Best ol 22 auto loadin rifle?????

Over the years I've owned at least a dozen Ruger 10/22s, and every one of them was a reliable feeder/operator with a wide range of ammunition types. Accuracy is at least half-decent with all of them, and can be excellent with ammo they favor. About half of these examples are still in the family, distributed among the kids/nephews/friends' kids.

The most recent example is kinda par for the course. Bought as a 'beater' for 65 bucks, I threw a whatzis 4X scope on top of it just for grins before starting a "build" on the receiver. SHEESH! The Ugly Duckling ran 10-shotters at 50 yards from 1-1/8" down to 7/8"!! (CCI Mini Mags). It has stayed in that configuration, and has accounted for dozens of ground squirrels, crows, and jackrabbits--many of which were taken with head shots.

With that sort of track record, I can't recommend against a Ruger 10/22 in good conscience. There are other very good 22 rifles out there--the Marlin 60 and Nylon 66--but Ruger has been very good to me in this venue.

Another vote for the Browning .22 - my best mate at school ( and my shooting buddy ) and I would often buy a case of 22's (5,000) and then see how fast we could use them up shooting clods out of the air like the old time trick shooters!! Over the years we must have put 20 plus cases through that beautiful, lightweight,reliable, accurate rifle.....it was a joy to shoot!! How did we go with the clod busting.....well my mate got to the stage he could shoot 8 or 9 out of 10 consistently and fairly regularly could also connect on pieces from the main clod after the first shot!!!Pretty good shooting. I could regularly hit 6 or 7 out of 10....great fun and not that difficult with lots of practice.My mate shot a few birds out of the air with that rifle....not too shabby for a 22!!!!

I've owned and worked on a ton of .22 rifles and my favorite has been and is the Ruger 10/22. With factory magazines they are highly reliable and very accurate w/ most any ammo. The only ammo I've found them to not shoot well is CCI stingers.

I have had several of the ruger 10/22 carbines, they all did what they were supposed to do and did it well. Now I have a 10/22 rifle, longer bbl, no bbl band, thing shoots way better than I can hold it.

The Colt 22 auto came in 3 styles (Colteer, Stagecoach and Courier) but the Courier did away with western styling (western styling on a semi-auto?) and has the full size forearm, 20 in. barrel and pistol grip buttstock for a great balance. Feels and points steady, so just plink away with 15 shots in the tube. Just like Nylon 66s, they are no longer $89 guns though. Downside is the easily scratched anodized reciever and the very small cocking handle.

Wow it looks like the 10-22 is making a strong showing here. The one I have is a very nice looking pre warning delux model. It has a power custom trigger group and a exact edge extractor to overcome the failures to extract and barely ejects the spent cases clear of the receiver. The accuracy is so so. I have too much money in it to get rid of it.

My first rifle was a Marlin 60, gotta vote for it, never gave me a seconds trouble, wish I still had it.

I have owned nylon 66s, Ruger 1022s, Winchester 63s, Marlin 60s and 70s, and a hose of other 22 autoloaders that I no longer remember. They all worked and were fairly reliable if kept clean and good ammo was used. I currently have a 1022 and a Marlin 70. the marlin is more accurate but the 1022 works longer between cleanings. If I was to pick the best 22 autoloader I have owned it would be and old savage tube fed one. It fed everything and was not fussy about being cleaned and also was accurate but I sold it anyway due to a nasty habbit is had of going full auto now and then for no apparent reason.

NickSS, I have that same Savage. It would not shoot worth anything until our bull kicked it and cracked the stock. I glassed the crack and beded the barrel channel and it will 3/4" at 75 yrds and sometimes that well at 100. You have to replace the seer spring with a really heavy spring and it will stop that occasional full auto habit.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by txbirdman

I believe the best autoloading 22 was the Winchester model 63.

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I agree. I have a 1949 specimen that is very impressive.

Hmmmmm.....I must be the only guy with a Rem 597. And I like it a bunch :-D

Another model 60 vote here. Inexpensive and reliable. FB

The 1st gun I ever bought & paid for with my own money...was a Remington Nylon 66, 1972.

I remember only one jam, and I have no clue how many thousands of rounds I put thru it. I wasn't into 'accuracy' testing back then and didn't know any better. It was however accurate enough to put many squirrle and rabbits on the dinner table.

Money problems (and stupidity) forced me to sell that gun after owning it for several years. 2 years ago, I got around to replacing it...and love it everytime I pull the trigger on it. It brings back many wonderful memories.

Thanks,

Murphy

Ruger 10/22.

10-22, wilson barrel, after market extractor and she shoots no matter what...

Am I the only one that likes the Remington 550-1 the best auto I ever owned and well the only auto too. Shoots shorts, longs, and long rifles, had it since I was kid shot about a million shorts through it mainly cause they were cheap. Wasn't too pretty shot ok good enough to kill squirrels, rabbits, turtles, beer cans and what ever else came along still have it.

rhbrink
I have to agree with you on the 550. Any old Remington is hard to beat. As for favorite auto loader I have a 550-1 that just is accurate and reliable as the day is long. Also have a Remington 552 that is not bad either but like the full wood stock better. I have to admit that anything with Remington on it has a place in my safe, when I find one that has lost its way I like to take it home to become part of the family. Don't get me wrong, I have other 22's, including a 10/22 and enjoy shooting them all. I've never owned or fired a marlin 60 but have read that may report good accuracy and reliable performance. May have to try one some day.

wcp4570

I think it depends on your age:

Early Savage autoloaders...Remington Nylon 66 series...Ruger 10/22.

Two pages in and nobody has mentioned the Winchester 77? Okay, I'll do it. Hard to argue with the success of the 10-22 for a currently produced gun. There may not be a neater looking autoloader than the Browning takedown but mine and the others I have shot were not very reliable.

Another vote for the WIN 74.