Semi, bolt, or lever action .22 LR?

[CB900F]

Cosine;

Check 'em both out. I do believe, however, that .com is the original. You'll see me over there on the CZ board. There is an absolute wealth of information concerning just about anything you may want to do with any rimfire gun.

900F

 

[Sistema1927]

.22 rifles, nobody can own just one!

I have a good assortment right now, but no bolt guns, even though I have owned them in the past, and will probably buy a couple relatively soon to teach the twin grandsons.

The first rifle I ever truly owned was a Winchester single-shot .22 bolt action, but I was stupid in High School and sold it. The first rifle I ever shot, and now the Queen of my gun safe is a Winchester '06 pump.

For semi-autos, I have a couple of 10/22s, a Browning, and a Taurus 63.

The most fun .22, and the one that spends the most time out of the safe, is a Marlin 39. It is probably the most versatile of my .22s, and gets shot in informal plinking and desert rambling sessions more than all of the rest put together.

So, it doesn't really matter which one you buy now, the others are sure to follow.

 

[Stiletto Null]

I vote for the bolt. A "serious" .22 bolt-action will do just fine as a plinking rifle, and in the meantime you will always know that if you miss that dirt clod it was either your fault or your ammo's fault, and not the rifle's.

I have a bone-stock CZ 452 FS. I got it for $300. I intend to stock up on magazines so I can try some rapid fire. The action is so nice, you can open and eject using just your index finger; I have not yet managed to cycle the bolt without having to break firing grip, but I'm sure that after some polishing up of the action (I think I'll take it to a smith), I'll be able to get away with not having to unhook my thumb.

If I REALLY work at it, I can cloverleaf at 50yd using irons. And I haven't even gotten a trigger job for it. Little bit creepy and gritty, but you will only notice the creep if you stack on the pressure REAL slow. I've heard numbers of ~3.5lb for the stock factory trigger; if I press quickly, it breaks pretty cleanly.



I also have a Romanian 1969 trainer rifle which has been neglected, because I can actually dryfire the CZ without worries. I should really get it (the Romanian) cleaned up...

 

[saltydog452]

I don't know if its important to you, but the 39A is a 'take-down'. It can be transported in a suitcase, or a backpack.

The bolt rifle and the 39A can use CCI 22 Long CB Caps. Quiet and easy to build a bullet trap. You got yourself a backyard or hallway plinker while living in the 'burbs.

Its easy to get a really good trigger job and overtravel stop installed on the Marlin.

Both are easy to clean from the breech.

I 'spect you'll have fun with any of them. Having choices are nice. Enjoy.

salty.

 

[cosine]

Thanks for all the replies and advice.

 

[mp510]

With the exception of the Scout. Their rear sights are very rudimentary and adjust only for elevation. (Front sight drifts for windage, after you take the cover off first, of course.) They are grooved for rings though, (11 mm) and with a good scope will do less than 1" @ 50 yds easily with run of the mill ammo. The stock on the Scout, IMO, is quite better than a comparably priced and sized domestic rifle. I like the stock on the first Scout I got which was to be used to teach my nieces and nephew that I decided to keep it myself and bought another.

HKSW,
I ca't tell you that you are more wrong about the CZ's, and I know for a fact because I have and shoot one. Mine is a 452-2E ZKM, the Birch stock Military Trainer model. If I remember properly, the Lux model has the same sight configuration. The rear sight is adjustable for windage and elevation. There is a small screw on the side for the latter. It can be adjusted for elevation by a slide, much like the sights on the older military rifles (such as the Mauser 98K). It comes complete with distance markings, for rapid adjustment. The fron sight on the CZ may only be adjusted for elevation, though that is usually done to correct for miscalculated elevation (ie. having the sight set for 50 meters does not impact level at 50- meters, and you wish to bring the sights and trajectory in corelation). I have never touched my fron site.
The one problem with the CZ is that scope mounting requires higher than average rings, but i use see under rings so I can ake use of my irons as well.

I would recommend that you purchase a good bolt action. They are simple to operaste, very reliable, generally more accurate than other actions types. They can be easier to maintain as well. Savages are pretty accurate, and base models often cost between $100 and $200 new, including the bull barrel models. The savages biggest fault is probably the heavy triggers they have.

I love my CZ. It is very accurate. I am 6 feet tall, so I am capable of handling the 14 inch LOP very well. Some CZ's do come with very gritty actions, and they may need to be worked in over time. The flush 5 round mag is nice, and an extended 10 round model is available as (an expensive) a ccessory. They also come from the factory with a test target for your inspection.

There is also oodles of cheap used bolt actions on the market. Mossbergs often cost less than 100, and are pretty accurate.

Marlin makes decent quality utilitarian shooters, I have no expereince with there new trigger system, but the old triggers were either very bad, or decent. However, they are very affordable.

 

[Stiletto Null]

The Scout doesn't have the regulated battlesight like the Lux, FS, and military trainer (which is really just an uglier Lux), it has a more normal (read: crappy, although still better than most modern production irons) "adjustable tangent sight".

Linky.

 

[mp510]

Stilleto, I am aware of that

Unfortunately HKSW claimed the bad sights were on the Lux and Trainer and I felt it necesary to correct him Maybe he misspoke?

 

[cosine]

So, to sum it up, the Lux, the military trainer, and the FS have slightly better sights on them then the Scout?

 

[mp510]

Yes.

The Lux, FS, and Trainer have military type battle sights that are way better than the rudimentary sights on the Scout model.

 

[Stiletto Null]

So, to sum it up, the Lux, the military trainer, and the FS have slightly better sights on them then the Scout?

SLIGHTLY?!

Sure...kinda like how a McLaren is faster than a Moped.

