster this spring at an auction. Bore is very good and thinking of refinishing the whole thing and making it like new again. Always thought those pump 22’s were interesting and my dad taught my brother and I how to shoot with the 552 speedmaster semi’s-auto version. Might make a new barrel for it if it doesn’t shoot as well as I hope, but it’s a nice handling litter rifle.

Ditto J Wisner
Got a early 75 target and 2 69As one with a scope one without all 3 shoot better than I do

Anshutz 54. Have won more than a few matches with it.

CZ452 American with a Brooks trigger kit. That and a Marlin 39A I recently acquired that I have been wanting for 40 years.

Plain single shot Slazenger Mod1a inherited from my maternal grandfather, and a Brno No2E are my personal favourites.

quote:

Originally posted by Peter Connan:
When I started high school my dad bought me a BSA on the Martini action. As I was a city boy it's primary purpose was just dry-fire practice to supplement the 50 rounds a week we shot in the school shooting team.

Almost 40 years later it is still one of my favorite firearms. This one is pretty heavy with a long and fairly heavy-profile barrel.

After I left school I had a gunsmith friend of the family thread it for a can, and I made some scope mounts for it and fitted a Tasco 4x44 "euro" scope (the first scope I ever saw on a 30mm tube). Of course I had to mount that pretty high destroying my cheek-weld, so the next thing was to make a new stock for it, my first foray into stock-making.

In a moment of stupidity and because I was trying my hand at longer-range shooting I replaced the scope with a Leopold VXIII 4.5-14 x 40 "long range". This had less adjustment than the Tasco and I then ended up making an adjustable scope mount for it.

It has "killed" many beer cans at ranges up to 300m.

I also have two .22 handguns. Both are Rugers, a Mk.1 Target Model and a single-six.

Your custom BSA story is remarkable! Got me thinking - when you see modern production rifles like those https://gritrsports.com/shooti...ms/rifles/22-rifles/, how do their Bergara barrels and CNC triggers stack up against your hand-fitted masterpiece? Is there any factory rifle you'd consider truly equal to proper gunsmithing?

I have a Remington Target Master Model 41-P. 22 short, or long. It is so accurate that it is boring!! When I got it, it had been drilled and tapped for a scope. I removed the scope and mount; was able to find a set of the original front and rear peep sights for it. Looks good!!! The rear peep sight has both apertures for it.

Here is a link where you can find one that was sold on GI, in case you are curious to see what it looks like. Mine is identical to this one.

I have several including 4 Ruger 1022's, a Begara with a carbon fiber barrel, a Browning T bolt, a Grade 7 Browning semi-auto that belonged to my dad and another bolt gun with a thumbhole stock /bull Barrel. I cannot remember who made it.

I have only rarely shot on paper for grouping. The oldest 10-22 was bought in the 80's for $60. It will shoot a 10-shot group in one big hole at 50 yards. The Begara shoots similarly as does the one whose manufacturer I cannot remember.

I imagine the others shoot well. I have never really shot them like the others on paper. However, I can shoot a squirrel in the head from the porch of my ranch at 50 yards or less. Good enough for me!

at nearly years i find myself enjoying 22's more and more - i really don't know how many i've owned but it's probably in the dozens - many have been favorites but the one that sticks out the most is a old grade e browning auto complete with a browning marked redfielde on top - with a really nice piece of wood and excellent engraving it's always been something special

Being a Lefty it has to be my CZ 457 American.

My three favorites are a Marlin M99(?) that looks like an M-1 carbine that my Dad bought my brother in 1967. Can't even begin to count the number of rounds through it; second is a Remington 514 single shot, Lymman receiver sight, that I bought around 1984 to take a hunter safety course with. Was planning on selling it right after, but took it shooting a few times and it is the most accurate .22 I have ever owned; lastly a Remington 572 pump. Great little gun and enjoy it more than any semi auto ..22 I have ever owned.

Well, for really accurate rifles, one pick BLEIKER, ANSCHUTZ, WALTHER etc.

We have several of these in our shooting range, because 22 rim fire is very popular.

In addition to the above, we see models from BRNO, Ruger 10/22, Kimber, Remington 541 and so on.

