8 Great 22 LR Rifles

Like most kids, my first gun was a 22 LR rifle. It was a single shot, had a heavy trigger, and accuracy was nothing stellar. However, when I was 8, my father gave me a Ruger 10/22 and my perspective changed immediately. I had no idea a .22 could shoot as well as that Ruger, and I still have that gun.

I’m always in the market for a new .22, and perhaps the dramatic difference in quality between my first and second guns has prompted me to seek out really good rimfire rifles ever since. Over the years I’ve had the opportunity to shoot many high-quality .22 rifles (and some that weren’t so good), and from that I’ve pared down the list of models to my favorites.

Kimber 82

Australian Jack Warne founded Kimber of Oregon in 1979, and one of the first products he offered was a rimfire rifle. Unlike inexpensive mass-produced guns of the time, his Kimber 82 was a beautiful gun with a crisp, clean trigger and a superb barrel built in Warne’s Clackamas, Oregon factory.

The Model 82 was a great rifle built with serious shooters in mind. It was never produced in large volumes, but these guns remain very popular among serious rimfire rifle collectors. I have a friend who uses his factory 82 to compete in rimfire competitions, and he continually places among the top shooters in each event.

Marlin 39

This updated version of the Marlin 1891 .22 lever-action officially arrived on the scene in 1921. It utilizes a tube-fed magazine and ejects spent cases from the side, allowing for the addition of receiver-mounted optics. To access the inner workings of the receiver, simply remove the large screw that holds the sideplate in place. The Marlin will operate with 22 LR, 22 Long, and 22 Short cartridges, and its accuracy and smooth, reliable operation certainly qualify it as one of the greatest .22s ever built. I have one that dates to the mid-twentieth century and that gun is exceptionally accurate, having accounted for a sizable portion of the small game I collected in my youth. The Marlin 39 is officially out of production, but now that Marlin is under the control of Ruger we may—hopefully—see this superb rimfire return to production.

Ruger 10/22

The 10/22 was developed by Bill Ruger in 1964 and has become the standard-bearer for .22 autoloading rifles. It features a simple, reliable blowback operating system and Ruger’s ingenious rotary magazine design that’s still in use. In 1987 John “Chief AJ” Huffer set a world record by shooting 40,060 2.5-inch wooden blocks out of the air using 18 Ruger 10/22s, a feat that speaks to the 10/22 accuracy and durability.

Today, there are a wide variety of factory 10/22 offerings from Ruger including target and takedown versions, and the 10/22 enjoys a robust list of aftermarket parts and accessories that allow owners to customize their guns. The 10/22 was one of the best rimfire rifles ever designed when it was launched in 1964, and no semiauto .22 has threatened its dominance for the last six decades.

Remington Nylon 66

In the 1950s, Remington Arms set out to identify a material that could replace traditional wood for rifle stocks, and Remington owner DuPont offered a solution with its Zytel Nylon 101 polymer. In 1959, Remington began offering its Nylon 66, a semiauto .22 with a plastic stock. The concept was rather radical at the time, but the 66 proved to be a reliable gun that stood up well to the elements and was less costly to produce than wood-stocked rifles. Weight was also reduced—down to around 4 pounds—and the Nylon 66 paved the way for other rifles to be produced with polymer stocks.

CZ 452/455/457

The CZ 452 was first offered in 1956, and since that time these rifles have earned a reputation for accuracy and reliability. The 452 was replaced by the 455 and, today, by the 457, but all these guns share similar DNA and offer a great combination of reliability, accuracy, and value.

Several models offer barrel interchangeability which allows owners to swap calibers, and today the 457 is considered one of the “it” competition guns in precision rimfire circles. It has been offered in a variety of finishes and multiple barrel lengths with or without iron sights, and it is still offered with both walnut and polymer stocks.

Marlin Model 60

The Marlin Model 60 was a semiauto .22 that offered a simple blowback design and featured a magazine tube located under the barrel. These guns were reliable, accurate, and affordable, which made them hugely popular with shooters. During its 60-year lifespan (1960 to 2020) more than 11 million Marlin Model 60s were sold, making this one of the most popular firearms of all time. With its Micro-Groove steel barrel, the Marlin was exceptionally accurate, and at just 5 ½ pounds, it was light enough to carry all day in the woods.

Ruger Precision Rimfire

In its infancy compared to other rifles on this list, the Ruger Precision Rimfire was introduced in 2018. However, it has done several things so well in its short lifespan that it deserves a nod. It utilizes the same action design as the Ruger American Rimfire, which is simple but reliable, and the cold hammer forged target barrel offers superb accuracy.

The real story here, though, is this rifle’s customizability. The stock is adjustable to fit most anyone, and the M-LOK compatible handguard allows the barrel to free float while allowing the owner to add bipods, slings, or whatever else they’d like. It utilizes Ruger’s rotary magazines and the barrels are interchangeable, and the included 30 MOA top rail makes this gun competition ready right out of the box.

*Rifle photos courtesy of Rock Island Armory