Ruger 96/22

Rimfire bolt action rifles, lever action, pump action and self loading rifles. Air rifles.

Ruger 96/22

Post by Shootermick » 21 May 2023, 8:47 pm

I’ve got a few Ruger rifles. They are all basically budget rifles, but they do the job well.
Anyone own or owned one of the lever action 96/22’s. In either 22lr or 22mag? I looked at one a while ago in a shop, couldn’t quite make up my mind. A 94/22 would be nice too, and there’s not a lot of price difference between these two on the used market. I like an exposed hammer on the Winchester, but the removal rotary magazine on the Ruger would be preferable compared to a tube mag. So which do people prefer?
.22, .22wmr, 223, 243, 303, 20ga, 12ga
Shootermick
Staff Sergeant
Staff Sergeant
 
Posts: 795
Victoria

Re: Ruger 96/22

Post by Peterwho » 21 May 2023, 10:32 pm

I ended up selling my 9422 recently because I got sick of the tubular magazine. I thought it was a good idea when I first bought it but not in the end
Peterwho
Private
Private
 
Posts: 99
New South Wales

Re: Ruger 96/22

Post by bladeracer » 21 May 2023, 10:46 pm

Peterwho wrote:I ended up selling my 9422 recently because I got sick of the tubular magazine. I thought it was a good idea when I first bought it but not in the end


I agree, I dislike tube mags generally, but especially the .22's that you have to load from the front end. I have two .22 levers and really only use them for Silhouette practice where I'm running it dry every time anyway, so not too big a deal in that. The Henry has the advantage over the 9422 for field use as you can actually walk around with the lever open without the round falling out into the action. If you give a tube-fed .22 to a new shooter you really must stress the importance of checking very carefully that there is no ammo in the tube or feed system when clearing it.
Practice Strict Gun Control - Precision Counts!
User avatar
bladeracer
Field Marshal
Field Marshal
 
Posts: 12655
Victoria

Re: Ruger 96/22

Post by bladeracer » 21 May 2023, 10:55 pm

Shootermick wrote:I’ve got a few Ruger rifles. They are all basically budget rifles, but they do the job well.
Anyone own or owned one of the lever action 96/22’s. In either 22lr or 22mag? I looked at one a while ago in a shop, couldn’t quite make up my mind. A 94/22 would be nice too, and there’s not a lot of price difference between these two on the used market. I like an exposed hammer on the Winchester, but the removal rotary magazine on the Ruger would be preferable compared to a tube mag. So which do people prefer?


When I was getting back into shooting my dealer had a young lady working in the shop that owned a 96/22. When she decided to sell it I did seriously consider it, primarily because we can't have an actual 10/22 anymore (under a CatA/B licence), and I already had the Ruger American using the same mags. But I'm not a big fan of levers, or the Ruger Rotary mag (the non-rotary BX-15's are much better in my opinion, though still very bulky compared to the old steel Stirling Model 20 15rd mags). I'm sure it would've given me the nostalgia fix of my old 10/22 though. And yes, I really prefer an exposed hammer over a concealed striker in a lever rifle.
Practice Strict Gun Control - Precision Counts!
User avatar
bladeracer
Field Marshal
Field Marshal
 
Posts: 12655
Victoria

Re: Ruger 96/22

Post by Shootermick » 22 May 2023, 6:57 am

I think the Winchester wins the aesthetics competition. But only if someone made a mag fed exposed hammer rimfire lever, like some of the centrefires. Which I’m pretty sure no one does.
.22, .22wmr, 223, 243, 303, 20ga, 12ga
Shootermick
Staff Sergeant
Staff Sergeant
 
Posts: 795
Victoria

Re: Ruger 96/22

Post by ausbushman » 24 May 2023, 8:07 pm

Tube magazines are annoying, get one of these and makes life so much easier (in my opinion)
MARBLES ARMS CATCH 22 AMMO .22LR AMMUNITION STORAGE DISPENSER 50 ROUNDS MR96


There are also some larger ones

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/111803956490

My favourite levers are Marlin 39a or Mountie
ausbushman
Recruit
Recruit
 
Posts: 30
Victoria

Re: Ruger 96/22

Post by bladeracer » 24 May 2023, 8:25 pm

ausbushman wrote:Tube magazines are annoying, get one of these and makes life so much easier (in my opinion)
MARBLES ARMS CATCH 22 AMMO .22LR AMMUNITION STORAGE DISPENSER 50 ROUNDS MR96


There are also some larger ones

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/111803956490

My favourite levers are Marlin 39a or Mountie


I have some of these and find them fiddly and annoying.

Go to Bunnings and get some 10mm aluminium tube and cut it into whatever lengths you want, I use 16" for 15rd tube refills. A .22LR cartridge is one-inch long.
Order rubber bungs on Ebay, they cost bugger all. Foam earplugs work very well also. Plug one end of the tubes and tape the bung in place. Fill it up and plug the end with another bung - different coloured bungs are nice for the fixed end and the removable one. Cut a length of 60mm poly pipe and glue a cap on one end to make a quiver to hold them all.

Also you can use 10mm transparent plastic tubing the same way. These have the advantage that you can confirm that all cartridges are loaded the correct way up, and you can even confirm which ammunition you have loaded in them.
Practice Strict Gun Control - Precision Counts!
User avatar
bladeracer
Field Marshal
Field Marshal
 
Posts: 12655
Victoria


Back to top
 
Return to Rimfire rifles, and air rifles