Which .22

IMO....(and only my opinion)

Cz for lower price "old world" quality.

Used American classic .22 after alot of shoping for some sweet shooting American steel.

Or an Anschutz for the best in "affordable" production bolt guns.....

I like bolt action 22’s with wood stocks but I’m thinking the Christensen Ranger 22 might be on the list. No wood but looks like a nice plinker.

Might want to watch the review of 452 and 455’s on YouTube by nutnfancy. The link wouldn’t post. Gives a lot of great info

Barnfixer said:

I like bolt action 22’s with wood stocks but I’m thinking the Christensen Ranger 22 might be on the list. No wood but looks like a nice plinker.

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I like mine a lot. So much so im down to just it and my heavy 457.

Theres two things ive noticed that are worth mentioning.

From my experience its very light, which makes it a little more difficult to shoot than other heavier .22s

And running the action feels very...... mechanical?.... Kinda like a short shifter in a 6 speed. Run it briskly, and with confidence, and it will reward you. Baby it and youll get left with a less than fantastic impression.

If you want smooth and easy and operation, then the 457 has my vote. I don't think I've run a 22 that was quite that smooth.
Admittedly, I haven't run any of the really high-end ones either.

In bolt guns, nothing's wrong with a CZ from an accuracy standpoint, but I'm not a fan of that humped butt stock on some, nor the larger than life hooded front sight on others. Winchester 75's are good and Remington once made up a full sized bolt that looks the part with excellent accuracy as well.

For pumps, I really like Winchester's M-61 & 62. The money you part with upfront is a solid investment if you don't beat them to death, too. I have one of each and the M-61 is the most accurate .22 sporter I've ever shot. Yesterday's efforts off my back porch rail gave me ~3/8" group for 8 shots with Federal's Auto-Match (@ 32 yards). Scoped with a 4X Redfield .22 scope from the early 80's, it's just the ticket for that particular gun. The M-62a with it in the pic below has a Marble tang peep that's a joy to use and will do an honest 1" with nearly any ammunition at 32 yards.

Lastly, and my particular favorite for casual shooting is most any of the lever guns. I have a Marlin 39 Centennial (2nd pic below) that's particularly accurate, but have access to a Winchester 9422 and Browning BL22 as well. The Winchester is as good as the Marlin with the Browning not far behind...you pick as you like, and will not be disappointed.

Best Regards, Rod

I love my Marlin 39M. It's accurate, handsome and handy. They are kind of hard to find but worth the effort.

I am also a big fan of the CZ rifles. I have a couple of 452's and a 455 Lux. They are my current favorites for a blued/wood .22.

Lots of choices out there so keep us updated.

I know CZ has earned the reputation they've gotten, and it's reflected in the suggestions here. Never heard of one that shot badly, even if it didn't shoot as well as expected. They're also about the only name in the game right now when it comes to real bluing and real wood unless you wanna get far into the 4 figure $ range. (Ok, Henry GB is a beautiful rifle for what it is)

I always have to be different though. If I were to recommend a blued/wood rifle I'd suggest a 39A, Remington bolt action (anything starting with a 5), model 74 or 69A Winchester, or Remington 12/121.

If I were looking for myself and didn't already have a couple, I'd want another Thompson Center 22 Classic.

I will note that when friends and men in general open their safes and we discuss guns almost always the gun they treasure the most will be associated with their father, grandfather or a relative that didn't make it back home from the field of battle. And usually, it's far from the best looking or even valuable (in monetary terms) firearm in their collection.

In my mind if part of the express reason you're buying the gun is to hand it down that all but eliminates a synthetic stocked rifle.

IF I was buying a .22 to hand down to my grandson a CZ would be under consideration because of the wood stock and the overall aesthetics of their profiles. The fact they're all pretty much minute of dime shooters at reasonable distances adds to their appeal.

Here's two that haven't been discussed in this configuration. The fact they're made in the USA does carry significant weight with me. I kinda like the thought that years after I've given up the ghost a grandson of mine will be walking the edge of a farm field carrying one of these vs a synthetic stocked gun.

Mannlicher 10/22:



Mannlicher M77/22

I might as well stick this pic in to represent CZ in the full stock category.

CZ and don't look back. I haven't shot rifle in a number of years but my CZ 452 was accurate enough for me to shoot a number of 250s on the NRA target. I eventually gave it to a friend and he's still shooting it and loves it.

My other choice is a modified Ruger 10/22. There is no end to the modifications you can do and it will shoot one hole groups all day long. Those modes will bring you close to your $1000 limit.

Before I 'd spend the money on a new CZ, I much rather spend some time to look for a nice Brno Mod.1. The Mod. 1 is the only BRNO that has impressed me enough to keep.

Dave Delaurant' s advice to check the used market is good and should not be limited to the BRNO Model 1 &2 but also Krico and Weihrauch make very good rimfire rifles that are underrated and underpriced.

The 2-7 leupold would be great on the cz

^^^ X1 what Troy said. Get decent rings.

I had a 2-7 Leupold rimfire on a 455 American. It was a nice little package. I kinda wish I hadn't sold it.

