# New Rifleman



## BigTex93 (Apr 21, 2007)

Hi, I'm new at rifles, very new. I have yet to by one because I have questions to ask before I buy anything. Hopefully you can answer my questions I have. Thanks.

What is a good bolt-action .22? (Keep in mind i'm going for under $300)

Is a bolt-action better than a lever? I read earlier it was, but why?

These are all the questions for now. Thanks again.


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## usmarine0352 (Nov 26, 2005)

Savage makes good rifles that are cheaper.

:sniper:


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## BigTex93 (Apr 21, 2007)

Whats the difference between rimfire and center fire? Is one better?


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## usmarine0352 (Nov 26, 2005)

Rimfire: Mainly your really small calibers. Like .22lr (long rifle). The firing pin hits the edge of the case. Even .22 magnums are rimfire.

Centerfire: Mainly any caliber larger then .22 and these rounds are also more powerful and accurate. The firing pin strikes a "primer" in the center of the casing that ignites the powder. Shotgun shells are centerfire.

Mostly anything your going to buy that is .223 or larger is going to be centerfire.

I am a big fan of the Ruger 77/22. It is a great little bolt action rifle with a nice rotary magazine that holds 10 rounds.

:sniper:


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## BigTex93 (Apr 21, 2007)

Cool thanks.

I found a good lookin rifle and its a Marlin. That a good brand?

Heres the gun:

http://www.ableammo.com/catalog/product ... s_id=96826

Is that a good gun?


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## usmarine0352 (Nov 26, 2005)

That's not a bad gun. But it's probably really small.

What you should do is go to a gun shop and hold some rilfes and see what fits you best.

I've never liked little magazines like that marlin has, I like the Ruger rotary magazine.

Have you thought about getting a used gun?

Here is the Ruger .22lr:

http://ruger.com/Firearms/FAProdResults ... type=Rifle

:sniper:


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## BigTex93 (Apr 21, 2007)

Sweet. Thats a pretty nice gun too. Its a little expensive, but I'll definetly consider it. Thanks for the link.

What do you mean by rotary magazine? Whats the difference of it and the one the Marlin has?

I've sort of considered buying a new one, i'm sure getting that Ruger.22 used will make it a lot cheaper right?


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## usmarine0352 (Nov 26, 2005)

I know that that gun might be a little expensive, which is why if you buy used, you can get a better rifle for a little bit more.

Are you buying this gun for yourself or a child, obviously if it's for a child, a smaller rifle is better, while if it's for you, you'd want an adult sized rifle. Who are you getting this rifle for?

Here is the Ruger rotary magazine. Very popular.










Here is the Marlin magazine.










Cheaper is correct. It just depends on how good of a deal your getting. I'd look around local gun stores, and gun shows. How much are you looking ot spend?

:sniper:


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## BigTex93 (Apr 21, 2007)

Im buying it for myself and i'm looking at around $300 for the rifle. 
The Ruger magazine in the picture does look a lot better than the other one. Does marlin have any of those types of magazines? Because that would be nice to have. I use an adult sized shotgun, so I should get the adult sized rifle as well, right?


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## usmarine0352 (Nov 26, 2005)

Can I ask how old you are? And size matters too. You may be 30, but if your a smaller person, you may want a smaller rifle. Just b/c you have an adult sized shotgun doesn't mean its what fits you best.

Only Ruger makes a magazine like that. Where do you live? I know Gander Mountain and some others have used guns. You can look there.

I have no clue how much a used Ruger 77/22 goes for. You can check "Gun Digest", I think they have avg's on what used guns should cost.

:sniper:


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## BigTex93 (Apr 21, 2007)

I know im a adult sized. I live pretty close to a Gander Mountian. 
I found this gun online, is it good?

http://www.ableammo.com/catalog/product ... s_id=91314

Its pretty nice. Where did you get your gun?


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## usmarine0352 (Nov 26, 2005)

That's an ok gun. If your looking at an auto, this is what many consider to be the best .22 auto out there. With like 4 million or whatever sold it's very popular. My dad has had once for like 20 years and still shoots fine.

I think new, they are around $300. And you can get it in Stainless w/ a plastic stock. That's what I'd get.

