Battle of the Shorty Bolt .22's

p.Rundle said:
I'm not expecting laser accuracy but a 13 inch barrel is enough for like 98% burn on 22 powders (usually) so velocity isn't an issue and the shorter barrel helps with accuracy too. The big thing is reliability. As long as it's reliable and has practical (small game inside 100m) accuracy, I'm a happy camper.
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The $120 cost and 100m distance are both signs that you're very optimistic. :) I bought mine (privately) years ago that was NIB for $175, there is a dealer east of me that lists them for $219. They come up for sale, used, around $175 now +/-, but I don't often look when I see them~I have one. Anyhow, buying new would be about $250 after tax and if you ask me, they are worth that in spite of their limitations. A new CZ mag will set you back about $40+, so you're knocking on the door of $300. Still not bad, but maybe start watching the EE here for a deal.

It should be mentioned~CZ make a model called the "Scout", which is a youth-sized, CZ452 rifle and while I've never owned one, it's supposed to be a great little rifle. If the short 22 idea is still kicking when your budget improves, maybe worth a look.

100m/"Small game inside 100m"~success with that depends on allot. Allot of practice, knowing what ammo the gun likes, knowing your hold, where your scope is zeroed, etc. I shot gophers this past summer past 170 yards with my 22, but that was a heavy-barrel CZ452 Varmint, 12x scope, bipod, custom hollow-point CCI Blazer I had ALLOT of trigger time practicing with, etc. That was just to see if it could be done, and it took over 20 shots to figure-out my elevation/windage. Average shots were 50-75 yards, lots in the 100 yard range. For the Norinco~anything past about 50-75 yards would be a stretch if you ask me, but depending on what you plan on hunting...could be done. I get pretty good accuracy with mine using CCI LR HP subsonic.
 
Installed a Cub/Cadet peep on my 22 mag Stevens backpacker (13" barrel) when I got it some time ago. I hand cut the dovetail to mount the sight and lightened trigger pull. At 50+yds put 5 shots in a 2" bull this week. I'm thinking head shots on rabbits. I will take a pic of target later today and post here.

Also have a 22 LR Norinco shorty with a small Simmons 2.5x fixed shotgun scope - best ammo gets 5 into 5/8" at 50+yds (will double check that more exactly later also and post a pic).

But both guns pretty much hit where I point - love em.

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A 50 yd target I shot several days ago with this rifle using the peep sight and a make shift rest.

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More here - http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/968575-Stevens-305F
 
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p.Rundle said:
I'm not expecting laser accuracy but a 13 inch barrel is enough for like 98% burn on 22 powders (usually) so velocity isn't an issue and



the shorter barrel helps with accuracy too.
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Your experience is showing (internet)... the internet will tell you that a shorter barrel is "stiffer" and therefore more accurate... hmmmmm... competition bench shooters should have figured that out by now, don't you think?
 
Competition shooters use a longer barrel for improved sight radius while using open sights. All else being equal, I don't think you'll see much of a difference between a short barrel or a long barrel if one was using a scope.
 
In open LR cometitions using optics, do you ever see short barrels... I don't... MORE accurate... I don't think so.
 
My buddy's Ruger American Rimfire is the carbine version, and it has outshot every other (non-target) .22 I have seen. The shorter barrel does not diminish accuracy, but you're right I probably shouldn't say "more accurate" as I'm not positive that's true. But I've read it and I know and have used great short rifles that really sling 'em in.

Also thanks for the help folks, appreciate it.
 
They are nice to shoot, but Hoyt is right... At the very least, don't buy a short barrel if you're under the impression better accuracy will be the result. The 2 guns you're considering are fun plinkers, and my Norinco is decently accurate....but it wouldn't measure-up to my CZ452 Varmint, nor my Anschutz 1450. (both of which are field guns, not target guns) The short length is convenient, a bit of a novelty to some (=me)..and a fun part of the collection.
 
Yeah it's definitely more novelty than practicality.
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I say both - novel and VERY practical. Handy getting in and out of vehicle - good across the front gun rack on my Quad. So far My Norinco 13" is more accurate than my older 24" barreled Anshutz sporter (which I have had now for about a decade I think).
But I really like short guns so I'm gonna get one.
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I agree - like em and you should get one too.
The only real use other than just plinking would be potentially rabbit hunting
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...and squirrels and grouse and foxes and other small game and varmints. I doubt velocities are hampered very much though I have not yet chronographed any comparison loads to see for myself. The 22mag seems to thump hard at 100yds even from a 13" tube.

