Small game rifle recommendation

H

HALLAUSTIN

New member
So I've got a savage mkII, forget the specific model but it's a lower end one from Walmart in 22lr. It's an odd problem to have but it just feels to light to get steady. I'd like something heavier, want to stay bolt action, and I'd prefer to put a scope on it. Does anybody have some recommendations? I'm open to any of the rimfire calibers but I'm a bit partial to 22lr because I like to hunt without ear pro on but if something is significantly better I guess I could just wear it and get over it. Don't care if it's wood or polymer, stainless or blued. I was looking at the cz rifles or possibly a tiger 77/22 (hear they aren't as accurate as the cz). Minute of squirrel to 50yards is fine, most of my shots are around that range max. Thanks for checking out the thread and I look forward to hearing from you guys.
 
a tiger 77/22 (hear they aren't as accurate as the cz).
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tiger??? Do you mean Ruger? If so I have a model 77/22 made around 1986 IIRC that came with factory open sights and has a cheap 4X scope on it and it will keep 10 shot groups well inside a 1" square at 50 yards. More like a 1/2" to 5/8" group. And do it time after time if you keep the bore clean.

I have read on the mighty internet that they were not accurate but I took a chance on mine. It is now about the only 22 rifle I shoot. And those groups were shot with Federal Blue Box 36gr hollow points in the 500 count bulk pack from Walmart.

The world is full of wood stocked 22 rifles. You should be able to find one at a pawn shop, gunshow or auction site. The Marlin bolt actions are know for their accuracy. And they feel like a real rifle unlike the cheap plastic stocked stuff that is out there now.
 
There are ways to make rifles a bit heavier. Forends of synthetic stocked rifles are usually hollow with cross-bracing. A trick to make them heavier is to pour birdshot into some mixed Acraglas and pack it into the forend voids until the rifle weighs what you want it to. Just be careful to keep the mix lower than the top of the cross braces, so it doesn't touch the barrel and affect accuracy.

The rear of the stock could also be weighted if it has a butt pad that can be removed.

BTW, I'd recommend free-floating the barrel by about 1/16" or more to prevent sling or rest pressure from causing shots to go wild.

You'll be very surprised how much better the rifle will shoot, if somewhat heavier.
 
The retail price of a rifle has nothing to do with quality. Wally World gets to sell stuff "cheap" because they buy by the train load.
Anyway, look into a heavy barrel Savage Mk II. They do a bunch of 'em in SS and not with wood or laminate stocks for less than or roughly the same money as a CZ 455.
The Ruger 77/22 is apparently discontinued. Not listed on their site. You'll be looking at 'new, old stock'. They're making an American Rimfire though.
 
I tried some ten different brands/types of .22 ammo in my 10/22 and had patterns rather than groups. Finally, with QuickShok, I had quarter-sized groups at 40 yards. "Picky, picky, picky!"

Some .22 rifles are like that.
 
If you want to remain with .22 LR I have a CZ 452 American LH and while not the least expensive 22 rifle I have it is a sweet little .22 LR. There are also a large range of older used 22 rifles out there which are still some tack driving little 22 rifles. Some of the Remington 500 series or a Winchester 52 in addition to some classic Mossberg and Savage 22 rifles.

If you aren't gun shy on rimfire cost there is always the 22 Magnum rifles. Since you already have a 22 LR a 22 Magnum may be worth considering.

Ron
 
I would look at the CZ 452 or 455 American , they feel like a real rifle and shoot great .
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I have the CZ 455 and it certainly does shoot great. I can make a 5 shot group touch at 50 and be in a golf ball sized group 100 yards IF - that's a big if (see what I did there) I do my part. Bear in this is scoped and rested on a sand bag.

I'd like another .22lr and I'm kinda torn between yet another CZ, the semi auto 512 or the ruger 10/22 take down. The take down looks perfect for a hiking/bugout gun. Pair that with a nice trigger and you've got a nice shooter.

In any case, for your needs, there are a lot of great options out there.
 
There's a 22LR rimfire ammo test in the January issue of "Rifle" that used many different brands of .22LR ammo in an Anschutz target rifle.

Results were not exactly as expected, but as I and many rimfire benchrest shooters have discovered, rimfire ammo is not consistent from lot to lot, and rifle to rifle, regardless of how much you pay for the ammo, or as it is shot in various rifles.

We've tested many different lots of the same ammo, to discover significant variation in accuracy from lot to lot in even the most expensive ammo.

Even though I settled on RWS 50 as the most consistent ammo in my rifles, it still varies from lot to lot. It's a "crap shoot" folks.

The best advice I've had is that if you find a particular brand, type, and lot number for your rifle, buy as much of that as you can afford, then buy even more!!!!

This doesn't apply to just target shooters, but to everyday plinkers, if you're serious about accuracy and function.
 
