good cheep .22

[cornfarmer]

Sounds like you got a good deal on the ruger.My opinion, if I was buying a rifle for zapping bunnies and had a $600 budget I would get a second hand .17HMR or .17Mach 2. Good for a couple of hundred metres atleast. But depends what your into. What ever you get you'll still have fun .

[rangimotors]

just to add, (again)
you can get that exact ruger package at gun city (check trademe listings) for 500.

[h8ruba]

haha ypu just seen that package on trademe..
and yea it is my first firearm. iv have slug guns etc but yea im wanting a bolt for the same exact reasons you pointed out but if i can get a good deal that is gonna save me alot on buying the other bits and peices i think i will get a semi just gonna have to show abit of self control

[Heath]

just load one and remove the mag. The load mag after firing and load one and remove mag. Like a single shot bolt action but different. (yeah I know that was double dutch but ya know what I mean)

[Nailz]

Yeah Im not so sure about the whole removing the mag thing, And self control can get pretty thin most of the time.
The ruger Is a fairly good choice in my humble opinion. When (IF) I ever replace my bolt action marlin 22 it will be back to a ruger 10/22. the only problem there is with these is that they dont cylce too well on some subsonic ammo.
As long as you find a brand that does cylce well, and you keep up the maintenace on it you should'nt have any problems.
Im pretty sure that i read that the 10/22 is the most favored semi auto 22 in N.Z. Good credentials in my books.

[h8ruba]

only problem i found with it by holding it is its a realy short stock and im quite a big guy so it feels rather unco to hold

[bigbear]

Over 1.5million rugers .22 sold there was a article in some hunting mag i read little while ago. This what i use and find it great. IF Iam possum shooting usally load a round and drop out the clip just to stop reload happening. alsum with the thirty shoot mag shooting goats

[tweake]

only problem i found with it by holding it is its a realy short stock and im quite a big guy so it feels rather unco to hold

forget the norinco's then. good for kids but way to small for me.

Over 1.5million rugers .22 sold there was a article in some hunting mag i read little while ago. This what i use and find it great. IF Iam possum shooting usally load a round and drop out the clip just to stop reload happening. alsum with the thirty shoot mag shooting goats

interestingly i think marlin rimfires out sells ruger rimfires but a decent margin. marlins over here are very under rated.

mmmmmm........30 round mag on semi = e-cat. (and some debate if they will even allow any e-cat rimfires)

[Nailz]

Naa thirty shot mags on 22s are legal......Till you get caught.

[tweake]

Naa thirty shot mags on 22s are legal......Till you get caught.

remember you only need to be in possession of it, not actually caught using it, to be done for it. loss of firearms, fines and loss of licence really sucks, all for the sake of carrying a spare mag. also loss of licence means you cannot own/use even an air gun including airsoft toys.

[mudgripz]

Had a well tricked out little norinco bolt action last year - very accurate indeed - in fact the most accurate .22 we've had and we've got several .22s - ruger semis etc. We sold it however - somewhat regretfully - because we never cured it's mag feed problems. Had the mag into gunsmith, lubed it, cleaned it, tweaked it regularly, exchanged it for several other new 5 and 10 shot mags but never fixed the feed problem. Works better with say 7 in a 9 shot mag or 3-4 rounds in a 5 shot mag. BUT - if you are shooting alot of bunnies in a night ( we shoot 100-300) - it was an absolute pain frequently unjamming mags in the dark. But if you are just popping a few rabbits or possums in an evening - it could be a very good option. Excellent barrels - based on Brno design - very accurate on the range. Trigger and safety can be done by any gunsmith.

[cornfarmer]

If your ruger stock is too short they make a rubber butt plate extension that makes them fit better.

[Poacher-HILUX]

go for the magtec package. A local pest controller mate of mine uses them and he fires 1000's of rounds and has had no problem. touching a norinco is like haveing a IFS surf over a beam axle hilux

[mudgripz]

Magtech is a copy of marlin made in Brazil? without all of the features, but should be good. After experimenting with several .22s for the sons, including the Norinco which was extremely accurate but did give jamming problems, we've settled on a couple of keepers now. One is a fully worked ruger semi 10/22 - though this still gives occasional mag feed problems due to blowback grit buildup in the action. The other 22 we will keep is better than the ruger semi, and this is the little ruger 10/22 model 96 lever action version. Superb little weapon - very quick - 1" groups for my 14 year old at 50m, and with no mag jamming at all as there is no blowback. Fairly rare but an excellent little rifle. No faults.