(Well, not really, the Scout has a very similar sight PICTURE to the fancier rifles, but the rear sight isn't regulated at 25yd intervals out to 200yd.)

 

[eagle716]

Where can I get one of those Winchester 62 pumps? Sweet looking little plinker!

For plinking, go for the 10/22, ton of fun, reliable, and ready to grow, only limits on how much you want to invest.

I have a basic off the shelf I only added a 30 round banana mag, sling and a red dot (I just had to....). Made it my "warm up" gun.

If you're planning to go into any kind of competition, go for the bolt action, because, well, because their just more accurate and easier to teach yourself proper discipline

 

[cosine]

SLIGHTLY?!

Okay, okay, don't jump on a newbie who's trying to keep from looking like a total fool with the questions he's asking.

If you're planning to go into any kind of competition, go for the bolt action, because, well, because their just more accurate and easier to teach yourself proper discipline

You see, this is going to be my first firearm, so I'm not quite sure what I want to do with it yet. Competition does sound interesting, so a bolt action may be the way to go for me.

 

[nero45acp]

I've owned two .22 carbines/rifles. One a Taurus Model 62 stainless carbine and the other a CZ 452FS.

The Taurus is a fun plinker, though it could use better sights (a rear peep sight would be great) and a little better trigger. Accuracy is OK, but again would be much better with better sights and a little better trigger. The pump action is fun, quick, and reliable. For plinking cans in the woods, it's a great carbine.

The CZ 452FS is a much nicer/more substantial rifle. I've shot very good groups with it using the stock factory sights (even with middle-aged, presbyopia vision). With a el-cheapo BSA 4x32mm scope on it I've shot one hole groups with it. (Eventually, I want to do my CZ justice and put a Leupold VX-II 3-9x33mm Rimfire EFR on it.) The only problem with the CZ is that it's such a nice rifle I don't want to take it out in the woods/field.


nero

 

[BigG]

I am much a fan of the old-style tube fed 22 autos sold by Sears, Monkey Wards, and built by High Standard, Marlin, etc. Very accurate and trouble free and I don't believe in a 22 rifle handling like a "big bolt (or other manually operated) rifle." They never feel like you are shooting a centerfire so why should they operate like one? Plinking is a lot of fun and why should you take the fun out of learning to shoot?

If you were talking about a handgun, my advice would be different, because I like a full sized pistol like a S&W K22 or a Colt Service Ace as a plinker. They hang much better than the little lightweight 22 autos and revolvers.

 

[hksw]

The Special (Beechwood, cheaper stock)
The Scout (Small gun, cheaper stock)
The Trainer (Basically a Lux with a slightly cheaper beachwood stock)
FS (Manlicher full stock. /drool/
Lux (High end stock)
Ultra Lux (High end stock extra long barrel)

These all come with iron sights.
.
.
.
The CZs that come with iron sights have pretty nice ones at that.

With the exception of the Scout.

Where exactly had I mispoken, mp510? If I had implied the other models had poor rear sights (except the Varmints) the statement by me would have been seperated with a comma.

 

[America_without_liberals]

I totally agree with BigG. If you are just starting, don't blow a ton of money on a .22. You can buy them for under $100. I have 3 personally. One semi and 2 bolt actions. The most I paid for one was $80. If you want to spend money, buy an AK or AR. You can then modify the hell out of either and spend even more money on accessories.

 

[mp510]

HKSW, I totally misread your comment. Rudimentary sights was referring to the scout, not the other models. My fault:banghead:

 

[hksw]

No problem.

Though after re-reading my post, I can see how it could have been misconstrued.

With the exception of the Scout. Their rear sights are very rudimentary...

I think I could have been more clearer if I had stated, "With the exception of the Scout. Its rear sights are very rudimentary..."

I had taken the Scout line as a catagory of a number of items (plural) as I have a couple of them, and not as an individual rifle (singular).

 

[mole]

I've shot the Marlin 39 and 60 a few times. I own a Ruger 10/22 for my .22lr. The 39 was the more fun to shoot, but I couldin't justify spending that much on a .22. All three were good guns. I have never shot the CZ before, but plan on getting one just because of the reputation they have acheived.

A buddy of mine was low on money and wanted a .22. He went to Wal-mart and bought a $99.97 Savage semi and a ~$35 Daisy bb gun scope that came with a mount. The Savage had dovetails (I think that's what they are called) and iron sights. We have no problems hitting a 1.50-2 inch target at 75 yards using cheap .22 (Reminton 550 rounds for ~$9.50). Even though it's for a bb gun the scope does not lose zero. If I were to buy my first .22 again, that is what I would do. For a lower price, Savage sure makes a good gun.

 

[cosine]

For a lower price, Savage sure makes a good gun.

Yes, Savages seems have a pretty good rep.

 

[mp510]

Yes, the savages are pretty good. The .22 rifles are made by Lakefield in Ontario, Canada and exhibit pretty decent quality. The triggers are pretty bad on them, but that can probably be worked on. There is 5 and 10 round magazines available. I have shot a bull barrel and laminate model in the past, and I enjoyed it (scope only on that model).

 

[cosine]

Mp510,

You mentioned working on the triggers of the Savages. Is that something you can do yourself, or do you have to take it to a gunshop? Does it cost a lot, or is it a bit more reasonable in cost? What all is usually done when you work on the trigger?

 

[CB900F]

Cosine;

Working on the Savage trigger is not a great chore. I've done it & gotten satisfactory results. Go to the Savage section in Rimfire Central.com & check it out. Mine was a wood/blue gun with the standard barrel. It was not expensive & shot well. With very easy work on my part it both looked and shot better. It was a good gun & well worth the money. I'd buy another if I decide I need another LHB .22.

900F

 

[cosine]

Go to the Savage section in Rimfire Central.com & check it out.

Heading over right now to do a search.