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It feels like a real rifle.
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That's what I'm looking for, something that feels like my .270 I discovered the ruger 77/17 in .17wsm while checking out some rifles. Don't know if it's a nifty little caliber that can bridge the gap between 17hmr/22wmr and .223 or if it's not quite up to snuff for predators and also too much for squirrels and rabbits. Right now it's a toss up between a 77/17wsm 77/22(mag or lr. Whatever I find first.) and a 22lr 452 lefty CZ American. I appreciate everyone's input thus far, thanks for the help. I'd love to hear more, especially if the little 17wsm is all hype or not.
 
Ruger 10/22

I did my research and am very pleased with my base model 10/22 topped with a Vortex 4x14x40 diamond back n get the 25 rnd mag.Its my tool for technique at the bench.It loves CCI minimags.Squirrels hate it.
 
I've done a lot of rimfire rifle accurizing and ammo testing. The Ruger 10-22 is one that usually doesn't shoot decent groups from the factory. The take-down model's accuracy, as written up in gun magazines lately, seems even worse.

The target 10-22s seem to have better barrels and a more substantial stock as they come from the factory. I've tuned several that were real tack-drivers. Factory extractors and firing pins need work, or replacement for adequate performance IMHO.

I've had a few CZs and they can be made to shoot well, but need to have barrels free-floated and actions bedded (a real pain, due to the front screw location on the 455. I had to cut away part of the front pillar to clear the magazine assembly.) Still, CZs have very nice actions and feed ammo very well. (I locktited my 455 barrel to the receiver for maximum stability...a trick learned from 10-22 accurizing.)

If you're looking for good-shooting ammo at reasonable prices, try CCI and Wolf. Some lots of the CCI SGB have turned in excellent groups in my rifles.

JP
 
I like the 10-22 but I'm just not interested in a rimfire semi. For me small game season is a time to brush up on my offhand and unsupported marksmanship. I know that I'll rush shots knowing that I've got more at the ready.That and there's just something about running the bolt, I've seen some really accurate tricked out 10-22s but it's just not my flavor.
 
I'm partial to the Ruger 77/22.
Internet rumors about them are worse than reality. And the "poor accuracy" reports that got blown out of proportion really only applied to the older versions that had a 10-22 style V-block barrel mount. The later versions (post-2004?) had threaded and torqued barrels, and were/are almost universally praised for their performance. (Mine is amazing -- 3/4" or better with my preferred .22 LR loads, at 100 yards.)
The 77/-- line was discontinued this year, but new ones are still out there and used ones can be found.


If you like backwards safeties, a CZ would not be a bad choice.
 
More than a decade ago, I decided that I wanted a 22LR rifle that was as close a match for my Winchester model 70 as I could find in form, function, and weight, for the express purpose of cheap rimfire practice that would simulate my model 70. The Ruger 77/22 in the Varmint-Laminate version comes very close, so that's what I got. Since you already have a Ruger 77 centerfire, then the 77/22 makes the most sense for you as well. I will still shoot my Winchester at least 20 rounds and more likely 40 rounds on an outing, but I will likely run ten times as many rounds through the Ruger on the same session. It doesn't matter if there may be more accurate rifles; this is the one that most closely simulates the Winchester model 70, for a direct translation of muscle-memory from one rifle to another.
 
You want an accurate .22LR bolt gun for a low cost? Look at the Marlin/Glenfield 25, pawn shops are full of them! Expect to pay 175 for a perfect example

A good accurate and low cost semi-auto, the Marlin 60. The pawn shops are full of them. I never pay more than 120 for a nice one, maybe 150 for a "Squirrel Stock" model.

For newer rifles under 300, the Ruger American is a very accurate rifle, 10/22 is always fun, then there is the Marlin 795, which will out shoot my 10/22 any day even on a bad day for me!

If you like a lever gun, get a Henry H001, they are too much fun, go all "John Wayne" on some reactive targets!

The rumors you hear about a 77/22 is not correct! Those are great rifles, just have to find its ammo, just like most .22LR's, it can be picky.

CZ is going to be on the high end price wise but you get a great shooting, very nice looking rifle, that you can pass on to your grandkids, much like the 77/22.

When I go squirrel/small game hunting, I prefer a 20g NEF Pardner single shot. Light, cheap, versatile. My small game rifle of choice is the Marlin 25 or Ruger American. I don't like a scope on my squirrel guns, just a personal preference. I like to keep them light since I'm on foot the whole time.
 
I have the 452, 10-22, several other 22s and a 17 HMR, but its a kick in the but going old school.

I have a Rem. Model 25 pump gun in 25-20 that's great for small game.
 
Heavily leaning towards the 77 at this point.but I had a thought... Would it be better to just buy an m77 in .223 and load it down? Then I could load it subsonic, to 22lr levels, 22mag levels, .223 levels, and anywhere in between. Would I be better served by a 77/22 or by an m77 .223? I know it's a lot of effort for 22 rimfire levels of performance but it struck me as a neat idea. That and I remember at one point you couldn't hardly find 22lr, and if you could it was sky high. Feel free to weigh in.
 
I can reload for my .223 rem's cheaper than i can buy .22LR ammo. I shoot the .223 bolt gun and Mini14 more than anything I own.
 
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