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Our Favorite Rimfire Rifles. Rimfire rifles have a special place in the hearts of many hunters and shooters. Here are some of our favorites.
Many of us came by our first rifles via a father, grandfather, or uncle, and most often in the form of a .22 LR. Perhaps the .17 HMR. For many, many years, the rimfire rifle has been a centerpiece in gun cabinets around the world. Young boys and girls have learned to not only shoot with one, but also the basics of gun handling and firearm safety. For those youngsters who eventually got interested in hunting, the same rimfire rifle was probably along for their first trip into the squirrel woods.
Sometimes it’s hard to remember a better day at the range than running a few hundred rounds through a .22. With little noise and less recoil, you can shoot until your heart’s content; it’s a great stress reliever too. In the woods, you can pick off squirrels in tall oaks and not ruin the grandeur of a winter morning like you might with a shotgun. Rimfire rifles have a special place in the hearts of many hunters and shooters. Here are some of our favorites.
Ruger 10/22 Our Favorite Rimfire Rifles
When it comes to the order in which we’ve listed these rimfire rifles, TRACT co-founder Jon LaCorte wouldn’t have it any other way than with the Ruger 10/22 sitting atop the list. That’s because when it comes to a virtually fail-safe rimfire rifle, you can’t go wrong with this choice. It’s the perfect rifle for a youngster because it’s fairly lightweight, there aren’t too many moving parts, it’s extremely durable and ultimately, it’s not difficult to use.
Despite the thousands of rounds that JL has shot from this Deluxe Sporter model, the rifle remains a centerpiece in his gun safe. It now wears the 22 FIRE 3-9×40 BDC rimfire rifle scope. Oh, did we mention it was his first rifle?
Browning 22 Semi-Auto (SA-22)
Another solid repeater .22 rifle that we can’t overlook is the Browning SA-22. The Grade 1s with the original walnut stock and blued receiver and barrel are truly a works of art. This take-down design rifle, a brainchild of John Browning himself more than a hundred years ago, is known for its accuracy and reliability. Folks who’ve had an SA-22 in their families for a couple generations report very few problems with it. Unlike many repeaters, it kicks the spent shells out of the bottom of the rifle. So watch those wrists when you shoot by ensuring proper hand placement on the forend!
Henry Lever Action
This classic Western-style lever action in .22 caliber is one of the most popular rimfire rifles on the market today – Henry has sold more than a million. Mostly used with iron sights, it’s a great rifle for kids to learn with and adults to stay sharp. The latter also typically finds a bit of nostalgia in the lever-action rifle.
Henry still builds this rifle with an American walnut stock. And the action is so smooth it requires very little maintenance other than a bit of oil and bore cleaner here and there. So for a classic rifle that’s easy to handle, it’s hard to beat the Henry Lever Action .22.
Savage 93R17 GV Bolt-Action
We’d be remiss to not add a bolt-action rimfire rifle to the list. Not to mention a .17 HMR. The 93R17 GV, despite it’s boring name, is a very lively rifle. Savage’s proprietary AccuTrigger® helps shooters achieve a high level of accuracy. Other features include a walnut stock and five-round magazine that make for a speedy reload when you have two clips. And as for the price, you likely won’t find better.
The 93R17 GV is incredibly accurate up to 100-150 yards. So for either target shooting or hunting varmints that require a longer shot, this is an excellent option in the rimfire rifle category.
What is your favorite rimfire rifle? How did it help mold you as a shooter or hunter? Let us know if we missed any that you’d like to see on the list. You never know, we may just add it along with your rimfire rifle memory when we update this article!
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