One can never tire of shooting 22 rimfire.

My first .22 was a Browning bl22. Beautiful fit and finish but its lousy trigger made it very inaccurate. Bought a Ruger 10/22. Fun to shoot but expensive as it went through ammo like there was no tomorrow. I blame that on the operator. My final one is a CZ 457 stainless steel. Great fit and finish and it’s a tack driver. I think I’ll keep this one.

Made the jump to Volquartsen, love them and the accuracy.
Second on my list is the old Winchester 63!

I have been on a bit of a tear the past couple years acquiring nice 22’s
Win 52 sporters, Rem 40x, Anschutz, Walther, Martini International old Mauser ES & MS target rifles

They are all great fun

I've owned several really nice .22 sporters, several Anschutz and Belgian Brownings and such, but the best one for me seems to be my old Brno #5. Nice balance and ergonomic stock proportions, very accurate, pleasing lines, excellent trigger and precise action fit and machining. Wood quality and finish is just so-so, but that's the only shortcoming. I've owned prettier rifles, but not better ones.

My favorite 22 is one my maternal Grandfather handed down to my Dad and he handed it down to me. It is an early Model 67 Winchester with the thin stock and finger groove forend.
I took many tree rats with it, a couple of rabbits and a few feral cats. I even killed a Dove on the wing one time and spent the rest of the day and about three boxes of ammo trying to do it again without success. No mods to it and while I have numerous 22's this one is by far my favorite and it is still very accurate after all these years.

Steve.........

I've been having a ball with a CZ 457 American with a Leupold VX2 3-9x40. It shoots great with Eley Target and SK Standard ammo. I've been using it every single range session before and after shooting center fires to focus on my trigger technique and follow through. It's paying dividends in that respect. I'm debating having it chopped and threaded for a suppressor.

My 9 year old is doing the same as he's shooting more of his .300 Blackout. The key now is to get him to SLOW DOWN a little. He can shoot (accurately) faster than I can reload mags! Speaking of mags.......pricey little devils for that rifle.

SA22

My first .22 rifle was a Winchester Model 1890 pump with crescent butt and octagon barrel. The stock had been repaired and the barrel was in poor shape but I sure loved the look and feel of that rifle. Dad traded it in with some cash at the Bon Marché in Tacoma, Washington, for my first ACCURATE .22 -- one of those Belgian salt-stock Browning T-bolts like Matt had.
When being coached for the marksmanship merit badge in Scouts by a member of the Fort Lewis shooting team, he provide the use of government-owned Remington 40X .22s to the class, but I shot the T-bolt. My results were so good with it he said, son, let me shoot your rifle. He was impressed with the accuracy as well.
I have had several 10/22s, a couple of AR-7s (the Henry version is much better made than the dreadful Charter examples were), two or three BSA Martinis and three or four CZs -- 452 and 455 -- but my current rifle is a Winchester Model 75 target that I bought from Loud-n-boomer here.
The .22 I always wanted and just never got around to is the Marlin Model 39.

Bill,

My first rifle was also a Win. M1890 that my father owned. I used to clean that rifle religiously after I would shoot it. {It had seen it's better days.} When I was about 12, he traded it in on a new Savage M24 w/ a .22LR on top of a .410. A squirrel machine it was back then.!

Others have passed through my hands in the past 60+ years, many great .22 rifles.

You SHOULD get a Marlin M39 - you deserve it!

I'll be out in NM in early October for my annual pronghorn hunt. Love it out there..!

All the best,

Wes

Well my favorite .22 I’ve own is a Marlin 39M Mountie I bought from my ex-wife’s father. Very nice little rifle that along with my Steven’s 72 I bought back in the 70’s new will ever be sold. Neither has ever seen a formal range and likely never will. I couldn’t possibly count how many rounds these two guns have had through them.

Tough choice.......I'll make two.

First...is my Anschutz 54.18MS with Hoehn tuner. Shoots small groups and small pests.


Second.....is my grandfathers Winchester Model 61 Octagon barrel. It shot everything around the farm....and always will. My son has dibbs......of course.


There are others.....with other stories.

Kevin