Winchester Wildcat?

[vermont88993]

I have been looking around at 22lr bolt action rifles and noticed the "winchester wildcat 22". i noticed it seemed to be very well priced and "Looked nice". I also have heard it is a good shooter. so? does anyone own this rifle, or have any of you shot/ handled this rifle? what do you think of it? how does it shoot? how does it handle?..... this would be for squirrel and other varmints (small varmints) Thanks in advance!

P.S:
i just got a ruger 10/22 a couple months back and still have that itch for a 22lr bolt action

 

[husker]

Marlins Micro grooved barrels
i think are the best out of the box 22 rifles
if accuracy is important.

 

[vermont88993]

I am not looking at bench rest competition... i am looking for a rifle that has good enough accuracy to use in the field, for hunting small game.

 

[Shadow 7D]

TULA TOZ 78, same gun, better trigger and sights, OH and no $150 for a name...

Or a good marlin 60 for a C-note

 

[Avenger29]

i am looking for a rifle that has good enough accuracy to use in the field, for hunting small game.

You'd be hard pressed to find a .22 in good shape (provided it was made right) that won't have that accuracy...

The Winchester is, as mentioned above, a Tula product with Winchester's name on it. Extra magazines reportedly have to be fitted to it by Winchester for best function.

Personally, I'd buy a Marlin or Savage on a budget, and if I had a bit more coin, a CZ 452. Especially if you seek good iron sights.

 

[husker]

i hunt all kinds of lil things with my micro grooved marlin. cheaper than 10/22

 

[natman]

It's made in Russia.

Dimensional control is so poor that magazines have to be hand fitted. That's why it comes with a bunch of them.

Winchester has dropped it.

What else do you need to know?

 

[halfded]

Take a hard look at Savage's Mark II line. The entry level sporter with synthetic stock can be had for around $170. Gets you an adjustable trigger and a very accurate rifle.

I have a BTV (heavy barrel with thumbhole stock) and tagged a 4 shot 2 inch group at 93 yards; 5th shot was a flyer of course.

Keeping them on a 3 inch plate is no problem at 9x magnification at the same range.

And that's shooting the $1.47/box Federal Lightning. The results with some match ammo should be downright scary.

 

[CZguy]

You'd be hard pressed to find a .22 in good shape (provided it was made right) that won't have that accuracy...

The Winchester is, as mentioned above, a Tula product with Winchester's name on it. Extra magazines reportedly have to be fitted to it by Winchester for best function.

Personally, I'd buy a Marlin or Savage on a budget, and if I had a bit more coin, a CZ 452. Especially if you seek good iron sights.

Excellent advice, Avenger29 beat me to it.

 

[hatchetbearer]

I have a the tula model, and I will admit the whole magazine issue is hokey, but its a damn nice gun, accurate and with the Tula model, you get an adjustable trigger and some nicer adjustable sights.

 

[vermont88993]

i just looked at the CZ 452 american and it says they are discontinued in 22lr right hand bolt. anyone know anything about this and what about the 455 american by CZ?

 

[CZguy]

i just looked at the CZ 452 american and it says they are discontinued in 22lr right hand bolt. anyone know anything about this and what about the 455 american by CZ?

You could probably find a dealer who still had a 452 American in stock.

The jury is still out on the 455. They are too new to have any good reports on them. For more info go to the CZ section at rimfire central.

 

[nitetrane98]

I, as opposed to seemingly everybody else, actually have the rifle in question. I bought mine through GB for 169 bucks. It was consignment and evidently the guy wanted to try to sell the 30 buck 10 rd mags that it comes with separately so I only got the 5 rd.

Mine is the sporter model and is a pretty nice little .22. Nice wood finish. Nothing particularly special about the wood but the satin finish is kind of like an oil finish and looks very rich. Bluing is nothing to write home about, kinda brownish looking in the sun.
As pointed out it's a TOZ 78 with pretty wood. The gun feels very nice and shoulders well for me. Enough asthetics.

First complaint is that the scope grooves are not "American". Meaning that they are some metric equivalent and most of the scope mounts will not work, they won't clamp up tight. A little Dremel work made mine work.
Second complaint is the trigger. Not adjustable and too heavy for real accuracy. I'm pretty used to mine now and the rifle is extremely accurate. Legend has it that they are the same barrel as the target TOZ's. Definitely good enough for hunting and once you get used to the trigger adequate for target work but I know when I've fought the trigger and botched a shot.

Not really a complaint, just part of how the gun works, you need to pop the bolt back with a certain amount of velocity to ensure good ejection. Slowly pulling it back will sometimes eject but often just leaves it laying on top of the mag. I've seen this happen with other .22 too. Never had any problem with feeding.

What else? The mag release is actually pretty neat, it's in front of the mag and when you push the latch it falls right into your palm. The safety takes a little getting used to. It's not bad, just different.

It's my only bolt action .22 right now and for the price I paid I really enjoy it. Actually, only having a 5rd mag makes for much more relaxed shooting

At the time I bought mine the target version of the gun was not yet available. If I had it to do over and known about the trigger I'd have waited for the adjustable trigger and bull barrel.

 

[oldfool]

what they said
ANY of the "low end' Marlin or Savage/Stevens bolt actions will do real well
(far better than the Wildcat)
pretty easy had for $200

PS
if cannot go $200, just buy a Marlin 60 semi-auto, even a used one
unless you got just plain lucky with your 10/22 on "luck of the draw", the 60 will make you appreciate what an economy priced 22 auto really can/should do
honest

 

[nitetrane98]

(far better than the Wildcat)
What was it you didn't like about your Wildcat?

