Best 22LR Rifles for Plinkers, Hunters, and Survivalists [UPDATED]

No armory, arsenal, or collection is complete without some form of 22LR rifle. The venerable 22 Long Rifle earned its fame by being one of the smallest, most efficient cartridges known to man. It’s the most successful rimfire cartridge known to man and became super popular due to its affordable price point, its low recoil, minimal noise, and the fact it’s super fun to shoot.

22LR rifles are and always have been superbly popular and come in all shapes and sizes. You can find semi-auto rifles, bolt actions, lever actions, single shots, pump actions, and heck, even revolving cylinder actions. With so many rifles out there, it can be tough to find the right one for you.

The good news is I’m here today to show you the best 22LR rifles out there and to give you the best rifles for the specific categories 22LR rifles excel in.

The Little Plinker That Could

Way back when sodas only cost a nickel, the 22LR came to be. Building and improving upon the 22 Long, the 22LR came to be in 1884. Since then, the round has improved a bit, but ultimately it’s still a rimfire round designed for a few specific purposes. These days the round uses smokeless powder and modernized projectiles but still excels in a number of categories.

The little 22LR absolutely dominates the world of rimfire rifles. Newer, faster, and more effective cartridges exist, but they’ve never outclassed the 22LR. Reason being is while those new rounds deliver some serious potency, they can’t match the efficiency of the 22LR when you factor in ammo availability, useability, rifle selection, and of course, cost.

Why does the 22LR rule? Well, first off, it’s cheap, super cheap. Even the best 22LR rounds still cost a lot less than any centerfire ammunition. 22LR varies in quality and also varies in price, but it’s always cheap.

22LR rifles provide a very soft shooting experience. They deliver very soft recoil, very little concussion, and deliver excellent performance for the price and size. Even small children can handle the 22LR with ease. I’m betting most shooters who started as kids have stories about 22LR rifles as kids.

Some of my fondest memories are being a kid with a 22LR rifle putting holes in Coke cans under the watchful eye of my dad. The super-low recoil and low cost of ammunition made it an excellent option for new shooters.

Even shooters who begin as adults benefit greatly from a 22LR rifle. I taught a very nervous young lady basic shooting fundamentals with a 22LR, and after a few shots, her fears subsided. She expected it to be loud, to have excessive recoil, and to be hard to control. After her fears subsided, she became quite the shot.

The Realms of the 22LR Rifle

As a small-bore, lightweight projectile powered by a low powder charge, the 22LR is limited in its usefulness. It’s hardly the best option for self or home-defense. It doesn’t do well-hunting anything beyond small game and certainly won’t win long-distance awards.

Like anything, the 22LR excels in the roles that suit it, and it occupies a number of roles well. First, as mentioned, it’s perfect for training new shooters. It’s also very affordable, making it perfect for training and informal shooting. 22LR rifle competition presents one of the cheapest shooting sports out there.

It’s also capable of taking numerous small game critters. Squirrels, rabbits, and similar animals quickly become stews with a well-placed 22LR projectile. For pest removal, snake defense, and similar tasks, the little 22LR excels.

Lastly, for survival purposes, the 22LR rifle is an excellent choice. With rifles and ammo as light as this, it’s easy to put a rifle and 300 rounds of ammo in a backpack without adding a ton of weight. Plus, the 22LR cartridge works well for taking small games and even for some limited self-defense in the brush roles. When used correctly, the noise of a gunshot can be a signaling device.