Will also buy something for myself shortly and after playing with some and doing a pile of website reading, am keen on a marlin - as recommended by many above. Known to be accurate and well made. Rather than the new synthetic stock models which can feel just too light, have my eye open for a wooded stock model 60 semi auto or 75c (the shortened carbine version). 15 shot tube mag which will deter some people but it's a matter of what you like.This model is the most popular 22 in history - 11 million made since 1960 - always gets good reviews and always accurate with the micro-groove barrel - so long as its not worn out.

So much aftermarket stuff available for developing the ruger make it a great proposition, but for the initial asking price the marlin is probably the better little shooter straight out of the box - before you work the action and trigger etc and spend the extra bucks on the ruger. I'd be interested to know the model codes for the marlin bolt action equivalents to the model 60-75 semi-auto if anyone knows them.

[tpft]

i bought a s/hand marlin semi the other day, constant jams until i stripped it and cleaned it.
still occasionally fails to pick up next round
as a .22 not that happy with it, accucarcy seems ok, but for some reason seems to have less put down power
then the stirling semi, i was using b4.
especailly i killed 3 of my sheep the other day, stirling they would stay down, marlin they all got up again!!!!
i was trying to be humane, next time i use knife
same as possums, wasn,t that happy with how it knocked em.
as well, i,m a big guy, marlin feels like a toy too hold. i,m not sure i will keep for long.

.17 fine for playing sniper but no knockdown and more wounded game

Have been using 35 grain .22, going too switch to 40grain ammo see if that helps much.

as for auto vs bolt, no question for the simple reason u don,t have to lose focus of the target, semi wins hands down.
maybe pump would be good too??
as for learning with semi?, teach em to treat any gun as loaded b4 they shoot, therefore no promblem

[tweake]

especailly i killed 3 of my sheep the other day, stirling they would stay down, marlin they all got up again!!!!

unless barrel is completely stuffed, or recoil/action spring is broken/weak there is no difference in power between the guns. it won't be a gun problem, more likly the differencecs in sights means you missed !

17's have an advantage safty wise, better accuracy, and better performance on small game (not recommended for use on larger animals). its a specialist varmint round not a general workhorse.

[mudgripz]

Agreed - can't see reason why the marlin would be down on power. Be an idea to put a few rounds through it and tweak the scope - there is up to 2" variation in grouping on the range with different makes and velocities of ammo and you could well be hitting bunnies off centre. White spirit is a good solvent and helps clean crap from the action and chamber and mags.

We use alot of CCI minimag 36gr hollows which stop bunnies quite well - or you could try winchester Powerpoints at 40gr for a little more punch. Another round we're experimenting with is Aguila - about 36gr hollows. Made in Mexico but with Eley plant and specs - and Eley have made good target and trapshooting ammo for decades. About 1280fps for the round and doing well for us - about the same as the CCI. BUT its cheap at round $50 retail for a 500 brick - cheaper on occasional specials e.g at Smith City etc. Also its not a greasy oily round which may slow the grit buildup with semis.

The 17HMR and M2 are amazing little rounds but if you are shooting alot of bunnies each outing - they get very expensive to use. I note the 17M2 is going out of production with several manufacturers and some shops don't stock the ammo anymore - so could end up a bit of an orphan calibre before long.

[tpft]

nah scope was new, and i sighted it b4 shooting, and checked it at close range stuff b4 knocking down the sheep,
its supposed to be illegal now to slit sheep throats apprently.
barrels fine, confident they were all brain shots and at close range it should have put them down.
I,ve even one shot kills with subbie,s so it had me scratching my head a bit. especailly when the first one got up again.
(i spent 8years freezing works on kill floor with deer so pretty sure i can scope the brain ok)
used cross bow b4 and they really stay down then with a head shot, expensive though as the bolt usually bends.

Anyway not good with handreared lifestyle block sheep with the kids watching

I,ve done a lot of home kills too and put down a lot bigger animals with a .22 though used a 222 a lot too.

don,t know yet, got a couple more to do, use the 40gr ammo and hopefully just pissweak bullets

p.s nice little combo gun trade me moment!!
20guage/.22
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing ... =160688783

[basics]

its supposed to be illegal now to slit sheep throats apprently.

really? when did you hear that

The 17HMR and M2 are amazing little rounds but if you are shooting alot of bunnies each outing - they get very expensive to use.

every time i take my 17HMR out im imprest by it, x 2 on it been expenisive tho

[tweake]

nah scope was new, and i sighted it b4 shooting, and checked it at close range stuff b4 knocking down the sheep......

one common thing people forget is scope height. at close range you need to aim higher than where you want to hit, usually around 1.5". the two different guns could well have different scope heights which means you have to aim slighlty differently otherwise you won't hit where you want. if the new one has 2" height instead of 1.5" then at very close range it will shoot 0.5" out compared to the other.

