Best .22 LR Rifle 2026: Plinking to Precision Ranked

Start with the job, not the brand. A .22 LR rifle that is perfect for high-volume plinking is the wrong tool for a precision league, and a 9-pound trainer that mirrors a centerfire bolt gun makes a miserable backpacking rifle. Four questions decide the buy: semi-auto or bolt, fixed or takedown, threaded or not, and what you already shoot.

Action: Semi-autos like the Ruger 10/22 and Marlin Model 60 are faster and more fun for plinking and cheaper to run a tin of bulk ammo through. Bolt guns like the Savage Mark II, Tikka T1x, and CZ 457 shoot tighter groups, run quieter suppressed, and waste less ammo teaching fundamentals.

Threads: A rimfire suppressor is one of the best upgrades a .22 can take, and several picks here ship with a factory 1/2x28 muzzle (Savage Mark II FV-SR, Tikka T1x, Bergara B-14R). The federal making and transfer tax on suppressors is now $0 and eForm approvals are running days, not months, so a can is far less of a commitment than it used to be. If quiet shooting matters, buy a threaded barrel from the start; see our .22 suppressor guide for hosts and cans.

Crossover training: If you already run a centerfire rifle, a rimfire trainer that shares its footprint pays for itself in ammo savings. The Tikka T1x mirrors the T3x, and the Bergara B-14R rides a Remington 700 footprint, so your trigger, chassis, and bag work transfers directly.

The best plinking .22 is the one that runs all day on the right bulk ammo and costs nothing to feed. The Ruger 10/22 wins this role outright: its rotary BX magazine sidesteps the rim-lock that jams stick mags, 10- and 25-round mags are everywhere and cheap, and the aftermarket is bottomless. Once you own one, the obvious next moves are a better trigger and a threaded barrel, both covered in our Ruger 10/22 upgrades guide.

The Marlin Model 60 is the value answer. Its 14-round tube is built into the rifle, so there are no magazines to lose or buy, and the Micro-Groove barrel has a sixty-year reputation for tight groups. The tradeoff is a slower reload and a non-threaded barrel, so it is a pure plinker rather than a suppressor host.

For a new shooter who wants to learn an AR-15 manual of arms, the Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22 Sport mirrors a real AR's controls, charging handle, and safety while running 25-round rimfire mags. It is the cheapest way to build centerfire-relevant reps. Pair any of these with a red dot or low-power scope; see our optic selection guide to match glass to the role.

The most packable survival .22 is the Henry US Survival AR-7. Its barrel, receiver, and magazines stow inside the buttstock, collapsing the whole rifle to 16.5 inches and 3.5 pounds, and the package floats on water assembled or stowed. Takedown is tool-free and the finish resists corrosion for long kit storage. Accuracy is plinker grade; this is a kit gun for a pack or vehicle, not a hunting or precision rifle.

When performance matters more than minimum size, the Ruger 10/22 Takedown is the better answer. It breaks down to about 20 inches, returns to zero once the tension is set, and keeps the entire 10/22 magazine, trigger, and bolt aftermarket. Paired with the Magpul X-22 Backpacker stock it becomes a self-contained kit that stores spare BX mags onboard. Pick the AR-7 for the smallest, lightest package; pick the Takedown when you want a real, upgradable rifle that happens to fit a pack.

The rifle is the small cost; ammo and a few accessories define the real spend. Bulk .22 LR runs roughly five to eight cents per round, so a 500-round range day costs less than a box of premium 5.56. That is the entire argument for a rimfire trainer: you can shoot ten times the volume for the same money and still build real fundamentals.

Budget for glass and a sling on top of the rifle. None of the bolt guns here ship with iron sights, so a scope is mandatory on the Savage, Tikka, CZ, and Bergara. A red dot or low-power scope, a sling, and a few extra magazines add $150 to $400 depending on the tier. If you plan to run a suppressor on a threaded pick, the can is now a tax-free purchase with a short eForm wait, so factor it in as a real upgrade rather than a someday item.

Want to see a build come together with optics and upgrades? Use our rifle builder to configure a 10/22 with a trigger, barrel, stock, and glass, or compare picks head to head in the catalog.