What is your best long range .22

[SwedeSteve]

And still pretty cheap to shoot too !!

[ArkansasHunter]

Every year OutDoor Life magazine does an in-depth gun test. Since were discussing
22 rim fire's.
The 2008 .22 rim fire award goes to a Savage Mark II. Now check this out !

Never in the History since OutDoor Life has been testing firearms for their
Editor's Choice Award and there 2008 Great Buy Award has (1) rifle won Both !

The Test Savage .22 rim fire shot 1/8'' 5 shot groups !!! And here's a picture of the one they used.

Mark-II Rimfire SeriesModel MARK II-BTVS -- with AccuTrigger

Caliber

.22 LR

Overall Length

40"

Barrel Length

21"

Weight

7.5 lbs

Magazine Capacity

5 rounds, detachable box

Stock

Brown laminate thumbhole

Sights

Scope bases installed

Rifling Rate of Twist

1 in 16"

Features

AccuTrigger, stainless teel bolt action, swivel studs, heavy target barrel, button-rifled with detachable magazine.

Suggested Retail

$421.00

[Ron AKA]

Originally Posted by ArkansasHunter

Every year OutDoor Life magazine does an in-depth gun test. Since were discussing
22 rim fire's.
The 2008 .22 rim fire award goes to a Savage Mark II. Now check this out !
Never in the History since OutDoor Life has been testing firearms for their
Editor's Choice Award and there 2008 Great Buy Award has (1) rifle won Both !
The Test Savage .22 rim fire shot 1/8'' 5 shot groups !!! And here's a picture of the one they used.


Mark-II Rimfire SeriesModel MARK II-BTVS -- with AccuTrigger

I have that exact same gun, and am very happy with it. However, I am certainly not averaging 1/8" groups. I wonder if they shot a whole bunch of groups and just got one of them that size -- i.e. the best? Also did they mention what ammo, and scope was used? Or, did they do the trick that some reviewers do, and just report the target that Savage gave them?

In any case it sure has the CZ guys upset at the RFC form. Have to hand it to them they are a dedicated owner's group.

Here are a few groups shot with the gun using an 18XAO scope. Best five shot I got was 0.214". Have not used the very best ammo in it yet, so perhaps there is some small room for improvement with ammo and the shooter...




Ron

Is this magazine on the shelf now? If so, I think I need to invest in a copy to use when it comes time to sell this gun!...

[mwatson]

Pretty good shooting Ron...I use a Ruger 10-22 and really shoot ok, but not like you.
Mike

[Jersey Jailer]

Why ruin a perfectly good turkey? If you want something to shoot at come shoot my wife's peacocks, just remember that she was just shy of her Distingused Master in NRA PPC, just needed one more match, but she hurt her back and retired

[Ron AKA]

I got a copy of the magazine (June/July Outdoor Life), and read the article. It is very brief, but just a few more details:

- Gun was shot in a 50 yard test tunnel, so no wind
- The first four 5 shot groups after sight in were reported at 0.191, 0.202, 0.263, and 0.260", for an average of 0.229"
- Ammo was said to be Remington/Eley EPS Match, and an old lot of CCI Green Tag
- The best group size of 0.109" was shot by Sam Arnett, who is said to be an award winning benchrest shooter. It appears to be with the Eley EPS Match, but is not clear.
- They do say it was the most accurate rimfire ever tested, "including some high dollar rifles of exalted European origin".
- Of the 10 centerfire and rimfire guns tested it was placed first, with the Cooper M52 second.
- The Ruger Charger rimfire placed 3rd last
- The Ruger M77 Hawkeye, and Mossberg 464 had the largest 100 group size at 2.255" and 2.306"

Interestingly they complained about the trigger pull of the Savage at 3lb 8 oz... Strange that someone did not show them how to adjust it. Should have been able to get about 1 lb less than that without modification.

They rated them for Workmanship, Performance, Price/Value, and then came up with an overall rating. Here is the list from top to bottom based on overall rating, and the best group size they got at 100 yards, except for the rimfires which were at 50:

Savage Mark II BTVS - 0.109" (50Y)
Cooper M52 - 0.626"
Browning X-Bolt - 0.828"
Remington M700 VTR - 0.835"
Sako A7 - 0.873"
Savage M93 - 0.942"
Ruger M77 Hawkeye - 2.255"
Ruger Charger - 0.546" (50Y)
Remington R-15 - 0.660
Mossberg 464 - 2.306"

Intersting that they rated the Savage M93 in with the centerfires as it is a .17 HMR. Pretty decent group for 100 yards on it. It was downgraded in the rating for looks. It was the Camo package version with camo paint that they said looked like had been poured on it covering everything. It also should be noted that the 100 shooting was outdoors and winds were and issue.

Ron

[ArkansasHunter]

That 50 yard tunnel test was to sight in the rifle, when the other shooter's shot the Savage it was outdoors.

I'm wondering if the other model Mark II's shoot this well that don't have the thumb hole stock ?
The catalog I have counts up to 13 configuration or models which include the youth models.
I've got 2 brand new Marlins I could prolly trade with very little boot differents. Hummm I may cypher on this a spell !

