[Tested] Best .22 LR Rifles (Plus An AR Pistol!)

When it comes to rimfire shooting, small cartridges equal huge fun.

We shoot a lot of .22 LR guns around here, but there are four that kept us grinning more than most in 2025.

These are the best .22 LR rifles (and a bonus AR-15 pistol) we shot this year. If you don’t own at least one, you’re missing out!

.22 LR Rifle Comparison Chart

How We Tested the Best .22 LR Rifles

Three of us here at Pew Pew Tactical came together to pick the best .22 LR rifles of the year (get to know us in the Meet the Experts section). Then, we hit the range to shoot all of our picks back to back.

Our goal was to evaluate reliability, accuracy, features, ergonomics, and value. These guns come from different corners of the .22 LR market, so they’re not directly competing against one another, but we wanted to make sure they could all stand on their own merit.

This guide is intended for new and experienced shooters alike, with a heavy emphasis on affordable fun. If you want to save money and get more live-fire time on the range, this roundup is for you!

Practical Testing

To evaluate this eclectic collection of .22 LR rifles, we put each rifle in its natural environment.

For the Ruger 10/22 and Henry Classic Lever Action .22, that meant positional shooting – standing, kneeling, prone, and off the side of the tree. For the Ruger Precision Rimfire, it involved a prone pad, bipod, and competition-style barricade. And for the tactically-focused Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22, we got busy in and around vehicles.

Targets included paper and steel at ranges of 10 to 100 yards. For ammunition, we turned to 40-grain CCI Mini-Mag.

CCI Mini-Mag 40 GR .22 LR

$9.00

at Firearms Depot

Prices accurate at time of writing

$9.00 at Firearms Depot

Kygunco (see price)

Brownells (see price)

Meet the Experts

This article is a team effort from Editors & Senior Review Analysts Scott Murdock and Wyatt Sloan, and Content Producer & Lead Review Analyst Sean Curtis.

Like many of you, Scott burned through a box of .22 LR the first time he picked up a rifle. Since then, he’s been shooting rimfire guns ranging from 1911-inspired pistols to precision rifles. As a student of long-range precision shooting, Scott takes advantage of precision .22 rifles whenever he can to save money and maximize training at ranges with distance limitations. Rimfire rifles are also his go-to training platform when teaching new shooters the fundamentals.

Sean’s passion for firearms began as a young man when he graduated from BB guns to an old Remington pump-action .22 rifle. Ever since, he’s enjoyed the low sound, low cost, low recoil advantages offered by the venerable cartridge and has passed that tradition on to his own children.

Wyatt grew up shooting rimfire rifles and never really grew out of them. He owns over half a dozen rimfire rifles, including bolt actions, semi-autos, and his favorite — lever action rifles. As an avid hunter, Wyatt still enjoys using a variety of different .22s for harvesting small game. But when it really comes down to it, he really just loves plinking with fun guns that use cheap ammo.

Best .22 LR Rifles

1. Ruger 10/22 - Best Overall

Ruger 10/22 Carbine

$208.00

at Palmetto State Armory

Prices accurate at time of writing

$208.00 at Palmetto State Armory

DE Guns (see price)

Kygunco (see price)

MidwayUSA (see price)

Specs

• Caliber: .22 LR
• Action: Semi-automatic, blowback
• Capacity: 10+1
• Barrel Length: 18.5”
• Overall Length: 37”
• Weight: 5 lbs
• Country of Origin: USA

Shooting a Ruger 10/22 Carbine is always a pleasure. In this case, it was a special treat because we got to try an old rifle from Sean’s personal collection with the much-coveted (well, by me, anyway) vintage Tasco Pronghorn scope.

I suspect this specific rifle was the leading cause of death among tin cans in the greater Four Corners area at one point in time.

The Pronghorn rested in individual rings on a Picatinny rail, but you can get other kinds of rails and mounts. The 10/22 is a versatile platform that’s easy to work on at home.

As for the rifle itself, the bones of the 10/22 platform haven’t changed in decades because they haven’t needed to. It’s a rock-solid design that eats up all kinds of cheap rimfire ammo, and puts it where it’s supposed to go.

