I am sure everybody has a favorite 22 but I'd like to limit this discussion to adult sized, quality built 22 rifles. Bolt Action, Lever Action, Pump Action. Lets try to keep the price under $800. The reason I ask, I'm thinking of buying a Marlin 39 lever action New. DW

I,ve got a little CZ 452 full stock .22, nice wood, smooth bolt,well balanced rifle. Pretty sweet little gun. When I have,nt shot it for a while, I start thinking I should put a scope on it. Take it out to the range, and the desire for a scope goes away. Seems to like the big box federal brick ammo, which is okay with me.
One of those guns that shot well right out of the box, the only thing I,ve done is clean it. The sights are on at six o,clock, figured I should just leave em as is and get used to little bitty groups.

I do remember keeping an eye on a Marlin 39A at one of the Anchorage gun shops for a while. Kept getting tempted to try and round that one up. Went to check on it one day and it was gone, long gone.

Think it,d be pretty tough not to have fun with a little 19 round lever action. Startin to think not pouncin on that one a year back may have been a mistake.

I have three Kimber rifles an 84M and an 84L along with a 22LR

I wanted a .22LR that had the same length of pull and the same feel as my othet rifles have

I picked up a Kimber Classic 22LR and scoped it just like the above rifles and love it

Have 2 Ruger 77/22 rifles that I could not be happier with. They are accurate (I hear some are not as accurate as mine) and always go bang. The only thing I have done to them was to replace the triggers. About 2 years ago, I decided I really wanted a Model 39a and purchased one new. It was quite accurate after I replaced the rear site with a peep,but the rifle would fail to feed and fail to eject about once out of every 50-75 shots. The internet had lots of suggestions about bending the extractor but I ended up calling Marlin. They said that they had "never heard of that problem" and that if the extractor was a problem it would be more consistant. They recommended that I call one of their service centers and when I spoke to the gunsmith there he said he saw this problem frequently and could fix it easily. I sent him the rifle and asked him to fix the trigger pull as well. They charged for the trigger adjustment but not for replacing the extractor (I was never able to find out if that was all the repair they ended up doing) and since then, the rifle has worked flawlessly and is a ball to shoot. It may not be quite as accurate as my 77/22's, but it is alot of fun and very handy. Just wished it was "right" out of the box but that seems to be a more and more common problem these days.

Find a CZ 452 and I think you'll be happy. I like my 452 FS a lot (especially with a Yo Dave trigger shim/spring kit installed).





Paid $450 NIB for mine earlier this year. Not as nice as a Kimber, Cooper, or Anschutz, but great bang for your buck if you like bolt actions.

I have a Kimber 22 and love it. It would be one of the very last rifles I ever sold. I had and sold but shouldn't have a CZ in .17 HMR that was a good gun.

LWD

Just bought the 455 American CZ IN .22lr. Worth every cent. Get a good scope and your good
I have the Ruger m77/22 and like it as well. But not as much as the CZ. I have never shot a Anschutz but have thoughts of buying someting like the 1416 from all the things said about em.

I am fortunate enough to own a CZ 452 American. I love it and it shoots. I also have an old Remington 121 pump. As soon as I brought it home my wife said that one's mine. It would be between the Marlin or one of the excellent Browning lever actions to increase the "adult 22's". They only thing I would trade the CZ for is an Anchutz and I won't trade the Rem. DW

Keep telling myself I,m out of control, I need to stop buying guns. I just need one more gun, and then I,ll stop. Then I get home from work, theres a package from Midway with brass and bullets for some caliber I don,t even own, yet...
And then, I hear something like, "We should get a few more bricks of .22 ammo, and we need at least a couple boxes of 9mm." Something absolutely wonderful about a wife who supports, encourages, and insists on gettin out and doin a little shootin!
Anyhoo, guess I oughta back off on the coffee..
For what its worth, came across a Chuck Hawks article on the 39A, spoke quite highly of them.
For myself, gotta say, that little Marlin is one of those that I kinda keep one eye open for, just in case one crosses my path and starts talkin to me...

Muttly, those Marlins are very nice rifles and fun as can be to shoot. Whish I had one. I have had a few times seen the ones on the range shoot nicly. In fact the older Mod 25m .22mag Marlins are very great finds in my book

Have a sweet little Browning T-bolt that is really accurate. Takes the 10 round helix magazine. Have a compact 2-7x on it. Good for ground squirrels that haven't wised up yet. When they do, the centerfires come out.

Find an A Bolt or Browning 52.

Bought a 39 over 20 yrs ago from a co-worker that no longer had a need. My son was about 10yrs old at the time and immediately liked it and claimed it for himself. Although he is long out of the house and I have not seen it in years it is still his favorite 22. Walnut and steel, machined, and no plastic or stamped internal parts...what is not to like.

