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Ruger 10/22 or Savage Mk. II?

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9K views 24 replies 11 participants last post by  ponycar17 
#1 ·
Hey all,

I'm looking into getting a nice .22LR rifle for range use, as well as when I'm out in the woods camping or hunting. Really just for multi-purpose use. I'm torn between these two rifles. I really like the Savage Mk. II because it is bolt-action. Additionally, I found one that comes included with a scope.

From what I have seen, the 10/22 seems more well-rounded since it is semi-auto and there are those sweet 25 round magazines that can be bought for it. I haven't found one that comes with a scope but obviously you could pop a scope on there if need be.

I honestly don't have much experience with .22LRs or rifles, so I would appreciate the input!
 
#2 ·
I prefer the 10/22, for no particular reason. I own three .22 rifles, one old bolt action Mossberg and two Ruger 10/22s. I do like the 25 round magazines that you can get for them. I also like the fact that there are a bunch of aftermarket stuff you can get for them. The only aftermarket thing I have is a conversion barrel for .17Mach2, which I have on one of them.
 
#3 ·
Howdy,
I have both of those rifles. The Savage is very accurate. I have a Nikon 3X7 P-22 scope on it. It has the adjustable trigger and is really accurate. I also have a pair of Ruger 10-22 rifles. One of them is on a tactical stock and has a red dot sight. The other one is a take down model. Both are fun and accurate also. My only warning about the Rugers is that they are addictive with a multitude of accessories that you can add to them. Both the Savage and the Ruger are great. I think I would go by price. They are both winners. Have a goodun!
 
#4 ·
Thanks for the replies. One of the things I was thinking about was the 10/22 models that come with the pistol grip. Is this removable or permanent? I see the Savage as a more dedicated "long range" rifle, whereas the 10/22 with pistol grip and 25 round magazine can switch between longer and shorter uses.
 
#5 ·
Thanks for the replies. One of the things I was thinking about was the 10/22 models that come with the pistol grip. Is this removable or permanent? I see the Savage as a more dedicated "long range" rifle, whereas the 10/22 with pistol grip and 25 round magazine can switch between longer and shorter uses.
If you are talking about the Charger, I have never had the desire to own one, so I don't know.
 
#6 ·
Swampy you won't go wrong with either rifle as both are great buys. You can easily scope the Ruger if that is an issue. The only 10/22 that I am aware of that has a "pistol grip" is a Distributor Exclusive and is all dressed up in the "tactical" clothing. I am not into the tactical stuff but many people are. If you like the "tactical" look there are tons of aftermarket accessories to dress up a 10/22, pistol grip or not.

My choice is the Ruger 10/22 because it meets my range use. Being a semi auto you don't have to manually load and cock for the next shot. I do a lot of 50 and 100 yard shooting at very small reactive targets. With the semi auto you don't have to lose your sight picture or move you body, just line up the sights and pull the trigger. Every time I switch over to a bolt gun and am always forgetting to load the next round and get frustrated in losing my sight picture to do the manual load and waste the time it takes. But this is just the way I enjoy most of my .22lr shooting. If fast follow up shots are not a priority then the bolt gun is fine. But if you like the tactical and that 25 round mag and spray and pray shooting then you will need the semi auto and lots of ammo.

Decide how you would like to use the rifle most of the time and get the one that fits that type of shooting.

Pictured is a typical evolution for us at the range. One inch blocks at 50 yards. How fast can you clean the rack? See why I use the semi auto. Got all the time in the world and the bolt gun will clean that rack too.
 

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#7 ·
Swampy you won't go wrong with either rifle as both are great buys. You can easily scope the Ruger if that is an issue. The only 10/22 that I am aware of that has a "pistol grip" is a Distributor Exclusive and is all dressed up in the "tactical" clothing. I am not into the tactical stuff but many people are. If you like the "tactical" look there are tons of aftermarket accessories to dress up a 10/22, pistol grip or not.

