First 22 rifle, Bull barrel or sporter barrel?

B

BigBL87

New member
It'll be used mainly for plinking and occasionally shooting paper at the indoor range. I'm leaning towards sporter because I've been told you should be proficient with iron sights and then move on to a scope.
 
Look into a Savage MkII FVT

Comes with good irons, bull barrel, and ability to mount a scope later.

Jimro
 
Unfortunately, the FVT is a tad out of my price range. Mark II was my main option though, also looking at a Marlin XT-22. Brother-in-law has an XT-17 with the bull barrel and that thing is NICE.
 
A heavy barrel might be fine for benchrest competition, but a sporter barrel is much better for plinking--and, odds are, it will give groups which are quite small. Half-MOA is fairly common.
 
Why do you qualify the "sporter" as having open sights vs the "bull" barrel as being scoped? User perception or catalog representation?
The only real advantage of a "bull" barrel 22 is that it may provide a steadier hold. In centerfire calibers, the heavy barrel is a heat sink and does reduce barrel vibration. A 22 doesn't generate enough heat to need the heat sink nor does it burn enough powder to cause as much vibration.
At this time, the second most accurate 22 I have is a Ruger 77/22 with a thin barrel, no sights, and a synthetic stock. It is only marginally less accurate than #1 which is a pre-WW2 Mauser with a barrel twice a large in outside diameter.
 
The learning-curve

I've been told you should be proficient with iron sights and then move on to a scope.
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I work with young folks and for "starters", I recommend learning how to use open sights. Some kids have gotten so good, that they are reluctant to step up to, optics. Most kids, want to start out with optics and I was no different at their age. I just consider it part of the learning curve and would ask where you are on this curve? .. :confused:

I would recommend a "Sporter" as most have the option of adding optics, later. Plinking is always easier and more versatile than a dedicated target rifle. .. :)

Be Safe !!!
 
Mobuck, I'd say catalog representation. I haven't seen many bull barrel models with open (I guess thats the correct term to describe what I'm looking for) sights, and those that I have seen are outside my price range.
 
I use a CZ 455 Lux w. irons and a Sako Quad Varmint (heavy barrel) for scoped practice. The Sako is easier to shoot from a rest just due to the weight but if applied I feel the CZ does just as well (for a lot less $$$).

Most bull barrels I've seen tend not to have irons. so as stated above if you intend to shoot w. open sights at all that's probably the better route (since most can also be scoped for later).

I've shot only 1 Savage in .22 (basic Mk II) and was quite impressed with it, plus I think you can swap out the stocks later (Boyds).

Only trouble now (unless you already have a stash) is getting the rounds to feed it :rolleyes:
 
Ya, not a good time to be trying to find 22 for sure, haha. But even at gouger prices, its still cheaper than any other round I know of. I may actually end up getting an SAR B6P 9mm pistol instead and start saving for a cheaper 22 (like a Savage 64) since its more for fun.
 
Some years ago I bought a used bull barrel 22 bolt gun. It was a Remington 513T, with (I think) a 26 inch barrel. I'd been shooting 22's since I was a little kid and I always wanted a super accurate 22. And now I had one. I took it on one squirrel hunt and realized that the gun weighed a ton. Best shooting 22 I had ever seen, but I sold it.

On the other hand, my BiL has a Ruger 10-22 with some sort of carbon wrapped bull barrel. Looks great. Shoots great. Not too heavy.
 
For a field gun I prefer a short sporter-weight barrel... as the rifle is usually carried a lot more than it is fired.

In a bolt-action, I've found the new Ruger American Rimfires to be quite a good gun at a very reasonable price. They have open sights with grooved as well as drilled and tapped receivers, terrific adjustable (and tunable) triggers, plus they use Ruger's excellent rotary mags which fit flush to the stock yet hold 10 rounds (9 in the magnum offerings).

Good luck.

My RARs (.22LR, .17HMR, .22WMR)
RugerARx3_zpsa8940953.jpg
 
I've thought about the American. I have a hard time justifying paying so much more for it vs the Savage and Marlin bolt actions that are at least $75 less, but I really do like the looks of it. Seems to have some of the best open sights I've seen on a "cheap" 22 rifle and I like the fact that it's pretty much a full size rifle as I'm 6'5" and most 22s I've held have felt like toys because they were just too small. Also, my shotgun is a Mossberg 500 so the tang safety will be very natural.
 
You get what you pay for most of the time.

A Marlin 925 would be another option for a big shooter. Still at 5.5 lbs it's a lightweight rifle.

Jimro
 
I've thought about the American. I have a hard time justifying paying so much more for it vs the Savage and Marlin bolt actions that are at least $75 less
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What prices are you looking at for the Savages and Marlins? The American Rimfires by me go for around 250-260 which is maybe 20-30 more than a varmint barrel Marlin.
 
I can get the Marlin and Savage right around $220, hard to find locally and local gun stores jack up prices like crazy and its actually cheaper to order online and just pay the transfer fees. Ruger American I can get for around $290, same as above.
 
One other thing the American has, aside from a much better stock than the Savage, is the receiver bedded with v-blocks.

When I got the .22s, I sold my Savage FV-SR and Marlin XT22M... good rifles, but the Americans are a better fit for me.

SavageFVSRwtc_zps719e0725.jpg


MarlinXT22Mbb_zps7a17ca44.jpg
 
I'm definitely thinking about the American, all things being equal it makes alot of sense, just trying to justify the cost. I was wanting to save money to get a pistol for HD, but having a shotgun and living in a relatively low crime area the shotgun should be plenty.
 
A CZ 452 Trainer would be about perfect for what you want to do. It is light with a thin barrel and iron sights that are surprisingly good. I was so pleased with the way it shot, I found a picatinny rail that would fit the dovetail and put a scope on it.

With the right ammo, it will shoot with my Anschutz MPR64 at 50 yards.

It is a nice and well built rifle. I have had a trigger job done on it and have had the action bedded.
 
I have 2 Ruger 10/22's. Both very old,solid built ones. I have never really gone for all out accuracy with them as they are just plinking rifles. Both shoot shotgun shell bases from 25 yards with ease,but not sure how good that is with a 22. My local store here has a used Anshultz that I have been looking at latley though.
 
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