Noob questions - Please help me choose a 22 target rifle

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NOrrTH

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A few of us are just starting out bench shooting and we all have .22's (a Cooey and two 10/22's). We've been playing around with amo, stocks and getting our scopes sighted in.

With my 10/22 at 50 yards, using CCI amo, I'm getting about dime sized groups but 2 out of five will be an inch or two out. Now I don't know if that's me or the gun or the amo. I know some bullets are "flyers" and I know that the 10/22 sometimes has a flyer after you first load it.

The other thing is we'd like to get another 22 that's more of a precision distance rifle to mix things up a bit and I don't know what to get. Wholesale Sports in Nanaimo has a Remington 597 that's got a thumbhole laminate stock and they want $580 for it. There is no place to mount a bipod on it because its free floating I guess. I don't know but I suspect a good bipod makes an excellent shooting platform. We're using the plastic shoot and clean stands now. The one I have is kind of wiggly with its rubber feet.

Now that we've blown off a few thousand rounds each we're at a place where we're wondering what can we reasonably expect for accuracy at 50 & 100yards from .22? What's good grouping at 100 yards for an "off the shelf" target 22?

I like the idea of semi auto but if that kills the accuracy I could live without it and go bolt. Options, opinions?

Thanks!

PS: the trigger is terrible on the 10/22 compared with the Cooey which seems perfect. Way too hard of a pull.
 
I guess the best way to sum it up is, a 10/22 isn't a target rifle.
If you want to shoot groups that look like groups, go with a bolt action and subsonic ammo. Use your 10/22 for plinking.

Dime sized groups with 2 of 5 spread to 2 inches, are called 2 inch groups ;)
 
9x19p said:
I guess the best way to sum it up is, a 10/22 isn't a target rifle.
If you want to shoot groups that look like groups, go with a bolt action and subsonic ammo. Use your 10/22 for plinking.

Dime sized groups with 2 of 5 spread to 2 inches, are called 2 inch groups ;)
Click to expand...

:agree::agree::agree::agree::agree:

10/22's a nice rifle

if you want tight groups then look at a bolt...
 
I've got a Savage TRR SR topped with Bushnell 6500 4.5-30x50. It's a blast to shoot.
It's not the most accurate bolt out there but it's a great training rifle.
My brother has the base model, they shoot equally well.
I've no 1st hand experience with CZ but hear they're more accurate.
 
I've heard good this about CZ as well but having never owned one I can't say good or bad. I have owned 5 Savage's rifles (2 in 308, 2 in 17HMR and 1 in 22) and there are an extremely accurate. I still own a 10PC and a 17HMR. I can easily recommend them.
 
Savage Mk II rifles are darn nice for the price. But the CZ's are just a little better. But the CZ's do cost something like $200 more. Are they $200 better? Hard to say. And if the Savage is good enough for your needs then one could say that no, the CZ isn't $200 better. But if you want as good a group as you can get then a good CZ will be what you want.

And shooting accurately from a bench block, bipod or special shooting stand isn't the easiest skill around. It's still pretty easy to hold the rifle a little differently every time and affect the group. I've quickly come to the idea that the less I touch the rifle the better it shoots. So it's me that is the limit.
 
You are clearly not asking about the upper echelon of bench rimfire rifles... these guns will shoot in the ones with match ammo but cost many thousands of dollars...

Considering that you will be comparing your results to a stock 10/22, there really is no wrong answer here... a standard Savage MKII FV will do what you are looking for, but a CZ Varmint or American will do it a little better and with more style... watch the EE and your local firearm racks and you can find them for around $400-425ish...

Since we are talking budget bench guns, choose a good but modestly priced scope with enough magnification... the Mueller Target 8.5-25X and Eraticator are good choices as are the Hawke Varmint SF 6-24X...

Also... if you want to maximize your grouping potential, a tripod is not the way to do it... get yourself a good set of front & rear bags and fill with media (I use black silicite, but it is heavy)... if you do go with the bipod, then spend the extra money and buy a Harris... thank me later.

You have already started ammo testing, but to refine groups even more, your testing has to become more specific, specific lot numbers of various match grade ammo's... when you find a winner, buy a case... many ammo vendors will do sampler packs for testing.

Good luck and have fun in the process.
 
BCRider said:
Savage Mk II rifles are darn nice for the price. But the CZ's are just a little better. But the CZ's do cost something like $200 more. Are they $200 better? Hard to say. And if the Savage is good enough for your needs then one could say that no, the CZ isn't $200 better. But if you want as good a group as you can get then a good CZ will be what you want.

