The popularity of the .22 rimfire is at an all-time high. According to Wikipedia, annual production of .22 rimfire ammunition is estimated at 2–2.5 billion rounds − far greater than any other caliber.
Every manufacturer of rifles or carbines offers at least one model of rimfire rifle and some, such as Remington and Marlin, offer dozens. With so many of these rifles out there, we thought there might be some opinion as to which is the best. Here’s your chance to vote for your favorite, and maybe win a copy of the Gun Digest Book of the .22 Rifle, by C. Rodney James.
In this book, popular Gun Digest author C. Rodney James provides a starting point for the beginner, as well as a summary of the state of small-bore rifles, ammunition and shooting for the intermediate rifleman/woman. He also points the way for those who wish to venture into the more rarefied regions of upper-level competitive shooting, bench-rest shooting, long-range varmint shooting and that eternal search for the perfect rifle.
Rodney makes it clear that he is not shilling for any particular product, and that what he has to say about various arms, ammunition and other items is based on personal experience, research and analysis. According to Editor Dan Shideler, Rodney does so in an insightful and entertaining way.
What’s your choice for greatest .22 rifle of all time? Post your pick in the comments below for a chance to win a copy of the Gun Digest Book of the .22 Rifle.
Good luck! We’ll announce the winner next Tuesday (March 1).
To get a your own copy of Gun Digest Book of the .22 Rifle from the Gun Digest Store, click here.
THE RULES
One entry per person, please.
Entries accepted until 12:00 noon Central Time Monday, Feb. 28, 2011.
Winner will be selected at random and announced Tuesday, Mar. 1, 2011.
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Weather we were hunting the mountains for grouse or the plains for rabbits. I grew up hunting in Montana with the Marlin Model 99 M1 Carbine. My choice for greatest 22lr.
Call me a contrarian, but my vote goes to the Stevens Favorite. It was the .22 for countless working stiffs, and how many boys and others owned one as their first or only gun? Maybe my fondness/bias for single shots is showing with this vote.
Winchester 52
Sorry to go against the grain, but my vote is for the Winchester Model 69A. It’s a great shooting bolt action that came with a 5 shot magazine. I was able to obtain a couple of 10 shot magazines to reduce the number of reloads. The rifle was dead on accurate at 25 yards with iron sights. It did a great job at 100 yards with iron sights when I was a bit youger.
While great fun, no semi-auto 22 can qualify as “greatest 22 of all time” as they do not instill the marksmanship of a manual action. No single-shot can qualify, for altho’ they make fine target & teaching tools, they are not practical for hunting w/ the 22. So the greatest 22 of all time will be a manually operated repeater of some sort by default. While I’m inordinately fond of the Remington 521T that I learned on, I must admit that the Marlin model 39 take down lever action 22 must be a front runner for the best 22 ever.
Browning BAR .22 tops my list with a Remington 572 pump a close second.
While you can’t beat the customability of the 10/22, I guess I’ll be the contrarian here and go with my all time favorite, the Marlin 60. I can fill the same hole all day long with my beloved 60 and she shoots shorts, longs, and long rifles. I’m sentimental I guess. (or just mental) 🙂
I would also have to go with the 10/22. Both of my daughters learned to shoot with a 10/22. They are easy to use, accurate and most importantly fun! When I go out squirrel hunting I always take a 10/22 even though I have 4 other 22 options available.
The Ruger 10/22. very handy, light and easy to carry, simple design, great platform for upgrades, 10 shot mag is almost indestuctable, excellent craftmanship, and above all- very affordable!
The first gun I bought the Ruger 10/22. Short, light, easy to carry and has the easy to load or unload 10 shot mag.
The Ruger 10/22 is my choice for greatest .22 rifle of all time. A rifle so versatile, it can readily adapt to owners’ needs and interests as they change. The 10/22’s modular design has allowed shooters to easily customize their rifles without much fuss or necessarily great expense. I find it to be the most “involving” rifle of any I possess.
The Ruger 10/22, th first time I ever shot one, I kept a soda can in the air for all ten rounds. Note: I haven’t done it again.
My grandfather intruduced me to guns in my youth, the 60’s. His vavorite rifle and mine was and is, the Remington Nylon 66. Way ahead of its time, stylish, accurate, large magazine (14 rounds) allmost indestructable stock, action never needs lubes so it won’t freeze up in cold weather. Holds world record for accuracy and functioning on hand thrown wood blocks. Used by Eskimos to despatch seals. I still have his rifle to this day. Still looks and functions as well as ever.
Winchester 1890 .22 pump
One of Browning’s designs. Winchester’s first slide-action rifle, and chambered for the .22 caliber rim fire in Short, Long, or Long Rifle..
Solid frame and take down configuration. Some models had case hardened receivers. You could get one with a pistol grip or straight grip and a fancy checkered walnut stock. I did a lot of trick shooting with my first one, splitting playing cards, trying to light wooden matches, shot more heads off than I lit though. Great boy’s first rifle. Would make a great old man’s rifle now.
Without counting out the classic Winchesters or Marlin 39, I guess I would have to go with the Ruger 10-22. Everyone has one, and the parts/accesories available is mind boggeling.
Marlin Model 39, the first and still the best. Mine is the octagonal barreled cowboy version.
The Henry Golden Boy in .22 cal. More accurate that the Ruger out of the box.
The Browning ATD…An accurate, sculptured work of art designed by John Moses Browning.
Absolutely the Ruger 10/22. It is the most customizable .22 rimfire ever!
Winchester 52B–the earlier ones. Specifically, a 52B Sporter.
John Browning’s .22 Autoloader!
The elegant simplicity of this gun is an example of his genius. He’s holding one in the photo of him in his Wikipedia article, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Browning . I wouldn’t doubt that this was HIS favorite gun.
First produced as the Remington model 24 produced from 1922-1934, available now from Browning.
The Marlin Model 39. It has been around for a long time and is an accurate neat classic rifle.It is truly American.
I have to go with the 10-22 as well. It can be tricked out, dressed up or modified in more ways than any other. So for whatever purpose you have in mind it is the most versatile gun of its kind.
For what you get for your money, it has to be Rugers 10/22. Great quality, good accuracy out of the box, and last but surely not least are the sheer amount of custom parts that are available. Such as, Stocks, Barrels, triggers etc… Also, since its been made since 1964, it probably won’t be going away any time soon.
Ruger 10/22 of course… I’ve had mine for 29 years and put about 1000 rounds yearly.
It gets an occasional wipedown after camping and has always been good to go on the
next trip.
Browning SA-22 is by far the best .22 ever made. Was John Browning’s final design in 1914. Nearly 100 years later this little breakdown rifle is still in production. I remember admiring this gun back in the 70’s at WalMart with my dad. 40 years later, I bought one. By far my favorite gun in my collection. John Browning was a genius and his genius shines through in the SA-22. Great first gun for your youngster.
No doubt, the 10/22 is great, but my vote goes to my old Marlin Golden 39A!
Remington Nylon 66.
First commercially successful use of significant plastic parts, and unlike so many other plastic-parts, low-cost guns from it’s era, they all still work just like new.
Winchester 9422 GREAT 22
The Ruger 10/22! Been around forever, extremely popular, high quality workmanship, great right out of the box, I mean, Dang!
The Ruger 10/22, very easy to carry and point.