Semi-Auto vs. Bolt Accuracy

Margucci

Margucci

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I am looking to get into 22 precision shooting as a stepping stone for long range target shooting. First and foremost i am left handed. not really an issue for me with semi-auto but for bolt action it is a pain. I really like the 10/22 for the upgrades available, and from what i have heard decent accuracy. my main questions are:
1) is there are remarkable difference in accuracy between semi-auto and bolt over distances of 50-100m and then 100m-200m?

if it isn't too bad I will almost certainly go with a 10/22 even for the semi-auto fun factor with a larger mag having some outdoor plinking fun. otherwise:
2) in your opinion, what is the best bolt action 22 keeping in mind upgradeability and accuracy?
3) same question as above but with a left hand shooting rifle?

if i do end up going with bolt action and the overall best model isn't available in southpaw then i CAN use a right handed bolt... little bit more shuffling but i can make it work i guess.

thanks so much for your time and opinions.

regards
 
My guess is most will say CZ or ancholz or however you spell it. Bolt action for over 100yds is also my guess. Since the bolt doesnt move, the faster the bullet would be.
Please look up 6mmbr.com then click on tactical compitition. Lots of info for you.
I have a savage BTVS, love it however hate having to carry a 14lb rifle/scope when gopher shooting. Shooting it on bench is great. Have an SU22, 6lbs loaded to carry for gophers.
Depends I think on if all you are doing it target shooting. The look up rules and see what applies.
Hope you find what you are looking for!
PS stay away from 10/22s unless you plan on spending $1000+ on upgrades!!!
We all know someone who did and then sold there gun for a major loss!
 
I bought a $200 Savage Stevens 200. I can routinely hit a telephone pole width target at about 125 yards. Bought it for the same reason as you, and for that cheap, it really can't be beat. It's a bolt.
 
thanks for the advise. i have been looking at the savages as well bot bolt action however the sheer number of models that they are are staggering. also, their website isn't the greatest. for savage, what is their out of the box competition model (well whatever is closest in left handed)? i guess going with something that comes with a heavy barrel, free floated, etc. out of the box will give me a good starting point.
 
ok after about 7 straight hours of research i am heavily leaning towards going with a savage 93R17 BTVLSS. i know, its not a 22 but for what i am going to be using it for, mostly long range training the .17 HMR seems like the overall better round despite the difference in cost for ammo. it also seems like it comes pretty much good to go out of the box. just slap a scope and bipod on there, and maybe a cheek pad depending on height and i should be good to go.
 
im kinda where you are.
except i went 10/22 first.

i dont regret it at all, i LOVE my 10/22's, but i sunk $1000 into my tack pusher for sure.
im not getting the accuracy out of it that i was hoping for though.
so now im looking into bolt action guns.
i had asked around and got the same suggestions you are getting, but after looking into some of those higher end guns i realised that if im gonna sink 2-3-4k into a bench gun its gonna be a .338 Lapua or something like that.

im kinda leaning to what you where just talking about, the Savage 93R17 BTVLSS, my dad picked one up here a month ago so i think i might try it this summer if i get down to see him.
if i like it im gonna try to get one in Left Handed.

as for the rugers, i wouldnt take anything else into the field to shot gophers!!!
but then i have 4 of them to choose from, haha

here, save yourself $1000 and look at my monster, then go get that savage.
754B1370-F3E6-45F3-8D91-ECEC7D6E604A-2431-00000439D48D613B_zps5851ba04.jpg
 
Margucci said:
ok after about 7 straight hours of research i am heavily leaning towards going with a savage 93R17 BTVLSS. i know, its not a 22 but for what i am going to be using it for, mostly long range training the .17 HMR seems like the overall better round despite the difference in cost for ammo. it also seems like it comes pretty much good to go out of the box. just slap a scope and bipod on there, and maybe a cheek pad depending on height and i should be good to go.
Click to expand...

Have you considered the .22 WMR at all? The WMR will give you good accuracy out to 100 yards and the round is not effected by the wind as much as the HMR is. I have both the 93 and the 93R17 in heavy barrels and while the 17 is extremly accurate I find at 100 yards that even a light wind has a significant effect on the round that the WMR does not experience as much. The 93BTVS is probably the one gun I will never get rid of. The ammo is also a bit cheaper.
 
You can shoot through your bolt action 22 whatever ammo gives you the best accuracy. With a semi auto, you will find your ammo choice also guided and limited by what cycles the action most reliably. I think you should get both.
 
For your stated purposes a bolt action would be best... I know that you said you might go with the 17 HMR and that is a good choice, BUT if you don't have a .22 LR then that is most definitely a better way to go... The ammo is cheaper and it is a great trainer for long range shooting... I have been shooting rimfire for 45+ years and have dozens of rimfire rifles... Including LR/HM2/WMR/HMR... If I could only have one, it would definitely be LR in a bolt action platform. I have built dozens of guns also, including Winchester, Savage, Ruger, Anschutz, CZ etc... As a great starting point, a used CZ 453 American or Varmint will do what you are looking for, with great fit/finish asthetics, and will be a gun that you "keep." If you cankt find a used 453, then try a new or used 452 and if not a new 455. Savage MKII's are good little guns and are accurate but the fit and finish is not nearly as nice as CZ... But Savage rifles have plenty of aftermarket upgrades available... I would recommend the FV model with a Boyd's stock of your choice and new bottom metal... IMO either the FV or GV are a better base model (for a build) than the FV-SR or TR...
 