My choice is the Ruger 10/22 because it meets my range use. Being a semi auto you don't have to manually load and cock for the next shot. I do a lot of 50 and 100 yard shooting at very small reactive targets. With the semi auto you don't have to lose your sight picture or move you body, just line up the sights and pull the trigger. Every time I switch over to a bolt gun and am always forgetting to load the next round and get frustrated in losing my sight picture to do the manual load and waste the time it takes. But this is just the way I enjoy most of my .22lr shooting. If fast follow up shots are not a priority then the bolt gun is fine. But if you like the tactical and that 25 round mag and spray and pray shooting then you will need the semi auto and lots of ammo.

Decide how you would like to use the rifle most of the time and get the one that fits that type of shooting.

Pictured is a typical evolution for us at the range. One inch blocks at 50 yards. How fast can you clean the rack? See why I use the semi auto. Got all the time in the world and the bolt gun will clean that rack too.
Most of the time I will likely be taking it to and from the range, on occasion I will bring it with me for fishing/hunting/camping. I don't mind the bolt action, I actually like it, but I also agree that the 10/22 is more versatile due to the 25 round magazine and more aftermarket accessories.
 
#8 · (Edited)
Hey all,

I'm looking into getting a nice .22LR rifle for range use, as well as when I'm out in the woods camping or hunting. Really just for multi-purpose use. I'm torn between these two rifles. I really like the Savage Mk. II because it is bolt-action. Additionally, I found one that comes included with a scope.

From what I have seen, the 10/22 seems more well-rounded since it is semi-auto and there are those sweet 25 round magazines that can be bought for it. I haven't found one that comes with a scope but obviously you could pop a scope on there if need be.

I honestly don't have much experience with .22LRs or rifles, so I would appreciate the input!
Then I will highly recommend that you buy the Savage bolt action.

The combo deal, (rifle and scope together) doesn't have open sights on the rifle so I would say to skip that and buy a Savage with open sights and add a scope later.

You will then have the open sights which in my opinion should be learned on a rifle before using a scope. You can't add the open sights later since the barrel won't have the necessary attachments but you can add a scope easily to a rifle that comes with open sights.

Adding the scope later will also allow you to pick what scope you want rather than the low end scope that comes with a combo.

This one would be a good choice;

Mark II F


You can add a 1022 to your gun collection later, they are great guns and also one that you spends a pile of money on too. But I think right now a bolt action is a better gun to learn to shoot a rifle over any semi auto. You will learn to shoot rather than blast. Add in the fact that 22 ammo isn't always easy to find right now and it's expensive, another good reason to shoot a bolt.

Good luck and if you need any help this forum is full of guys and gals that love help out. :cool:

Here's a Mark II of mine, it's a 17Mach2 caliber and very accurate. You can do some customization with them also.
 
#9 ·
Buy both. My son has both. I have the 10-22 and an old Mossberg bolt. My sons savage is the most accurate of the batch. The 10-22 will keep up with the savage up to 50 yards but thats when the savage shines.
 
#10 ·
I would also seriously consider the Marlin XT-22 series, I have both the Savage and Marlin, I believe the Marlin has a slight edge over the Savage, both are equally accurate, but the Marlin has a much better (adult size) stock design on their composite models, nice wide forearm and comfortable palm swell.

I also have the Marlin in 22 Mag (below), with a real walnut stock, an excellent firearm.
 

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#11 ·
i would buy the savage first,,main reason being with what is available for ammo,, the bolt will eat anything the ruger can be a bit picky at times,, and will not function with lower velocity ammo,,it can be manually cycled but have had misfeeds doing this,, the bolt doesnt care,it will eat shorts,, long and long rifle, and even bird shot,, and with a scope sounds like a much better deal to me
 
#12 ·
Thanks for the input everyone. I think this is one of those scenarios where I will get both eventually. Quick question about threading. I am looking at some Savage models that have longer barrels and iron sights, but aren't listed as having "threading". Likewise, the rifles that do have threading have shorter barrels and no iron sights (also more expensive).

Can someone explain what this means, and which model is more preferable?
 
#13 ·
Thanks for the input everyone. I think this is one of those scenarios where I will get both eventually. Quick question about threading. I am looking at some Savage models that have longer barrels and iron sights, but aren't listed as having "threading". Likewise, the rifles that do have threading have shorter barrels and no iron sights (also more expensive).

