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Best 22lr?

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  • 5lima30ret

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    I picked this Rossi RB 22M .22 WMR last year for $169 from a local gun store. It will out shoot some rifles that cost more than double that! Don't overlook some of the older Remington, Marlin, and Winchester bolt actions! I have an older Remington 581 that is a tack driver! The new Winchester Wildcat rifle that takes 10/22 mags and has a lot of upgrades included for about the same price as a standard 10/22 is worth a look for a semi-auto!
    Rossi RB22 mag.jpg
     

    BowChamp

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    someone guilted my into buying my first one several months ago. Still in the box in the safe with 2 extra mags. Got the Deluxe Sporter over the Carbine. Once you spend $600 you can get your 10/22 to shoot small groups.

    My 2 favorites (got about 6) are my CZ455 and my Savage Anschutz Single Shot. I woulln't mind having an old Marlin lever...sure don't want another Henry...even though thos Silver ones are purdy.
    I picked up a CZ452 several years ago and haven't put a round through it yet.

    My friends 9yr old grandson put it through it's paces and made it look easy!! ;) :D

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    ls1_guru

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    One of the better ones that I've had over the years is a Romanian M69 .22LR Training Rifle. Spot on accurate. I've traded them off for other things but they were good.
     

    RYCatman

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    I own a number of .22 lrs, both long guns and pistols.

    My two favorites are my cz457 Pro Varmint & my H/K 416

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    I also really love my Ruger Mark IV Hunter Stainless pistol.

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    But there are tons of great options out there!

    Rob
     

    BowChamp

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    If you do not have a 22 rifle any 22 rifle is a good one. You did not mention budget only gave us enough information to start a good argument. Don't let anyone mislead you any of the older 10/22 will shoot great Straight Out of the Box I do not know about the new production as I rarely buy new firearms. In my 65 years of experience with 22 rifles any from a major manufacturer will be a decent gun you'll run across good and bad from all manufacturers. As hard as I have tried I have never been able to come up with a favorite, this is all I could get in one picture the total number of 22 rifles is around 50. One thing I have learned if you buy one of the older Classics you'll never be disappointed.
    I had nothing but trouble with 3 ruger 10/22's straight out of the box, back in the late 80's. We were all very surprised by this, The shop finally refunded my money and I went with something else. Took me quite awhile to try another and I've not had the same trouble with them since.
     

    BowChamp

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    Might not be the 'best' .22 rifle, but my 1960 birthday gift Remington Nylon 66 (mfg 11/1959) is definitely my favorite.
    View attachment 147247
    I've killed a lot of squirrels and quite a few deer with one of these. Bought it in "74" and it's still going strong.
     

    DustyDog

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    Gentlemen,
    is there a general consensus that the best overall 22lr for general purposes (target and squirrel hunting) is the Ruger 10/22?
    I've owned at least four standard 10-22s, and never was happy with the accuracy of any of them. I attribute it to the not-so-optimal method of barrel attachment (the new "Competition" version tries to mitigate that with a third retaining bolt at the TOP of the barrel-to-receiver interface). BUT, the .22 Charger (10" non-takedown) that I bought over a year ago has FAR EXCEEDED my expectations... MUCH tighter-grouping than ANY of those 10-22s, and VERY NEAR to what I can do with my Ruger .22 Precision bolt action... which MAKES NO SENSE.

    A Charger is just a pistol version of a 10-22... same clunky barrel mounting, semi-auto... NO WAY it should shoot so close to the Precision (which incidentally has UNDER-performed compared to my expectations... MAYBE it's the scope, though I tried one other on it), but it does. Maybe I just got a lame Precision (I even checked at one point to make sure the barrel wasn't loose : ), and a cream-of-the-crop Charger? The ONLY reason that I haven't put the Precision up for sale is because I expect that it should out-perform the Charger in the 200-yard range, though I haven't had the opportunity to confirm. But at 100 yards, the Precision seems redundant when I can virtually do the same with the little Charger, and as fast as I can pull the trigger, at that : )

    Of course, I have never had a tricked-out, high-grade, or aftermarket-upgraded 10-22, so can't speak on that. The Ruger Competition versions seem to have good potential, but are $900 +!

    Also, my guess is, if you're looking for accuracy... STAY AWAY FROM THE TAKEDOWNS! : )
     
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    ls1_guru

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    I've owned at least four standard 10-22s, and never was happy with the accuracy of any of them. I attribute it to the not-so-optimal method of barrel attachment (the new "Competition" version tries to mitigate that with a third retaining bolt at the TOP of the barrel-to-receiver interface). BUT, the .22 Charger (10" non-takedown) that I bought over a year ago has FAR EXCEEDED my expectations... MUCH tighter-grouping than ANY of those 10-22s, and VERY NEAR to what I can do with my Ruger .22 Precision bolt action... which MAKES NO SENSE.