 

[oldfool]

(far better than the Wildcat)
What was it you didn't like about your Wildcat?

meant no special offense by that
see post #7, ask "winchester", not me, friend

22 rimfires for less than 4 figures $$$$
"luck of the draw" is always a factor, moreso especially for anything "economical"

your's might just be exceptional , would not doubt it, been there, done that myself
owned a no name import bolt 22 that shot tighter groups than 2 of 4 Brownings I own
still have and enjoy all 4 Brownings, and grandson now has and enjoys the "no name"
but not inclined to tell OP to go find the same make/model as my grandson now owns

real inclined to suggest something in "same price range implied" that has already sold more than a few million copies for several decades, and still in production with same label on barrel, before I would recommend something that the "name'" did not have enough faith to stay the course with

if ALL Wildcats shot like your's does, at that price, mebbe "winchester" would still be selling 'em
if all 10/22s shot like some/many do shoot, mebbe folks wouldn't buy 'em and spend twice that purchase price rebuilding them to shoot like they really can shoot, real deal match grade target stuff

guys who are looking for <$200 22 rifles that can hit real well for squirrel hunting ask questions about <$200 rimfire rifles
lots of folks have offered <$200 rimfires for sale
ain't nobody selling $200 22 rifles going to put Annie/Cooper/Browning/Remington/CZ/Ruger/Marlin out of the 22 rifle business anytime soon... extreme few have an established track record like Marlin & Savage in that price range... and "Wildcat" is not one of the few that do

did not recommend a Chipmunk or Crickett boltie to the guy, but do own both (for l'il guy/ & gal) and they will kill a tree squirrel at 25 yards real easy.. for easy <$200
did not recommend a NEF break open either, easy <$200, and amongst the Rodney Dangerfield's of rifles, but a good contender re: "bang for your buck"...but not in bolties

me, I looked at the Winchester Wildcat, I looked at the Remington Spartan's.. shucks, I look at a lot of stuff, and (mostly) want it all

and happy for anybody with X, Y, or Z that hits, happier still if hits really tight for 'em
couldn't care less "where made" either

but any friend of family who asked me, "What is a good 22 bolt action rifle for $200 or less", me, I would say (no matter what prestige name is stamped on the barrel)... Marlin... Savage
but a couple of million more sales from now, I might say "wildcat/tula" instead

I just wished they had imported more of that cheapo no name easy <$100 boltie 22 I bought over 20 years ago, because all 3 of my grandsons would own one now !

 

[Hondo 60]

never mind

 

[Shadow 7D]

Actually, the TOZ 78 has a VERY good reputation, problem is, see

You have a NAME firearms company, that buys a version of a very good quality arm that is being sold in the "nameless foreign" price range, and puts name on it THEN REMOVES THE FLIP SIGHT AND ADJUSTABLE TRIGGER but then sell them on the Target model.

Oh and they cost 2 to 3 times the TOZ that are still in country and still being imported into the country under the TULA TOZ name.....

Yep, and those people have fancy degrees.....

 

[Maverick223]

Don't know much about the Wildcat, but I have yet to find a better rifle for the money than the Savage Mk. II.

 

[oldfool]

Actually, the TOZ 78 has a VERY good reputation, problem is, see

You have a NAME firearms company, that buys a version of a very good quality arm that is being sold in the "nameless foreign" price range, and puts name on it THEN REMOVES THE FLIP SIGHT AND ADJUSTABLE TRIGGER but then sell them on the Target model.

Oh and they cost 2 to 3 times the TOZ that are still in country and still being imported into the country under the TULA TOZ name.....

Yep, and those people have fancy degrees.....

fairly said, and true..
TOZ was/is not all that widely known, but respected (was, and maybe still is)
but USRAC, irrespective of "price point", never really was Winchester, name stamp on barrel notwithstanding
but there is still hope that FN/Browning/Winchester will do Winchesters again (and maybe are now)
but the Wildcat 22 probably (?) was not it
heckifiknow, it ain't been getting any easier to figure out in the one/new/better world economy
(but anybody who says "innovative, new, and improved" whilst changing the label at the same time on anything that is not new, might not ought'a be trusted too much)

not saying I would know, but my guess is that the TOZs mebbe did not have to have factory fitted magazines to function

 

[garyhan]

My Wildcat is one of my favorite rimfires. It shoots 1/2" at fifty yards, is attractive, has a great trigger, and is light as a feather. I have a CZ 452 in .17hmr, and a Marlin 25m .22mag. These comany's products are great also, but if the clips it comes with are enough for your needs, and you don't freak out about the made in Russia thing, I don't think you will be disappointed. There was a great review of these rifles recently in "Rifle" magazine. Many have reported problems with scope mounts, but a simple Simmons tip off mount worked perfectly on mine.

gary

 

[Riphalman]

Wildcat

You can add me to the "YES" column. I have the basic wildcat sporter and I'm very happy with it. It has become my favorite rimfire rifle also.
It is very light and extremely accurate. I put a cheap airgun scope and a sling on it. The rifle came with four magazines which I think will be all I'll ever need.

The finish is a little rough compared to what you'd see on an American built rifle but I think for a working rifle (hunting) it's fine.

 

[nitetrane98]

TULA TOZ 78, same gun, better trigger and sights, OH and no $150 for a name...

I suspect you might be exaggerating a bit to make your point, but just in case you're not...
You can get the Wildcat Target/Varmint all day long on GB for less than 250 bucks and the Sporters for less than that. Can you direct me to any of those less than 100 buck TOZ 78s? I'll take dozen, thankyou.