.22 is sounding better and better, how about some advice

dannymat

dannymat

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So I want a rifle and was all dead set on something in a .308win. But after a bit of search i saw that .22 are CHEAP! Guns are cheap, ammo is cheap, it's all such a good value.
I'll probably just use it for target shooting and maybe a bit a few rodents.
I was also thinking bolt action.
Now for the questions, is .22lr better than just .22.
What brands should I stay away from?
How far will i be able to make a descent shot with it (with practice of course).
And any other tips in general.

I still want a BIG rifle, but a .22 seems like a fun way to start out with.
 
they are a blast for anyone to have
the cz is an amazining 22
also if you want to tinker with your gun the ruger 10/22 you can do anything to it those are my 2 choices is 22 unless you want to spend more $$ then an anshutz or a cooper would be a good choice
Im only good to shoot out to 100 yards on gophers then I prefer a bigger gun
the bushnell elite fixed 10 with target turrets is a great scope for the caliber too
buy a 22 and you will be happy you did
 
A .22 is certainly a great gun to have around and a lot of fun to shoot. I was in a similar situation than you a while back - wanted a 7mm rem mag. for moose but thought I would get a .22 first. Ended up doing some research and landed on the CZ 452. Ended up buying about 3 or 4 new .22's until I finally got my 7mm. I shoot the 7mm the odd time but am much more dedicated to my .22 shooting. I also discovered that there is really a lot of potential for travel and international shooting with the rimfire (and air rifle) - In fact I will be going to India in October.

.22lr is the standard caliber now adays and .22 shorts and longs are fading away. You will be quite hard pressed to find any shorts or longs for sale now adays and .22lr is the standard for manufacturing.

Bolt action is certainly a great choice and generallly speaking will give you better accuracy than the other actions.

For hunting 70-80 yards is about all you want to do with the .22lr. This may not sound like a whole lot compared to shooting big game out to 3-400 yards but depending on what you are going to be hunting you should be able to get with in that distance or closer if you shooting game such as grouse, etc. For target shooting some people (such as eagleye on this board) are shooting thier .22's out at 200 yards with good results. It takes an accurate gun for it not to be too frusterating though and a calm day. The effect wind has on it at that distance is fairly substantial.

The brands you should stay away from would depend on how much you are willing to pay. My favorites are CZ and anschutz (along with certain models of other guns such as Win. 52, remington 40X, etc but you are going to be paying top dollar for these).

I would really take a look at the CZ 452 though. Very well made, exceptionally accurate and overall a very good gun. At around $450 they may be a bit more expensive than you were originally willing to pay but In my opinion they are well worth it and will last a long time. If you really don't want to spend that much Savage puts out a couple on the cheaper end that, although in my opinion are not quite as well made, still shoot relatively well and should serve your purposes fine.

Good luck!
 
Couldn't agree more on the merits of a good .22 rifle. I just picked up a heavy-barelled Savage MKII and topped it of with a cheap, yet insanely over-powered 6-18 by 40 AO scope just for the heck of it. I plan on using it mainly for punching paper out to 100 and on reactive targets such as water bottles out to at least 200 yards. I can get a full brick of ammo for nearly the price of 50 rounds to feed my HMR, which in turn could maybe buy 10-15 rounds of centre fire. I picked up one of those steel "spinner" targets from canadian tire and blasting that thing at 50-100 yards is hours of entertainment. Havent shot the savage enough yet to comment on it, but most reviews of this rifle are excellent.
 
the almighty .22 is indeed the place to start. I have seen on this EE, today a little Lakefield .22 bolt action repeater and it is cheap, accurate and with a 3x9x scope, it is a deadly varmint gun. Yes you can buy new guns that are suppose to be the greatest thing going, but the older ones seem to outlast the new and a person does not see too many "old" guns for sale. I neither had to modify the trigger nor change the barrel or add to the gun at all and it did its job just fine. There are different lengths of .22 ammo but lr seems the most popular. Gives more punch at longer range

every one has a favourite brand, and I cannot come down on any as I have not tried them all. You asked for info and I gave my opinion. Start cheap but dependable and if you enjoy the sport , then invest in a more expensive gun....by then you will know what you expect out of your purchase. Good luck and ENJOY....
 
