best $400 22 bolt action ?

[Mossberg535]

So my wifes Savage Mark II 22 is one of the ones that misfires (literally no mark in the casing at all when it happens), doesnt want to extract the round most of the time and is generally a pain in the arse.

Im going tomorrow to get her a decent bolt action at GM....any opinions about something $400 or less ?

I saw some savages, but after this Mark II I'm afraid to touch a savage again.

 

[CH47gunner]

Cz452

CZ452

Three basic models:
1) CZ452 Varmint - has a heavy Varmint barrel, scope only, no iron sights.
2) CZ452 American - thinner sporter barrel, scope only, no iron sights.
3) CZ452 Trainer/Special - has very nice iron sights w/ ability to be scoped.

Made in Chechoslavakia - MUCH better reliability and fit/finish than most American Brands (Savage rimfires are made in Canada anyways).
JMO.

Good luck,

Bruce

 

[retgarr]

That really is a no brainer, at $400 or under the CZ's are king. Only a few models have iron sights though, if you don't like the styles of the rifles with irons you'd have to have a smith put some on. I just got a 452 lux, with the addition of scope rings that put me just under $400.

 

[Cueball]

Yet another vote for the CZ 452. I have a Special/Trainer model and you can use the irons or scope it, whichever you prefer. They are tack drivers out of the box and within your budget.

 

[Mr_Ouija]

I bought my Russian Biathlon Basic 7-2 for $320 and it shoots as well as the CZs. The Biathlon Basic compares pretty well to a CZ 452 Varmint, having a heavy barrel and no sights. The plus sides to the Biathlon over the CZ is the standard Weaver Rail to make for plenty of ring choices and the adjustable 2-stage trigger. My trigger is set at 1lb right now and has room to go even lower.

With the Biathlon, you just add rings and scope and you're done, with the CZ you'll do the same, but at some point you'll likely want a trigger kit from Brooks to make it better.

Also, I bought a used Russian Vostok CM-2 that shoots great too (using iron sights) from CDNN for $300 everything included. I wouldn't recommend going this route though, unless you like refinishing wood and making your own sight inserts and accessories. The biggest downside to the CM-2 is the lack of upgrades/accessories vs an Anschutz or similar since nothing is standard sized.

 

[RNB65]

Cz452

 

[22-rimfire]

The CZ would probably be my suggestion as well for a new 22 rifle. If you ran onto a Remington 541-T, it might make your wife very happy and they run around $400 or so used.

 

[Shawnee]

+1 for the Rem. 541-T, fersure.

CZ certainly has a cult following and that wouldn't happen if they weren't good rifles. And they are shiny. They are surely worth a look-see. But I know for a fact you don't have to spend $400 to get a good bolt-action .22lr. The sun simply does not rise and set at the CZ distributor's warehouse by any stretch of the imagination. At least $100 of the CZ price tag is for your neo-fashionable cult membership dues.

If you must buy a new gun you might look at the Remington Model 5....

http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/rimfire_rifles/model_five.asp

....or perhaps one of the Marlin models.

If you can handle a used rifle there are lots of good ones from various makers at gun shows for a lot less than $400. The Mossberg 346 series is one example. Even the Ruger bolt-action .22 can be found for less than $400 - used but not abused. You can also find good ones at www.Gunbroker.com. every day of the week.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=105266870

Good Luck.

 

[woof]

Nothing under 700 beats the czs

 

[cracked butt]

Nothing under 700 beats the czs

You've never shot a Remington 541 or a mossberg 144 then

 

[Mossberg535]

Thanks for all the helpful input guys

 

[Mossberg535]

I was a bit surprised, but she wanted a Henry Lever action instead....and decided against a scope.

http://www.henryrepeating.com/h001_leveraction.cfm

Seems to feed really well, we'll be taking it out here in a bit to try out some plinking with it. She likes it and since its her gun I guess thats all that matters

 

[rangerruck]

cz or Biathlon Basic gets my vote. Unless you can find an Old marlin 2000 or 7000 that has been specialized for target shooting, which you very well may.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Ceska
Zbroyovska
Uhersky
Brod

Four
Fifty
Two

http://www.cz-usa.com/products_rimfire_rifles.php

 

[Schleprok62]

Let's not forget about the Remington Model Five. It's easily as good as a 452, comes with fully adjustable irons, good trigger, solid action, great fit and finish, and is in the same league as the CZ for about $100 less...



open irons @ 50 yds w/Remington Golden 36gr HP's

Metal trigger guard too...

 

[JohnBT]

The Model Five should be good, it's from the same general part of the world as the Czech Republic and has been in production for years.

"It is made in Serbia by Zastava, a firm that’s been building firearms for decades. When I first saw it, it bore the Interarms name and was brought in along with the MKX centerfire. Later, Charles Daly stamped its name on it, and ran it through its distribution channels as a Daly rimfire." - gunblast, IIRC

 

[Mr_Ouija]

There's another Russkie you could look into too, the TOZ-78, which also comes with an adjustable trigger. Getting harder to find, now that they sell under the Winchester Wildcat name with a lawyer trigger for more money

They shoot great and run less than $200, so you could have a complete rifle w/ optics for less than the CZ.

 

[Schleprok62]

I'm lovin' my Model Five Remington...

 

[Shawnee]

Hi "Mossberg".... not at all surprised she like the Henry - and she'll have a blast with it if you let her enjoy it and don't harangue her about sub-MOA accuracy. .22s are supposed to be FUN.

Good Luck to you two !




So where's the pic of that Model 5, Schleprok62 ? Good targets by the way.

 

[CH47gunner]

Yep - if you're going to do levers, the Henry is a good one.

The Remy Model 5 was the Charles Daly Superior II, one of which I also have. The CD actually has better metalwork/blueing than my CZ452 Special/Trainer. Altho, the wood finish on the CD was so crappy, I had to strip it down to bare wood & start over. Over-all, I'd still pick the CZ's.

Bruce

 

[Schleprok62]

Here ya go Shawnee... mine is the European Walnut model... not the laminate...

 

[publiuss]

All the advice given has been very good, you will not go wrong w/any of those guns. I will say that if you find a Rem 541 for $400 or less, grab it and any others quick. For that price, I will buy the ones you don't want. They are absolutely great rifles but I haven't seen any around the $400.00 mark in a long time.

 

[rangerruck]

Also, you could just send that rifle back to savage, and they will fix it no cost, then go over to rimfirecentral.com, and do the trigger fix trick, on the top of the stickies on the Savage forums...