Ruger 10/22:










It uses this magazine:










http://ruger.com/Firearms/FASubType?typ ... utoloading

This is what I'd buy. Even if it costs a little bit more. Well worth it. Everyone I know who owns guns, has a least 1 of these. One of my friends has 2. One wood, one sythnetic.

Try this: Here's a brand new in the box Ruger .22 for $209. It's stainless w/ synthetic stock. Great deal.

http://www.gunsamerica.com/classifieds/ ... 70286.aspx

:sniper:


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## BigTex93 (Apr 21, 2007)

Cool, thanks for the link, it's a nice gun. Why do you like the rotary magazine more than the other one?


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## usmarine0352 (Nov 26, 2005)

Three reasons:

1.) Super reliable.

2.) Holds 10 rounds, not 5 or 7.

3.) Easier to load.

Because the loader rotates, it doesn't get "HARDER" to load, like most mags.

Most mags have one spring, and and you have to keep pressing down to load it. As soon as you start getting more rounds in it, it compresses the springs more and is harder and harder to load.

Think pistol magazine. Hard. Which is why they have magazine loading devices to help compress the spring as you put rounds in it. The rotary magazine doesn't need this.

And the Ruger 10/22 has proven itself time and time again. It's the best out there in my opinion.

:sniper:


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## BigTex93 (Apr 21, 2007)

Thanks. The 10/22 is in my top 3 for rifles to get. Does it shoot well, and how accurate?


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## usmarine0352 (Nov 26, 2005)

Shoots awesome. Accurate too.

The Ruger 10/22 is basically the 1911 of .22 rifles.

There's tons of modifications you can buy for it. And you can't say that about most any other .22 rifle.

- Triggers

- Stocks

- Barrels

- Sights

It can be made to be superbly accurate. But, right out of the box, it will more then likely handle anything you will ever need. It is a great rifle.

Make a post on the forum, ask people what they think is the best .22 auto rifle. Then you will have a good hint. Although, I don't always believe what everyone else says, it is nice to find out what people think.

:sniper:


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## BigTex93 (Apr 21, 2007)

Wow, thanks.

Making sure, I can put a scope on it right? I mean I dont know if I will, but I'm just asking.


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## usmarine0352 (Nov 26, 2005)

Yeap. And it comes with really nice laydown sights, standard.


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## BigTex93 (Apr 21, 2007)

Yeah, that is a nice gun. Have you got it?


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## iwantabuggy (Feb 15, 2005)

IMO you can count on the Ruger to shoot marginally at best and have a completely lowsy stock trigger. I'd recommend almost anything else. Get the Savage seen here: http://savagearms.com/93fvssxp.htm

It comes with a scope and rings for just over $300. If you shop around you can probably get it with the scope for under $330. :sniper:

You buy this one and you will never regret it. I am very confident it will easily out shoot a ruger 10/22 (stock vs stock).


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## iwantabuggy (Feb 15, 2005)

Ooops, my bad. I didn't notice that gun is a 22 WMR. Try this one instead. No scope, but still an excellent choice at $235.

http://savagearms.com/markiifss.htm


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## usmarine0352 (Nov 26, 2005)

Here's what you can do. Go to a range. Rent both guns. Should cost you about $20 bucks.

Shoot both of them at different ranges.

See what you think. There both about the same price. $70 bucks or so is nothing big when it comes to buying a good rifle.

Decide which one you think is accurage, and you like and buy it.

Yes, we still have my old mans. It's like 20 yrs old or something. Great gun. I grew up shooting it. It's had thousands of rounds thru it.

Like I said, you can build it up with modifications if you want. You can't do that to most any other gun.

You'll find out that many guns that don't have many modifications for them, because their not worth it.

The Ruger 10/22 is a great little gun.

:sniper:


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## BigTex93 (Apr 21, 2007)

Yeah, I'll probaly do that and kind of test out the guns and stuff before buying it.


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## BigTex93 (Apr 21, 2007)

Where did you get your gun?


