My first thought would be to get a Marlin .22LR. The cheapest is the Model 60, tube fed 14 shot .22, which is just a little over a $125 bucks. It' s a sweet little semi-auto, BUT it gets finicky and demands to be kept clean at all times.

But then, the most bang for the buck and most reliable is the tried and true, Ruger 10/22 rifle, which has the 10 shot rotary magazine and can handle anything you throw at it! [:-] The Ruger 10/22 is probably about $175 and up.

Good luck!

Butch