king of rimfire, hunting

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Shnitzl

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considering a rimfire for hunting small game.
I would like to buy quality, so naturally I want the best or something reputable, was thinking savage .17hmr (unless better ;)) having no experience with rimfire I dont want to gut, dismember or explode my kill for that matter.

altho all responses are more then welcome,
anyone have personal experience with a wide variety of rimfires to make a suggestion on what I am after.

I envision a range of shots including distant long range.

interested to hear what you all have to say.

perhaps your favorite action. I know it may vary person to person, and hunting style.
I have a semi not rim fire, so I was thinking to change it up with bolt or lever.
 
Cabela's has a pretty good deal on the Savage MKII FXP
It's the scoped package with a sporter barrel for $250.

Might have to find someone to buy one for me!;)
 
Kelly Timoffee said:
.17HMR may be messy for ya.

Good ole 22lr in a CZ would be a good place to look.22WMR with a heavier bullet for longer range.
Click to expand...

not sure what you are going to be hunting. anything smaller then a grouse i would go with a .22LR unless the most of you shots are past 100yrds i would go 17hmr. if you want to shoot some bigger game i would go .22wmr.
either way i am very happy with my CZ's accurate and biult to last. steel and wood.
 
To me, it sounds like you're describing a .22WMR, but you didn't say what game you plan on hunting. Someone else said "grouse and smaller~.22lr" and on that, I'd agree. My collection of rimfire bolt-actions speaks to my love of them, but I've never really hunted with my .22s. This fall, I plan on taking one of them out while grouse hunting, but that will be a first. What I HAVE done is a pile of groundhog hunting, and can speak to how HMRs and .22WMRs work on them. Since I've probably told those stories 10x on here :) I will say that I think the .22WMR is a more reliable "killing" round, but I'm sure the HMR-lovers may dispute that. I've had a Savage 9317BSEV HMR, a CZ 452 Varmint in HMR, and sold them both. I bought a Savage 93FV (.22WMR heavy barrel) to try-out without spending too much $. One I realized how effective it was, it got some upgrades. See the before/after below.

IMG-20110813-00115.jpg


22WMR.jpg


Now, these upgrades make the gun more stable, better stock geometry, scope is better..BUT, the added weight makes it almost exclusively a "shoot prone" gun. Too heavy for offhand shots, which I sometimes made on unsuspecting groundhogs. I don't miss the crappy Savage stock and 3-9x scope, but I DO miss how much lighter it was.

The nicest rimfire I've ever owned was that CZ 452, and barely a day goes buy where I question why I don't have a CZ in my collection still. I think if I could go back and do it all again, I'd go straight to a CZ 452 Varmint in .22WMR. (did they make the 452 Varmint in .22WMR?)
 
sorry I thought I did,
mainly hunting grouse and rabbit
the more versatile the better, but everything has its extents.

taking this all in.
 
At the ranges I've seen grouse and rabbit, a .22lr might be best, as would a standard-weight barrel for offhand shots/long hikes, etc. I have an Anschutz 1451 .22lr which tops my "I'll never sell" list of rimfires. Small, light, and crazy accurate. It's the gun that keeps me from buying a CZ in .22lr.

Shnitzl said:
sorry I thought I did,
mainly hunting grouse and rabbit
the more versatile the better, but everything has its extents.

taking this all in.
Click to expand...
 
noneck180 said:
I probably like the better 22 WMR better, but the 17HMR is way more accuate round. Thats why you need both..
Click to expand...

i wouldnt say way more. my wmr 452 is right in their with any hmr i have shot with.

if you want to eat the meat got with 22LR or 22WMR. if your looking to shoot from 0-75yrds go with .22LR. out to about 150yrds i would go for a 22WMR.
 
Nobody has mentioned the Sako Finfire...
Hard to come by(not really) but they really are nice.
Fit and Finish second to none.
But generally in the $1000.00 range, so having said that the CZ will do anything you ask a .22 to do and for good $$ value too.
btw, my first Sako FF allowed me to drop rounds into a beer can sized target while free hand at anywhere from 75-100yrds all day long.
Tight Groups,
Rob
 
Gotta throw my hat in the ring. Look for an Anschutz 64 model sporter. Have mine since mid 70's. Great handling and very accurate. Also have T bolt, BMR, Ruger/tommy gun, Savage 64 and a couple more Anschutz 190's. If i could have only one, my choice would be the sporter.
 
Being that I did have had both Sako Quad and Sako FF, I find the CZ will do it for allot less and believe me I do love Sako rifles. The Sako will also have higher capacity magazine in the 22 WMR or 17 HMR. It’s all in your preference...
 
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