Can someone explain what this means, and which model is more preferable?
The Savage MKII F I posted above comes "threaded" meaning the receiver is drilled and tapped for scope bases to allow mounting of a scope.

What model were you looking at?
 
#14 ·
Another rifle you might consider is a CZ 512 semi-auto or a CZ 455 bolt action. I have a Marlin 60, Ruger 10/22, and a CZ 455 Lux. The 455 is a beautiful rifle and very accurate. I really like all of them, but the CZ is my favorite when I shoot in competition. I put a Nikon 3-9X50mm rimfire scope on it and and my 10/22 and the CZ shoots better groups consistently.

http://www.cz-usa.com/products/view/455lux/
 
#16 ·
I've been shooting .22 rifles for almost sixty years and have owned almost every brand that was made except some of the uber expensive and I've never had one I didn't like. From the cheapest single shot to a Winchester model 93 I liked them all. So I'm sure you will like what ever you end up with.
 
#18 ·
Gotcha. I'm leaning toward the Savage Mark II F at this point, but just figure I would check again if anyone had any other suggestions or preferences. In terms of how it will be used, for now I will primarily be using whatever 22 rifle I get for shooting at the range, but on occasion when I make it out to do some hunting, camping or fishing I plan on using it for general woodland defense and nabbing the occasional small game. I like the bolt action, but semi auto can be useful for faster target plinking on the range, however I have heard (and some of you have backed up) that the Savage is a bit more accurate than the 10/22.

Whichever rifle I go with, I'll get one with open sights and buy a scope later. Any suggestions on good scopes and other accessories?
 
#19 ·
Whichever rifle I go with, I'll get one with open sights and buy a scope later. Any suggestions on good scopes and other accessories?
I've got a non-Accutrigger Savage Mark II and a 10/22 that I've added a lot of goodies to, including the bull barrel. With that said, the Mark II is a heck of a gun. I've got mine set up for low-velocity Remingston .22 CBee ammo right now with a 3-9 x 32 scope on it. It hits the target reliably. The 10/22 is an awesome rifle as well but I wasn't happy with it in factory form. It's a disease... You'll dump money into a 10/22 like water on a raging fire. ;)

Whatever you do though, purchase a scope with either an adjustable parallax setting or fixed parallax at 50 yards. Most rifle scopes for centerfire guns have a fixed parallax setting past 100 yards. These ARE NOT reliably accurate on a short range .22 LR. I learned the hard way. Every time you lift your cheek from the stock and take another shot your point of aim is going to lie to you through a 100 yard parallax free scope at 25-50 yard .22 LR ranges.
 
#20 ·
#22 ·
Another good thing about the CZ 452 and the 455's is that you can have a VERY good trigger for pennies.
 
#23 ·
I appreciate the continuing replies everyone, its great to see a community that is passionate like this! I'm sure the CZ's are excellent guns, a bit out of my price range though for now. Recently bought 2 handguns, and am looking for a good-yet-cheap .22LR to practice marksmanship with at the range and also take out the occasional small game. Eventually I'll save up for a big-boy rifle where I'll drop more $$$ but for now, I'm focusing on either the Savage Mark II or the 10/22 which are easy on the wallet and will leave me with some wiggle room for buying a scope, an extra mag or two, range bag and possibly a flash suppressor.
 
#24 ·
I think I'm going to go with the Savage Mark II F. The 10/22 is definitely on my wish list but bolt-action is probably better to start with to practice marksmanship/accuracy. Does anyone have recommendations for a good .22 scope? Most of the ones I have seen require rail systems and the F doesn't have one. Also something with either an adjustable parallax or set for 50-100 yards.
 
#25 · (Edited)
FLSwampy, some might look down on them but I like the BSA adjustable objective scopes for parallax correction. I've never tried any specifically tailored for the .22 LR, but they do offer the "Sweet .22" series. No, BSAs definitely aren't top-of-the-line scopes but they work well for the rimfire cartridges in my experience. I also have BSA scopes on my .270, .17 HMR and 5.56 AR.
 
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