22 bolt or semi?

[run faster]

Well, with the newborn here, my wife was putting the pressure on to get rid of the xbox. very sad day, but i figured i shouldnt have anything that would take me away from the family or doing prepping (and if i didnt get rid of it before MW3 came out i would be screwed lol) soooo i traded it for a marlin 60 with a 4x. so far it seems to be pretty cool, pretty accurate and reliable im really liking the idea of 500 rnds for 20 bucks, now i can afford to actually get some trigger time where as the big boys just sit in the closet

[Blackhawk_tactical]

So I dont own a 22, Ive shot some though. Im looking to get something for small game in an emergency situation, I dont think a 30 cal would be good for getting meat off squirrels, however fun lol. So basically it needs to accurate and reliable and simple, to me that means bolt gun. It seems most of my friends semi 22s are always having problems, and thats not what I want in a bad situation. Are there reliable semis? Reliable magazines? Is a big part of it the ammo?

Thanks

I have a modified Ruger 10/22 Its the best out there. I fixed the trigger and mag drop. Also the BX-25 25 round mags are the best light weight and easy to use. And we should get together and start a Salt lake chapter. I Shoot at Lee Kays every Saturday morning. right off the RT201 and 5600 West SLC

[run faster]

So I dont own a 22, Ive shot some though. Im looking to get something for small game in an emergency situation, I dont think a 30 cal would be good for getting meat off squirrels, however fun lol. So basically it needs to accurate and reliable and simple, to me that means bolt gun. It seems most of my friends semi 22s are always having problems, and thats not what I want in a bad situation. Are there reliable semis? Reliable magazines? Is a big part of it the ammo?

Thanks

I have a modified Ruger 10/22 Its the best out there. I fixed the trigger and mag drop. Also the BX-25 25 round mags are the best light weight and easy to use. And we should get together and start a Salt lake chapter. I Shoot at Lee Kays every Saturday morning. right off the RT201 and 5600 West SLC

yeah i should probably fix that....im actually in richfield now. BUT i would still be down for some chapter stuff. before i was married and had a baby i was trying to organize stuff but not much happened. now theres just too much on my plate lol


heres the thread discussing a utah chapter

viewtopic.php?f=38&t=59247

[Blackhawk_tactical]

With Google Plus Hangouts it's okay if your far away

[Ruppism]

i have a springfield 84c- bolt action just got it about 4 days ago havent had a chance to put lead down range with it yet but iv hand fed about 1000 rounds through it with out and jams, and i picked it up for just 80.00

[TravisM.1]

Don't waste your time with a bolt action,

[Domino]

Definitely a semi-auto. Since the .22LR is such a small round you will want the ability for fast follow up shots to take game with some level of reliability. Plus the fact that the trajectory is like a rainbow from 50-150 yards, the light bullet is easily moved by wind, and its not reloadable are all factors that favor the semi over the bolt action. Just find the ammo that your gun likes and performs to your liking and stick with it, don't buy the cheap stuff and expect 100% reliability which is a mistake that MANY people make. I use CCI Mini-Mag 40g CPRN as an all-purpose round. Not only is it accurate out of my guns, but its 100% reliable and has good penetration which is important.

I'd go with the Marlin 795 or 70PSS as they are typically more accurate than the basic factory 10/22.

[Doctorr Fabulous]

I would say the most accurate one. If you're plann9ing on taking game/plinking, the first shot matters, and a fast follow-up is unlikely on small game, unless I just suck that bad. That said, make sure it's fun enough to shoot that you will shoot it often, and thereby practice with it. As cheap as the ammo is, you have no excuse not to.

[Domino]

I would say the most accurate one. If you're plann9ing on taking game/plinking, the first shot matters, and a fast follow-up is unlikely on small game, unless I just suck that bad. That said, make sure it's fun enough to shoot that you will shoot it often, and thereby practice with it. As cheap as the ammo is, you have no excuse not to.

You can get a semi-auto that is as accurate as a bolt action. Also, not all game just sits it one place offering an ideal shot.

[DarkAxel]

I would say the most accurate one. If you're plann9ing on taking game/plinking, the first shot matters, and a fast follow-up is unlikely on small game, unless I just suck that bad. That said, make sure it's fun enough to shoot that you will shoot it often, and thereby practice with it. As cheap as the ammo is, you have no excuse not to.