As always - just IMO.
 
Where did you get the cadet peep from?
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I knew what I wanted having seen pics of them on a Stevens Cadet single shot 22 rifle. So I put a WTB ad on EE and got it in the mail from a very fine CGNer - said he no longer needed it. Was fun cutting my first dovetail in steel - which went very well.
 
Whelen B said:
I knew what I wanted having seen pics of them on a Stevens Cadet single shot 22 rifle. So I put a WTB ad on EE and got it in the mail from a very fine CGNer - said he no longer needed it. Was fun cutting my first dovetail in steel - which went very well.
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Hey whelan I have the same peep installed on mine but could never get it sighted in too low or high can't remember anyways did you change the front sight or are you using the stock one?
 
Sorry to side track there I have a 300f I use for plinking and grouse I'm running a cheaply Bushnell scope on it and the accuracy is good buy my standards minute of grouse head at 25 yds I did change the trigger to accutrigger though. I found the Stevens trigger pull very heavy. I also cut a mag well into the butt stock to carry an extra mag very handy when on the atv no reaching into pockets.
 
hamilton0729 said:
Sorry to side track there I have a 300f I use for plinking and grouse I'm running a cheaply Bushnell scope on it and the accuracy is good buy my standards minute of grouse head at 25 yds I did change the trigger to accutrigger though. I found the Stevens trigger pull very heavy. I also cut a mag well into the butt stock to carry an extra mag very handy when on the atv no reaching into pockets.
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No worries, I like seeing conversations evolve. You guys should keep posting about the cadet sights, I like learning stuff like this.
 
Be interested in hearing more details and seeing some close pics of your cut in mag well install. How did you do that?
...did you change the front sight or are you using the stock one?
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It needed a taller front sight which was expected. I installed a .570" which I had on hand which works fine. But I intend to try a .538" Firesight when I get around to it - which should work also.
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Think grouse head here ...

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The beast with a 2.5x scope before it was peeped.

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I have a 305F and also had the Norinco. After quite some time i started getting light stikes with the stevens. I called savage and they had me send the rifle to them. In a few weeks i got it back with new springs, bolt handle, and a spare magazine that covered the shipping which i had to pay to get there. Excellent customer support. Not so sure about Norinco.
As for the norc i bought it on a whim to play around with. It was decent with a good trigger nothing really bad to say but got bored and sold it. I got the stevens on trade as i always wanted a .22 magnum. I have a bushnell 4-12 on it and sighted at 50 yrds it cloverleafs. The trigger is a bit stiff so i added a trigger shoe to help. If i was to go out and buy one i would go with the stevens. Not many rifles made here anymore.

 
I have owned both the Norc and Stevens.

The Norc is a CZ clone, shoots works well, nice stock, takes CZ mags, is Chinese. Heavy trigger but easily worked on. Crappy sights.
The Stevens is the same as any of the savage bolt guns, shoots and works well, crappy but very lightweight and compact stock, takes standard Savage MK2 mags, is CDN made. Ridiculously heavy gritty trigger, can be smoothed out some and or swapped out for an accutrigger. Awful sights.

I have a few other Savage rimfire bolt guns so mag commonality is a huge bonus. CDN made is very cool...always looking to support CDN firearms business. The availability of Savage parts is and will always be excellent. Savage aftermarket support is also excellent. The 300 is Very accurate, totally reliable.
Was a No brainer which rifle I elected to buy/keep.
I have 2 of them now :) One with a compact scope, the other I am planning on doing the cub cadet peepsght mod to...the oem sights are terrible.
I sold off the Norc.

The Norc is much heavier due to a very solid stock which is also very nicely textured and configured.
If lightweight to go with the compact size is important this is a big downside....otherwise they are a very good rifle.
If one already had a spare CZ mag and or could source one cheap then it makes sense...the CZ mags aren't cheap and the rifle only comes with one.
The rifle I had was Very accurate, reliable in the brief period I used it.

So both are good lil rifles and inexpensive.
The sights are terrible and need addressing on either.
There are some differences between them as I outlined.
The Stevens is CDN made and supported.
 



Here are the pics of the mag well install the last picture is a view inside the stock I used a hard plastic as spacers between the mag well and stock and wood screws to hold it together the tape is to give some friction so the mag pushes back against the retainer.

I may order that fire sight to try. Seems I lost the aperture for the peep I'll have to source one of those as well.
 
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