Introducing the wife to .22 rifles…

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Aries

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I had a Ruger American in .22 mag for a while, and they are hard to beat for the money.

If you want to spend a little more, the CZ 457 (or if you find a used 455) are also really good. See @HoLeChit post above for more detail, I'll just agree with everything he said.

Riton scopes are good value, and have an excellent warranty.
 

Shinneryfarmer

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As far as new 22 rifles go I'm hard pressed to make a recommendation. I will say that a wood stocked 10/22 would give you a good practical platform with lots of upgrade options but something like a basic Henry H001 lever could add a bit of "fun" factor. Beyond that, hit the pawn shops and find a nice, pre-Remington, Marlin/Glenfield Model 60 or or 70.

I can't comment on the Ruger American 22s but I have the Ruger American Predator in .223 and I'm quite pleased with it.
I second the Marlin 60, have had one for 45 yrs. Otasco Diamond Jubilee. The first gun I bought from my working money. I could not give you a round count except in excess of 100k . It is not in pristine condition, rode behind the seat of my truck for 25yrs. That thing will still shoot a squirrels eye out at 40yds with iron sights. It will be restored eventually and be my last grandsons first 22lr he has got a few years to go.
 

MilitantBEEMER

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Some great advice above. I have a fondness for 22lr rifles as well. I love my 38 year old 10/22 with 30-50K rounds through it. Still shoots GREAT. I also love my single shot older Springfield 120a. I too have been considering the Wildcat or the Ruger American. Also wouldn’t mind a CZ or Bergara either. Lots to choose from, good luck.
 

PanhandleGlocker

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I thought about a 10/22 and I thought about a AR style/or conversion kit but she has a bad enough habit with the Glock 44 to go trigger happy and go rapid firing. Not a bad thing but I think it’s a bad habit..

I like the idea of a Henry. I kinda want one of those just for myself someday. I feel like a bolt action would be easier for her to operate and be safe with.

I’ll look into CZ. I’m pretty unfamiliar with anything CZ.
 

ttown

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My vote would be a Henry lever in .22lr, loading 22 rounds in a single shot gets boring. The Henry gives you the safety/accuracy of a bolt without reloading every 2 seconds JMO

a great semiautomatic choice is the 10/22.
 

HiredHand

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My advice would be to get a semi-auto. We all were or are still a little trigger happy. 22lr is still the cheapest thing out there to shoot and a lot of us obviously still enjoy shooting them. Just start buying it by the case and have fun. Eventually, she might slow down on her own or you could try introducing some skill oriented shooting like drills or shooting standards. Things that you have to slow down for or require limited round counts.
 

tynyphil

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My wife and I have 2 Ruger 10/22's different models. Mine has a heavier bull barrel, nice wood stock. Her's is a plastic/nylon with a laser. Both fun to shoot. I have a 40 year old Glenfield strapped to my ATV via saddle scabbard. These are all fun to shoot and reliable, but my favorite BY FAR is my Henry Small Game Carbine I picked up this year. Everyone needs a lever action.
 

Trung Si Ma

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Hopefully your wife is not left handed since that really narrows the bolt action field significantly.

I have gone to shooting .22LR exclusively and it is a very slippery slope indeed. You can go through your budget really quick.

If you are looking for something fun, it's hard to beat the good old 10-22. As has already been said, they are as customizable as an AR platform. The downside is you can't get a centerfire that matches the 10-22.

Do you have a specific centerfire in mind? Does that company make a rimfire version as a trainer?
 

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