Bolt Action Squirrel Rifle

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razorback2003

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I am looking at getting a new bolt action 22 LR squirrel rifle to swap off with my Ruger 10/22 and also use at the range for some paper punching. I hunt tree squirrels in Tennessee and do some walking.

I am trying to decide between the CZ 452/453 American/Varmit, Savage laminated stock heavy barrel with accutrigger, and Ruger 77/22.

Any thoughts? Also is it true that the CZ 452/453 rifles have a suppressor adaptor with them? It would be nice to know that they are easy to attach a suppressor in case i decide to purchase a suppressor for my squirrel rifle in the future. I know a Savage or Ruger I would basically have to get the barrel cut down and threaded to use a suppressor. Thanks.
 
I have a CZ 452 Lux (with irons) that is a great for both varmints and targets. Typically shoot it at 100 yds, with and without a scope. Accurate, nicely made rifle. Highly recommend one.
 
CZ 452 16 inch threaded barrel

Have folks here had good results with the 16 inch barrel CZ 452? I kind of like how it already has the barrel threaded and has a steel thread protector cap for the barrel when you are not using a suppressor. What is the trigger like on a CZ 452? Thanks.
 
I have the 77/22 and love it. I got mine off of GB with a 4X scope on it for $400.00 total. Mine was made in 1987 and has open sights on it. I have shot one 4 shot group at 30 yards that was just a single hole. I blew it and put the 5th shot a quarter inch away. At 50 yards it will stay 3/4" and under with federal bulk ammo.

I like the CZs I just don't like the detachable mags, mostly because they are 30 bucks or so for a spare.

I had a savage 223 with the most flimsy stock I have ever seen. I sold the rifle. That soured me on savages.

You may want to look at the Marlin bolt actions. They aren't fancy guns but I have never had one that didn't shoot well. All have been very accurate. My 981T shoots as good as my 77/22 and cost $173 OTD. I have an old glenfield 25 that does the same thing. Half inch 50 yard groups.
 
I had a savage 223 with the most flimsy stock I have ever seen. I sold the rifle. That soured me on savages.
Click to expand...

You sold an otherwise excellent rifle over the stock?

Either rifle is good, the CZ is IMO better in all ways than the Ruger especially if your talking 22LR.

Any descent 22 will shoot well enough if fed top quality ammo. Some will even do it with junk ammo!

CZ 452/453
Savage (Various) All of them are good!
Marlin (Various) Most of them are good!
Ruger 77/22...I assume you intend to scrap the barrel and put a after market trigger in it.
 
The CZ 452 ZKM with the iron sights is the best .22 rifle ever made. The sights are so good you need no scope. And you can adjust to range on the fly by raising the rear tangent.
 
I have a stainless 77/22 that I gave $300 for a a year & a half ago; topped it with a nice $100 variable scope. Great shooter.

I have an old, beater Western Auto-labeled Marlin 981 I gave $50 for at an farm auction 20 years ago. It's got an old, Weaver K-4 on it. Heavy trigger, but great shooter. I can hit soda cans at 100+ yards on a calm-to-light breeze day.

If I had to pick one - a bug-out situation - I would grab the Marlin every day of the week and 2x on Sunday. You can get 2 Marlins for the price of one 77/22. I suspect that it will shoot every bit of minute-of-squirrel without a problem.

Q
 
interesting thing my FFL mentioned the other day.

he was saying that he had several Hmong customers who buy .22lr rifles to hunt squirrels...and their rifle of choice was the Anschutz 164.

i guess when you're hunting for food/money, you don't cut many corners
 
I have the Savage 93 Heavy barrel with the laminate stock. It is very accurate and does everything I want it to. Turtles and water moccasins in my ponds do not stand a chance. However it is too heavy to carry stalking. For stalking I use an ancient Remington 41P. It's a light weight single shot you can carry all day long. I am sure a tractor trailer could not carry the squirels that 41P has bagged in the 78 years my Grandfather, Father, I and my sons have hunted with it.

41P's are hard to find, but the Remington 510's are still out there and reasonably priced. They are the same design (except for the pull cock) and unless abused by a previous owner, are very accurate.
 