Leupold .22 rings have a nice rounded, clean appearance and they’re available in a couple of different finishes so you can match them to the CZ. Plus I like the fact they use Torx screws. You pay a little more like CPE said above but the overall result is worth it. Remember, it’s going to a grandkid.

nick22 said:

Thanks for all the replies, I ordered a 457 American and it should be at the local gun shop for pickup next week after shipping and taxes it was around 630 bucks. Now to find the right scope and rings. I am thinking a Leupold in the 2-7 power range. So what do you say my fellow enablers? At the moment the Leupold 2-7 x33 is the front runner vs the 3-9x40 rimfire scope I like the smaller scope on a .22

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For me, scope selection hinges on what I'll be doing with the gun. If inexperienced shooters will be using it to develop their interest in shooting, I think a good, clear scope that goes down to lower power is usually best, and those Leupolds with 2x and 3x lower magnification levels you mentioned would be good. The 3-9x33 EFR is also a good option in the Leupold line. (I've had all three of those scopes before.)

I almost always end up shooting for groups or shooting for maximum accuracy when I have a rifle out, so I want more magnification than 9x. My favorite is something that goes to about 24x, (the Weaver V-24 shown on the rifle above really suits my eye) but on some guns I have 4-16s (several Weaver Grand Slams, which also suit my eye very well). The 457 American is a fairly large gun so IMO it will look fine (if you're concerned about aesthetics) with a bit larger scope like a 6-18x or 6-24x.

Look for a nice used Marlin 39A of any sort or a Winchester 9422. Those are heirloom rifles and real shooters. The faux Henry is a painted or plated Zamak receiver (pot metal zinc alloy) and therefore cannot qualify as heirloom grade no matter how pretty the stock is.

Fingers crossed that Ruger will get around to a release of 39A rifles but realistically when and if they do, they ain't going to be cheap.

Or get a nice 1022 and be happy. More fun than a bolt CZ.

3C

3Crows said:

The faux Henry is a painted or plated Zamak receiver (pot metal zinc alloy) and therefore cannot qualify as heirloom grade no matter how pretty the stock is.
3C

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You left out the part about how they can be shot thousands and thousands of rounds, are "glass smooth" right out of the box, have a life time warr., feed and function perfectly with everything you put in them, and are quite accurate.

Did I mention that they just plain last and last and last??

That's good enough for my grandson!

DM

Did anyone mention CZ??

For a semi auto you can get a 10/22 and put any fancy stock on it you want.

I6turbo said:

For me, scope selection hinges on what I'll be doing with the gun. If inexperienced shooters will be using it to develop their interest in shooting, I think a good, clear scope that goes down to lower power is usually best, and those Leupolds with 2x and 3x lower magnification levels you mentioned would be good. The 3-9x33 EFR is also a good option in the Leupold line. (I've had all three of those scopes before.)

I almost always end up shooting for groups or shooting for maximum accuracy when I have a rifle out, so I want more magnification than 9x. My favorite is something that goes to about 24x, (the Weaver V-24 shown on the rifle above really suits my eye) but on some guns I have 4-16s (several Weaver Grand Slams, which also suit my eye very well). The 457 American is a fairly large gun so IMO it will look fine (if you're concerned about aesthetics) with a bit larger scope like a 6-18x or 6-24x.

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+1

My 457 currently has a 4.5 - 14 blackhound on it, and before that it had a 6-18 Simmons whitetail expedition.
My Ranger has a 4.5-14x32 Burris timberline, which I'd originally bought to put on a CZ but the eye relief is so long that I don't have enough rail without adding a pic to the top of it.

DM~ said:

You left out the part about how they can be shot thousands and thousands of rounds, are "glass smooth" right out of the box, have a life time warr., feed and function perfectly with everything you put in them, and are quite accurate.

Did I mention that they just plain last and last and last??

That's good enough for my grandson!

DM

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As long as you are happy that is all that matters. I would not be. I could be happy with forged aluminum, brass or preferably (stainless) steel but Zamak, nah.

This 39A was purchased by my grandfather in 1956 and given to me when I came of age. Of course he broke it in for me. It is steel, not Zamak.



The company that makes "Henry" has nothing to do with the former Henry Co. and came into being in 1996. So we really have no idea how much or long they last. The older ones I have seen look pretty beaten when the plating or paint flakes off. On the other hand the Marlin 39A is the longest run of any rifle when production in the custom shop ended around 2019, first produced in 1891. The heirloom word was used in this thread and I just do not think a Zamak rifle is worthy of heirloom status. The rifle in the picture, that is an heirloom and it is a working heirloom. And it is a forged steel receiver.

3C

This 39a Golden Mountie, 1966 vintage, was handed down to me by the widow of a dear friend. Part of the joy of shooting it is the revisiting of old memories.

Each time I take it to the range, I dedicate the shooting to my old friend.



Bayou52

3Crows said:

As long as you are happy that is all that matters.
3C

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I agree, As long as YOU are happy, that is all that matters.

DM

I'm happy with both my 39A and my Goldenboy.