Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires Whats the most accurate hunting 22 rimfire ?

+ 1 on the Kimber Hunter. Mine wears a Leupold Rimfire 2x7. When I miss a squirrel, and I do, I can promise you that it was operator error and NOT the Kimber!

And, then when you try to shoot bulk WM ammo through them, you wonder why they don't live up to their reputations?

+4 on the cooper JSR

My favorite 2 are the CZ 452 and a NULA


ddj

It's been said buying a really accurate hunting 22 is well worth the cost.

I'm wanting to do more practicing on squirrels so I'm pondering that investment. I've got a sako quad which is pretty dern accurate but it's not a finfire or cooper. I like being able to pick out an eye if I have too.

Spot

Have a Kimber 82B, 541S, 513 Rem, Mossberg 144 and 146, CZ 452. 541S is consistently the most accurate. Same rifle models with different serial #'s and the results might be different. All are shooters.
dan

Winchester 52C or B Sporter! If you can't afford the original get the repro.

I own a Russian and Romanian trainer. They eat all the ammo out there better than any other 22 I've owned and that has been many dozen.

My CZ 452 American will shoot 1/2 groups all day at 50 yards. At 25 yards I can hit a marker dot all day on a piece of paper. These are great shooters. I have a 3-9x32 AO scope on it. AWESOME set up.

Spotshooter: I have and have owned MANY really accurate 22 rimfires.
I have two Kimber heavy barrel models that are sublime. I have two REALLY accurate (and relatively cheap back when I began shooting these!) Winchester Model 75's.
I have also owned several Winchester Model 52's - but they are so pricey anymore that they are not often seen out in "Hunting" type terrain.
I have owned several Anschutz rimfires and they are impressively accurate.
Another splendidly accurate rimfire Rifle I have Hunted with was a Remington Model 37. I wish I had that one back for the Gopher Wars I enjoy so much these days.
But the most consistent and reliable 22 rimfire I have used to date has to be my Remington 40X with 27 1/4" barrel.
This Rifle is just wonderful to use afield - it TEACHES you how the 22 bullets fly (drift and drop) in the slightest of conditions and changes in distance. Even with a few select Hunting type cartridges (high speed hollow-points!) it attains superb accuracy. The trigger on my 40X is in no need of any type of improvement.
I highly recommend the Remington 40X rimfire - they are great guns and a great investment.
I also think their "mass" (weight) is very advantageous to their field accuracy (Hunting situations).
Best of luck with whichever "accurate Hunting 22 rimfire" you might choose.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I agree.

Most will think I'm full of it, but my CZ 452 has done 1/2" at a 100 yards a few times (perfect conditions obviously)

+1
But would have to say if its the one you can shoot a squirrel in the eye at 50 yrds Every time, then that would be it. No matter who made it!!

Swifty

That is true, but there are companies that tend to turn out more accurate rifles than other companies.

The other factor is that we tend to shoot 22's more due to cost, lack of recoil, and fun factor. I could probably be a better large rifle shot if I shot them as much as my 22.


ddj

The goal here is improve my practical shooting by having a top of the line 22 much like a guy does when shooting skeet or trap competition - ya don't buy junk or shoot an autoloader as much as you'd buy something that is very consistent and lets you concentrate on improving your shooting skills.

CZ's issue or weak spot is the trigger
I've got a Sako Quad - that trigger on it's much better than the CZ

Anschutz is without question the Mercedes of the rimfires so they are questionably in the pool. CZ, Remy 40X, ... are also good contenders.
I hunt squirrel in Osagey thicket stuff, so I have to thread the need, and THEN shoot them in the eye. Plus getting a family heirloom is kind of cool.

Spot

I have 2- a CZ 452 Varmint with a Weaver V-16 dot and a CZ 452 FS. Either will keep five shots in less than a dime at 75 yds. I shoot remington sub-sonic hps in both.

I disagree with the trigger comment- a CZ trigger can be made as good as anyone wants with a little time and effort- rimfirecentral.com has all sorts of links to home remedies for the as-issued trigger.

I prefer to make my hunting guns sportster because of weight. Someone mentioned a 452 Varmint here but mine is too heavy to carry/shoot in the woods, when aiming up in a tree my hands wobble too much with all the weight.

I'm on the CZ bandwagon but recommend a 452 American (I actually got a Style, same weight) for hunting. If you can't get a CZ then the only cheaper rimfire I will own is Savage. Accutrigger is epic. I would get Savage if CZ's didn't have an easily installed $20 trigger kit that I love.

**For those of you wanting to know, go to ebay and search for "cz 452 trigger" - the kit is sold by formeryodave and is a GREAT kit.

A lot of truth there.

I'd add that determining the true accuracy of a .22 and .22 ammo (or any rifle for that matter) requires at least a passing understanding of some basic statistical principles. An awful lot of folks end up chasing their tails, but as long as they're happy and having fun burning powder, what's to criticize?

Paul

CZ rifles are un-questionably a great choice to have on your short list. With that being said, I would gladly put up a Cooper 57M against a CZ. The only downside to the Cooper is that they are more expensive, and for some they are worth it.