The “Perfect” .22 Rifle

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Ain't no perfect anything but Gods own Son. We all have our ideas about what is right for us and in most cases it is a compromise. My perfect whatever for one thing might be horrible for anything else. I love these questions as they make me really search. Of my .22s, the one that meets the most needs is my FrankenRuger 10-22, a forty year old receiver, a Jard trigger group, a hand-me-down laminated Ruger target stock, a Shaw, Bentz chambered barrel and a few other miscellaneous parts and a good scope. Squirrels, BR50 targets, bump in the night, plinking, it can do it all. Not with Stingers, however.
 
Milt1 said:
Hmmm, I'll have to ask a question back to you, does perfection exist and who decides?
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Now you are waning philosophically on me!!! :eek: :scrutiny: :uhoh:
IMHO, the perfect .22 LR is in the eye of the beholder or user. :thumbup:

A "perfect" .22 for me is one that never fails, is always accurate and tickles my aesthetic fancy. Like the Anschutz Silhouette - I love that schabel forend! Or like the Browning BAR .22 or SA-22! Both tickle my aesthetic sensibilities. Whatever tickles you suits me just fine! :D :cool: ;)
 
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Rodfac said:
Had a M39 Marlin Mountie for 30 years or so...a graduation present from my college days...gave it to my 1st son on his 8th birthday...a good decision and he's had it since...he's 48 now with kids of his own who spend happy afternoons plinking away with it....accurate, a joy to work that action, a good squirrel gun...about as good as you can find.

Always admired a rich friend's M62 Winchester pump when I was a kid with a Buffalo winter plagued paper route that paid for most of my clothes...40 years later I found one in 95% condition for $425 at a Louisville gun show that's been a favorite with every kid that's shown up here at the farm. I mounted a slick Marbles Tang Peep on it and a Lyman Ivory Bead front that, combined make it an absolute joy to hunt or plink.

A cpl years later a M61 showed up with a good price tag...$525... in similar condition that's even more accurate; especially so with a Redfield .22 3/4" 4x scope mounted. This one'll do an honest inch at 50 yds from a rest with CCI Mini-Mags. Again, about as good as it gets in my neck of the woods.

Any of the three would easily be a #1 choice for me....Here's a pic of the Winchesters...Rod

View attachment 1035142
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I've lusted for .22 pumps like yours. Over the years, I've fired a few and they were just about the best rifles with open iron sights. I like receiver-sighted .22s the best and still have one, a Win. 69A bolt-action (removable magazine). John P.
 
This is a once-upon-a-time story, beginning at a time when Remington and Winchester made wonderful .22 rifles. The top-of-the-line models for each was Winchester’s Model-52 target rifle and Remington’s Model-37, which, according to experts then and now, was an even better made rifle than the vaunted Winchester. Winchester also made a stylish adult size sporting version of their M-52, but for some unknow reason Remington never offered a sporting version of their M-37. Which, in subsequent decades, has caused endless speculations among rifle aficionados as to what a Sporting 37 might have looked like. So, intrigued by this mystery, I went about having such a rifle created, beginning with an original M-37 target rifle and creative talents of gunmaker Roger Green. My only input being that he be inspired by the stylish contours and refinements of early 20TH Century British big game rifles. DSC_0303 (3).JPG DSC_0331 (2).JPG DSC_0173 (3).JPG DSC_0097 (2).JPG DSC_0128 (2).JPG
 
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I have about every action type of 22… a Marlin 39A is very satisfying to operate. It’s fun for tin cans. On the other hand I get more satisfaction out of small groups on paper with my CZ bolt action, even though arguably the Marlin lever is just as accurate. Semi autos go through ammo too quickly for me although from a technical standpoint it’s very hard to argue with a Ruger 10/22. Mine is walnut from the early years of production.

Pumps are also great. It’s honestly a tossup whether the pump or lever is more fun… they are both very satisfying and tactile and really make you feel like you are engaged with the gun, unlike the more detached feel of a semi auto.

Aesthetically the guns that look best with scopes (IMO) are bolts. But a scope on a bolt gun usually means you must work it carefully due to clearance, which bugs me in principle. Maybe the best compromise for field use is a scoped pump? Never owned one but it sounds sweet.
 
JCooperfan1911 said:
Anybody else been looking for it?

Over the past several years I’ve tried several different .22 rifles for the role of general/all purpose plinking, hunting, and field gun.

