Why do bolts cost more than semis?

[RGO]

Hi all,

I have been looking into a first .22 rifle, and was considering between the bolt action and a semi-automatic. I've pretty much settled on a CZ-452 (bolt), but I was wondering, why do bolt action .22s cost so much more than semi-autos? Over here, for example, the Ruger 10/22 goes for maybe $150 on the high side while the 77/22 goes for $400 or so. Why?

 

[Jim Watson]

Lower demand, less volume production, no big orders from Big Mart is part of it. Greater manufacturing precision in a bolt action than a blowback auto is a good deal of the rest.

 

[Redlg155]

If you look at the Savage and Marlin offerings vs Ruger 10-22 then things tend to balance out a bit. CZs and Ruger 77/22s are at the higher end of the spectrum.


Good Shooting
Red

 

[Badger Arms]

Most bolt actions (Ruger's Included) are more expensive to make than semi-auto's.

 

[Detritus]

the 10/22 is VERY cheap to make so it's just not the right gun to be using as a comparison. and its cheap b/c it is very fast, easy, and NON- labor intsenive to make


just looking at the receivers

10/22 = receiver made from an aluminum investment casting, then milled and anodized, the "receiver" is basicly a sqaure shell in which parts fit, or are bolted to. no locking lug recesses to mill to tight tolerance, "lock up" is really "spring tension and bolt inertia"

versus a

77/22= Receiver is a STEEL IC, that is machined to final spec, heat treated and finished, more steps to take it from the rough casting to the finished unit (upped labor and other production costs), the fit between the reciver and the bolt has to be MUCH better than the Auto, it actually HAS locking lugs. also the addition of the "intergal scope base system" makes the receiver just that more complicateed to make.

and just as a further point, the .22 Magnum version of the 10/22 which has a steel receiver and the intergal base system added to the design, has an MSRP (yeah i know does not fully reflect "real cost") of just over twice as much as it's 22LR brother and within $80 of the average for the 77/22 (which BTW is the same msrp, regardless of it being a .22LR or Mag).

mainly it's materials and the labor/ machine time involved in making one.

 

[RGO]

Thanks for the answers, folks. I had guessed some of it.

 

[VG]

The Thompson Center Arms 22 LR Classic is a semi with a steel receiver and 22" match grade barrel. It's a better comparison to the higher quality bolt guns you reference. They're in the $300 range.

 

[Tropical Z]

If you decide to get a bolt gun,head straight to Savage.I know of no other manufacturer who can beat them for accuracy AND value.

 

[TallPine]

Check out the bolt action Marlin 25N for about the same price as a 10/22