There’s just something special about rifles chambered in .22 LR. In fact, there are several such things that make a soft spot in the hearts of many for the ubiquitous .22 LR and other, less common, rimfire cartridges.

For one, most of us cut our teeth on the little rimfire cartridge, graduating to a .22 rifle from a BB or pellet gun. The time we spent afield learning to shoot accurately and take small game lives on in our memory decades later. Additionally, the .22 LR is just plain fun to shoot. It’s an accurate cartridge with very little recoil or muzzle jump. What’s not to like about that?

Of course, the .22 LR isn’t the only rimfire hunting cartridge, but it is the most common and most popular. And it’s not just for kids. Many adult hunters head afield every year to chase rabbits, squirrels and other small game with the diminutive rimfire cartridge. Other popular game animals to pursue with rimfires include a variety of pests ranging from prairie dogs to ground squirrels to groundhogs.

Many rimfire hunters, of course, are also big-game hunters who use the .22 for small game when deer season isn’t open. Others, however, are rimfire aficionados who live and breathe all things rimfire and can tell as many stories about their hunting exploits as any hardcore deer hunter can.

Whether a casual rimfire hunter or a lover of all things rimfire, these people represent a group of customers that can help bolster your bottom line. By beefing up your rimfire inventory, from guns to ammo to scopes to slings, you can make more sales all year. Just be sure that you and your employees have a full understanding of the product line and can give customers the info they need to make an educated purchase.

With that said, let’s look at a handful of hunting rimfires introduced in just the past few years that you might consider offering to your customers.

Ruger 75th Anniversary 10/22 Stainless 

There is likely no more recognizable rimfire rifle than the Ruger 10/22. The new 75th Anniversary 10/22 lives up to that rifle’s decades of historic quality and consequent popularity. This legendary action is a tried-and-true Ruger design that ensures consistent, reliable performance. The detachable 10-round rotary magazine features a unique rotor to separate cartridges and provide reliable feeding.

The cold hammer-forged barrel is 18.5 inches long and is locked into the receiver by a unique, two-screw V-block system. The combination scope base adapter, which includes Weaver-style and .22 tip-off scope mounts, makes scope mounting super easy. For those who prefer iron sights, it comes stock with an adjustable rear and gold-bead front sight. The overall length is 37 inches, and the weight of the rifle unloaded is 5.4 pounds.

The Anniversary 10/22 is available in several configurations, including a stainless steel sporter with walnut stock, a stainless steel sporter with natural-finish hardwood stock, a satin black sporter with walnut stock and a satin black sporter with natural-finish hardwood stock. MSRP is $399 for stainless models and $379 for satin black.

Savage A22 Takedown FDE 

Savage makes some of the most accurate centerfire rifles on the market. Rimfire lovers will find the new A22 Takedown, chambered in .22 LR, to display the same quality. The company calls the gun a “go-anywhere rimfire,” and that’s a good description, mainly because it easily breaks down just in front of the action. From an overall length of 36.9 inches, it breaks down into an easy-to-store or transport 18-inch package. Weight of the gun is 6 pounds, 4 ounces without the magazine inserted.

The receiver is carbon steel with a high-luster finish. The synthetic stock is flat dark earth (FDE) with a black cheek riser and butt. The barrel is carbon steel and is threaded 1/2x28 for those who prefer a suppressor or other muzzle device.

The A22 Takedown is a feature-rich rimfire rifle with a 10-round rotary magazine, a storage compartment in the pistol grip and a compartment in the cheek riser for additional magazines. MSRP is $479.

CZ 457 Stainless 

CZ touts the 457 Stainless as “a trail model created for those who appreciate the use of premium materials.” Along with the strengths of the CZ 457 centerfire series, this .22 LR features attractive digital camouflage on its soft-touch-finished polymer stock and a light-profile, weather-resistant stainless steel barrel.

The rifle’s overall length is 38.5 inches, and its barrel is 20 inches long. Its unloaded weight is only 5.5 pounds. The gun utilizes a removable magazine that can hold five rounds. Designed for use with a scope or red-dot, the 457 doesn’t have sights. The trigger is adjustable for weight.

Of course, the rimfire 457’s barrel is threaded for a suppressor or other muzzle device of the user’s choice. With an MSRP of $639, the 457 is somewhat pricier than some of the other rifles discussed here. However, it has a lot to offer hunters looking for their next quality rimfire.