I've got one of everything mentioned so far along with a couple of Coopers I'm rather proud of. If you want an inexpensive 22lr, hunt for a 1416 Anschutz in good shape. I put a 3x9 Leupold on mine and once I figured out it preferred RWS ammo,it puts the hole exactly where I want everytime.Good Luck.

I've had maybe a half dozen Anschutz, a couple of Winchester Model 52s including an original early sporter, several Brnos of both Model 2 and Model 5, Savage Models 19, NRA "sporter", and 19T, a bunch of Winchester pumps of all the hammer and hammerless models, a Remington pump (can't remember if it was the 121 or the 141 but think the .22 was the 121), Remington Models 513S and 513T, a Winchester Model 63 which my wife grabbed clear back in 1964 as "her rifle" to keep the birds out of her cherry trees, and a lot of other things such as the Mossberg Model 42-M which was an Army training rifle during WWII, H&R 5200, Sportco M44 protype trainer for the Canadian Forces, etc., etc.

BUT, my all-time two favourites would be the Mossberg 42-M, and any version of the Marlin 39. To me "quality is as quality does". Those two have always performed above all the others for me.

In fact I'm looking to buy another used Marlin 39 every time I go into any local gunshop.

quote:

Lets try to keep the price under $800.

USED RIFLES:
I happen to really like the " Remington 540 XR " ( Single Shot ) or the " Remington 513T " ( Magazine Fed ).


Martini 12/15, are also a good choice.


They all have a nice balance, with the feel of a centerfire Rifle.

PAPI

A bolt

Good point, Papi.

And if a guy doesn't mind spending more, a used Martini Mk IV or Mark V just makes me drool.

Marlin 39a, Winchester 69, Winchester 75. Easily put 500 rounds a month through my 22s.

Martini 12/15, are also a good choice.


I want one of these so bad I can TASTE it.

If anyone has one they want to unload PLEASE PM me.


.

Within the price range you specify, you'll find a large number of used rifles as well. At various times, I've bought a Stevens 416 (bolt action target rifle repeater from the 1937-1948 period), a Walther SportModell (single shot bolt action target rifle from the 1950s-60s), a Marlin 39A (still the best lever action .22 ever made, in my worthless opinion) and at least 4 different variations of the Martini small frame target rifles at prices under your $800 limit. Some were priced far under your limit. And that doesn't include the near infinite number of older bolt action single shots available, at prices that would allow you to own 4 or 5 for your $800 budget. When you add to this the fact that the older rifles are generally blued steel and walnut, not plastic and pot metal, and will also likely have a lot more hand work than the current ones, it's hard to argue with going used. Plus, I've never owned an older rifle that wouldn't shoot.

Just a thought.

quote:

I want one of these so bad I can TASTE it.

If anyone has one they want to unload PLEASE PM me.

I picked up several Martini 12/15 from " John Apppleton " a few years back. Unfortunately he passed away.
Not sure, but the wife is reportedly trying to run the business, on a part time basis, to clear out the inventory..?
http://users.erols.com/apple1co/

Another reputable source for used guns.
http://www.mtguns.com/used_rifles.htm

quote:

And if a guy doesn't mind spending more, a used Martini Mk IV or Mark V just makes me drool.

Checkout this link: BSA Martini — Classic Design with 21st Century Upgrades
http://bulletin.accurateshoote...om-mt-guns/#comments

Best bet is to " CALL " by telephone, and ask what they might have in inventory , condition & cost ?

PAPI

I have Kimbers, Winchesters(Model 69A, 52B and Model 1890 Octagonal Barrel), Brownings(BLRs and Semi-Autos) and Rugers(a stable of 10/22's) and love all of them!

Many years ago, I got a Kimber bolt action 22. My father loved it, so I gave it to him.

A few years ago, I got both a rifle and a 22 match pistol by Kimber.

I was so disappointed in their performance. Neither are as well made as the original Kimbers. The rifle's action is rather rough in operation, and the pistol will not cycle match ammo.

Even with high velocity ammo, it still jams.

Of the adult size 22 rifles, Anschutz and CZ are the best, as far as I am concerned.

Semi auto is the Ruger 10/22.

Remington 541S. Really nice shape will cost about 5 bills and shoot 1/2" at 50 yards.

I've got several "adult type" .22RFs.

If you want a "do anything rifle", a Ruger 10-22 would be the way to go. You can configure this action into anything you want. Target, plinker, super light and compact packable camper......

But I just LOVE my Marlin 39A. Overly complicated, late 19th century design.....

Heavy ..... but well balanced. Solid as a brick shit house! Beautiful walnut (at least on the older ones). Shorts, Longs, LR ammo? It feeds 'em all and just doesn't care!

Not a target rifle....... but damn accurate!