You can get a semi-auto that is as accurate as a bolt action. Also, not all game just sits it one place offering an ideal shot.

Sure, you can get semi autos that are as accurate as a bolty, but not for the same price. And trying to take fast followup shots on a running bunny is only going to get you expended rounds and no bunny. Hunting is about patience, not throwing lead downrange.

[azstinger]

While I have a Ruger 77/22 that will drive nails all day long, I do yearn for a 10/22 with its quick fire ability.

[KnightoftheRoc]

I would say the most accurate one. If you're plann9ing on taking game/plinking, the first shot matters, and a fast follow-up is unlikely on small game, unless I just suck that bad. That said, make sure it's fun enough to shoot that you will shoot it often, and thereby practice with it. As cheap as the ammo is, you have no excuse not to.

You can get a semi-auto that is as accurate as a bolt action. Also, not all game just sits it one place offering an ideal shot.

Sure, you can get semi autos that are as accurate as a bolty, but not for the same price. And trying to take fast followup shots on a running bunny is only going to get you expended rounds and no bunny. Hunting is about patience, not throwing lead downrange.

I keep getting the impression that people are confusing hunting with tactical practices- hunting should be more sniper (one shot, one kill), and less Fire Team Alpha suppressive fire. Those who are taking the 'shoot it all, I'll hit something' approach to hunting probably also fish with hand grenades- sure, both practices CAN bring you results, but those results will be "out of ammo" and "starvation" before too long. In short, yes, the ABILITY to take a quick follow up shot is nice, but the NEED TO shouldn't ever come up. Not if you know how to hunt.

[AKFTW]

I keep getting the impression that people are confusing hunting with tactical practices- hunting should be more sniper (one shot, one kill), and less Fire Team Alpha suppressive fire. Those who are taking the 'shoot it all, I'll hit something' approach to hunting probably also fish with hand grenades- sure, both practices CAN bring you results, but those results will be "out of ammo" and "starvation" before too long. In short, yes, the ABILITY to take a quick follow up shot is nice, but the NEED TO shouldn't ever come up. Not if you know how to hunt.

What, you don't hunt small game with a bounding overwatch? Find-Fix-Flank-Finish gets the squirrel every time

[CURLEY.FX4]

Semi without hesitation.

[Domino]

Sure, you can get semi autos that are as accurate as a bolty, but not for the same price. And trying to take fast followup shots on a running bunny is only going to get you expended rounds and no bunny. Hunting is about patience, not throwing lead downrange.

Eh, you can just get a 10/22 with a factory bull barrel and it will be plenty accurate. Not a huge expense, between $350-450. You are not talking about a huge difference in cost when the average Marlin and Savage bolt action run $2-300. As far as the fast follow up shot, I'd rather have it available than not as you never know when you might actually NEED it. Since the .22LR has virtually no recoil it is much easier to hit your target with a follow up shot than most centerfire rifle calibers.

http://www.gunblast.com/Ruger-1022Tactical.htm

I keep getting the impression that people are confusing hunting with tactical practices- hunting should be more sniper (one shot, one kill), and less Fire Team Alpha suppressive fire. Those who are taking the 'shoot it all, I'll hit something' approach to hunting probably also fish with hand grenades- sure, both practices CAN bring you results, but those results will be "out of ammo" and "starvation" before too long. In short, yes, the ABILITY to take a quick follow up shot is nice, but the NEED TO shouldn't ever come up. Not if you know how to hunt.

Again, its not about "suppresive fire" as you say, its about giving yourself the best possible chance of a successful kill. I see no reason to deny yourself the best capability if you are not sacrificing anything in return. In the case of a .22LR, you loose nothing from a semi-auto and gain everything. The .22LR is very cheap and is non-reloadable, why get a bolt action? From a prepping for SHTF standpoint, a lot of people would use a .22LR to supplement centerfire rifles for non-critical hunting. In that case, one might be inclined to take slightly larger game than what would normally be allowed by hunting laws. In that case, a follow up shot for the .22LR would make a whole lot of sense and could keep food in the pot. I am not advocating anything illegal here, I am just pointing out the necessity of appropiate prepping for the realities of serious SHTF situation. If I could only have one .22LR, it will be a semi-auto. YMMV...

