Ruger 10-22 is hard to beat, look for a used one if you can to try to stay under the $200.
There are hundreds of modifications for them, All sorts of barrels and stocks, and accessories, you name it.. You buy something else, well that is what you have. You buy a Ruger 10-22, well you can make it into just about anything you want. And they are hands down the most fun, reliable gun right out of the box you can buy. They come with a 10 round flush fitting rotary magazine, and you can buy all you want of them, but there are plenty of aftermarket mags for them, 25, 30 50 rounds, and more. They are safer than a marlin or any tubular magazine because once you drop the magazine and rack the bolt and lock it back you can see for SURE there are no more rounds in the gun. Tubular magazines, you are never sure, if it is empty, and you have to place your fingers near the muzzle of the gun to manipulate the tubular magazine follower tube. Just a pain, and unsafe for people who are new to guns. Yes we all grew up with tubular magazine guns, and NO I did not shoot my finger off, but people do.
During the charity shoot, .22 rifle sidematch we held last weekend, we only had one tubular magazine gun, to contend with, and I was on pins and needles watching the guy top up the magazine (hand near muzzle,) and muzzle to the sky to load it, and he put too many in the tube, and could not get the follower back in, and on and on, just a pain to watch and deal with. I have seen people hold the magazine follower in with their finger and shoot out the excess rounds. That is how they blow off the end of their finger. :shocked: Nope I am all done with tubular magazine .22's, wouldn't recommend one to anyone now a days.
With a box magazine gun, when it is empty, just drop the empty mag with the mag release, slap in a new mag, and rack the slide and go., To unload and show clear, just drop the mag, and rack the slide to check the chamber.. It is just so much simpler and safer. Not to mention it is the same drill for any semi-auto pistol, which most people are familiar with. Yepper, just one .22 rifle to recommend. That is a Ruger 10-22.. get one today!
Ruger® 10/22® Carbine Autoloading Rifle Models
