Plinkers are guns we all love. At the end of the day, if you are reading this, you probably enjoy shooting. We train, we compete, we hunt, and we have all these very serious needs for firearms, but at the core of those needs is enjoyment. It is fun to shoot, and pulling triggers always delivers a thrill. With fun in mind, I believe the purest fun with guns comes from plinking.
Plinking does not involve timers, great marksmanship, or a specific objective. It is just pure fun. There is no frustration over missed targets, blown par times, or slow reloads. It is just mag dumping into trash. Well, targets, but let’s be real: hot water heaters make great targets.
With that in mind, let’s talk plinkers. What are the best plinkers out there? Surely there are plenty of guns that qualify, but we will stick to .22LRs due to their affordability.
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Additionally, we are not going to stick with the classics. The Ruger 10/22 certainly deserves a mention, but it is an old hand. What are the best plinkers in 2026?
Taurus TX22
The TX22 is the gun that signified a big shift for Taurus, at least for me. Taurus made a massive move to improve their quality control and the reliability of their firearms. At the same time, they kept the gun affordable. The TX22 is a modern, semi-auto, blowback-operated, magazine-fed .22LR pistol.
The TX22 looks and feels like a modern duty pistol. With that said, there are quite a few TX22 models. There is the Compact, the Competition, the T.O.R.O., and I am probably missing a model or two. The TX22 gives us modern capacity, with anywhere from 10 to 22 rounds on tap, depending on the model and magazine.
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The TX22 handles like an absolute dream. The gun barely moves between shots and puts .22LR wherever you want. The light recoil makes it accessible to any shooter regardless of skill or experience. As a plinker, it brings joy to my heart to just empty the magazine into a target and land most of my shots.
The symphony of dings is seemingly never interrupted by the click of a failure to fire or the quiet moment needed to clear a jam. The TX22 allows you to engage in the pure art of plinking at a low price point.
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Beretta 20X Bobcat
The 20X Bobcat looks a bit more like a pocket defensive pistol than a plinker. Hear me out, though: the 20X series can be one of the most enjoyable plinkers on the market. With that said, for the most fun you can have, make sure you get the suppressor-ready model.
In a suppressed format, this thing is an absolute joy. When the sound of steel being hit by .22LR is louder than the gun’s report, you know you are going to have a good time. It will paste a smile across your face.
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The 20X is a tip-up pistol, and those have their own charm that cannot be denied. The 20X also packs what has to be the smallest DA/SA trigger system out there. The classic Beretta “hotdog in a bun” design, paired with the hammer-fired nature, brings even more charm to the micro-sized pistol.
The Bobcat might be small, but it is still light-recoiling and easy to control. Big-handed shooters should watch for slide bite, but it is something that can be negated. When suppressed, you can feel like a spy as you turn Coke cans into hole-filled fodder.
KelTec SU-22/PLR-22
I am giving you a two-for-one special with this pick. The SU-22 is a rifle, and the PLR-22 is the pistol version of that rifle. If you want something fairly practical, go with the SU-22. If you want fun incarnate, grab the PLR-22.
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Both mimic 5.56 variants of KelTec guns but offer a more affordable caliber that makes plinking cheap. These guns use Atchisson-style magazines, and there are a handful of options on the market. These fit AR magazine pouches and give you reliable feeding with a 25-round capacity.
The SU-22 has an underfolding stock design to shrink the rifle into a compact format. The SU-22 comes optics-ready with a threaded barrel and a unique design that makes it not only weird but attractive.
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The PLR-22 is a large-format pistol that looks clumsy but handles like a dream thanks to its 2.8-pound weight. The PLR-22 offers a few different formats, including a braced model, an extended-handguard model, and a plain, super-lightweight design.
Regardless of which you choose, these little guns allow you to pour rimfire rounds into the earth from whence they came.
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Henry .22LR Lever Gun
The way a gun feels and functions can be a big part of how enjoyable it is to shoot. When it comes to tactile operation and feedback, a lever-action rifle is unmatched. Most of the time, the thrill of plinking comes from the pull of a trigger.
With the Henry lever action, you get the thrill of working the lever, pulling the trigger, and working it again. On a per-shot basis, the Henry lever action might deliver the most fun you can have.
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Let’s not forget the ability to play Chuck Connors, shooting as rapidly as you can work the trigger and lever. The function of a manually operated action is a part of its charm, and the Henry carries that in spades.
The gun’s accuracy, its reliability, and its lever will make it a gun anyone can enjoy. If I had to introduce a new shooter to plinking, it would probably be with a Henry lever-action .22LR.
Tippmann Ordnance .22LR Gatling Gun
I have owned every gun on this list, but I sadly do not own the Tippmann Ordnance .22LR Gatling Gun. It is a bit pricey; at several thousand dollars, it is the plinker for those who are too jaded by the normal thrills of life. This manually operated, multi-barrel gun is a total blast.
Gatling guns certainly feel like full-auto, but by law, they are rotary-operated and therefore not fully automatic. You, I, and everyone else who can own a firearm can own a Gatling gun without the NFA or Hughes Amendment terrorizing us.
With the rotation of the crank, you aren’t just firing a few shots quickly; you are sending a stream of rimfire fun downrange. Unlike a real Gatling gun, you do not need a mule to carry it around.
This “bad Larry” weighs 15 pounds and is small enough to fit in a safe. While you do not need a mule, it is a great way to make your cat into a battle beast.
The Tippmann Ordnance Gatling guns are absurd, but they are the definition of plinking fun. There is nothing practical about this firearm, and that is why it is so fantastic. It is pure plinking.
Pure Plinking With Plinkers
Plinking is how the majority of us got our start with firearms. We likely used a Ruger or Marlin that was a little too big for us, but we made it work. We shot cans and cards, learning the basics of marksmanship with smiles on our faces.
Do not let go of that magic. Keep plinking, and leave the par times and B8 targets at home. Just enjoy shooting.
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