Takedown rifles are seriously underrated. A small, versatile rifle on hand at all times, whether you’re in the backcountry or scouting from your truck, is perfect for an opportunistic hunt on a rabbit, grouse, or squirrel. But picking the perfect rifle out of all the options can be overwhelming. This article breaks down the best rimfire takedowns available, and the situations they’re best suited to.
Jump to: Our Recommended Takedown Rifles
Why Purchase a Takedown Rifle?
Takedown rifles allow the user to detach the barrel from the stock for transport and then reattach it when it needs to be used, usually without having to use any tools. At their best, takedown rimfire rifles have all the aspects of their larger counterparts, just in a smaller, more portable package.
Whether you’re hunting in the backcountry, floating down the river in a boat, or getting flown into the wilderness for weeks at a time, it’s the gun you can depend on to put food on the table while larger game eludes you. They’re equally at home slipped away under the seat of your truck, and they’re also perfect for the owner who doesn’t have a lot of space at home and wants to store their rifle safely away from children or guests.
What We Look for in a Takedown Rifle
A takedown rifle should be a gun for every person and every situation. It should be a joy to use, and ideally just as effective as its larger counterpart, within reason. Hence, when picking your perfect takedown rimfire rifle, consider the following:
- Size & Weight
- Cost
- Versatility
- Accuracy & Range
We’re looking for a rifle that’s relatively inexpensive, easy to use, and can be deployed with limited skill and time. The last thing you want is to be fumbling around, putting your gun together while the target hops away. Once assembled, it should be reliable enough to hit the target. It can be a difficult balance to strike, but here are our best picks.
Jump to: What Makes a Good Takedown Rifle
Takedown Rifles We Recommend
 Ruger 10/22 Takedown .22 LR
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 Chiappa Little Badger .22 LR
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 Henry US Survival AR-7
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 Savage 42 Takedown .22 WMR/.410
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highlight | Best Value & Accuracy | Cheapest & Lightest | Most Compact | Most Versatile |
| Action | Semi-Auto | Break Action | Semi-Auto | Break Action |
| Capacity | 10 rounds | 1 round (2 magazines) | 8 rounds | 2 rounds (1 shot rimfire, 1 shot .410) |
| Length | 35 in | 31 in | 35 in | 35.75 in |
| Weight | 4.2 lb | 3.6 lb (with scope) | 3.5 lb | 6.1 lb |
| Price | $499 USD* | $189.99 USD* | $300 USD* | $520 USD* |
| Field Notes | Field Notes | Field Notes | Field Notes |
What Makes a Good Takedown Rifle?
Size & Weight
Cost
Versatility
Accuracy & Range
If you’re going to spend the money on a takedown rifle, you might as well go for the smallest, most compact one out there. Ideally, aim for a rifle that is a pound or two lighter than a regular rimfire with a total length of less than 40 inches. Anything beyond that compromises its utility. Modified stocks can also help achieve this.
For instance, take the Magpul X-22 Backpacker designed for the 10/22 takedown. I’ve used this stock for years, and it significantly reduces the size of the folded rifle without compromising functionality. Additionally, it has space for an additional 10-round magazine, meaning that there isn’t often the need to carry heaps of extra ammo in your pack, which saves weight and space.
Takedown rifles do not need to be expensive. Personally, I wouldn’t spend more than $600 for a brand-new model and significantly less for second-hand. Second-hand takedowns tend to be highly reliable, especially if they only have iron sights, so a bit of bargain hunting can really pay off. I’d recommend using sites such as GunBroker and Drury’s Guns for used rifles but do be aware of scams. For more details on purchasing a used firearm, click here.
Ideally, you want a gun that can take any small game animal out there, from small gophers and squirrels to bigger jackrabbits, pheasants, and possibly even raccoons or beavers. For the most part, a .22 LR can do the job, but something bigger can really help.
If you’re in an area where larger targets are abundant, opting for a takedown chambered in .17 HMR or .22 WMR can be helpful. Even more versatile are the combination rifles, often with a rimfire cartridge in one barrel and a .410 shotgun on the bottom. This gives the hunter the option to pursue both flushed game and stationary animals at close range.
Takedown rifles aren’t going to be winning any awards for accuracy and range, but they don’t need to. As per their intended use, the longest range that you’re going to shoot at is around 50 yards, with most shots between 20 and 35 yards. Being able to shoot a one-inch group at this distance is imperative, with anything more accurate just a bonus. Playing around with different ammo and investing in a small red-dot sight can significantly improve accuracy with minimal impact on size and weight.
Our Recommendations
Best Value and Accuracy
The Ruger 10/22 is perhaps the most popular small game rifle of modern times, and the takedown model captures almost all of this utility. It’s relatively cheap, reliable, quick to assemble, and just incredibly fun to play around with.
Plus, for a takedown rifle, it maintains accuracy at a reasonable range, making it perfect for all sorts of small game. I’ve killed uncountable numbers of rabbits, hares and possums with this rifle, and even taken on the odd turkey and wallaby with it as well. For me, it’s the best all-round option out there, especially if you’re already familiar with the 10/22.
Specifications
- Action: Semi-Auto
- Capacity: 10 rounds
- Length: 35 in
- Weight: 4.2 lb
- Price: $499 USD
Cheapest & Lightest
The Little Badger is the embodiment of minimalism in a rifle. It’s ridiculously light, cheap, and easy to use, but comes with limitations. Its single-shot design can be a pain if you miss your first shot, and its small size does sacrifice some of its accuracy and range.
The sheer novelty of its structure makes for a bit of fun when shooting, but it’s probably a gun reserved for the most die-hard backcountry adventurers or those with minimal budgets. If you desire a harder-hitting rifle, there are .17 HMR and .22 WMR models as well.
Specifications
- Action: Break Action
- Capacity: 1 round (2 magazines)
- Length: 31 in
- Weight: 3.6 lb (with scope)
- Price: $189.99 USD
Most Compact
This rifle has almost legendary status as the survival weapon of choice for US Air Force pilots in the mid-20th century. It’s a small and versatile firearm that can be used on most small game, and if you have to, survive a dangerous situation.
In many ways, it combines many features of both the 10/22 and the Little Badger. It’s incredibly light and the most compact of all our options but has the added advantage of being semi-auto. Its unique ability to fit the barrel, action, and magazine into the stock makes it the most compactable of all the rifles on this list, though it is still heavier than the Chiappa, and it falls behind the Ruger 10/22 in accuracy.
Specifications
- Action: Semi-Auto
- Capacity: 8 rounds
- Length: 35 in
- Weight: 3.5 lb
- Price: $300 USD
Most Versatile
The Savage 42 is unique because it’s really two guns in one. The double-barrel system allows the hunter to fire rimfire cartridges from the top barrel and .410 shot shells from the bottom barrel. The two rounds can be fired in quick succession, perfect for pretty much every small game animal under the sun.
I’ve used this gun on a couple of occasions, targeting California quail and chukar in the Central Otago of New Zealand, where rabbits are incredibly common, and it worked like a charm in both scenarios. It is the heaviest, least compact, and most expensive of all our recommendations, but the versatility of having both a rifle and shotgun cartridge is hard to beat, earning its place on our list. Plus, when chambered in .22 WMR, it’s a heavier hitter than all the other options and gives hunters some extra range.
Specifications
- Action: Break Action
- Capacity: 2 rounds (1 shot rimfire, 1 shot 410.)
- Length: 35.75 in
- Weight: 6.1 lb
- Price: $520 USD
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