I've had an Anschutz 1416D .22 LR for the last ~33 years. On a still day, it is a one MOA rifle at 100 yards. I doubt I'll ever sell it. I also had, and sold, a CZ 17 HMR that shot a 3 shot group of 3/8" at 200 yards once. Why I sold it, I cannot remember...but that was one stupid move!

Mt favorite 22 is a BSA Martini Model 12. Easily the most accurate 22 I have owned. Second is a Sako Quad, what can one say, it is a Sako. Bolt, trigger, and accuracey is what one would expect from a Sako. I will admit I have always wanted a Marlin 39.. MIght be a hole that needs to be filled.

quote:

a CZ 17 HMR that shot a 3 shot group of 3/8" at 200 yards once. Why I sold it, I cannot remember...but that was one stupid move!

I feel your pain.

LWD

I would also love one of those original Browning semi-auto take-downs.

Or a Stevens Favorite take-down (octagon barrel please).

Keep in mind.... you aren't going to scope these.

The Browning T-bolt and the Semi were the best of the early 70's. My gun at that time was a Remington 511 Score master. The T bolt was something.

I have an old stevens 44 rifle that someone chambered to 22 mag. I am going to have the barrel sleeved back to the original 22lr. Its a half octagon barrel, and I have an inexpensive tang sight on it. I need to make a new extractor for it. The woods in good shape and it's bluing looks pretty good but I am just not happy with it in 22 mag. So off the the gunsmith it goes to be sleeved. I'll post shooting results when I get it back.

So many guns, so little time! My favorites currently on hand: 1) Model 52B sporter, new run 1992, w/Leupold scope, 2)Marlin golden 39A, circa,1967, 3) Browning classic semi-auto, 3)Browning lever action, 4)Rem 521T junior special target rifle w/upgraded sights,1955, my first 22, 5) Scoped Ruger 10/22 w/custon high grade wood stock, 6)mint condition Rem Nylon 66.

Eagle One

I shoot quite a bit of .22LR- mostly offhand plinking while hiking around in the desert. At the moment I'm down to just two rifles- a 24" Marlin M39A made in 1939 (Three digit serial number) with a Lyman peep sight, and a 12 year old CZ 452 with a Weaver V10. Both shoot a heck of a lot better than I can hold. I foolinhly let a friend talk me out of a BRNO #4 a couple of years ago that on a dead-still day and off of a good rest with a 24x scope would pick off empty .22LR cases at 100 yards about 75% of the time. The only problem with it was that it was about the same size and weight as an M1 Garand- a little much for casual hiking. Last year, the new owner used it to win an "any hunting rifle, any scope" 100 yard match at his local range. Needless to say, there were a bunch of ticked-off centerfire shooters!

Porosonik.

quote:

BUT, my all-time two favourites would be the Mossberg 42-M, and any version of the Marlin 39. To me "quality is as quality does". Those two have always performed above all the others for me.

In fact I'm looking to buy another used Marlin 39 every time I go into any local gunshop.

I have a 42-M and also the 46-M as well as a 151-M and a Marlin 39 in the shorter Mountie Carbine version. Love them all. As a teen I had a Marlin 39 A Golden that was just crazy accurate but it was stolen. Someday I hope to replace it but for now the Mountie is fun.

I kinda like 39's and have added about 6 more variations since this pix was taken.




The 39A's are the Cowboy Lever Action Silhouette shooters rifle of choice.

The reason I ask, I'm thinking of buying a Marlin 39 lever action New. DW

DW-The word NEW concerns me. I would stay away from the newer models unless you just have to have the hammer block safety and checkered wood. Being a silhouette shooter, twice a week, I have seen several of the NEWER models on the line and they are the ones that fall to eject most times. One fellow carries a small screwdriver to dig the empty out. Another older couple has a new one and it has been back to Marlin-Remington twice and it still FTE. Do yourself a favor and look for one made before 1988 that doesn't have the hammer block safety.
The 2nd one up from bottom in the pic is a 1982 39A that I have used for the past 2 years and never a problem with it. Good Luck in your search for the "right" rifle for you.

My 39A with Lyman tang sight was made in 1948. It sure is smooth, and did I mention it sure is smooth?
Picked up a fixer-upper BSA 12/15 on Gunbroker a while back. Just need to fit the extractor a pal sent from New Zealand. (Thanks again Barry!)
The full-stocked CZ continue to tempt. With a trigger job and some break in they are wonderfully accurate machines.
My first .22 was a turn-of the century Winchester pump with crescent but and octagon barrel. The bore was a mess, so my Dad helped me trade for a new Browning T-bolt at the old Bon Marche in Tacoma, Washington. This would have been about 1966 or 1967. With this rifle and coaching by a member of the Fort Lewis pistol team, I easily earned my Marksmanship merit badge in Scouts.

SAKO Finnfire or Finnfire Varmint. IF you can find one! I had one NIB and like a fool I sold it back in 2004.