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I wouldn't get a cheap .22 just to get something cheap if you already know you like shooting. A good rifle will last you a lifetime. I would look at a Sako Quad (having one customized right now). With this rifle, you can convert between .22LR, .22Magnum, 17 HM2 and 17 HRM.

The price of the caliber conversions can be the same cost as individual rifles in those calibers. But, you aren't adding a new scope and new accessories each time. So, you can spend a little more on these too. And, you don't have to buy the conversion, but its nice to have the option in the future. My philosophy is to buy fewer guns, but nicer guns with nicer accessories.

You can shoot a good, accurate .22LR out to 300 yards for target practice. For game, I'd limit it to 80 on stuff like squirrels and half that for ground hog sized animals.
 
the problem with the sako quad is that they arent much better cals offered
I had a 17 hmr and it shot wicked good but not any more acrobatics than a 22 the 22 wmr is a good round but super expensive
ditch the sako quad idea and buy a good 22 for less money
 
OK just from looking in the S.I.R. catalog there is the Marlin 925R and the Stevens 300. They are both around the $200 mark (cheap cheap) I don't mind spending a bit more if I have to, but if anyone has any thoughts on those, they might be a good start.
I've read a lot on how the savage big rifles are cheaply constructed, so I don't really know what one of those.

And before I get yelled at...... I do NOT plan to buy my gun out of a catalog, I plan on doing what I did with my shot gun, walk into my local gun shop, tell them what I want, they make a call and tell me how much it is, and then I put my order in and deposit down before I can discuss it with the mrs.
 
Depends what your using the caliber for... If its just punching paper, I'd agree. But, .17s really make those varmints pop compared to the .22LR.

The Quad is also a lot more customizable than most other rimfire guns since I will fit centerfire stocks without modifying them drastically. Such as this Manners T4.

sako22d019.jpg


A lot more coin than most would put into a .22LR and certainly off track form what the OP was looking for, but fine with me. Won't be ditching the Quad idea any time soon.
 
I have a Quad and I really like it. I wanted a decent rifle with a synthetic stock and it fit the bill. I will probably only use it as a .22 but I like how it doesn't spray brass on the dash like my modded 10/22. I hate it when they go down the vents.
 
Honestly I have never heard a bad review of a savage rifle before, and I did a lot of homework before buying the 2 that I own. there is this review for example:

http://www.outdoorlife.com/article_gallery/Gun-Test-'08/7

to quote:
"The Savage MK II .22 RF we tested proved to be not just the most accurate rimfire we tested this year, but the most accurate rimfire we've ever tested, including some high-dollar rifles of exalted European origin."

or:
http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=238134

Anyway that was good enough for me, not to mention they are made in Canada and I like to keep my dollars at home when I can.
 
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Savage MK 2 is a no frills, fairly accurate rifle. For the price, you really can't go wrong. Mine had a few teething pains when new (fail to extract), but now no problems. It can be the spare .22 for a friend to use when you get another rifle.:)
 
The Savages are good but avoid the low end models, fit and finish is a bit shoddy. Winchester Wildcat is a good buy. The Marlins are good.

There are also lots of good used rifles like Winchester 69 A, CIL 180 or 190, etc.

No doubt, .22 RF is a great place to start. In fact if my shooting with centerfire rifles is off a bit I go back to a .22 to refresh the basics.
 
One of these feels just like a big gun - but without all the blast and recoil.
It shoots pretty good too. Maybe not like a Sako or Anschutz, but nearly;)
Rem40xRF002-1.jpg

Rem40xRF008.jpg
 
Get the .22

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GET THE .22 FIRST.

The ammo is cheap, and you can fire it almost any place that is safe.

