Anyone have a Ruger M 96-22 ?

[Jedman]

A local shop has one of these in 99 % condition for $ 399 with a small compact scope for sale.
Looks like a 10-22 but reading a little about them Ruger used barrels from the M 77-22 for them instead of 10-22’s. Sellers on Gunbroker are asking twice this price for opening bid but they are not selling any that I see. I know they didn’t make these for very long and wonder if it was because they didn’t sell well or do they have problems they didn’t want to fix ?
My experiences with Ruger is that they don’t have or sell spare parts or support discontinued firearms at all ?
Anyone shoot one of these and want to offer their opinion about function and accuracy?

Jedman

[MostlyLeverGuns]

I have a 96 in 22 WMR. There are a couple awkward things about it. Trigger is gritty, have not tried to stone it smoother. I haven't fired it for several years. I recall magazine manipulation is awkward.
Accuracy is not terrible, not great. For a shooting lever gun in 22 WMR, I would get a Henry, there are several Henry models, I have the 'standard' carbine in 22 LR, the octagon 24" in 22 LR, and a an octagon 20" in 17 HMR. I do like the way the octagon 20" 17 HMR handles, wish it was 22 WMR, 17 HMR is very accurate, but very limited in field utility. I also have Marlin 56, Marlin 39's and a 9422. The Henry's have better triggers and handle better than the rest. The Ruger 96 showed up on one of those Louisiana gator hunt shows, it is kind of a Ruger collector thing, but there are better 'everyday shooting' rifles. That is a good price if you just want a safe queen, that is why I still have mine.

[smithnframe]

They are collectible and the price isn't bad. I'd pick it up!

[Drm50]

I’m a Ruger cheerleader until they started downhill. The 96 in 22 is the same quality rifle as 10/22 of same vintage. The Ruger 10/22 went from best made, best value in a repeating 22 , to just another 22. I had the 44 also. Neither one anything to write home about. The last new Ruger 22 I bought that I’m happy with is a 77/22. I bought in 80s when first on the market. Everything I’ve bought new since then in 22 rifles got traded off.

[JimB..]

I have one, would happily buy another at $400.

[Jedman]

I’m a Ruger cheerleader until they started downhill. The 96 in 22 is the same quality rifle as 10/22 of same vintage. The Ruger 10/22 went from best made, best value in a repeating 22 , to just another 22. I had the 44 also. Neither one anything to write home about. The last new Ruger 22 I bought that I’m happy with is a 77/22. I bought in 80s when first on the market. Everything I’ve bought new since then in 22 rifles got traded off.

I believe your right about the 10-22’s. The first one I bought was at Kmart in the 70’s for I think $ 69.00 and it was really a shooter. Then I had one of the deluxe models that had a checkered walnut sporter stock in the 80’s and it was also a good gun. I traded them off at some point and thought they would always be that good but friends of mine have brought me several of them to mount scopes on and sight in for them and the guns of the past 20 years are sad. One I played with I tried 5 or 6 brands of premium match ammo in and it was a 1 1/2” @ 50 yards shooter at best. I would not own a 22 that shoots like that.

Jedman

[StuBach]

Just to be that guy: better off looking for an old Winchester 52 if your looking for a top tier shooter. I’ve seen them go for around that and up (and up and up...) and I have 4 and all of them are shooters (1934 preA model, 1974 D model, and two miroku 52 Sporters). Last one I saw at a gun show was a B model going for $400 but stock had been chopped down for a youth gun. Still kicking myself for not buying and saving for my kids.

[Drm50]

I’m not up on collector value of Ruger 96 but unless you are buying it to fill hole in a collection I don’t think a good investment. For a shooter $400 can buy you a lot of 22 on used market. I’d take my money and look at some hi condition 22s from 1980s or before. There was a time if a product didn’t preform, it wouldn’t last long in market place. I’m sure Ruger was just making a stab at the lever action 22 market. The Browning is last man standing in this market. The Marlin 39 was best of bunch and traditional. I don’t buy replicas but have not seen any that I would own, including Henry.

[Andy45]

I contemplated a Ruger 96 for a couple years, but every one I handled had a creepy gritty trigger so I never bought one. I have 77-22 WMR that I really like though.