adkfreeridex

i have a ruger 77/22mag....i really like the looks and feel of it. i bought if off a shop on gunsamerica.com for 350 brand new. its a so-so shooter, but i am not done finding ammo it likes and tinkering with it. the thing with me is to find the gun that you like the most, and dont worry about the price. the reason why is that most guns, especially .22s will last forever, so for the extra cost that it takes to get a one that you like a lot ends up being negligible in the long run. but like many people said here, there are plenty of less expensive guns that will shoot as good or better than the $$$$ ones. personally i like sleek lines, no exposed mag, and nice wood-----all are just thinks that make a gun look pretty, thats it. i might add tho, that with the 77/22 you can buy an aftermarket sear and spring for 30 bucks that eliminate creep and reduce the trigger pull significantly. it took .5" off my groups at 50yrds instantly. that new remington bolt (541????) looks like a nice tack driver, but it too is a little $$$ as far as .22s go. you have a lot of options out there, but any of the guns the guys have mentioned here are good choices. i might get a henry, becuase it looks like a great gun to knock over cans with in the backyard.....it s a great price for a lever gun, and as people say, its a shooter too.

T/C fan!

I'd also go with the 10/22, but only because the amount of aftermarket stuff you can get for it. I bought a used one a few years back and the accuracy was ok, but after spending some money, I've got it shooting 1/2 inch at 50yds. I went with a Hogue stock, a bull barrel from Green Mountain and an aftermarket trigger assembly to ease up the pull and tacked on a 3-9X40 scope. I've got roughly $400 in it, but it'll shoot with rifles costing much more. One thing I've not seen on posted on here yet is an old single-shot from makers like Remington, Springfield or Winchester. If you are not planning on scoping it and wanting something thats really affordable, you may want to take a look at them. Unless its one thats rare, you can pick up one of those old rifles for $100-150 and most of them are hell on bushytails in the proper hands. just another thought.

Matt / PA

adkfreeridex,
Have the same gun that I use for fox calling........mine is the Laminated stock heavy gray barrel varmint style 77/22 mag. I have a Bushnell Trophy 4-12X40 on it and it's a terrific shooter.......
Here's an example of my average 100 yard groups with the Remington V-max bullets.



I am also looking at picking up a nice .22 lr rifle/scope combo this year for giggles, and see no reason not to get a Ruger 77/22 (probably the walnut /blue) and throw a nice Leupold VX-1 2-7X33 on it.
I looked at the new Remington 504 and it's nice, but not any nicer than the Ruger and I don't like the fact that there is no magazine well that protects the underside of the stock. It would only be a metter of time before you would booger the wood with a misplaced magazine.

adkfreeridex

matt,
i have the sporter model, im thinking of getting an aftermarket 17hmr barrel to put on it, and a a new stock, i want to bed the action, and free float the barrel (new stock so i dont bugger up the original one) ....yours is a shooter....my groups are just a little tighter than that with winchester supreme, and CCI TNTs shoot just as well, but my groups are at 50yrds.....

Smokem Joe

If you want a cheap, accurate semi auto, I agree with pharoah2, Marlin model 60. I own 2 and love them to death. My first was stolen (bastard), and I bought 2 more over time(got tired of loading my and handing it to the wife). If you want to put a sling or bipod or other "stuff", look elsewhere. The ruger 10/22 is an excellent choice, but a little more pricey. Strong points: removable clips, very common, lots of accessories, etc.

JeffS

I have an older Marlin bolt action which I love. Every Marlin I've owned shot really well. You can't go wrong w/ a Ruger 10/22 either. We sit out by the tank w/ my Marlin and my buddies 10/22's and shoot a brick of 22 shells just playing around. We keep finding smaller and farther things to shoot at because the rifles are so accurate.

mrlizzzard

Ruger 10/22-I shoot my 22's alot I have 2 rugers,never cleaned them never babied them and nothing in my cabinet is as durable as accurate and as affordable. (25yrs)

lizzzard

Popere

I just got a Ruger 10/22 for Christmas. Took it to the range yesterday and I couldn't believe how accurate it was right out of the box. I shot the bullseye off of the target I was shooting at. I had to bring the target home so that the wife would believe me. Great little gun.

RemMod1100

Since no one else mentioned them, I will...Marlin Golden 39A if you'd like a straight shooting long barrel lever gun. Marlin 881 if you want an accurate bolt action for <$200.