Advise me on .22LR take-down rifles

[Longwalkhome]

The Henry is about $240.

 

[coop44]

Browning 22 Semi-Auto rifle - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

107 'years later still going strong

 

[titsonritz]

Echoing Andy, but at Ruger...

If you buy a Ruger 10-22 and loosen 1 screw, it comes apart into a stock piece and a receiver/barrel piece.
Especially with iron sights, this is a pretty small bundle.

I've owned and seen .22 survival takedowns that were actually smaller,
but they were only like 2" smaller, and nowhere near as accurate or reliable as a tuned-up 10-22.

2 cents.

The issue there is you have to be extra careful not to lose the bolt stop and FCG pins.

 

[Vorpalis]

These are great questions that help point my thinking in the right direction!

Most my use will be plinking in the woods or at a range. Wanting a takedown is about being able to toss it in my backpack and hike-in somewhere. I can see occasionally using it for pest control, too.

In response to @Knobgoblin, I would rank those priorities: portability, accuracy, reliability, weight, parts availability, mag capacity. Bonus points if it's semi-auto, and having a 1913 rail for a scope or red dot.

 

[titsonritz]

Don't do that with replacing the pins with Tandemkross upgrades. And a nylon bolt buffer too.
Losing ruger assembly pins is inevitable in the best of circumstances.

Beat me to it.

 

[Knobgoblin]

Your stated top 3 are portability, accuracy and reliability.

You really aren't in need of a take down.
Lightweight folding stock is way more practical and the few inches of barrel length aren't going to be noticeable in a backpack or scabbard.
If you really want to maximize the "short " factor, SBR it. I understand that fascination with the take down concept, but it's just another short list of possible problems. I have owned and shot a few takedown 22s , and I rarely reach for one by choice right now.

 

[titsonritz]

Having made the decision (or not yet it seems?) to acquire a takedown .22 (for whatever purpose), you need to decide whether or not you are EVER going to consider putting a scope on it.

The issue here is that with a few exceptions, the takedown offerings have their optics mounting locations (be it a 3/8 dovetail or screw holes for a base) on the receiver. Your careful sighting-in session is only valid for the time period the gun remains assembled. Take it down, put it back together and chances are greater than not, a different point of impact will result.

Ruger claimed to have this whipped with their "locking ring". Honestly critical objective tests showed otherwise. One of the early U-Tubers that was enthusiastic about the gun artfully dodged a true test of disassembly and repeatability, still claiming to have "put it through its paces".

Of course, iron sights (buckhorn and bead) both mounted to the barrel (that stay with the barrel in take-down mode) suffer no such inconsistency.

I believe the current version of the AR7 actually has a peep on the receiver. The consistency/repeatability problem waiting to erupt again. My greatest complaint with that gun, however, is that the new version abandoned the design's BEST feature. The original version of the gun (assembled or taken down into its buttstock) FLOATED! Paint that baby orange and you could use it for a crab trap marker. The fabric case of the Marlin Papoose was promoted to have enough buoyancy to float with the gun inside.

The Marlin 39A does indeed takedown, as does the Winchester 62 in much the same fashion, but I would put them in a separate category I might call "break down" guns, with the distinction being when they are in two pieces, critical elements of the action are open, vulnerable, and require serious protection during the period of disassembly.

The Browning Automatic .22 solved the repeatability of optics problem by offering a "Cantilever Mount" which amounted (pun intended) to a "flyover bridge", with the attachment screws on the barrel, and a 3/8 dovetail rail extending rearward over the receiver. The scope and mount travel WITH THE BARREL in disassembly, thus requiring no sight-in when reassembled.

View attachment 1017941

Excellent post, can't disagree with anything there.

 

[titsonritz]

These are great questions that help point my thinking in the right direction!

Most my use will be plinking in the woods or at a range. Wanting a takedown is about being able to toss it in my backpack and hike-in somewhere. I can see occasionally using it for pest control, too.

In response to @Knobgoblin, I would rank those priorities: portability, accuracy, reliability, weight, parts availability, mag capacity. Bonus points if it's semi-auto, and having a 1913 rail for a scope or red dot.

Sounds like you need an AR, maybe AR pistol (but of course, they are trying to dick that up).

 

[RVTECH]

Wanting a takedown is about being able to toss it in my backpack and hike-in somewhere.

With regard to 'tossing it into your backpack' I have traveled many a mile backpacking and have NEVER considered any 'breakdown' rifle I would, in fact, breakdown and 'toss' into my backpack.

I currently own only two 'breakdown' rifles (a Marlin Golden 39A and a Ruger PCC) and would never breakdown either of them to pack. It would take some extra planning and dedicated 'packing' to keep the sections separate and not getting damaged.

I have sling carried rifles a lot while hiking and have strapped a Mod 94 onto a pack frame but packing a breakdown rifle doesn't seem too practical.

 

[jbett98]

How about an "Aimbrace" for a scoped pistol?