[DarkAxel]

Sure, you can get semi autos that are as accurate as a bolty, but not for the same price. And trying to take fast followup shots on a running bunny is only going to get you expended rounds and no bunny. Hunting is about patience, not throwing lead downrange.

Eh, you can just get a 10/22 with a factory bull barrel and it will be plenty accurate. Not a huge expense, between $350-450. You are not talking about a huge difference in cost when the average Marlin and Savage bolt action run $2-300. As far as the fast follow up shot, I'd rather have it available than not as you never know when you might actually NEED it. Since the .22LR has virtually no recoil it is much easier to hit your target with a follow up shot than most centerfire rifle calibers.

http://www.gunblast.com/Ruger-1022Tactical.htm

Do you actually do any hunting or is this an academic thing for you? Not trying to belittle you or anything, but I'd like to know where you are coming from here.

I do hunt, frequently. And in all of my years of hunting, I've never seen anyone bring down prey with a fast follow-up shot. I have, however, seen plenty of folks empty their magazines or shoot their hunting dogs by accident, though. The prey is on the move too fast, and trying to get that follow-up shot is not only a waste of ammo, it's wildly unsafe. You may not be the only one hunting those woods, and once the prey starts moving, you can no longer be sure what is behind your target or exactly where your shot is going to go. And if a game warden comes across you blasting at target like that, your hunting is done.

Don't get me wrong here, there's nothing wrong with taking a 10/22 or a Marlin model 60 out on the hunt with you, but if you do much hunting at all, you'll find out you won't be bringing home any grub by taking "fast follow-up shots".

[Domino]

Sure, you can get semi autos that are as accurate as a bolty, but not for the same price. And trying to take fast followup shots on a running bunny is only going to get you expended rounds and no bunny. Hunting is about patience, not throwing lead downrange.

Eh, you can just get a 10/22 with a factory bull barrel and it will be plenty accurate. Not a huge expense, between $350-450. You are not talking about a huge difference in cost when the average Marlin and Savage bolt action run $2-300. As far as the fast follow up shot, I'd rather have it available than not as you never know when you might actually NEED it. Since the .22LR has virtually no recoil it is much easier to hit your target with a follow up shot than most centerfire rifle calibers.

http://www.gunblast.com/Ruger-1022Tactical.htm

Do you actually do any hunting or is this an academic thing for you? Not trying to belittle you or anything, but I'd like to know where you are coming from here.

I do hunt, frequently. And in all of my years of hunting, I've never seen anyone bring down prey with a fast follow-up shot. I have, however, seen plenty of folks empty their magazines or shoot their hunting dogs by accident, though. The prey is on the move too fast, and trying to get that follow-up shot is not only a waste of ammo, it's wildly unsafe. You may not be the only one hunting those woods, and once the prey starts moving, you can no longer be sure what is behind your target or exactly where your shot is going to go. And if a game warden comes across you blasting at target like that, your hunting is done.

Don't get me wrong here, there's nothing wrong with taking a 10/22 or a Marlin model 60 out on the hunt with you, but if you do much hunting at all, you'll find out you won't be bringing home any grub by taking "fast follow-up shots".

Yes I've hunted. Why is it that whenever you recommend a semi-auto because of its ability to shoot faster all the Fuds get the impression that you go out and blast up the country side missing the game and shooting your hunting dogs? The fact that you have a semi-auto does not take away from being able to take your time in order to get the shot off right. You keep repeating yourself and saying taking follow up shots on running animals is stupid. Ok I get that, but that's not necessarily what I am talking about. A fast follow up shot can be on an animal that isn't spooked after the first shot (like bunnies or squirrels) or an animal that was hit and needs another one to put it down for good (like a coyote). I'm not talking about a double tap. The simple fact is that it is easier to focus on the game with a semi rather than racking the bolt. But I digress because the real point of the matter is why the hell NOT get a semi-auto since it can do everything the bolt action can and do more? Besides the OP already seems to have made the right choice.

[DarkAxel]

But I digress because the real point of the matter is why the hell NOT get a semi-auto since it can do everything the
bolt action can and do more? Besides the OP already seems to have made the right choice.

To be honest, when hunting, bolty or semi isn't a question of right or wrong choice. Both of them are EQUALLY able to take game given the realities of hunting in this area, and in my experience, the semi's ability to shoot faster has been more of a negative when it comes to new hunters because they tend to choose them to make up for their lack of marksmanship skill. This is where I'm coming from.