If you are looking at the Stevens or Savage......BUY THE ACCU-TRIGGER VERSION. As stated, there are some rough spots, but they can be polished a bit, and the adjustable trigger makes it a pleasure to shoot. I have three, a FV, a BV, and a BTVS. We use mil-dot scopes, shoot about 3000 rounds a year at Prairie Dogs, and a PD within a hundred yards is in serious trouble.

If you want a bit more quality and can afford it, check out the CZ. They average about $450, but if you keep it 10 years, that is only $45 a year. You can spend more than that one night in a bar. Consider a heavier barrel if you are going to do a lot of target shooting. They seem to "hang" better when shooting, and the heavier barrel dampens vibrations a bit, allowing a bit more accuracy.

The Winchester Wildcat is not bad, but there is a problem with parts and availability. They come with 4 mags, but it seems like the mags are fitted to each rifle. Right now, they are very cheap, and Winchester has been giving them away to dealers for a promotion for buying a lot of Winchester Product.

I see you live in Hamilton. I grew up and lived in Brantford until about 1975. When starting out during the 50's, I used the .22 for everything.......and it took those big Southern Ontario Woodchucks if you stalked them to about 35 yards or so. If you want a larger rifle for hunting them, consider a .223, 22-250, or .243. The Stevens 200 can be had in those calibres (along with .308) for around the $300 mark. (Check the regulations......275 calibre was the largest for hunting in southern Ontario last I heard..........so a .308 would be range use only.) The .243 would be legal, and can certainly drop any deer easily.
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buffdog said:
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GET THE .22 FIRST.

The ammo is cheap, and you can fire it almost any place that is safe.

If you are looking at the Stevens or Savage......BUY THE ACCU-TRIGGER VERSION. As stated, there are some rough spots, but they can be polished a bit, and the adjustable trigger makes it a pleasure to shoot. I have three, a FV, a BV, and a BTVS. We use mil-dot scopes, shoot about 3000 rounds a year at Prairie Dogs, and a PD within a hundred yards is in serious trouble.

If you want a bit more quality and can afford it, check out the CZ. They average about $450, but if you keep it 10 years, that is only $45 a year. You can spend more than that one night in a bar. Consider a heavier barrel if you are going to do a lot of target shooting. They seem to "hang" better when shooting, and the heavier barrel dampens vibrations a bit, allowing a bit more accuracy.

The Winchester Wildcat is not bad, but there is a problem with parts and availability. They come with 4 mags, but it seems like the mags are fitted to each rifle. Right now, they are very cheap, and Winchester has been giving them away to dealers for a promotion for buying a lot of Winchester Product.

I see you live in Hamilton. I grew up and lived in Brantford until about 1975. When starting out during the 50's, I used the .22 for everything.......and it took those big Southern Ontario Woodchucks if you stalked them to about 35 yards or so. If you want a larger rifle for hunting them, consider a .223, 22-250, or .243. The Stevens 200 can be had in those calibres (along with .308) for around the $300 mark. (Check the regulations......275 calibre was the largest for hunting in southern Ontario last I heard..........so a .308 would be range use only.) The .243 would be legal, and can certainly drop any deer easily.
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Any rifle i get will end up being a big expensive paper punch, my deer wmu is a shotgun only area
 
My "go to" .22 rifle is a Marlin 39A lever action rifle. In the bush, it handles great with a peep sight for dispatching squirrels, grouse and other varmints.
 
I would really take a look at the CZ 452 though. Very well made, exceptionally accurate and overall a very good gun. At around $450 they may be a bit more expensive than you were originally willing to pay but In my opinion they are well worth it and will last a long time.
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The CZ is a very well made rifle.I had a BRNO model 5,and it was extremely accurate.
 
:yingyang: Please note this like the others is 1 persons thoughts. I would go for a good quility 22 bolt. They have beem many hours of shooting pleasure. A good one will last a lifetime. A heavy single that shoots is better that something that sprays lots downrange. I think there is one in EE under percision guns.Good luck AJ:)
 
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