I suggest checking into the standard weight Savage Mark II with synthetic stock. They are light weight, very accurate, and very affordable (appx $169.00). By the way, I have owned both of the other two rifles you mentioned (CZ 452 and Ruger 77/22), and my Savage Mark II will dance circles around both. Also, don't overlook the Marlins rifles.
 
You sold an otherwise excellent rifle over the stock?
Click to expand...

Yes uncle mike I did just that. I also bought a boyds wood laminate stock for it first. The stock cost $150. I also replaced the "high dollar" plastic trigger guard it came with. The wood stock made it much heavier and the comb was so high I could no longer use the open sights. The open sights were one of the main reasons I bought the rifle in the first place. They were some of the best plastic sights I have ever used by the way.

The gun shot very well. It just felt cheap. For what I had in it I could have bought a much nicer gun that would have held its value. It seems like you can't hardly give a savage away which is pretty much what I had to do to sell it.
 
CZ is a good choice. Another is one of the Winchester Model 52b reproductions if you can find one. To me they feel more like a larger gun, and have one of the best out of the box triggers in existance for a 22 sporter.
 
I gotta throw my hat in for the CZ, my 452 Varminter in .17HMR is one of the best rifles I've ever owned.
 
I have a couple CZs and a savage with the heavy barrel. Money no issue I'll take either CZ first then second. Taking price into consideration I'll take either CZ first and second. I like the savage and it shoots well, just not as well as the CZs. The feel of the CZs are worlds above the savage I have and the ones I Have handled. The accuracy on the CZ and Savage options seems to be a big step above the Rugers though I'm sure some ruger fan will tell me how wrong I am. I would go Cz American.
 
I havent done any squirrel hunting with my 452 American but I will say it is an absolute tack driver. Last time I had it out I cut down an inch and a half diameter tree sapling with about 5-6 shots. I was in the market for a 22 last year and after exhaustive research I picked the CZ. There just seems to be so many happy customers. When I went to purchase mine, the gunshop owner who happens to be a friend said that he sells tons of them to a local shooting team. They swear by them. From what I understand the Ruger is a good gun also.
 
razorback2003,

You might want to check out Rimfire Central for more info.

They are all good guns.............my preference is for the CZ.

Don't overlook a good used Remington or Winchester.
 
For me it's the Ruger 77/22. I got this one used last year and it's a great rifle. Made in 1984, I paid $425.00 for it with the Simmons 2x7x32 scope. It may not be a target rifle, but it's plenty accurate enough for squirrel hunting and just looks like a million bucks. Fit and finish is outstanding IMHO. Ten round groups with Federal bulk pack ammo just make one ragged hole when sighted in at 25 yards. Squirrels fall like they were hit by lightening.

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Suppressor on 22 Rifle

Have any of you guys tried putting a suppressor on a good bolt 22 rifle? I thought it might be fun to put one on and also save some of my hearing. Some folks also claim they improve accuracy. I know i'd have to pay the $200 tax and money for the suppressor but at least I can use the suppressor on my Browning Buck Mark pistol (have to get a threaded barrel). I am kiind of leaning towards the CZ 452 American with the 16 inch barrel now because it is one of few rifles on the market that already has the barrel threaded and even has a cap for when not using a suppressor.....looks like a real quality rifle. That would save me the trouble of having to pay someone to thread a rifle barrel later on when I buy a suppressor.
 
.22lr out of a suppressed bolt rifle is mouse fart quiet as they say. It was mentioned that you may hunt with the suppressor on the rifle. Check your local and state laws first. I know in Ohio it is illegal to hunt with a suppressor on and you wouldn't want to go away to club fed over that. If noise is an issue try a few of the sub sonic rounds first. They are very quiet and may be enough noise reduction. Subsonic rounds also tend to shoot better.
 
I have a Ruger 77/22 with a Norrell integral suppressor and a CZ 452 in 17hmr both are accurate enough for squirrel hunting. The 77 is my favorite. I have put trigger kits in both. The CZ will out shoot the 77 but I think the 17 is just a more accurate caliber.
 
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