If you are ever out this way and get the urge to put some meat in the pot, Look me up. I'll show you some good spots only the locals know about.

[KnightoftheRoc]

But I digress because the real point of the matter is why the hell NOT get a semi-auto since it can do everything the
bolt action can and do more? Besides the OP already seems to have made the right choice.

To be honest, when hunting, bolty or semi isn't a question of right or wrong choice. Both of them are EQUALLY able to take game given the realities of hunting in this area, and in my experience, the semi's ability to shoot faster has been more of a negative when it comes to new hunters because they tend to choose them to make up for their lack of marksmanship skill. This is where I'm coming from.

If you are ever out this way and get the urge to put some meat in the pot, Look me up. I'll show you some good spots only the locals know about.

This is pretty much what I meant- I'm not arguing for either- you use what you like, just as I will. But, I've hunted my entire adult life, and I've never seen a follow up shot take game, either. To me, the advantage of auto over bolt, for hunting, is not needing to re-load, or carry ammo loose in a pouch or pocket- the rifle's got it all in it. And, for me, I figure if I'm out of ammo in a semi, and still don't have my dinner, that day is a salad day. My luck isn't in for hunting.

[Kitten2-5]

IMO, the Ruger 10/22 and its high quality clones (Tactical Solutions, Volquartsen) Is the best .22 rimfire rifle on the market. A factory 10/22 is just as accurate as any comparatively priced bolt gun. As long as you use quality magazines, and wipe the gun down every few hundred rounds, they will function flawlessly. There is also nearly endless accessories, and options available for customizing the rifle exactly how you want it. I have two of them, one made by Ruger and the other made by Tactical Solutions. Both of them are nail drivers and can easily engage small game at 150m. I"ve put thousands of rounds through both, and never had a feeding or reliability issue with either.

Just my $0.02

[Domino]

This isn't a .22LR but this video is a very good example of responsible hunting with a semi-auto while taking advantage of its fast fire capability. This is what I've been talking about and you just can't do it with a bolt action. Kills start aroun 2:32...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJHjrLUU ... re=related

Its taken with a 6.8 @ about 30 yards with a digital night vision scope. I love the record capability of that thing!

[run faster]

This isn't a .22LR but this video is a very good example of responsible hunting with a semi-auto while taking advantage of its fast fire capability. This is what I've been talking about and you just can't do it with a bolt action. Kills start aroun 2:32...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJHjrLUU ... re=related

Its taken with a 6.8 @ about 30 yards with a digital night vision scope. I love the record capability of that thing!

that is so true, i cant believe i didnt think of that when people were saying you cant take follow up shots. Ive seen shows of 2 or 3 guys taking like 10 pigs in a matter of seconds

[Ye Olde Spook]

I would recommend an AR-7. Yes, it is more expensive and is magazine fed, but it breaks down easily and then can be stowed in your BOB. Dual purpose items rock since I will not bug out with three long guns (magnum rifle, 870, and a .22 of any flavor) strapped to my pack while holding an AR-15 and with a couple of handguns. That picture is UGLY.

My AR-7 is picky about ammo, so if you buy, try a couple of different brands. The aftermarket hi cap mags I bought suck. Waste of money.

Best,

Ye Olde Spook.

[KnightoftheRoc]

This isn't a .22LR but this video is a very good example of responsible hunting with a semi-auto while taking advantage of its fast fire capability. This is what I've been talking about and you just can't do it with a bolt action. Kills start aroun 2:32...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJHjrLUU ... re=related

Its taken with a 6.8 @ about 30 yards with a digital night vision scope. I love the record capability of that thing!

that is so true, i cant believe i didnt think of that when people were saying you cant take follow up shots. Ive seen shows of 2 or 3 guys taking like 10 pigs in a matter of seconds

Nice vid. We don't have wild pigs here, it was interesting to watch them.
However, when I refer to a follow up shot, I mean a second shot at the same animal. I think we just have a difference in definition here at fault. I guess I'd call that (in the video) "multiple shots"- it doesn't come up as an option hunting here in NY, where I live, you seldom have the opportunity, and your limited on how many dear you can take anyway. It's very seldom a single hunter gets his buck and his doe tag filled the same day like that.