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## Gohon (Feb 14, 2005)

usmarine0352, several times you have refereed to the Marlin 980 as a little gun or one made for a child. FYI the Marlin 980 is longer in total length than the Ruger 77/22 and only weighs 8 ounces less than the Ruger 77/22 and that is due to the synthetic stock. It is not a child's gun and Marlins Microgroove barrels are famous for rimfire accuracy. I would also add that the Ruger rotary magazine is subject to failure just as any other magazine. Maybe even more so if not kept clean and maintained. If you want decent accuracy with good looks then the 77/22 is the way to go. If you want better accuracy at a lower price and don't mind the looks then the Savage is a better choice. If you want decent accuracy with looks a little better than the savage but lower in cost than the Ruger the Marlin will fill the bill.


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## usmarine0352 (Nov 26, 2005)

Ah, that's good to know. The Ruger 77/22 and Savage were noted previously.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

BigTex

Look in my photo album on this site. You will see my 10/22 in one of the pictures. There is $800 into it, but my son's 980 Marlin shoots just as well. I agree with Gohon, the magazine on it will jam as often as any other. As a matter of fact my Ruger 10/45f with linear magazine never jams, but all four of my rotary Ruger magazines jam if not cleaned often. 
For factory accuracy I don't think you can beat Marlin. I notice that kids who grow up with single shots nearly always outshoot the kids who grow up with semi autos. When I advise people on their first 22 it is usually bolt action, and tube fed rather than clip. You don't loose tubes, and they hold around 18 rounds. They are easy to load, and never jam. They may not be as cool if you fancy yourself as Rambo, but get the 980 in tube feed and you will never regret it. 
Even though I have a tricked out 10/22 I grab my lever action Marlin more often. The Ruger is just something I did out of curiosity. It shoot's under ½ at 50 yards, but so does my son's 980. About the only thing left that is Ruger is the action housing and the magazine. Everything else is Volquartsen. If you don't customize it, it doesn't even begin to compare to the Marlin in accuracy or reliability.


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## usmarine0352 (Nov 26, 2005)

I think Plainsman has a good point. Starting out with a single shot bolt action or break open action is a good idea. I started out with a single shot "Chipmunk".

However, if your going to be shooting alot and can only afford one rifle, then something like a Ruger 77/22 is a great choice.

It is single shot, but it still holds 10 rounds. I have about 10 Ruger rotary magazines and have NEVER had any problems with them. I have also put thousands of rounds thru them. So I don't know what to say about all the people who have had problems. If you take care of your equipment, it will take care of you.

If you read above, I didn't say that single stack magazines are unreliable. I said that they are "hard to load".

I just don't like hard to load magazines. And like I said, I've had 100% reliability with many Ruger magazines.

Their easy to load, reliable, why change?

:sniper:


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

usmarine0352

The Ruger has a spring in the rotary magazine the same as an inline. It's just weaker and I have had them jam more than others. If you dismantle the Ruger rotary magazine you can increase the tension on the spring. I take mine apart and nearly double the tension. I would rather have more resistance while loading and have good reliability.

If you think about it there is more resistance pushing a cartridge against the side of the clip in a curved path than there is a straight line. The rotary magazine is nice in that it doesn't protrude, and that is it's purpose.

Even though I own a very custom 10/22 I prefer a bolt action and a tubular magazine. I prefer a well placed first shot over relying on a hail of bullets to take my quarry. Don't get me wrong 10/22's are fun rifles. Bolt action accurate rifles simply better fit my style. We all have different ideas, or they would only make one model of rifle.


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## People (Jan 17, 2005)

With the 10/22 if you are having bad luck with your 10rd mag get a new one and toss your old one. On mine I have put thousands of rds threw it and never had any problems. My friend has only two of the factory mags and also has put thousands of rds threw them and also has had no problems except with certain types of ammo. My Grandpa bought one way back in the day and only has one mag for it. All of his kids (6) and all of us grandkids (13) plus the adopted kids (4) learned to shoot on that one single gun. Over the decades I would say well over 100,000 have been shot threw that gun. It is still shooting strong and he and I will take our 10/22 out squirrel hunting. Granted I use 25rd hotlips mags now(because I can). He never has any problems with his gun. He said he never took his mag apart or sprayed any thing in to it. The only cleaning he has ever done was to use a Q-tip used to reach in as far as you can and take out what gunk you can get.

EDIT I got off subject.