Springfield 2020 Rimfire 

The new Model 2020 Rimfire family offers shooters a refined bolt-action rimfire rifle with the quality and performance they’ve come to expect from Springfield Armory. Available in a classic wood-stocked version and a target synthetic-stocked version, these rifles carry an accuracy guarantee of 1-inch-or-smaller three-shot groups at 50 yards.

The premium barrel of the Model 2020 Rimfire is 20 inches long and free-floated for its entire length. The gun has a Model 700-pattern adjustable trigger that is factory-set to break at 4.5 pounds of pressure. The Classic is offered in four grades of Turkish walnut with a satin finish, while the Target model features a reinforced polymer stock available in four different colors and modeled after the one used on the company’s Model 2020 Waypoint centerfire rifle. All models have an interrupted Picatinny rail for scope mounting and a 60-degree bolt throw.

MSRP for the Target models ranges from $434 to $499 depending on color, and from $599 to $1,099 for the Classic, depending on the grade of walnut stock chosen.

Christensen’s Rimfire Modern Precision Rifle 

For those seeking something a little different — including those with long-distance shooting backgrounds who appreciate chassis rifles — the new rimfire models of Christensen’s Modern Precision Rifle (MPR) might just pique their interest and have them reaching for their credit cards. The MPR Rimfire combines the feature-rich functionality of a chassis rifle with the accuracy of a carbon-fiber tension barrel to deliver a high-quality rifle. The Rimfire can fold down into a pack and reach impressive distances, so this company calls the platform “the ultimate all-around rimfire rifle.”

Some notable features include a Remington 700-style trigger, a lightweight billet aluminum chassis with a folding stock, an FFT carbon-fiber handguard with M-LOK slots, an adjustable FFT carbon-fiber cheek piece and six QD flush cup mounts. The gun is available in three chamberings, including .17 HMR, .22 LR, and .22 Magnum, and barrel lengths range from 16 to 22 inches. 

The finish on the action is black Cerakote, and the stock is available in black, desert brown or tungsten carbon-fiber Cerakote. MSRP starts at $1,249.99.

Winchester Ranger

Here’s one for rimfire hunters who prefer lever-action rifles in their pursuit of small game. Winchester has been making quality lever-actions for well over a century, and this .22 LR version, introduced at the 2024 SHOT Show, has a lot to offer. The Ranger features a precision-machined receiver made from a billet of solid aluminum, a satin-finished walnut stock and an adjustable rear sight. The action is engineered for easy cycling, and the rifle takes down easily for storage and cleaning.

The chromoly steel barrel is precision bored and button rifled to provide years of accurate performance. The Ranger’s classic straight-grip walnut stock features a durable satin finish and a 13-inch length of pull, which is comfortable for a wide range of users. The overall length is 37.75 inches, and the barrel is 20.5 inches long. The gun weighs 5.25 pounds unloaded, and the tubular magazine below the barrel holds 15 rounds. An adjustable rear sight and hooded front sight round out the features.

MSRP for the Winchester Ranger is a very reasonable $419.99.

One for the Handgun Hunters: Browning Buck Mark Hunter 5.9 

Not all rimfire hunters use only rifles. Like centerfire hunters, some who lean toward rimfires prefer to use a handgun to add a little more challenge to their hunts. Here’s one to consider carrying in your inventory for handgun hunters.

Chambered in .22 LR, the Buck Mark Hunter 5.9 features a precision machined alloy frame and a 5.9-inch matte-blued bull barrel that is threaded for a muzzle device. The overall length of the .22 is 10 inches, and it weighs 41 ounces without the 10-round magazine inserted. The receiver finish is matte black, and it also features the trademark Browning gold-plated trigger, set to break at about 4 pounds of pressure. The laminated cocobolo-colored target grips add a touch of class, as well as providing a good purchase on the gun for shooting.

This pistol has a good set of sights, including a windage-adjustable rear sight and a TruGlo fiber-optic front sight. As an added bonus, it also comes with a Vortex Crossfire red-dot sight, great for faster target acquisition and accuracy, already mounted. The pistol’s low red-dot mount allows the sights to co-witness through the red-dot, giving hunters a backup in the case of a battery failure.

Wrapping It Up

There you have it: seven hunting rimfires that could help you bolster your bottom line. Don’t forget to have available a good selection of .22 LR ammunition, as well as slings, rimfire-appropriate scopes and red-dot sights for those looking to get all the gear they need for their new gun in one place.