I’ve tried the Nylon 66, the Marlin 60, CZ-452 bolt action, Remington 552 Speedmaster, and a couple others and each has assets I enjoy but none has been “the one” and got sold save the Nylon 66, which is tough to successfully mount a scope to (one of my requirements) and is becoming a collectible so isn’t really suited for rough field use these days due to parts sourcing issues.
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You had it. :D
 
I've had Ithaca, Marlin, Ruger, Keltec, Walther and Henry. All have been very enjoyable. I don't know about perfect but certainly all have brought hours of great fun.. Some have thousands upon thousands of round through them and other much less, but all are as reliable as the ammo allows. I'll call my Henry Golden Boy as my perfect .22. It has it all; beauty, accuracy reliability and heirloom qualities.
 
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For the money, if you can find one, the Remington Model 504 was a very nice .22 bolt-action sporting rifle. Some complained of accuracy issues but mine shoots plenty straight.
 
So this thread enticed me into ordering a Anschutz 1714 Silhouette on line just before I left for my annual hunting trip.
I returned yesterday to see that UPS says it was delivered 11/12/21. The FFL says he never received it! I am currently (on hold) on the phone with the retail seller. If he can't get this figured out, I will turn it over to the CC co. for returning my money. Then the retailer can slug it out with them.
Currently, not a happy on-line shopper!!! :fire::cuss:
 
Offfhand

Simply breathtaking! Has to be the most beautifully crafted .22 bolt action rifle I have ever seen!

Thanks for sharing!
 
SA-22 for the design, weight, and take-down capability in a semi-auto.

Remington 512-X is the .22 bolt rifle I grew up with and it has huge sentimental value to me.
 
I could not find one that would do everything right, so I bought more.

I also sold some.

Target shooting: CZ 457 Varmint. It could have been longer for me, but it sure shoots. Did half an inch at 100 yards in June, I think, with Federal gold something, which, for me (intermediate shooting skills), is excellent. Beautiful rifle, trigger is rather nice, cycling the action is a dream.

Everything else (walking, hunting soda cans and pest, walking some more, surviving apocalyptic scenarios): plastic Winchester Wildcat. Light, fun, long enough, reliable semi. 3/4 inch and even up to 2 ugly inches at 50 yards is a little too opened for my target shooting taste. Easily accommodates a light.

Cooey model 60 for nostalgia. And it shoots better than I now can with its excellent open sights.

Honorable mention to my father's old gold plated Winchester, first firearm I ever shot. It was a joy to shoot, but I can't forgive him to have put a scope on it. Beautiful rifle if there was ever any, before that darn scope disfigured it. Cycling = fun! Scope shall be removed if inherited.
 
JCooperfan1911 said:
Anybody else been looking for it?

Over the past several years I’ve tried several different .22 rifles for the role of general/all purpose plinking, hunting, and field gun.

I’ve tried the Nylon 66, the Marlin 60, CZ-452 bolt action, Remington 552 Speedmaster, and a couple others and each has assets I enjoy but none has been “the one” and got sold save the Nylon 66, which is tough to successfully mount a scope to (one of my requirements) and is becoming a collectible so isn’t really suited for rough field use these days due to parts sourcing issues.

The closest yet is my Henry’s Frontier model lever gun. I really, really like it for a variety of reasons. Cycles smooth, feeds anything beautifully, has a solid trigger, just a hoot. Yet that particular model has a 14” length of pull and does not fit my small man frame too well. I feel like I’ve got to really push my hand way forward to cock the gun and it’s rather awkward. And the 20” octagonal barrel is fairly long and a bit heavy for a field .22 in my opinion. Still, it’s the closest yet.

I decided to order a different model Henry a few days ago, the Youths Carbine. This model features a 13” length of pull, much more ideal for me. It also has a lighter round profile barrel of 16” in length. This should make an excellent field packing choice and still holds a respectful dozen shots of Long Rifles or 16 Shorts.

View attachment 1034938

I think this might be the one guys. I plan on outfitting it the same as my Frontier, that being a 4x Gru-Bee 3/4” Baby Redfield copy with rings, hammer extension, leather lever wrap, and a sling. I have found Henry’s to be outstanding and it won’t be an expensive collectible that I won’t be afraid to get out on the trail for squirrel busting and can blasting. Add the excellent customer service, widespread availability of parts, and Made in USA (or not at all, as the company slogan goes) and it should be a winner.

Expect a detailed range report to follow. I’m real hopeful that this one will get me as close yet.

