Savage sure has it nailed down in the ugly department....

Lots of good .22's out there, likely too many to glean a consensus from a single website forum.

I can like the 10/22 as well as the 77/22 and have never been disapointed by either one. The Rem 541 is a wicked little rifle as well.

Marlin 39, or maybe a Henry.

My little .22 that I'm pretty partial to now is a Winchester 1885 highwall....

$400 will buy a pretty decent new rifle and two nice used ones.