New to .22's...need opinion

T

Talon26

Inactive
Hello everyone! Been looking around and you seem to have quite a few knowledgeable people on this forum, so i figured i"de drop in and ask a question. As the title states, i'm fairly new to shooting, and extremely new to .22's. I have a Mossberg 183 with an adjustable choke that my grandfather had given us years ago. I have taken up shooting it lately as a defensive tactic (snakes, raccoons ect-as I live in the country in TX we are quite overrun with poisonous/ destructive creatures, and i will not let them affect my family's quality of life.)Anyways, I wanted to move up to a gun that forces me to be accurate, and allow me to have fun target shooting.....sorry for the wall of text...heres the question-
1) Is a Savage 22 bolt action rifle any good (forgot to get a model #, but it is sold at Academy for $199)
2)Would said rifle be accurate at 50+ yards (for target shooting and plinking)
3) Would the Savage (or any .22 for that matter) have the power to humanely dispatch a raccoon or possum at 20 yards and closer.
And I have looked up the legality of dispatching these nuisances in TX, no problems there. Thanks for taking the time to read my longwinded post....Any advice is greatly appreciated.
 
Nearly all of the major brands are reasonably accurate and would be fine for coons at 25 yds but what is your definition of accurate for target and plinking? I have a Remington 40X that will shoot one hole groups at 50 yds and I have some family heirlooms that are pressed to shoot 3 inch groups on a good day. So, your definition of accuracy definitely will be a factor in your decision. You might try to Google the specific model you are looking at and you will probably find some write-ups that talk about accuracy. Also, as I get older I find that beyond 25 yds I need a scope for real accuracy. Your eyes may be young enough that iron sights will work for you. Good Luck.
 
Savage MK II or Marlin 25s are pretty good for the money. Yes, .22 LRs can be deadly on critters, but for the larger varmints, you may want to try CCI Velocitors or Stingers. They can offer quick kills out to 100 yards.

At close range, the shotgun is safer, since .22s tend to ricochet off hard ground, etc. and bullets can go a considerable distance and could penetrate into houses over a hundred yards away.

A shotgun, with #6 shot is only dangerous to about 100 yards, and after pellets strike the ground, don't tend to be dangerous beyond a few yards.
 
A 22 rifle is sufficient for your purposes. You might even enjoy it more than the shotgun.

22 rifles... choices choices

(Semi-auto's) I would suggest you look at a Marlin Model 60 (semi-auto tube fed) as a prime choice. They are economical to buy, very reliable if kept even close to clean, and sufficiently accurate for most things at 50 yds. Many will say that the Ruger 10/22 is also an excellent choice. I think the Marlin has an edge over the Ruger on out of the box accuracy, but the Ruger is a fine little rifle. You can generally expect about 1" accuracy at 50 yds with the Ruger and somewhere between 0.5" and 1" groups with the Marlin. Some are better.

(Lever Action) Very fun rifles and your better choices are the Marlin 39A, Browning BL-22, and Henry. The Henry is the least expensive although the Golden Boy model is certainly not cheap. Most people that have them absolutely love the Henry's. They are not target rifles, but will give you reasonable accuracy. The Marlin 39A is probably the most accurate of this list and the standard that many compare lever action 22's to. Not cheap, even used.

(Bolt Action) These are the preferred target action and is generally considered inherently the more accurate rifle compared to the others mentioned. The CZ's are great. The Savage Mark II with the accu-trigger is very accurate or about the same as the CZ. You get a lot of bang for the buck with some of the lesser expensive Mark II models.

I however prefer to plink with a semi-auto or lever action rifle. That is just me. But for "target" shooting, I will almost always choose the bolt action rifle and the Savage and CZ's are some of the best for the price. You can certainly pay more for what are considered by many to be better bolt actions. Tis your choice. The Remington 547, Weatherby Mark XXII, and any of the Anshutz's are very good. In general, most of the competition shooters use Anshutz's in the sporter class. Most people would never notice the difference in accuracy gained by $500 more money.

So, good luck with your choices. There are many here that are quite knowledgeable. Don't ignore some of the used 22's in good shape as an option. One of my favorite 22's is the Remington 541-S and -T models that are no longer made. The Remington 547 will probably shoot a bit better, but you pay for it.
 
A Savage Mk II with the AccuTrigger. Mine seems to like CCI's in just about any variety. I don't hunt, but I do a lot of target shooting and it's a great platform for accuracy.
 
Appreciate all the info guys...I work nights, hence the late reply. (BoxC) I guess my definition of accurate would be tight groups at 30 yards plus...dunno, just a thought. And i guess it really has more to do with the shooter than the gun, as long as its in good shape and well taken care of if older. Yes, I think learning to shoot iron sights is gonna be the way i start, but not opposed to getting some optics later...my eyes are not all that young after all haha. With anything, I would assume there are some real 'gems' in the lower to mid price ranges and i was just wondering if anyone knew them. (Picher) The reasoning i have with getting a rifle as opposed to continue to use my shotgun is i wouldnt have to get in such close range to a nuisance to dispatch of them. when i say im in the country though, i mean it. Colorado river to my right, cow pasture behind me and to the left, apple orchard across the front. but i appreciate the knowledge of possible richochets. Just curious, if an errant bullet is shot, or during target practice how far can a 22lr go? (22-rimfire and achilles11b) thanks for all the info! I am leaning towards the bolt action style, as i prefer accuracy to speed. thakns for the different model suggestions, i"m def gonna go out this weekend and look around more. Got some more research to do, but you guys definitely gave me a good start in where to look/what to look for.
 