And shooting accurately from a bench block, bipod or special shooting stand isn't the easiest skill around. It's still pretty easy to hold the rifle a little differently every time and affect the group. I've quickly come to the idea that the less I touch the rifle the better it shoots. So it's me that is the limit.
Click to expand...

I just picked up a savage MK II with bull barrel... Amazing for the price, great starter bolt 22. Puts some pretty solid groups together.
x2 on the touching your rifle, more you get ur grubby paws on it the more you mess up your shots... Get a nice cheek riser to maintain good consistent sight pictures in your optic. Sand bags help immensely. Good luck !

Don't go too crazy on your first 22... Learn how to shoot before you drop over a grand !
 
Like a lot of guys on this board, I'm a "collector" of .22LR rifles (Ruger 10/22, Coey, Savage, Marlin, CZs, ....)
Among them, I found the best out-of-the-box- accuracy wise are CZ 455 Varmint, Zastava MP22($287 plus tax & shipping), and NS 522($250+tax; free delivery) [Links to where I bought my Zastava & NS522)

The CZ is a great rifle but for $600 you'll get just the rifle and if you buy used, you don't know if it was broken in properly, etc. A great thing about the CZ 455 is that you can buy a .17 HMR or .22 WMR barrel for it later and switch barrels.

The Zastava MP22 fit & finish is not as good as the CZ but at half the cost, it's a very good rifle for the money. It has iron sight (you can easily take it off and put a scope on but it's great to train with) and shoots the same as the CZ452 Lux I had accuracy wise.

I bought the NS 522 about two months ago. It has the EM332 stock but after cleaning the storage oil off (full disassembly and one can of non-chlorinated brake cleaner from Cdn. Tire), it's has better accuracy than any CZ and the Zastava I've owned since it has a match .22LR barrel. After I pillar(ed), glass bed, and did a trigger job (following the tips posted on this board), now it's the most accurate .22 rifle I've ever owned.

So if you don't mind getting your hands dirty, I would go with the NS 522. Otherwise, I go with the Zastava MP22.

As for .22LR ammo - the best bulk I've used is CCI Standard Velocity. CCI MiniMag, Federal Champion, Win M22, Win SuperX Power Point, and Win Super Speed RN are good too.
For shooting competition, I've had great results with SK/Lapua Standard Velocity and Eley Practice.

Good luck.
 
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Since you are from Nanaimo, I assume you are shooting at the Fish & Game Club.
There are a number of excellent shooters there, and you may also find help at Parksville where there is a competitive group.
With the CZ's, while they give good to very good accuracy, they are not in the benchrest category.
Once you have decided on a rifle, ammo, trigger and practise are required.
Of the rifles mentioned, all will have chambers that will accept all makes of ammo.
Once you enter the realm of benchrest you will soon learn about match ammo, triggers, barrels chambers and wind. You will also learn they all cost money.
The Anschutz 1712 and now the 1727 are considered sporter by configuration, they will deliver excellent accuracy. So after dropping $2000 (+) your ammo may cost $10, 15 or 20 per box.
Read the stickies at the beginning as there is always some information that can be gleaned from other's experience.
 
I'm a CZ user and fan myself and can voulch for their accuracy and quality for the price. But do put a nice glass on it. Quality of scopes are very important in precision shooting.

Gilbert
 
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sk8snwmx said:
CCI-SV, Eley, or SK/Lapua ammo

here's 2 easy clicks to build your target .22 for $500!

https://www.canadaammo.com/product/detail/norinco-em332-match-sporting-rifle-22lr/
http://www.theammosource.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=21_316_317_320&products_id=1814
then read through this --> http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/1015638-Norinco-NS522-build-NEW-TRIGGER-UPDATE!!!
Click to expand...

X2
I have an NS 522 as well and think it is one of the best deals going. Match chamber, hammer forged barrel medium to heavy barrel and a trigger that is super easy to modify. Mine had a minor feeding issue when I got it but I am more than happy. I also have a Zastava Z5(MP22,Rem Model 5) and agree with everything written above. Never owned a CZ but have shot a few and yes they were accurate.
Scott
 
I've got a CZ 453 Varmint. It has a better trigger than the other CZs. I get about 1" groups at 100 0.8-1.2" 5 shot groups with Eley ammo. Del selins had one in stock last I looked. The heavy barrel CZs can be hard to come by. I think there's one on the EE.
 
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