When you are buying your first 22 you should learn on a non semi-automatic. The reason for this is you are more likly to actually aim and put the one round where you want it and not just spray and pray. I have used my share of right handed guns bolt and lever. I find my self trying to work the action fast to make sure I have a second shot if I need it. This was causing me to rush the shot also. That is why I have went to semi guns. All I have to do is aim and work the trigger the gun does the rest. Your results may very.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

I agree about starting with a non semi auto.

I have had three 10/22's. Currently I have five clips for my 10/22 and I must clean them every 30 or 40 rounds. The hot lips (plastic lip) I have is real bad, but the steel lips work much better. Better than the factory Ruger actually.

Maybe my current rifle is spitting to much gunk into the clip. They sure carbon up fast. I have totally dismantled and cleaned them only to get 30 or 40 rounds before cartridges fail to come up. Pull the clip and rap on it,and pop, up comes the cartridge. It was doing that with the factory barrel and the new Volquartsen. Sorry for getting off subject, but maybe someone has some ideas. I try the clip dry, and with slight lubricant.


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## BigTex93 (Apr 21, 2007)

Im looking at a pretty sweet Marlin .22, i think i like it better than the 10/22 Ruger Rifle. How often do you guys clean your rifles?


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## People (Jan 17, 2005)

I never clean my tube on my 10/22. I pull the bolt back and wipe out the crud you can reach from the mag well oil then work the bolt to bring some of the crud forward then wipe it out. I then re-oil the heck out of it. I do this about every three hundred rounds. I will fully clean the action any where from 1,500 to 3,000 rds. I have 12 25rd hotlips mags and 1 25rd of the metal ones. I shoot the cheapest stuff wall-mart has that is the win super x stuff. This works very well for me.

The summer before I went in to the Marine Corps I shot a whole case threw this 22 using my 10rd mags the only time I had a problem was one day where I had probably shot (I am just guessing here) 1,500 rds and the gun was so dirty that it was a slugish bolt that caused a FTF. I wiped out the action with a rag and re-oiled and I was back in business. I can not see how I got a super gun.


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## goatspeed (Apr 9, 2007)

Find yourself a nice single shot .22. I learned on a single shot bolt when I was a kiddie and it taught me patience and waiting for the right shot. Savage makes a single shot bolt that I know of that can be had for $150 bucks. You have all the time and higher calibers in the world to get bigger caliber multi round various action guns, but IMO a good old single shot sniper 22 is the way to go.


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## usmarine0352 (Nov 26, 2005)

Once I graduated up to buying my own rifles, this is one of the first ones I bought.










It is nice, b/c it is "single-shot" per se.....but you can easily transition to multi-shot when you want it to.

When I first had it, my father made me load it with only one round.

(He also did the same thing with his Ruger 10/22 when I learned to shoot it.)

So I used it like a single shot.

The only add-ons are a Leupold Vari-X II 2X7 scope and a Dayton Traister trigger.

This is a great shooting gun. And I really like it. We have a 10/22 in our family, but this is the one I always reach for.

You can always use a gun as a single shot. Just by loading it so. Then transition to the full use of the rifle when you want, and only buy one rifle.

:sniper:


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## Bore.224 (Mar 23, 2005)

Bigtex93 you have got some good advice here so I will throw a twist in here.

Look for a Stevens bolt action rifle and look into the .223 Remington caliber "it's a centerfire" very simular to the cartridge the m-16 rifle fires. With such a rifle you can do anything a 22 rimfire can do and much more the only downside is the price of ammo. Also invest if you can in a decent scope 3x9-40mm should do it.

With such a rifle picking off groundhogs at 300 meters with a little practice is very possible and more fun than you can imagine


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## BigTex93 (Apr 21, 2007)

Is this gun long/big enough for a 5'7'' guy, that is still growing? or should it be bigger?
If so, how long?


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## usmarine0352 (Nov 26, 2005)

Which rifle are you talking about?

:sniper:


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## BigTex93 (Apr 21, 2007)

Oh, sorry i thought i put in the link

This one - http://www.ableammo.com/catalog/product ... s_id=96826


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## usmarine0352 (Nov 26, 2005)

Should be fine. It's an adult rifle size.


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## BigTex93 (Apr 21, 2007)

Cool, thanks.


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