Best 22LR Rifles by Category

Best 22LR Rifles by Category

Best Overall Ruger 10/22		Modular Reliable Jack of all trades	Check Price
Best Training S&W M&P 15-22		Replicates AR-15 Ergonomic Fun to shoot	Check Price
Best Hunting Tikka T1X		Extremely Accurate Lightweight Refined and well-made	Check Price
Best Fun Gun Henry Classic Lever		Cowboy style lever action Fun gun from the Wild West Accurate and reliable	Check Price
Best For Kids Ruger American Compact		Built-in irons Adjustable LOP Uses 10/22 Mags	Check Price
Best Survival Rifle Chiappa Little Badger		Folds in half As compact as it gets Fascinating design	Check Price
Best For Targets CZ 457 Varmint Precision Chassis		Extremely accurate Easy to adjust Modern handling	Check Price

Reviews of the Best 22LR Rifles

Now, that we’ve covered a list of the best 22LR rifles, I’m going to go in-depth on each one, their specifications and basically defend my choices for each one winning the category they got. Granted, these are my professional opinions and if you disagree, then make sure to leave a comment explaining your thoughts or observations.

Ruger 10/22 Review

There is no better example of the 22LR rifle than the famed Ruger 10/22. With over 7 million sold, the Ruger 10/22 sets the standard for semi-automatic 22LR rifles.

My own 10/22 has been kicking around for more than a decade and what has to be tens of thousands of rounds with no real issues.

It’s a superbly reliable action that eats through the cheapest of ammo types with little issue.

Ruger produces tons of different models, including a carbine, rifle, take-down models, and many more. Ruger produces a 10/22 for everyone and for every purpose. The Ruger 10/22 takes its place as the best overall because it can be used for essentially every purpose under the sun.

A Ruger 10/22’s capabilities include hunting, survival, plinking, target practice, pest control, and as a teaching rifle for new shooters. Ruger 10/22s can be dressed up and down to improve ergonomics, accuracy, and overall function.

The Ruger 10/22 offers you an affordable rifle that can fulfill the need of nearly any shooter. It might not be the top of the line or the best in any specific category, but it’s more than suitable in any 22LR rifle role.

Ruger 10/22 Pros and Cons

S&W M&P 15-22 Review

Let’s be real here, the vast majority of gun owners own some form of AR 15. Gun manufacturers pump AR 15s at an unbeatable rate, and the gun-buying public picks them up at nearly any price point.

With that in mind, 5.56 ammunition gets expensive. When it comes to training on the cheap, the 22LR provides a hefty source of ammunition at a low price point.

The S&W M&P 15-22 takes the standard AR 15 format and chambers it into 22 LR. A lot of AR 15 based 22LRs look like AR 15s but do not function as actual AR 15s. The M&P 15-22 effectively mocks up a AR 15 nearly perfectly.

This rifle provides shooters with a weapon perfect for training for reloads, malfunctions, accuracy, and drills on the cheap. Direct impingement is gone and replaced by a simple blowback system that functions well with 22LR ammunition. Everything from the magazine to the size of the rifle mocks the typical AR 15 design.

The biggest difference will be in recoil, muzzle rise, and the rifle’s weight. Other than that, the M&P 15-22 mocks a AR 15 perfectly and makes for an awesome training rifle and a very fun plinker.

S&W M&P 15-22 Pros and Concs

Tikka T1x Review

Tikka made a big name for themselves by producing high-end bolt action rifles enjoyed by hunters around the world.

As Tikka’s first 22 LR rifle, the T1X had one mighty expectation to live up to.

Luckily, the T1X lived up to the reputation of both Tikka and Finnish firearms designers with this superb rifle.

Like most Tikkas, the T1X excels in the accuracy and ergonomics department. Both quite critical when it comes to small game hunting. Tossing an optic on the T1X requires little effort, and once done, you have a powerful option for head-shotting squirrels, rabbits, and even coyotes. The bolt is smooth as butter, and the trigger delivers an extremely satisfying experience.

The Tikka T1X also shaves off a good bit of weight. Hunting small game often requires lots of movement, and a light rifle ensures you can track tree rats all afternoon and not feel tired. When tracking those tree rats through the trees, the rifle’s lightweight design ensures you don’t start shaking due to muscle fatigue.

As far as bolt action rifles go, the Tikka T1X might be the most accurate out-of-the-box rifle for hunters.

