Which .22 bolt action rifle is the absolute best??
Im looking into getting a good bolt action .22. I've looked at the savages, rugers, CZ's, u name it. i am kinda leaning toward the savage mark II rifles, but the CZ american looks pretty good too. I would love to keep the cost under $300, and i need to be able to mount a scope on it. Any advice?
For several years now, CZ has manufactured a beech wood stocked version of the Turkish walnut stocked 24.8" barreled Lux model. It has been issued with various handles. Mine has "Special" printed on the box. A friend's was labeled "Trainer" and another new shooter at my club recently bought one and his box was marked "Standard". Whatever the name, they are fine rifles that sell for less than $300. For scopeing, I would suggest the Warne Model 2.3 tip-off rings. It has reversible jaws which work with U.S. 3/8ths inch tip-off grooves or European 11mm tip-off grooves (Special has 11mm grooves). Here is a pick of mine.
I have owned it for seven years and it has cycled through at least 10,000 rounds without any problems. It will shoot under a half inch at 50 yards with good glass and CCI Std Velocity, SK Std Plus or Wolf MT ammo. It also has superb open sights. I think they are the best open sights provided on any currently manufactured rifle in the world.
If you are willing to spring for a few more dollars and want a rifle better stocked for scope shooting, then get a CZ American. I own two of them one has a Brookes trigger kit on it (15ozs) and I use it for shooting in our local silhouette matches one of which is a 100 yard prone match that allows bi-pods. The other one has the stock factory trigger adjusted to its lightest setting (3 lbs 2 ozs) and I use it for CMP Sporter Match competition (3 lb trigger required by rules). Here are pics of them respectively:
Last edited by sheffieldshootr; 05-03-2009 at 06:54 AM.
Reason: Additional information added.
Reading the title, I was about to suggest an Anschutz, but once I saw that you were budgeting, I would have to agree with the CZ. It may not fit your $300 budget, but they are well worth the $$.
It is an excellent rifle and has lived up to it's reputation. If you tried to find a 44US or 44b Mossberg, or a Rem 40X, or a Win 52 in any of its variations, you would probably spend more money, or a lot more money. All of the above will do 1/2 " at 50 yards and 1 inch at a hundred or better with the right ammo, assuming the rifle is in good shape. Trigger jobs come later as needed. If you had lots of money, I was going to suggest a Cooper, but you shot that down. The Savage is an excellent rifle and will give you tiny groups with the right ammo also. Enjoy! VH
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got a win mod 52 i bought off a friend before he died it smacks 3/4-1" @100 yds with rem standard vel it has a 10x fecker scope on it also heavy target barrel but a excellent shooter would not trsade it for nothing
If you can't afford a CZ, the second best bet is a Marlin.
New, a 980-S or a good ole 925 with wood stock...or a 925R with a synthetic stock.
Marlin makes the ONLY .22 rifles that can even get close to CZ accuracy within your price range. I've surprised more than a few CZ shooters at the range with my old beater Marlin rifles that shoot like they're rail guns Savage makes decent rimfire rifles, but they just can't do what CZ's & Marlins can do.
Used, I'd hunt down a Marlin 2000A Target Rifle with the "Summer Biathalon Kit" 5-shot magazine...they were designed to be Direct competition for Anshutz in Olympic event shooting. Slightly uglier, but Effective. If you get a single shot version, just know that you can buy the Biathalon kit separately and can install it easily. (mind you, the sights alone are worth $300...even though you can usually buy the whole rifle for that price, most folks have No Idea how precise these lil rascals are)
Some of us old sneaky fookers use Model 2000 sears & trigger assemblies in our regular Marlins to make the triggers VERY light & crisp Kinda solves that old pre-T-900 trigger issue for the older marlin rimfires
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Which .22 bolt action rifle is the absolute best... for under 300 bucks??
Isn't that an oxymoron???
You can't do any better than a Model 52 Winchester and you can't find one for under 300 bucks either! Oh, I'm sure a trashed one exists out there I just don't know where in the hell you would ever find it. I owned a 52C Bull barrel Target with an 8-32 Balvar (the most incredible piece of glass!) mounted to it and I wouldn't even begin to tell you the shots we pulled off with it 'cause you would never believe it and neither would I if I didn't experience it first hand! The only draw back was that it musta weighed 15 lbs!!
I'll stick with my Kleinguenther K22 pictured. As close to a 52 as I have ever seen as far as accuracy and pretty tough to beat the way it looks too.
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get a marlin model 80 g i was getting 1/2'' groups at 80 yards with bulk federal ammo and they are 100 bucks which leaves alot of money for a scope and ammo
Marlin 925R for $179.00 and top it with a Nikon pro staff 4x32 for $110 and that leaves a few bucks for some scope rings.. Well built gun that will last a lifetime and good glass all for around your budget..
I used to have a Remington 512... best bolt action .22 I ever owned. It was ruined during Hurricane Katrina, so if I ever found another for a couple of hundred I would pounce on it. If you see any of the Remingtons made in the 60's, you need to pounce on one. They shot .22shorts, longs, and long rifles.
Savage makes decent rimfire rifles, but they just can't do what CZ's & Marlins can do.
Kinda solves that old pre-T-900 trigger issue for the older marlin rimfires 