Our test rifle is no spring chicken, and it cycles and shoots as well as it did the day it rolled off the assembly line. We experienced no malfunctions, and getting hits on target was as easy as pie out to 100 yards.

Recoil is close to nonexistent. The real wood stock soaks up what little impulse a dose of .22 LR can produce; we all had a laugh while rattling off rounds as fast as we could wiggle our trigger finger.

This carbine felt nice and steady in various shooting positions. The stock isn’t adjustable, but each of us found it comfortable – and there’s a pretty big range of sizes in this group.

At the same time, the whole setup was light enough that I wouldn’t think twice about carrying it around the woods for a full day of plinking or squirrel hunting.

This is a rifle you can pick up as a new shooter and hang onto indefinitely, because it never stops being fun.

The best part? The Ruger 10/22 Carbine is wildly affordable. You can snag one just like the one we shot for around $200. Opt for a synthetic stock, and you’re looking at less than $190.

Dollar for dollar, I don’t think you can have more fun with a firearm.

If you want to upgrade down the road, aftermarket support for the 10/22 is out of control. Build an ultralight carbon fiber masterpiece, dial in a tack-driving competition rifle, or prep for the zombie apocalypse. The 10/22 is a true shape-shifter.

Finally, there’s the option to buy a totally different kind of 10/22 straight from Ruger. Check out our guide to the Best Ruger 10/22 Models!

What do you think of the Ruger 10/22? Rate it below!

[ar]

2. Ruger Precision Rimfire - Best Value

Ruger Precision Rimfire

$476.00

at MidwayUSA

Prices accurate at time of writing

$476.00 at MidwayUSA

Kygunco (see price)

Palmetto State Armory (see price)

Firearms Depot (see price)

Show all prices

Specs

• Caliber: .22 LR
• Action: Bolt action
• Capacity: 15+1
• Barrel Length: 18”
• Overall Length: 38.63”
• Weight: 6.8 lbs
• Country of Origin: USA

I’ve gotten to shoot the Ruger Precision Rimfire on several occasions, and there’s one in my testing rotation right now. It’s a great rifle that blurs categories, a great platform for learning precision shooting, and a fun way to get new shooters into the game.

According to the manual, the trigger is adjustable from 2.25 to 5 pounds. Mine came out of the box averaging 3.31 pounds with five pulls from a Lyman Digital Trigger Pull Gauge. It didn’t quite get down to 2.25 pounds, though; the lowest I recorded was 2.44 pounds.

The break is nice and crisp, with just a little bit of squish after depressing the the blade-style safety.

The bolt isn’t as heavy and satisfying to run as the ones you get from more expensive precision rifles, but it cycles smoothly.

When it’s time for disassembly and cleaning, a button on the left side of the action is all you need to remove the bolt. This is a good time to adjust the throw, if you’re concerned about short-stroking or want to mimic the action on a short-action centerfire rifle. That’s as simple as moving a steel clip on the bolt.

A 30-MOA Picatinny rail is integrated into the action. That’s how precision rifles should come from the factory, if you ask me. It’ll squeeze extra elevation adjustment out of whichever scope you mount. (Sorry, the Primary Arms scope that lives on our test rifle is discontinued, but we have lots of other recommendations!)

Ergonomics benefit from a stock that’s adjustable for comb height and length of pull – and you don’t need tools to do it. That’s a huge asset for precision shooting, which calls for a personalized fit.

The pistol grip is simple but comfortable in a variety of shooting positions, and it’ll feel familiar to anyone who’s shot an AR-15. Same with the 45-degree safety. If you want to switch to a more vertical pistol grip, there are plenty of compatible options since it’s a standard AR-style design.

Up front, the free-floating M-LOK handguard makes mounting accessories easy, and the threaded barrel is just begging for a suppressor.

In my opinion, this is one of the best buys in the world of rimfire rifles. It’s a legitimate precision rifle that’s ready for competition or building new skills straight out of the box. 

I’d feel totally comfortable showing up to a precision rimfire course or competition with the Ruger Rimfire Precision, especially considering how much money it leaves on the table for training and professional instruction.