Check out our full review on the Tikka T1x

Tikka T1x Pros and Cons

Henry Lever Action 22LR Review

If you don’t give a rush of dopamine every time, you work the lever of a lever-action rifle; I’m afraid you might hate joy.

There is something so fun about shooting lever-action rifles. Henry has been making my rimfire dreams come true for decades now with the Classic Lever Action design. And with over a million sold, I’m not the only one who loves the design.

Americans are born with a piece of inherent knowledge and adoration for lever-action rifles. Lever action rifles often shoot expensive calibers, like 45-70, so getting that dopamine hit is expensive. Or is it?

Working the lever of a 22LR delivers the same dopamine rush as a larger caliber. The Classic Lever Action design makes me wanna saddle up and play cowboy. It’s tons of fun, super accurate, and easy to shoot. It’s a super simple design that delivers not only a very fun but very capable rifle.

It’s fun to shoot but also effective for hunting, training new shooters, and any other tasks you need a 22LR for.

Henry Lever Action 22LR Pros and Cons

Ruger American Rimfire Compact Review

I chose the Ruger American Rimfire as the best kids rifle for several reasons.

For safety’s sake, I like starting new shooters on single-shot or manually operated weapons.

Manually operated weapons also tend to be more reliable while being very affordable. You can use the cheapest, crappiest ammo and still keep the gun running. The Ruger American Rimfire also uses 10/22 magazines, so they are available everywhere at all price points.

Ruger’s compact variant utilizes iron sights that are open and easy to shoot with. Ruger wisely designed the rifle with a short youth-sized length of pull, and the gun weighs a mere 5.3 pounds.

Kids get interchangeable stock modules that allow you to extend the LOP as the shooter grows. Accuracy is tough to beat when you combine a great bedding, a cold hammer-forged barrel, and an adjustable trigger. You’ll have young shooters popping tin cans, steel targets, and more before you know it.

Ruger American Rimfire Compact Pros and Cons

Chiappa Little Badger Review

Survival rifles come in numerous shapes and sizes with a wide variety of different roles.

For off-road trucking, ATVing, mountain biking, hiking, kayaking, and more, a folding 22LR can be quite valuable. The Chiappa Little Badger is perfect for survival use and delivers shooters an incredibly compact folding rifle that folds in half.

The Chiappa Little Badger is extremely cheap and perfect for stashing for emergencies. This single shot, hammer-fired rifle delivers surprising performance. The peep sights are a nice touch, the quad rail allows for optics and accessories, and the threaded barrel is perfect for a suppressor.

The gun looks like a guy made it out of pipes in his garage, but it functions and does well. The Chiappa Little Badger delivers as compact a rifle as you can legally get. You can fold this light and thin rifle up and toss it in a backpack and forget about it till you need it. It’s not great for other tasks and can be outperformed by most rifles on this list.

However, they don’t get much smaller than this.

Chiappa Little Badger Pros and Cons

CZ 457 Varmint Precision Review

Someone once said, “CZ, you come for the handguns, but stay for the rifles.” That statement presents my exact experience with CZ.

Rifles like the CZ 457 Varmint Precision Chassis rifle provide you with one of the most modern and most accurate 22LR rifles out there.

The CZ 457 was already a winning design, but the addition of the Varmint Precision Chassis takes it above board.

This chassis allows you to customize the rifle’s stock for the individual user to a rather absurd degree. CZ used the famed Luth-AR stock that’s quite popular with the precision crowd. It might look heavy, but it’s honestly rather light. Not that it matters for most target shooters.

Featuring a buttery smooth bolt action and an adjustable trigger ensures you receive a high-quality experience with every shot. You’ll be producing teeny tiny groups with little effort, and if you’re not careful, the rifle will make your ego grow. CZ proved once more that they could keep pushing their designs forward.