Well i didnt read the thread but im sure it has been made clear bolt is way more accurate than semi
price wise my pics
Marlin XT
Savage Mark2
Anschultz anything
 
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Joe549 said:
Have you considered the .22 WMR at all? The WMR will give you good accuracy out to 100 yards and the round is not effected by the wind as much as the HMR is. I have both the 93 and the 93R17 in heavy barrels and while the 17 is extremly accurate I find at 100 yards that even a light wind has a significant effect on the round that the WMR does not experience as much. The 93BTVS is probably the one gun I will never get rid of. The ammo is also a bit cheaper.
Click to expand...
i was looking at the ballistics charts in this thread (http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?63954-Rimfire-Ballistic-charts) and according to that the HMR is impacted less by the wind than either of the .22 rounds. or am i missing some other source for information which contradicts that?

hoytcanon said:
For your stated purposes a bolt action would be best... I know that you said you might go with the 17 HMR and that is a good choice, BUT if you don't have a .22 LR then that is most definitely a better way to go... The ammo is cheaper and it is a great trainer for long range shooting... I have been shooting rimfire for 45+ years and have dozens of rimfire rifles... Including LR/HM2/WMR/HMR... If I could only have one, it would definitely be LR in a bolt action platform. I have built dozens of guns also, including Winchester, Savage, Ruger, Anschutz, CZ etc... As a great starting point, a used CZ 453 American or Varmint will do what you are looking for, with great fit/finish asthetics, and will be a gun that you "keep." If you cankt find a used 453, then try a new or used 452 and if not a new 455. Savage MKII's are good little guns and are accurate but the fit and finish is not nearly as nice as CZ... But Savage rifles have plenty of aftermarket upgrades available... I would recommend the FV model with a Boyd's stock of your choice and new bottom metal... IMO either the FV or GV are a better base model (for a build) than the FV-SR or TR...
Click to expand...
those base models which you suggested arent made in left hand models. its only the G, which by the looks and weight doesnt look like it has a heavy barrel. and then the BTV which does. if i was a righty i would certainly go with one of the base models with a heavy barrel and then upgrade the stock. however, finding a decent LH stock is a pain as well (or one that is truly ambi and not moulded to one hand).

there are so many good points that people have made. i believe i am going with the savage. and honestly i might just buy both the HMR and the 22 LR within a short period of time. most accessories will be transferable anyways (with maybe setting a new zero for the scope) so that isnt too big of a deal.

also, is it me or does CZ pretty much have a complete lack of left handed rifles unless you can find an old model?
 
i was looking at the ballistics charts in this thread (http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?63954-Rimfire-Ballistic-charts) and according to that the HMR is impacted less by the wind than either of the .22 rounds. or am i missing some other source for information which contradicts that?
Click to expand...

You are 100% correct, the real issue is that some people are ignoring the facts , and are assuming that the 17HMR drifts more in the wind than the 22rimfires, even though that isn't true.
 
"...a telephone pole width target..." Might as well be a barn door or an elephant's buttocks. snicker.
Generally speaking, a bolt action will always be more accurate than a semi. Just nature of the beast's. However, you can spend a big pile of money accurizing a semi. Done with 10/22's regularly, but even those aren't serious target rifles.
"...the .22 WMR..." Too expensive and not accurate enough for target shooting. Not many rifles either.
 
I have a savage 17hmr with a good scope on it and it is a real tack driver out of the box. I bought the thumbhole model and now am addicted to it. have a 22-250 on order with a 1-9 twist and with the thumbhole. You will love the 17, I lent it to another person at the range last week and after shooting targets at 100 yds and knocking them all down he turned to me and said "that is just cheating"
 
You will love the 17, I lent it to another person at the range last week and after shooting targets at 100 yds and knocking them all down he turned to me and said "that is just cheating"
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How big were the targets? Try using paintballs to make it more of a challenge.
 
A bolt action will always be more accurate than a semi auto, all things being equal...ie. both have floated match barrel, etc...

As far as calibre goes, I have a Savage stainless-synthetic .75 moa rifle in .17hmr and a Ruger 10/22 .22LR. for fun.
If I were in the market for a precision bolt action target rimfire rifle today I'd get one of the new Savage stainless
bull barrel rifles chambered in the new .17 Winchester magnum rimfire. It has so much power that it shoots flat for
way further than the .17HMR and reduces the wind drift you find with that cartridge to very reasonable levels. It's a
.17HMR on steroids, and adds a hundred yards to the practical range of the .17HMR.
 
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Margucci said:
i was looking at the ballistics charts in this thread (http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?63954-Rimfire-Ballistic-charts) and according to that the HMR is impacted less by the wind than either of the .22 rounds. or am i missing some other source for information which contradicts that?



those base models which you suggested arent made in left hand models. its only the G, which by the looks and weight doesnt look like it has a heavy barrel. and then the BTV which does. if i was a righty i would certainly go with one of the base models with a heavy barrel and then upgrade the stock. however, finding a decent LH stock is a pain as well (or one that is truly ambi and not moulded to one hand).

there are so many good points that people have made. i believe i am going with the savage. and honestly i might just buy both the HMR and the 22 LR within a short period of time. most accessories will be transferable anyways (with maybe setting a new zero for the scope) so that isnt too big of a deal.

also, is it me or does CZ pretty much have a complete lack of left handed rifles unless you can find an old model?
Click to expand...

I am basing my opinion on experience with my rifles. Same conditions the WMR will shoot tighter groups than the HMR. When there is no wind the HMR will shoot very tight holes. I'm not suggesting that it isn't a good round it is just more sensitive to outside factors. BTW, I am using 40gr CCI JHP in the WMR and Hornady 17gr VMAX and 20gr XTP in the HMR.
 
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