...... note the 17M2 is going out of production with several manufacturers and some shops don't stock the ammo anymore - so could end up a bit of an orphan calibre before long.

a lot of semis had problems, mostly caused by users not cleaning barrels. manafactures have stopped production of those but bolt actions and lever actions are still in production. however you need to remember that compainies do production runs. the next run may not be untill next year. 22lr rifles are still the biggest seller and alwasy will be.

as far as stocking ammo......thats more down to the shops themselves or local demand. i've had great problems trying to find some centrefire ammo. some shops just refuse to stock anything but the most common rounds even tho the importers have the ammo. after getting run around by several auckland shops i went straight to the wholesaler (fancy a retailer not wanting my money !).
in the US there has been a problem with a lot of new rounds. shops are not interested so they don't get any or promote it, so people can't buy it and then shops say they won't bring it in because no one wants it

[tpft]

nah scope was new, and i sighted it b4 shooting, and checked it at close range stuff b4 knocking down the sheep......

one common thing people forget is scope height. at close range you need to aim higher than where you want to hit, usually around 1.5". the two different guns could well have different scope heights which means you have to aim slighlty differently otherwise you won't hit where you want. if the new one has 2" height instead of 1.5" then at very close range it will shoot 0.5" out compared to the other.

???
wot u on about willis??

bullets don,t travel flat..............
scope was "new"not from another gun, and i said i checked it at close range.
besides, u aim below where u want to shoot for close range.
and higher for long range.....................

i.e 12 guage slug aim like a metre abovge target at 100 yards
least i do, guess it depends wot distance gun was scoped in for.

anyway going shooting, another good thing with a semi, i,ll just keep pulling the goddam trigger till the bloody possums
to heavy to stay in the tree

[tweake]

nah scope was new, and i sighted it b4 shooting, and checked it at close range stuff b4 knocking down the sheep......

one common thing people forget is scope height. at close range you need to aim higher than where you want to hit, usually around 1.5". the two different guns could well have different scope heights which means you have to aim slighlty differently otherwise you won't hit where you want. if the new one has 2" height instead of 1.5" then at very close range it will shoot 0.5" out compared to the other.

???
wot u on about willis??

bullets don,t travel flat..............
scope was "new"not from another gun, and i said i checked it at close range.
besides, u aim below where u want to shoot for close range.
and higher for long range.....................

i.e 12 guage slug aim like a metre abovge target at 100 yards
least i do, guess it depends wot distance gun was scoped in for.

anyway going shooting, another good thing with a semi, i,ll just keep pulling the goddam trigger till the bloody possums
to heavy to stay in the tree

it hasn't got anything really to do with range the scope is sighted in for.

scope sits above the barrel, so you actually looking about 1.5" above the barrel. eg if you put a target (a cross on a bit of card) at the end of the barrel, see the target in the scope and shoot, you will find the bullet hit 1.5" under what you aimed at. thats simply due to the scope being above the barrell.
the further away you get from the rifle the less effect that has. eg if sighted in a 15m then its going hit where you aim not below it, however at 5 yards you will hit lower than where you aim.
just a quirk of having a scope. thats why you try to have the scope mounted as low as possible on a rimfire.
no doubt you have shot possums at under 5 yards before so you may have notice it hits a bit lower than exspected. if you have high rings a rifle its extremly noticeable, aim for head, hit it in the neck or even the chest.

anyway go blast those f#$%ing possums !

......just remember, more lead in the air means more risk of hitting something your not meant to hit and your responsible for each and every one. have fun, keep safe.

[mudgripz]

Must admit I am old school and one shot is meant to be one rabbit - and bolt or other mechanical action would be my first choice. However bought and tried one of the new Henry HOO1 levers recently and had real probs with it. Delightful action but sprayed rounds out to 3-4 inch circle benchresting from 50 yards after 5-6 shots. Bad news - barrel distortion with increasing heat.

Still looking at marlin 60 which is a semi of course, but a little 22 pump - I think miroku make one and there may be others - or a marlin bolt would be interesting also.

Have been caught out with short range scope/barrel prob too. Very easy to do..

[wildplumdx]

i vote norinco! i have a jw15 bolt action with silencer and its great for the price i paid 150 for it 2nd hand i think they make great cheap guns, i have 3 norincos and i find them to shot fine, altho a little heavy there good rifles.
also have a stirling semi auto biggest hunk of shit ever they have terriable bolt springs far too heavy for a .22 jams all the time, maybe its just mine....

[mudgripz]

Some people really like their stirlings but unfortunately alot have trouble with them - bit like the Remington 597. The jw15 norinco is known to be a very accurate and useful little rifle. Some others out there too which are good - Toz, marlin, savage etc.