Need help choosing a 22 mag for my son

vepr762

My 10 year old son has become very proficient with his CZ452, but wants something new. He is VERY recoil and noise sensitive, even with plugs and muffs on. I have a heavy barrel .223 on a bipod that he won't touch. He tried my Walther P22 and gave it back after firing 2 rounds. I don't want to make him "gun shy" or lose interest in shooting, so I need to be careful. He has shot a custom 10/22 and fell in love with semi-auto's. I didn't want him to have a semi-auto until he was proficient with a bolt action. He just completed his hunter safety course and wants to go out varmint hunting (Sage Rats in Oregon). I explained to him that he would need at least a 22 magnum and that it was no louder or had anymore recoil than using 22lr "Stingers." He said, "ok, I'm ready for a 22mag, but can it be a semi-auto?"

What are your suggestions? Are there any other semi-auto 22 mag choices, other than a Ruger 10/22 or a Remington 597? I thought about a .17HMR, but I can get Winchester X 22 mag rounds for .09 each.

Thanks

D@D

I have a Marlin 25MN very accurate I can put all 7 shots in the same hole a 50yds and it was only 179.00 brand new.

vepr762

Thanks D@D. I tried to explain the accuracy differences between bolt and semi-auto, but he has his heart set on a semi-auto. He sees how much fun I have with my Soviet collection.

Invicta

The Marlin 983S would be a good choice, it has a tubular magazine so you don't have to worry about broken clips or constant reloading. A lever action like the Ruger 96/22m would be a nice gun for a beginner. It's relatively small, reliable, and costs less than an autoloader.

Grasshopper

H&R made a 22 mag SEMI-AUTO, some years back, great guns to shoot, might check gunbroker to find one. Model 700? maybe.. nambu

Contender Man

Regardless of action type, if you know someone that has a 22 mag. arrange for your son to shoot it, that way you've got no suprises after youbuy whatever you settle on.

Pretty active market on 22's, including magnums ... so as an alternative to buying new, scope out the auctions, and if you have any gun shows in your area check them out as well.



If you only have time to do two things so-so, or one thing well ... do the one thing!

vepr762

Thanks for all the suggestions. There's a gun show in Portland later this month, so I can check things out. Do any of you have any experience or knowledge about the Remington 597? The heavy barreled version looked pretty good, but I know nothing about their performance.

Thanks.

allechalley

Just a suggestion of a Ruger 77 in .22 Hornet, but if semi auto .22 mag is the deal, I put a bid in for the Ruger 10/.22 mag as this has loads more things that can be done with it, change to heavy barrel, trigger, stock, ect. and also can be rebarrelled to .17HMR, if that wim strikes in the future. That, and it being a Ruger, it's been well designed and very popular. There may be stuff coming for the Remington but as yet I'm not versed up on it.

Salvage33

I have a 597 in 22LR..not in the magnum. I like it..had a bit of a problem early on..magazines would not feed properly..Remington had a bit of a problem there, but got it ironed out. Like the fit and feel of it, and mine shoots great, even with the cheap Bushnell 4x scope.

I do love my Marlin bolt action 22 Mag..with 2.5x6 on top of it!!!

John

A friend will post your bail. A good friend will be sitting next to you in the cell saying, "man that was fun!"

alaskanman

i am very fond of my marlin 83ts bolt action, it shoots great and holds 12 rounds in the tube. i did consider the semi-auto marlin 922 but am glad i got the 83.

www.alaskancampfire.com