-JCF
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Henry sells a youth stock that should fit on your Frontier rifle to reduce the LOP. I got one for my son to put on a standard Henry… then I kept the standard for myself and went out and bought him a youth carbine ;).

Stay safe.
 
This long lasting thread has included quite a few opinions as to what might constitute a "Perfect" .22, with many simply being old favorites, which I suppose is fair enough. But in the real world has any .22 approached genuine perfection? My former neighbor Snooty Chuck may have such a rifle. (I say former neighbor as he moved a few months ago because, according to rumor, his wife wanted to move to a better neighborhood.) Anyway, the rifle may be perfect only only for Chuck because he is a southpaw and the rifle was built for a left had shooter, beginning with a Winchester M-52 action converted to left hand operation. And that was just the first step in accomplishing a truly remarkable rifle, which I had a chance to photograph before Chuck packed his guns and moved to a better neighborhood. DSC_0146 (2).JPG DSC_0168 (3).JPG DSC_0157 (2).JPG DSC_0179 (2).JPG DSC_0178 (3).JPG DSC_0175 (2).JPG DSC_0173 (2).JPG DSC_0152 (2).JPG DSC_0158 (4).JPG
 
Offfhand said:
This long lasting thread has included quite a few opinions as to what might constitute a "Perfect" .22, with many simply being old favorites, which I suppose is fair enough. But in the real world has any .22 approached genuine perfection? My former neighbor Snooty Chuck may have such a rifle. (I say former neighbor as he moved a few months ago because, according to rumor, his wife wanted to move to a better neighborhood.) Anyway, the rifle may be perfect only only for Chuck because he is a southpaw and the rifle was built for a left had shooter, beginning with a Winchester M-52 action converted to left hand operation. And that was just the first step in accomplishing a truly remarkable rifle, which I had a chance to photograph before Chuck packed his guns and moved to a better neighborhood. View attachment 1040870 View attachment 1040871 View attachment 1040872 View attachment 1040874 View attachment 1040875 View attachment 1040876 View attachment 1040877 View attachment 1040878 View attachment 1040879
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Another beauty.
Just wish Chuck coulda taken a few of my neighbors with him.

There's no shortage of incredibly accurate, super reliable .22 rifles out there. Many are those things right out of the box, without needing multiple upgrades.

If you're not happy with out of the box offerings, there are 2 options really. Start with a really accurate rifle, then have it fitted with a stock you like, barrel length, etc...
Or start with the rifle that fits you best, get a good trigger and bedding job and go from there.
 
I've owned a bunch of 22 rifles over the years, a Marlin 39a, a half dozen Ruger 10/22's, a couple of Ithaca M-49 single shots, a 547 Remington, and probably some I've forgotten about. But my favorite of them all was a Ruger M-77/22 from the first year production. Man that was a pretty rifle. As I've said a couple of times, I'm not much of a rifleman, but I do like hunting squirrels with a 22 rifle. That M-77/22 always had the feel of a "big rifle" to it. I could lean against a tree and imagine myself somewhere up along the timberline hunting elk or something like that.

Alas, I had to sell it off, like a lot of my guns during a period of unemployment. I don't really even have a decent picture of it, but found this one.

002-5.jpg

I don't remember ever missing a squirrel with it. I'm sure I did, but I don't remember it.

I finally whittled my 22's down to just one, and technically it's my wife's. It's a "Wally World Special" 10/22 with a 22?" barrel in stainless steel, and a DSP stype hardwood stock. The longer barrel again gives it a big rifle feel that I always liked over the standard 10/22. It's got a blister pack Bushnell 4X scope in silver ($40.00 IIRC) to match the rifle, and a black nylon sling from Wally-World for about $5.00. When my wife got sick a fellow on Rimfire Central with the handle "Swamp Fox" offered to do a trigger job for her. I sent the trigger assembly to him, and he sent it back in a couple of weeks. It's a REALLY nice trigger. My wife never hunted again after her recovery, but I used it some. It's a squirrel getter I tell you.

WWSBushnell.jpg

I think I'd call either of these my "perfect" 22 rifle. (Don't tell her I called it "my rifle.")
 
I've got a few---10/22's--a CZ 455--Ruger Precision Rifle(.22 mag)--Browning SA22 and BL22---------the BL22 is the one that really keeps my interest, just love flicking that lever and the CZ will probably go down the road--just not happy with it.
 
The perfect .22 rifle is the one you hold in your hands right now.........Tomorrow's rifle may be different......And remember opinions are like exhaust pipes. We all got one.
 
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