Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires Wood/blue 22

When I decided I wanted a really nice walnut stocked rimfire, I bought a delux grade Cooper.

Mine is a 17HMR instead of a 22 and has a stainless fluted barrel, but has an AAA Claro walnut stock.

Virgil B.

I gave my granddaughters each a 22 when they were born, and just gave them each another, last year. #1 got a BL-22 and a CZ 455FS. #2 got a Winchester 55 semi auto single shot, and a Remington 572 BDL, with the best wood I've ever seen on one (it's a 1977). They hunt and shoot a lot, and appreciate them.

The Cz is a average gun for the price.Blueing is avg.Wood is hit or miss.With more misses.The bluing on a Coop or Kimber is the likes of a Colt or a Smith wheel gun.Deep and lustrious.

For the price, it SHOULD be....

As always, it would be helpful if you would provide a price range or cap, and indicate whether you only want something new, or are willing to buy used.

It helps keep the boys from getting snippy with each other over apples and oranges.

Assuming new rifles in the moderate price range, the CZ 457 offers multiple styles and also cartridge flexibility just like the earlier 455. Personally, I wouldn't buy one sight-unseen because wood quality and also the wood finish can be quite variable. The new action addresses the stuff people complained about on earlier models: crappy trigger guard, trigger pull, backwards safety, and scope mounting height.

Going used and upping the ante opens up a whole world of possibilities. My only experience with higher-end stuff was with my late brother's Kimber of Oregon 82, which was a peach in every way.

Spot on all around.. Kudos..

Yup. Both my CZ 452 American and my Remington 581 (both lefties), shoot better than I can. Occasionally, they put 4 of 5 in one hole, at 50. The flier isn't the rifle...I don't have a scope on my Mossy 340BA, just the peep. I imagine it would be nearly as good.

I haven't been able to fire this one yet but hope it's accurate enough... THE most accurate .22 rifle I have is the Rem 541T - and it can easily shoot better than I can hold it. My son won nine turkeys at a local meat shoot about 10 years ago.. The range host wasn't happy.. Next year they added some rules to basically prevent any one shooter from cleaning up... We thought it was hilarious..

Yep. Out shoots my Anschutz.

And ( big bonus) they actually came with a dang good trigger, hard to believe from a Remington. I think mine's at something just over 8 oz...

No price range because I have no idea what the market is. Besides - I like snippy.

I need to adjust mine. I haven't even looked at the trigger yet. Easy to adjust?

Another CZ vote here

I have CZ and Anschutz 22 rifles, if you want nice get the Anschutz. Also Cooper seems to make very nice 22 rifles but do not own one. May have to look at one next time at a Cooper dealer.

Well, if you want a sleeper I'd try to find a Remington 581 (plastic magazines) or a 582 (tube mag). I'm actually partial to the 582s.

The Remington 511 and 512 sporters have dual lugs and the ones I've had shot very well FWIW.

I like the plain Jane Marlin 81s, but they all need trigger work IMO. Need it, but worth it. And they are a bargain these days.

Winchester 75 sporters are said to be fine shooting rifles. I've never had one so I'm just repeating what I've heard.

Everyone will point to the different CZ's, and with good reason. I only own a 455 but it is definitely "a shooter".

Obviously, something like a 54 or 64 actions Anschutz, a Cooper, etc is dynamite if you have the money. I like the looks and feel of the old Kimber Cascade if you decide to shop for scarce old guns.

And there are plenty more.

The only thing I can add is that I see a lot of poor muzzle crowns on modern products. Savage seems to be the leader in this but they are definitely not the only ones.
I really don't see poorly machined crowns on the older guns.
By poor I mean bad geometry, usually seen as an off center chamfer. When I see that one side is heavier than the other its "back on the rack" and on to the next one.

If they don't care enough about their barrels (barrels!) to properly execute this one easy and obvious to the buyer step, then its pretty clear that they aren't putting any quality work into the parts that I can't see for myself.

Depends on your budget.

Over $1K? That would screams Cooper to me. I generally don't care for expensive factory rifles 'cause I am driven to tinker with my rifles, but I have never seen a Cooper that didn't tempt me.

$500 to $1K? Can't go too far wrong with anything stamped "Anschutz".

Less than $500? The Winchester 320 is a nice wood/blue bolt action .22 that can be regularly found for under $500.

There are deals to be found if you have the patience to look. Several European companies sold the same basic .22 rifle under different names; Kleinguenther K22, Krico 302, Mauser 201, Voere ??, etc. Tradewinds imported a variation of this rifle as their Model 311A, but like many Tradewinds imports, they appear to be few and far between.

I got a modified 511 steel magazine for my 581. Got each of my boys a John Reed stainless steel magazine, for theirs. I hate the damn plastic one .

I have a Ruger M77/22lr, beautiful wood stock and very nice bluing.
I don't know what year they stopped production on them.
Mine shoots accurate enough for me.
I know they can be bought in online auctions but normally bring a high price.

Winchester 52 sporter. Shoots extremely well with Winchester T22 ammo which I was fortunate to buy a case several years ago. Even threw in my K22 Smith.

Dakota Arms Model 22.