Between this rifle’s competitive price and the low cost of match-grade .22 LR ammo, you can get a really solid setup for a very reasonable amount of money. Retail prices are under $500 as I write this (if you don’t think that’s a bargain, go see what you can spend on a nice precision rimfire chassis).

At the same time, lots of polymer keeps it light enough that you could easily throw it on a pack and go varmint hunting. New shooters won’t be intimidated by it because it’s fairly light and compact, with very few controls and moving parts to keep track of. 

If you make this your only .22 LR rifle, there really isn’t much you can’t do with it.

3. Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22 - Best AR-15

Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22

$469.00

at Palmetto State Armory

Prices accurate at time of writing

$469.00 at Palmetto State Armory

GrabAGun (see price)

Kygunco (see price)

AR15 Discounts (see price)

Specs

• Caliber: .22 LR
• Action: Semi-automatic, blowback
• Capacity: 25+1
• Barrel Length: 16.5”
• Overall Length: 30.7”
• Weight: 4.7 lbs
• Country of Origin: USA

Rimfire AR-15s are a blast to shoot, and they’re a great way to gain live-fire experience and build muscle memory without spending a bunch of money on ammo. If that’s what you’re looking for, you need a Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22 in your life – stat!

Shooting the M&P 15-22 was both smile-inducing and productive. We happened to use an AR-15 pistol version for the video, and that thing dialed the fun up to eleven.

Weight is comically light. Recoil is basically nonexistent. And the cost of ammo? I actually don’t have anything to complain about this time.

The trigger pull is unmemorable – which, in this case, is neither good nor bad.

We mounted a budget-friendly AT3 Tactical Alpha red dot and went ham on steel targets from several distances and shooting positions. And yeah, that includes mag-dumping from the back of an SUV and doing four-wheel burnouts (for science).

AT3 Tactical Alpha

$119.00

at AT3 Tactical

Prices accurate at time of writing

$119.00 at AT3 Tactical

Amazon (see price)

Ergonomics are what you’d expect from an AR-15. That includes a mil-spec (sort of – more on that in a second) collapsible buttstock, bolt release, magazine release, and charging handle; a 90-degree safety; and an A2 pistol grip, and birdcage flash hider. 

The full-length Picatinny rail and M-LOK rails on the handguard might be glorified plastic, but they work just like the metal ones on your centerfire AR-15. In this case, polymer makes a lot of sense and feels great in the hand.

Want something a little nicer? There’s also an M&P 15-22 with Magpul furniture and backup iron sights.

Since the M&P 15-22 is chambered for .22 LR, there are a few key differences between it and a standard AR-15.

Nearly the entire firearm is made from polymer rather than steel. Polymer is absolutely strong enough for this firearm, especially considering the modest power of .22 LR ammo, so I wouldn’t worry about its durability or longevity. This is a plinker, not a duty rifle, after all.

There’s also no ejection port cover, and the internals are obviously specific to rimfire ammo.

During testing, I never stopped being amazed by how light the M&P 15-22 is. Even a red dot and a fully-loaded 25-round magazine don’t add more than a few ounces.

We experienced a few malfunctions during testing, but that’s as much an ammunition issue as a M&P 15-22 issue. Rimfire ammo is notoriously dirty and inconsistent (especially the budget stuff), so it doesn’t always flatter a semi-automatic firearm.

But, hey, this is a training tool. Those are perfectly good remedial action reps!

In addition to the standard carbine and 8-inch pistol we shot, Smith & Wesson offers a bunch of fun colors and camo patterns, and there are several state-compliant versions. Some even come with an optic already installed.

At the time of writing, I’m seeing retail prices starting at $419 for the standard M&P 15-22, with upgraded versions and braced pistols checking in right around $500.

You can get a budget AR-15 chambered in 5.56 NATO for that price, but cheaper rimfire alternatives probably won’t run as well as this one. A lot of bargain-basement .22 LR rifles are jam-o-matics.

The M&P 15-22 feels like an affordable case of buy once, cry once – and the money you’ll save on ammo will make it a savvy investment in the long run.

