Guns I Will Know and Love Part 1 - A 22 Rifle

Even though I've yet to own a gun, I've done a fair bit of shooting in a variety of calibers and sizes. I've had a lot of time to think about what I'll do once I begin to accumulate my own arsenal, and this series of posts are a discussion of my thought processes, my market research, and my goal to become a well-rounded gun owner.

Part One: A .22 Rifle

In the political world we live in, ammo is expensive and the masses stocking up in anticipation of a nationwide clampdown on firearms only makes it worse. The oasis of value in this chaotic sea is 22 Long Rifle. This little rimfire cartridge can be obtained by the gas can for pennies per round. A rifle or handgun that accepts this ammo means that you can have hours of fun at the range in a very economical way. There is very little recoil, meaning that one's stance and trigger pull habits can be built properly, without the detrimental effects of flinching. The lack of a big scary boom also means that it's more forgiving and fun for new shooters, as a .22 is still a bullet and can still put satisfying holes in paper, cans, and fruit. I wouldn't trust my life to it, of course (though back in February a Maine man inflicted a mortal wound on a home invader with a .22 pistol - always remember that this little thing can still do damage), but for range day, for introducing new shooters to the joy of firearms, and hopefully to pass along to my son or daughter one day, I want a .22 rifle.

Which kind? That's the tougher question. After a bit of research I found myself between the Ruger 10/22 and the Marlin 795 - both economical and reliable semi-automatic rifles. There are other .22 rifles, of course, by other manufacturers. A company called Henry makes lever-action rifles with a good reputation. Savage is where to go if you want a bolt-action .22. A lot of companies, big and small, make rifles in the AR-15 style that are chambered in .22LR, if you're willing to pay a premium for the ergonomics and seemingly infinite options for attachments and optics that come with that kind of firearm.

The Ruger 10/22 needs little in the way of introduction - it has been America's most popular .22 rifle since the 60s. Its reliability, ubiquity and wealth of aftermarket parts and accessories have given it a reputation as the "Honda Civic of rifles." You can get all manner of trigger adjustments, extended mags (for states that allow such a thing), and accessories for this rifle - even replacement stocks that make your rifle look like an HK G36 or AK47, with no gunsmithing required. The 10/22 comes in a wide range of models, with wood and synthetic stocks, different barrel lengths, and even a "takedown" model that easily separates and fits in a small backpack. The 10/22 has some downsides, though. First is the price. They seem to hover between the $200-$250 range, which is about $100 more than the 795. For that cost you're also getting a less accurate rifle out of the box. The multitude of aftermarket options indicate the other issue with the Ruger; the 10/22 can be an absolute beast, but you have to put a fair bit of time and parts into it. It is not only possible but quite easy to spend the equivalent of the cost of the rifle on aftermarket parts and accessories. The prevailing opinion is that if you want a rifle with plenty of options that you can mold into something new, get the Ruger. If you're going to leave your rifle alone for the most part and want something better out of the box (not to mention cheaper), get the Marlin.

The 795, made by the also-venerable Marlin company, is pretty similar to the 10/22 in looks and semiautomatic action. One difference is the magazine: the 795 stores its ammo in a conventional, rectangular 10-round magazine, unlike the 10/22s which come with a proprietary rotary magazine that fits flush inside the rifle. Also, unlike the Ruger, the 795's action will stay open after the last round in the mag is fired, meaning you are less likely to dry fire it accidentally (which can be an issue with some, though not all, rimfire weapons). It is cheaper than the Ruger, which means I'd have more money to spend on tech sights (replacement aperture/peep sights that apparently are nicer to use than the stock iron sights, a recommended upgrade for both of these rifles) and ammunition. Marlin apparently offers rebates throughout the year, and their rifles frequently go on sale at the big box retailers. As noted, however, the Marlin lags severely in aftermarket customization options. I don't have much of a desire to dress my gun up, but it would be nice to, for example, get a reliable and well-made 25-round magazine, which the 10/22 has in spades (there's even one made by Ruger, the BX-25) and the Marlin does not. Another possible downside is that Marlin's rifles haven't enjoyed the best reputation as of late, since Marlin was sold to another company. Some Marlin buyers, for example, report that the "dovetail" part of their 795's sights was crooked. Tech sights would remedy this, but this doesn't bode well for what I thought was the cheaper, yet better-out-of-the-box alternative to the Ruger.

Worth mentioning is the Marlin 60. It's also a .22 but rather than the detachable magazine, the ammunition is loaded into a tube under the barrel and is then stored internally. One advantage here is that you won't struggle to get that last round or two into the mag, but I have heard that the tube, due to its location, can get hot after you've been shooting for a while. When I took a trip to my local Bass Pro Shop to investigate my options, the gentleman behind the gun counter showed me this one first, since he preferred the tube to the magazine. He said his 60 was something like 39 years old, and proudly told me about his "jihad" (his words) against the raccoons on his farm. He had bagged 12 of them with his Marlin 60 - a mighty high endorsement.

In the end I think I'm going to go with the Marlin 795. It has cost on its side, I have little desire to tacticool it out beyond the tech sights, and it's more accurate out of the box. I also prefer a detachable magazine to a tube. It's unfortunate, however, that I won't be able to get a higher-capacity magazine easily. All I'll be able to do is hope that some 3rd party makes a reliable one eventually. Or just buy a 10/22 later.