pest control magazine
Organic pest control – Natural bug and insect repellents

I plan to buy a .22 Lr rifle for pest control, It must be cheap, any ideas on brand or model?

I plan to use a scope, and I prefer that it have a magazine of some sort, tubular or otherwise.

I love questions like these. You’re going to get mixed different opinions on what gun is cheaper then the other. Most will tell you either get a Ruger 10/22, a Marlin Model 60, a Remington Model 597 or whatever 22LR they think is best or cheaper.

Do you want to pop off rounds quickly? Then semi auto rifles like I mentioned, are the way to go. The Ruger 10/22 is the most popular of the three. It comes with the factory 10 round rotary magazine. Although you can buy 25-30 round banana clips for it. If you want to customize the 10/22 to your taste…You can do so, with so many aftermarket products like barrels,stocks etc. The best thing is about the 10/22 is…Its very accurate right out of the box and can be had for under $200. I bought mine for $190 and I know you can get them cheaper then that.

The Marlin Model 60 is a tubular fed 22LR, that’s easy on the wallet. It’s an accurate rifle as well. It can be had for about $150. What I like about Marlin 60 is the integrated scope base mount. All you do is buy the scope rings and scope, install them…Sight it in and you’ll be set to go. I’ve shot one that belongs to my cousin.

The Remington 597 is a magazine fed 22LR. I’ve shot two of these rifles without scopes. Not a bad rifle, but I don’t like the design of the magazine release. It just seems awkward for me. These rifles can be had for under $200 as well.

Bolt action 22LR are great rifles as well. Very acurate. I never owned a Bolt action 22LR myself. So I couldn’t tell you how much they cost. I have shot one made by CZ, it was a youth model. So it was a bit small for me. I can tell you that it is very acurate. My 12 year old cousin took down a jack rabbit at 100 yards without the aid of a scope. Dropped the rabbit cold in its tracks.

Shop around, ask friends or family if they know anyone who has a 22LR they are wanting to sell. You just might get lucky to find a cheap, yet very acurate rifle. Pawn shops always have 22LR’s for sale for a bargin. Friends or family may give you a deal you cant refuse. I bought my first 22LR, a Marlin Model 70HC, from a friend for $50.

*Edit*
Someone below mentioned the Henry Lever Action 22LR. Henry makes really nice rifles. However they are not cheap, for a 22LR. Henry rifles are infamously known for higher price tags for there guns, based on the Henry name. You can expect to pay like $300 for the Henry Lever 22LR.

The Airgun Attraction

As the cost of firearm ammunition continues rise, so does the popularity of airguns for both recreation and small game hunting or pest control.

Higher velocity air rifles, or “Magnum air rifles” like the Walther Talon Magnum are attractive to those looking for speed. These recreation or sporting air rifles are mostly used for plinking or paper target shooting, although shooters that acquire great accuracy with their .177 caliber air rifles do use them for small pest control.

With the increasing cost of ammunition, sidearm owners that simply enjoy the sport of shooting are finding that some air pistols offer them an economical way to shoot. An airgun shooter can fire quality lead pellets or steel airgun BBs for a couple of pennies and there are some air pistols that offer near replica feel and performance. If the world’s most famous double agent needed to target practice today, he may well choose a Walther PPK/S BB pistol that’s close in weight and function to his actual sidearm. It, along with the Px4 Storm and CP99 Compact, have slides that function, providing a realistic recoil action, and remain in the rearward position when the magazine is empty.

Another contributing factor to the attraction of airguns is that air guns don’t always have to be taken to a firing range. With the proper backstop and pellet or BB trap, they can be used within a home, garage, or secured property. There are several online resources for building your own airgun ammunition trap and backstop. Just be sure you’re not breaking any laws or ordinances before you set up and start target shooting, and as a safety precaution, make sure there’s no persons or objects that can be endangered by an unexpected stray projectile or ricochet.