Check out our full review of the CZ 457 Varmint Precision Chassis

CZ 457 Varmint Precision Pros and Cons

22LR Rifle Buyers Guide

Now you know all about 22LR rifles, and you hopefully have narrowed your options down based on use. I know it’s tough when many amazing 22LR rifles exist, so keep in mind you can always have more than one. This is America and all.

Now that you’ve chosen a 22LR rifle or are on your way to choosing a 22LR rifle, we have a little extra information for you. This will ensure your success with any 22LR rifle and make the ownership experience a good bit smoother.

ALL ABOUT 22LR AMMO

22LR utilizes a rimfire primer. Most modern cartridges use a centerfire primer that’s prominently placed in the center of the cartridge. Due to the small size of the 22LR’s case, centerfire isn’t possible, so it’s stuck with that rimfire system. Rimfire is old tech and was replaced by centerfire largely due to the unreliability of operation.

22LR often has a higher number of ‘duds’ than centerfire cartridges. You’ll have to expect a click when you should hear a bang. It’s the nature of the beast, and even the highest quality 22LR ammunition can present duds.

Speaking of, 22LR ammo varies widely in quality. Cheaper bulk ammo tends to be less reliable and more prone to duds, poor cartridge seating, lower accuracy potential, and often poor cycling in some semi-autos. 22LR ammo was not designed for semi-auto rifles, so it’s wise to look for ‘hot’ ammo to ensure the blowback actions function correctly.

Ammo liked Federal Automatch, CCI Stinger, CCI AR, Aguila Super Extra, and Eley High Velocity offer better performance at a minimal addition to recoil. Some high-quality ammo might not function well in semi-autos when it’s labeled subsonic.

These rounds keep the projectile’s speed below supersonic and eliminates the crack associated with supersonic rounds. Subsonic rounds are perfect when paired with a suppressor for the ultimate quiet rifle. They tend to work best in manually operated rifles.

When putting your 22LR rifle to the task of hunting, consider high-quality ammunition with a copper jacket and hollow point. This ammo is not only more reliable but penetrates deeper and expands to ensure a safe and humane kill.

THE MANY DIFFERENT 22 ROUNDS

Projectiles .22 inches in diameter tend to be quite popular, and in the rimfire world, we get four total 22 caliber rounds. We have the 22 Long Rifle, as mentioned extensively in this article, but also the 22 Long, the 22 Short, and 22 Magnum.

22 Long Rifle is not compatible with 22 Magnum, and the rounds won’t chamber or fit in most rifles and magazines. 22 Long and Short can be chambered and often fired safely in 22LR rifles. As always, refer to your manual to ensure compatibility. Be warned they won’t fit in most 22LR removable magazines.

In tube-fed rifles, using these shorter cartridges can grant you higher capacity but tend to underperform and be somewhat uncommon compared to the classic 22LR.

Other Things to Consider with your 22LR Rifle

Once you choose your 22 long rifle, there are a couple of things you should think about. First is getting an optic. They are incredibly affordable and can really improve your experience with your rifle. If you aren’t sure which one to get (because the needs of a 22LR are very different than other rifles), then be sure to check out my list of favorite 22lr scopes.

Also, if you do get a scope, it is really important that you look into how you choose to mount a scope. I made a mistake of using normal rings on my 10/22 ruger takedown, and this caused accuracy issues. This is because the barrel detaches and if you don’t attach the red dot to the barrel itself, every time you remove and attach the barrel, you’ll have to re-zero. So, if you get a scope, be sure to check out my list of 22lr scope mounts. That should really help.

So, What’s the Best 22LR Rifle?

I can’t describe sufficiently how much fun a 22LR rifle is. As I write, this ammo is tough to obtain, yet my stash of 22LR keeps me entertained without worry. I own several 22LR rifles and will likely own several more. Having a 22LR in the armory means worry-free shooting that often remains unconstrained from financial burden.

Plus, we can’t forget their overall usefulness as training rifles, pest removal rifles, and the means in which I plan to obtain rabbit stew this fall.

What’s your favorite 22LR rifle? Let us know below.