4. Henry Classic Lever Action .22 - Best Lever Action

Henry Classic Lever Action Rifle

$334.00

at Classic Firearms

Prices accurate at time of writing

$334.00 at Classic Firearms

GrabAGun (see price)

Midway USA (see price)

Specs

• Caliber: .22 LR
• Action: Lever Action
• Capacity: 15+1
• Barrel Length: 18.5”
• Overall Length: 36.5”
• Country of Origin: USA

Firearms have come a long way since the mid-1800s, but have they gotten more fun? Maybe not, because lever-action rifles like this Henry Classic Lever Action .22 deliver peak range-day enjoyment.

I don’t care if you’ve never swung a leg over a horse or branded a calf; you will feel like John Wayne himself every time you flick the loop back and forth on this rifle.

It’s not a precision instrument, but we got hits on steel targets all morning with this rifle. The old-school open sights are more than adequate for plinking and small-game hunting. The rear sight is adjustable for elevation.

Everyone should be able to shoot with irons, and this is a great way to learn at any age.

The simple, straight stock keeps things nice and light. It’s real wood, which ought to satisfy lever-gun purists. This rifle is so slim and streamlined that it’s begging you to slip it into a leather scabbard or drop it into a gun rack on the front of a four-wheeler.

It’s up to the task of regulating on the ranch, too. 

Henry rifles are quality items and this action ran flawlessly for us. If rimfire semi-autos aren’t reliable enough for you, this is the answer. It’s nearly as fast, but less susceptible to malfunctions since you provide the power to cycle the action.

As fun as this rifle is, you’ll burn through that 15-round magazine faster than a prairie fire. Better cram an extra box of ammo into the pocket of your Wranglers for good measure.

Now, if there’s one thing that deters shoppers from buying a lever-action rifle, it’s usually money. Centerfire guns from classic American manufacturers like Henry and Marlin come with a hefty price tag.

I’m delighted to report that this one is different. As I write this, I’m seeing retail prices just over $300. That doesn’t just make the Henry Classic Lever Action .22 attainable, it might even be an impulse buy.

How to Pick the Best .22 LR Rifles

These guns are all so different – how can you pick just one? Here are some things to consider.

Intended Use

Yeah, yeah, I say this all the time. But it’s especially true today because these guns are all so different.

If your goal is to have as much fun as possible, buy a Ruger 10/22 and don’t overthink it. This little carbine is tried and true, reliable, affordable, and accurate enough for a day of battling the tin-can empire.

Unmatched aftermarket support also means you can upgrade and modify until your 10/22 becomes the .22 LR rifle of your dreams. Triggers, stocks, barrels, and more are all fair game.

If you want something a little more focused right out of the box, the other picks on this list are home runs. 

Accuracy & Reliability

The humble .22 LR cartridge isn’t known for pinpoint accuracy, but some firearms do better than others in this regard.

If accuracy is your priority – maybe you’re getting into precision shooting or hunting varmints – a precision rifle is going to be your best bet. We have lots of .22 LR precision rifles to recommend, but the Ruger Precision Rimfire offers the best bang for the buck.

Many .22 LR rifles experience malfunctions from time to time because rimfire ammunition is especially grimy, and it can perform inconsistently. This is especially troublesome with semi-automatic firearms, which rely on a cartridge's ignition to cycle.

If you want optimal reliability, a bolt-action or lever-action rifle might be for you.

Features & Ergonomics

When all else fails, dig into specific features and subjective ergonomics to help break a tie.

Maybe you want a rimfire AR-15 to build muscle memory with live-fire reps without blowing your firearms budget on 5.56 NATO ammo. You could be curious about competitive precision shooting. Perhaps there’s a kid in the back of your psyche who wants to live out old spaghetti westerns.

Whatever your reason is, this is going to be your rifle, so whatever criteria you pick is valid. 

Final Thoughts

Ruger has a modern-day legend on its hands with the 10/22, and I don’t see the little carbine that could stepping down from its throne anytime soon.

That said, these are all fantastic firearms, and you can’t go wrong with any of them. Technology isn't making rimfire plinking irrelevant; it’s making it more fun than ever.

Grab some bulk ammo, round up your buddies, and hit the range!

What’s your favorite .22 LR rifle? Let us know in the comments! Looking for a great rimfire handgun? Check out our guide to the Best .22 LR Pistols!

Latest Updates

December 2025: Complete overhaul with new products, testing, and supporting content.