 

[Alexx1401]

The AR7 was a great idea, just most of them are very poorly made. Had a couple over the years that I gave up on. Wife bought one of the Ruger's Couple years ago and they are the way to go.

 

[flylo]

No one can think for themselves anymore. We don't know if they want a pump, semi auto, single shot, bolt action so everyone that answers will have his favorite. For hunting, targer shooting, plinking or shooting vermin.

 

[Hueco]

No one can think for themselves anymore. We don't know if they want a pump, semi auto, single shot, bolt action so everyone that answers will have his favorite. For hunting, targer shooting, plinking or shooting vermin.

Right? Those gorram kids these days, always asking advice on the internet and stirring up conversation when they look to learn something.

They should just go buy the second takedown rifle they see in the store, pinch their finger in the mechanism, never get it to shoot straight, swear up and down the countryside at the gun, before selling it off as "barely used" at the local gun club and then reminiscing about their trials and tribulations over a piss warm beer to who ever will listen…right?

Asking questions of other gun owners…millennials…bahumbug.

 

[Sawtooth58]

A Marlin 39A is hands down the best 22 cal take-down rifle you can own. There's a reason so many people, over several decades…not years or months, own one - or six.

 

[Sawtooth58]

Ps. It's good for everything. Varmits, tasty squirrel and rabbits, target shooting….plinking, etc. etc. It's also a perfect rifle to teach a young or old first time shooter with a high quality rifle that won't frustrate the shooter, and not break the bank with ammunition. Better go buy one quick, price goes up every year. Hopefully Ruger will start up production soon, but personally I'd look for an older JM.

 

[ilikegunspdx]

These are great questions that help point my thinking in the right direction!

Most my use will be plinking in the woods or at a range. Wanting a takedown is about being able to toss it in my backpack and hike-in somewhere. I can see occasionally using it for pest control, too.

In response to @Knobgoblin, I would rank those priorities: portability, accuracy, reliability, weight, parts availability, mag capacity. Bonus points if it's semi-auto, and having a 1913 rail for a scope or red dot.

FYI "in backpack" gives u tons more options than take down alone. Fe hk 416 .22 pistol with folder (or similar guns), or many diff guns if u convert to a folding stock. As a long barrel example here is an armscorp 18" bolt .22 with a folding stock added arisaka paratrooper style (just for fun). Fits in larger backpack which was my goal but could make it smaller if u put folding adapter in a different place (they r easy to install).

Another odd ball example just for fun is a coach gun. Will fit in regular size backpack and u can buy adapters to shoot most standard pistol cartridges in addition to 12 or 20 gauge (.22 adapter shown in pic below). So many diff guns nowadays that fit in a backpack, especially if u move to 9mm pistol caliber carbine type guns.

 

[Member 34319]

Most my use will be plinking in the woods or at a range.

With this stated I'd say stick to a non takedown model. You'll enjoy it a lot more in my opinion.

Wanting a takedown is about being able to toss it in my backpack and hike-in somewhere. I can see occasionally using it for pest control, too.

I personally only see the benefit of a takedown for emergencies. IE it is stored broken down in a get home bag, a locked container in the car, an airplane, spare rifle in a bug out bag. However, even at that, something like a Keltec Sub 2000 might fit the role better if it is for emergencies in an urban environment. You wouldn't go hunting with a takedown rifle? In some ways sure a break down 10-22 can fit many roles, but I think it would be best to consider the main reason you want it and the main thing it will be used for. If that's hiking, get the takedown, if it's plinking, get the regular rifle. If you only hike on occasion than suck it up and learn to hike with a regular rifle. If you hike all the time and worry that you will need something, and you hike more than you see yourself plinking, I'd say buy something that can be part of your hiking kit permanently.

Id almost recommend getting two guns at this point in the conversation.

A 10-22 for plinking and range time.

And an inexpensive survival type rifle like the the Chiappa Little Badger for hiking etc. That can be put in your hiking pack permanently and it's just part of your hiking gear.


Best luck deciding, sorry if I come of blunt about takedowns!

 

[ilikegunspdx]

Personally I wouldn't mess with takedown when u can just put a folding stock on a gun u like. Folding stocks massively reduce the carry size of a rifle and take about a second to make ready to fire from the shoulder. Fe here is a smith and Wesson m&P 15-22 pistol and rifle with folding stocks (brace if u do a pistol).

15-22s are extremely lightweight for an ar type gun and accept standard ar triggers so u can put a binary on it to shoot 600 rounds per minute. One of my top factors for hiking purposes would be weight.

These examples r from the internetland. The folding adapter in second photo costs $14. I have installed it on several guns including a Walther-made colt m4 22lr clone.

15-22 pistol:

15-22 rifle with folding stock:

Pic of my old colt brand 22lr m4 clone (handguard, sites, etc were modified) with folding adapter:

 

[titsonritz]

15-22 pistol:
View attachment 1018190

What is that drum?

 

[arisaka]

The most practical and versatile selection, if not the prettiest, is the 10/22 takedown.