[Ron AKA]

Originally Posted by ArkansasHunter

That 50 yard tunnel test was to sight in the rifle, when the other shooter's shot the Savage it was outdoors.

I'm wondering if the other model Mark II's shoot this well that don't have the thumb hole stock ?
The catalog I have counts up to 13 configuration or models which include the youth models.
I've got 2 brand new Marlins I could prolly trade with very little boot differents. Hummm I may cypher on this a spell !

Yeah I see they were shooting both ways. Hard to figure exactly what they did. You would think with all the work they put in, they would detail it a bit better. I don't recognize the scope that they used for the Mark II and it would be nice to know at least what power it was. I recall all they said was high power.

On models, I would narrow the choice to the heavy barrel models. They have a V in the model number. That slims it down to the FV, BV, and BTVS. The FV and BV are essentially identical except the FV has a tupperware stock, and the BV a wood laminate. They both have a plastic trigger guard, which turns many off. The BTVS is the one tested and has a wood laminate thumbhole, stainless action and stainless barrel. It also has a metal trigger guard which is inletted into the stock, and metal magazine cover. So the finish is certainly the best on the BTVS, but I really think all V models have the potential to shoot just as well. Perhaps a very slight advantage with the heavier BTVS, but I rather doubt it. I would suggest differences are mostly cosmetic.

Dick's seems to frequently have a special model built for them. It appears to be a BV (blue steel), but with a dark wood thumbhole laminate with some not so subtle colors. The price is very good, with the only downside seeming to be that they sometimes package it with a very low end scope.

Hope that helps some. There really are not that many models, once you narrow it down to the ones that are likely to shoot the best.

Ron

[cordell]

Ron AKA,
Nice shooting, you may have just sold me one of these!!!!!!!!!

[big shrek]

Originally Posted by andrew cochran

No .22 is good past 75 yards.
But the most accurate is a bolt gun with a good scope.

Oh man, are you sadly mistaken. You can take humans at up to 300 yards with 'em...the Russians proved that back in WW2...repeatedly. The German's sure didn't care for it, though...lol

Bolt-action with a scope is the way to go. You are right about that

[andrew cochran]

Yeah it's easy to hit your target at 100 yards but I feel it lacks the power to effectively kill small game and varmints. Many of you disagree. But I know my limits.

[meatloaf]

idk about killing power, but because a freind and i were bored we set up clays at 120 yards with a steady 30 mph cross wind ( it was truly a horrable day for shooting ). Anyhow once we figured out the bullet drop and windage compensation we were able to hit the clays consitently with my ruger charger. I know its cheating but i have a rifle scope on the pistol ( its almost as long as the gun, its comical tolook at). The best part was the passer by's that were laughing at us and saying there was no way we could hit the clays, and then we would. I had to aim what im guesing was about 3.5 feet to the left and about 3 feet high to hit the clays.

[SgtKnuckles]

Ron AKA ~Vary Fine Gun~"SAVAGE'S"~
Savage Arms Mark II Mako
$341.89
Description: 22LR MAKO HVBBL BL/LAM THMBHOL 25702 BLK LAM STK
ACCUTRIGGER
Family: Mark II
Model: Mark II Mako
Type: Rifle
Action: Bolt Action
Caliber: 22 LR
Capacity: 10+1
Finish: Blue
Stock: Laminate
Stock Description: Black Laminate
Weight: 7.4 lbs.
Barrel Length: 21
Safety Features: 3 Position Top Tang

[meatloaf]

Hey Im glad to see my ruger charger came in third. I must admit I am realy impressed with the long range accuracy my pistol has.

[livebythegun]

Originally Posted by andrew cochran

I have no dobt you can shoot groups like that a 100 yd. But it dosen't have the energy to kill small game at that distance. I should have made that more clear. Pardon my err.

I've killed deer with my Ruger 10-22T at that distance and further. One shot in the ear will drop em dead!

[andrew cochran]

That don't mean it's smart.

[livebythegun]

Originally Posted by andrew cochran

That don't mean it's smart.

Are you talking to me, moron? Everybody on here can tell from the crap that comes out of your mouth that your an idiot.

[lefty o]

and your obviously a poacher!

[squirrelbaster]

^ i freakin hate poachers........pisses me off...........oh and livebythegun your realy not gaining anyone respect by acting like that......

[livebythegun]

Originally Posted by lefty o

and your obviously a poacher!

Where I'm from people don't hunt for sport or bragging right's, they hunt to survive and that's the way it should be. I'm hunting on my property that I own and I shouldn't have to pay to hunt or hunt how someone else tells me I should, I hunt when I want and what I want that is the way it has been in my family for generations, of course i wouldn't expect a yankee to understand. As far as your respect goes you can keep it, I get plenty of respect from my southern brothers. You tell me how it's wrong if I am feeding my family and other families that need the food. The government didn't put the deer there why should I have to pay them, maybe if I hunted on public land but I don't.