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.
