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Rimfire rifle ???

kmw1954

kmw1954

Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2018
Messages
3,616
Location
SE Wisconsin
Have been looking locally at 2 different rimfire rifles to be used for a fun rifle league with my grandson. We will be shooting at 25, 50 and 100yd targets, with 50 rounds each week. Only requirement is it is to be shot with a scoped rifle and from a supported bench.

The two rifles I am looking at; 1. Savage B22 FV with a 21"barrel. new. $295.00 the other is a Ruger American 22" barrel. Used $225.00.. I have not seen the Ruger so I have no clue as to it's condition.

I have no experience with either of these brands, models, so I have again no clue as to their function, reliability or accuracy. Or even which is the better value. So help!
 
kmw1954 said:
...We will be shooting at 25, 50 and 100yd targets, with 50 rounds each week. Only requirement is it is to be shot with a scoped rifle and from a supported bench.
Click to expand...
Assuming "a supported bench" means you are shooting bench rest style, and assuming you want to buy a new gun (not used), I would consider saving up some more money and buy a gun that is better suited for that type of shooting. That is, a heavier gun, heavier barrel, one that is more built for the task and will ride the bags better than a lighter sporter type gun. A great somewhat-affordable-but-by-no-means-cheap place to start would be a CZ 457 Varmint MTR, or for similar money but an adjustable stock a Varmint AT-ONE, or for about $200-$250 less money and a bit less weight and bulk, either a CZ 457 Varmint or 457 Pro Varmint. Any of these guns would be worthy of your grandson keeping for the rest of his days and then passing it down.
 
Last edited:
NIGHTLORD40K said:
My thinking is the money saved on the Savage over a CZ can be spent on better glass. The Savage + a $350 scope will yield generally better results from the bench than a CZ with a $100 scope.
Click to expand...

I totally agree. And I will also suggest going with one of the Savage MkII or B Series models with the heavy varmint barrel. I love all of my Savage rifles with their varmint barrels. They definitely shoot good.

For a teaser, here is my Savage MkII BTVLSS in a Rigid Alloy chassis.

MkII Rigid Chassis.jpg
 
Savage rimfires are deadly accurate. However, I once had a Savage Mako Shark years ago (2004?). It had extractor problems because it wouldn't extract the spent shell. Savage sent me another extractor and for the most part that almost solved it. Then, last year I bought another Savage BTV I think> Same problem. Deadly accurate but it has extractor problems. If there is a simple fix for this I sure would like to know.
Other than that I vote Savage.
 
Thanks for all the "OTHER" suggestions but those are the two I have available locally ATM w/o driving all over the country looking. Besides the league starts at the beginning of the month and the budget is what it is. Other than shooting paper with the grandkids I doubt is will get used much. As for glass I already have a Burris Fullfield 4.5-14 to put on it.

I do already have a Savage MKII F but that one, to me feels like a short youth model. It just doesn't fit well. Also this rifle will be for myself The grandson already has his own.
 
I am sure the Savage and CV rifle are very good and might be more accurate than my Ruger American. But they can't be much better. I've be shooting squirrels from 50 to 75 yards for several years and rarely miss. Most shots are supported from my porch or the window and side mirror of my truck. The trigger is easily adjustable.
 
I wouldn’t pick the Ruger American, just because I have one that has yet to impress me. That said, my 77/22 didn’t either until I installed an aftermarket barrel. Seems like a 10/22 and a good barrel would be as good of a choice to me at that point.

If I had to pick between the two in the OP, I’d go with the savage so I could compare the two. All my savage rifles are centerfire but they do shoot very well, even if they are not as refined as others.
 
For a twist. the shop that has these also has a Savage MKII FVXP with a 21' barrel, $275.00 and a MKII BV 21" barrel with brown laminated stock, $325.00.. Only I am thinking they too have the small short stocks like the one I already have. Or are they more like the Axis stocks?

Don't want to restock the MKII I have as a new Boyds would cost 2X what I paid for the rifle.
 
kmw1954 said:
For a twist. the shop that has these also has a Savage MKII FVXP with a 21' barrel, $275.00 and a MKII BV 21" barrel with brown laminated stock, $325.00.. Only I am thinking they too have the small short stocks like the one I already have. Or are they more like the Axis stocks?

Don't want to restock the MKII I have as a new Boyds would cost 2X what I paid for the rifle.
Click to expand...

The BV comes with a Boyds stock and has the heavier varmint barrel. The B stands for Boyds and the V stands for Varmint barrel. The length of pull on my Boyds thumbhole stock that came on my MkII BTVLSS is 13 1/2". I am taking a estimate since the rifle is no longer in that stock so the length of pull might be closer to 14"

I probably wouldn't bother with the MkII FVXP for two reasons. First the scope that is included will not be the best and second the factory synthetic stock is a bit flimsy in the fore end.
 
The Savage will be a good choice. However, the most accurate .22lr I've owned that was STOCK, was a first run Marlin 880SQ Heavy Barrel with the match grade chamber. With the scope I had I could make hits on prairie dogs past 100 yards with CCI Mini Mag HP all day because the barrel didn't heat up.

Later 880SQ were downgraded to semi-match chamber, I don't know how these performed.
 
The B-22 appears to be the MK II rifle stuck into a tactical stock. The last MK II FV I owned made me swear off every buying another Savage 22 rifle. Did I just get a lemon? Maybe, maybe not. However, the early MK II FV I have made well before the action change is a very accurate rifle. The second had extraction issues which are easily fixed but it threw a flier or shot two separate groups with ever group I shot even up through some pretty expensive ammo.

I have no experience with the Ruger rifle at all.
 
The two rifles I am looking at; 1. Savage B22 FV with a 21"barrel. new. $295.00 the other is a Ruger American 22" barrel. Used $225.00.. I have not seen the Ruger so I have no clue as to it's condition
Click to expand...

I just bought a 22" barrel ruger american recently. Today was my first time out with it. These targets were at about 35 yards while getting the scope on paper using crap bulk ammo. I was very surprised and happy with my results. The ruger american line seems to be great for the cost.

20230514_082235.jpg 20230514_082250.jpg
 
I've shot but not owned a standard ruger American rimfire. I do have an RPR in .17
Ive also never owned a savage .22 but ive shot alot more of them than the American. Ive owned a 93r17btvss in .17 as well.

Were I buying id go with the American, they just felt better than the savages.
Accuracy wise id give the edge to savage, on average.

My personal experience with the 17s tho is exactly opposite. 1/2 moa isnt unusual from the RPR, 1-1.5moa was about as well as my savage would do.
 
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