I have considered a sporting bolt action .22 on and off for many years but always come back to my much handier (IMO) Winchester & Rossi Model 62 pump .22's. I also have a bolt-action Remington 540XR Target .22, and although it is definitely more accurate, I don't feel as though it is significantly superior for _general_ field use / plinking, and not nearly as fun as the much lighter little .22 carbines. YMMV of course. :)

However, if I could start with a blank slate, it would be the nicer Winchester 9422 lever action. My brother has had one for decades and I've always admired it.
 
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One word of caution. You are going to get addicted and your whole family will get addicted and then you will not have but 1 .22 but one for each family member......

If I were to recommend a .22 for casual use at 50 yards and under I would suggest the Ruger 10/22 in the older all mettal version.

If you want an extremely accurate 22 at a reasonable price the CZ 452 training rifle is a great gun and has the best open sights in a relatively inexpensive high quality 22. It is not a handy to mount a scope however because the rear sight is large. If you know you are going to mount a scope a 452 varmint or amarican is a great gun. I also like the ruger 77/22s but they are expensive.

Savage in my opnion is ok but not as good as a CZ or a Ruger bolt action. The way the magazine release works is rather flimsy.

Your decision really all depends on how cheap you want to be and what kind of shooting you want to do.

A semi auto has a distinct advantage in rapid follow up shots for heavier vermin that may require multiple 22 hits.

You also should consider if you want to use the whole spectrum of short/long/long rifle cartridges or just stick with long rifle or move up to magnum. In some circumstances 22 shorts work well.

A racoon is not as easy to kill as a rabbit or a squirrel so you may want more gun. More gun has more range and could be more dangerous.

You also have 17 mach 2 and 17 HMR as options but the .22 LR is the best first rimfire because it's cheap enough for regular target practice.

You also have a decision as to the type of action you desire. Semi auto, pump action, bolt action, lever action. And please don't restrict yourself to new .22s. There are a lot of nice old .22 that have great quality at reasonable prices.

Heck in TX you can probably find some great deals private party.

Here is a list of guns to look for and respectable prices.

Ruger 10/22 real walnut stock (older production) $250+

Ruger 10/22 birch or plastic stock but mettle trigger group. $200 or less.

77/22 under $400.

Winchester 69 or 72 If you find one in good shape under $250 grab it especially with grooved receiver. Pay a bit more for one in mint condition.

Savage 29A or 29B if you find one under $300 in good to excellent shape. Late ones had a grooved receiver.

CZ 452 anything..... Price depends on model. Fancy models are worth $450+ and plain trainer model $250 used in excellent condition. There are lesser CZ models like the youth and 513 with cheapened features so beware.

Marlin model 39 under $300 especially a pre cross bolt safety.

Winchester 94/22 under $300 as minty ones are going for $600 now that this gun is discontinued.

Reminton 541 as suggested would also be a good choice as would many older winchester, remingon or savage rifles that were made in the USA. Just ask if you are not sure before you buy and we can give you some feedback.

Current Savage 22s are ok but would take a back seat to any of the guns I suggested above as an only 22.
 
Henry Feedback

True the Henry is not regarded as a target rifle. However, I have used one for that purpose. At the indoor range in winter, we shoot 10 small bullseye targets for a maximum of 100 points. Using a base Henry model and low cost scope with Eley Sub-Sonic Hollow Point Extras, I could score a 98. And that is not bad for an evening of fun shooting with the guys, in winter, indoors, while they pass around the little Henry and marvel over the target results.
 
For further research, check out Rimfire Central. I hate to keep advocating another forum, but it really does have just about everything .22 that I can think of.
 
Thanks rc...I actually have a few 'feelers' out there now in the used market. I was talking to my uncles friend (who likes to buy antique/rare guns on the cheap- estate sales, pawn shops ect) and asked him to be on the lookout for something decent. Man, the only problem I am running into is what direction to go...so many choices! I'm still leaning towards a bolt action...i know its not as fast as a semi or lever, but if the pickup in accuracy (depending on the shooter, of course) is that much greater, i will sacrifice the speed.
 
Thanks for the tip on the CZ's, the 455 American (replacing the 452 American) looks to be a very nice rifle, I'll have to pay more attention to those ...
 
I have a CZ-452 Silhouette, a Henry H001T, and a S&W M&P15-22. I used the CZ and Henry for silhouette competition. The S&W is just for fun. If I was going to get a semi-auto 22 for more accuracy, I'd probably get a Ruger 10/22 and put some money into accurizing it.
 
I love my Marlins. Bolt action 925 and semi-auto 795 are great. $200 for the 925, $100 for the 795. Both are plenty accurate. Can get both for less than a CZ 452.
 
I would think that it would work fine with a well placed hit. I have a Savage 64 and it is accurate all day long with any ammo; and that is before I put the scope on it (a little tac scope I took off of one of my AR's), the bi-pod, the rail and a few more things.
 
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