.22 for targets? Opinions needed.

[CSaddict]

Phil obviously would be great to hear from. Are they mostly the same? Brand better than others. It doesn't need to look like an assault rifle as some I have seen online. I like the custom looking ones that Phil has had for sale in the past.

Thanks for any input.

P.S. There will be a shotgun thread to follow I would think. My buddy is into shooting clays and wants me to come with him. Im sure I will have to get into that. Looks fun. I guess an Over/under is what most of the guys use.

yours truly,
Gun Newb.

[Lawn Guyland]

phil knows nothing about guns, don't listen to anything he tells you...it's all wrong

[Buffalo Phil]

phil knows nothing about guns, don't listen to anything he tells you...it's all wrong

Ignoring the blatant blasphemy I must ask what you are shooting at. Target shooting is a very vague term. If you just want to buy a .22 to shoot paper with, then I'll give my normal speech. If you want to really buckle down and shoot competitive targets with .22, you better be willing to spend a lot of money on the firearm and ammo, but if you just want to plink at the range and shoot at stationary clays and paper targets for laughs, then you aren't going to spend a lot of money and you'll have lots of fun.

10/22: Autoloading .22, extremely large aftermarket, extremely accurate and has the ability to change barrels with relative ease.

http://ruger.com/products/1022Target/models.html
http://ruger.com/products/1022Sporter/models.html


Marlin and Savage make excellent bolt action .22 rifles and I have recommended them to people here in the past. They are accurate, reliable and will run forever. Just throw a nice scope on one and everyone can have fun. The biggest advantage of the bolt action .22 is the fact that you can shoot a wide variety of .22 ammunition that normally wouldn't cycle in an autoloader like CB Caps, Subsonics and CB Longs. This ammunition has an extremely low sound report, CB Caps and CB Longs bullets actually never break the sound barrier, so it is the poor man's silencer. The autoloaders will shoot it, but they won't cycle.

http://marlinfirearms.com/Firearms/BoltAction22/925.asp

Leveraction rifles are touchy. Everyone will say that Henry makes a great gun and they tout that their guns are made in America. What they DON'T tell you is the simple fact that Henry Leveraction rifles are made so incredibly cheaply and the receivers look to be made of melted down galvanized garbage cans from the streets of New York. Yes they work most of the times, yes they shoot well, but they are crudely made.

If you want the best, buy a Marlin 39. You'll be spending $500+ on a .22, so for some it isn't worth it when a Savage or Marlin Bolt action will do the same thing. Buy a Marlin Leveraction only if you really have the money.

There are other European made .22s that you can buy that may break the bank, but purchase only if you really know what the hell you are buying, or else it is simply a waste of money. I'd stick to the cheaper rifles like the Marlin or the Savage. Parts are readily available if something breaks, scopes can be easily mounted on them and their ability to shoot the wide variety of ammunition is a plus. You won't kill your pocket book as the Marlin and Savage bolt action rifles cost no more than $300 themselves and a cheap scope can be had for ~$100.


There are also the .17 caliber options like the .17 HMR and the .17 Mach II. The HMR is based off the .22 mag and wht Mach II is based off of the .22 LR. Both cartridges are EXTREMELY accurate, fly faster and flatter than the .22 and you can easily shoot them out to 100 yards without question. When I was at gunsmith school, we jokingly referred to them as Laser Guns or Laser Beams because of their damn accurate nature. The ammunition costs more but the guns themselves are about the same price. Recoil is minimal as well, as it is with the .22.


As for shotguns, don't bother with anything crazy. Remington 870 or Mossberg 500. Only two pump shotguns I will recommend. Cheap, reliable and can be modified to shoot at almost anything that walks, crawls, flies and dies.

[Mighty Quine]

phil beat me to it.....i was going to say the exact same thing.....word for word

[Buffalo Phil]

LOL...

[CSaddict]

Thanks for the input Phil. I will walk through Cabela's tonight as that is close to me. Plinking and some fun is what Im looking at. Nothing competitive.

[Buffalo Phil]

Thanks for the input Phil. I will walk through Cabela's tonight as that is close to me.

Good deal. Have fun gun shopping.

[Bigbike]

X2 on the 10/22.

[customcreationsllc]

I should have my savage .22 bolt action Mark II G the end of this week.
I'll let you know how I like it. It has the accutrigger figure I would give it a shot. http://www.savagearms.com/accuracy/accutrigger/

I went for a bolt actions because they're a lot quieter all the gas goes out the barrel instead of through the action and don't have to worry about subsonic rounds having enough power to blow back the action.

Lever actions are fun but suck if your prone.

A gun store just opened in Naugatuck seem to be a nice bunch of guys if you want to check them out they are right on Rubber Ave.

Squirrel season starts Sept. 1st I figure I would go pluck some squirrels scouting for deer. Deer season starts Sept 15th.

[SupermanIce-J]

phil knows nothing about guns, don't listen to anything he tells you...it's all wrong

this. fo siddius. he will tell you that guns are the devil and you should hug trees.

[grundlepunch]

i like my bolt action 22 more then my ruger 10/22 semi

but they each serve their place. Bolt action for accuracy and the 10/22 for dispensing mass quantities of cheap ammo

[GRANT]

Come shoot the ground hog who thought it would be a good idea to make a home in the middle of my front lawn. Whenever I open the front door I see it waddle down to its hole, stick its head out and stare at me.

[CSaddict]

Bought a Marlin 981TS bolt action. Stainless barrel and I guess a polymer stock. The bolt action process seems like it would be more relaxing.

[Buffalo Phil]

Mountains of Win.

[CSaddict]

Thanks for the info Phil. I really value your opinion.