A blowback-operated rifle needs a heavy bolt, an appropriate recoil spring, a stock, a barrel, and a feed device, and you have an affordable firearm. They are among the most uncomplicated firearms. Since Winchester introduced the Model 1903, Americans have enjoyed the 22 LR self-loading design. For plinking, marksmanship training, small-game hunting, and some types of competition, the 22 rifle is a great choice. The 22 rifle is a staple of American life. Many have successfully been pressed into service as defensive firearms, and the new rifles are better than ever in this role. Winchester, for instance, introduced the Wildcat rifle recently, and we have to admit it is a thoroughly modern rifle with a host of innovations. We wanted to test the Wildcat against some likely competitors, so we chose the Rossi Rimfire Rifle RS22L1811-TH 22 LR, $159; and the stalwart Ruger 10/22 Carbine 1151 22 LR, $235; to go up against a Winchester Wildcat 521100102 22 LR, $245.

We elected to fire each rifle with 200 cartridges plus the loads chosen for accuracy testing. We chose the Remington Thunderbolt and Winchester Wildcat ammunition for most of the range work. Each is a high-velocity 40-grain LRN loading.  We also used the Fiocchi 38-grain HV for accuracy work. We began by firing the rifle at small targets at 25 yards and using the Winchester Wildcat ammo in rapid fire at silhouette targets. Here’s what we found:

Gun Tests Grade: A-

$235

We found 10/22 rifles on the internet at various outlets for $261 to $310. During the height of the pandemic, one of the raters walked into an Academy Sports store and found four of these synthetic-stock rifles on the shelf at a fair price.

The Ruger 10/22 is among the most popular rifles of all time. It has been in use for nearly 60 years. The simple blowback-operated rifle was a fresh and innovative design in 1964 and remains a valid choice for sporting use. The rifle’s best quality is its reliability. Second, the Ruger 10/22 rifle is supported by a cottage industry that offers aftermarket stocks, barrels, trigger upgrades, and many more accessories. This may be an important consideration when you purchase. Even so, here we let this rifle stand on its own merits, but just the same if you are planning a later upgrade, the Ruger 10/22 autoloader would be the clear choice.

The black-synthetic stock features a textured surface by the wrist and forward section of the fore end. You don’t need a lot of recoil control with this rimfire, but you do need to grip the rifle. In common with the other stocks, sling swivels are molded in. The sights are simple enough, with a standard adjustable rear and front post with a simple brass bead sight. The rear sight folds down for storage. These sights were at the bottom of the rankings for every shooter. While the sights are okay for most uses, they are inferior to the Winchester Wildcat for precision use and not as easily picked up as the Rossi RS22 rifle sights. Trigger compression of the 10/22 is the lightest of the test at 4.75 pounds.

The rifle disassembles easily. Start with a verified unloaded rifle, then loosen a screw in the stock and remove the barrel band. Tilt the barreled action out of the stock. An action pin fell out as we were disassembling the rifle, however, so it is wise to do such work on a solid color mat and not carpet. The Rossi RS22, with its free-floating barrel, demanded only that we remove two screws to field-strip the rifle. We rated the Ruger and the Rossi about the same in ease of break down. The Winchester, with its simple tool-less disassembly, is much easier to maintain than either the Ruger or the Rossi.

During the firing test, the rifle never failed to feed, chamber, fire, or eject. Fired offhand, the rifle just stayed on target and did not move. The bead front sight is well designed for accuracy, if not as bright as the Rossi. The Ruger is the heaviest rifle in the test, and while the 22 Long Rifle cartridge doesn’t kick much at all, so recoil abatement isn’t an issue, the weight can help your hold. Bench accuracy was fine, shading the Rossi by a margin and falling slightly behind the Winchester rifle. The best group at 25 yards was 1.25 inches. Most Ruger rifles will group five shots into 2 to 2.5 inches at 50 yards with quality optics.

Our Team Said: This rifle may not be as accurate as some other Ruger rifles we have tested, but it did well as far as reliability and accuracy go. It is certainly worth its price.

22 LR Range Data

Value Guide 22 Rifle Rankings (Various Actions)