    A Charger is just a pistol version of a 10-22... same clunky barrel mounting, semi-auto... NO WAY it should shoot so close to the Precision (which incidentally has UNDER-performed compared to my expectations... MAYBE it's the scope, though I tried one other on it), but it does. Maybe I just got a lame Precision (I even checked at one point to make sure the barrel wasn't loose : ), and a cream-of-the-crop Charger? The ONLY reason that I haven't put the Precision up for sale is because I expect that it should out-perform the Charger in the 200-yard range, though I haven't had the opportunity to confirm. But at 100 yards, the Precision seems redundant when I can virtually do the same with the little Charger, and as fast as I can pull the trigger, at that : )

    Of course, I have never had a tricked-out, high-grade, or aftermarket-upgraded 10-22, so can't speak on that. The Ruger Competition versions seem to have good potential, but are $900 +!

    Also, my guess is, if you're looking for accuracy... STAY AWAY FROM THE TAKEDOWNS! : )
    With all that being said it makes me wonder if barrel harmonics is a factor, then again the precision is a floating bull barrel.

    My RPR .22LR I've gotten 1-1.25 MOA using various kinds of store bought bulk ammo.

    My 10/22 Takedown, yea it's like a 4" group at 50 yards but that's with Iron Sights, never have tried an Optic. I'll take it for what it is given the nature that gun was designed.
     

    Boardfeet

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    Built this from an old 10/22 carbine I bought used in about 1987. Metal trigger group. Accuracy is great but I also have an old Glenfield Marlin model 25 bolt gun that will outshoot this 10/22 as far as accuracy, every time. The pistol pictured is an old S&W Beckheart target gun made in the 1930’s. For an iron sight pistol it is super accurate. Also fairly rare.
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    This has been good stuff to consider…Tremendous value in your thoughts….thank you…. As far as a budget goes… I guess I’m willing to spend Whatever as long as feel good about my purchase… I’m probably middle of the road somewhere… Not too cheap but not super high
     

    DustyDog

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    With all that being said it makes me wonder if barrel harmonics is a factor, then again the precision is a floating bull barrel.

    My RPR .22LR I've gotten 1-1.25 MOA using various kinds of store bought bulk ammo.

    My 10/22 Takedown, yea it's like a 4" group at 50 yards but that's with Iron Sights, never have tried an Optic. I'll take it for what it is given the nature that gun was designed.
    Oh, I DEFINITELY think harmonics are a factor in the Precision, and they are probably more so in a floating barrel.

    To that end, I've found that the location of the bipod front-to-back on the "handguard" seems to serve as an adjustment... of course, the "sweet spot" changes with ammo, and I've tried it all the way back and all the way forward, the back of the forward rail, the front of the rearward rail, on the mid-rail, just not everywhere in-between... yet... since I only have short sections of rail @ mid-way and both ends. But the first big issue I noticed with the Precision was the stock or "chassis".

    It's all plastic (and note that this is the case only on the Precision rimfires, I believe) and slims down to a very small section right behind the receiver. Even worse, that section is hollowed out to provide storage for the trigger-adjustment hex key. Originally, I had a monopod on the buttstock rail, and was already experimenting with bipod location front-to-back. But I began to notice: Looking through the scope, it's as if it was mounted on a block of jello! It didn't bump once from my heartbeat, the jiggle would cycle for a few seconds each time!

    Anyway, tracked that down to the inherent weakness in the thin section of the buttstock in addition to the convoluted route the forces from the monopod were taking though the adjustable buttpad and its forward-facing, cantilever picatinny rail, and eliminated it as a factor by supporting the "rear" of the rifle at the pistol grip, as if it were a pistol... I shoot it now with the stock fully collapsed, as if it's not even there... might as well saw it off : )

    I'm still tweaking it at least a year-and-a-half later, whereas the Charger, which I bought shortly after, was "bing-bang-boom" out-performing the Precision. It took a lot more tweaking to get the Precision beating the Charger, and I can honestly say I've never had to fight one so much. Just so happens I have a target image from the charger (see attachment).

    That is three five-shot groups on a 1-inch dot @ forty yards (I was doing a 100-yard zero @ 40, thus was aiming at the larger, lower dot). I circled the first five, one of which was dead-center (would be nice if that was the first shot, but I'm not sure since I only inspected at the end each group), but after the second group, there was no cardboard left to mark : ) EDIT: Added a pic of the Charger... might as well... w/UTG IR pistol scope and green laser/light combo on a 45-degree adapter. It's what I would reach for if I ever felt threatened by a squirrel : )

    And don't get me started on harmonics, or I'll have to tell you about the heavy Cobray "Megaphone" that now lives on the end of my Mini-14 (long story and see pics of that and the Precision. P.S., anybody need a barely-used monopod? : )
     

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