Right now there isn't a local gun range within an hours drive for me to go to with my centerfire rifles, I'm in Lubbock TX for work and not home in Colorado. However I have an indoor range within five minutes of my apartment. So I thought I'd get back to basics and get me a .22lr to get my shooting fix.

I first looked at the Savage Mark II FVT but didn't like the feel of it. I want a bolt action repeater with good sights, so that took a lot of great single shots off the list. May still get one but what I've found so far has me chosing a couple of no longer produced rifles I know nothing of.

I'm currently looking at an old Mossberg 44 U.S. and an H&R Targeteer. I like the sights a little better on the Mossberg and the Targeteer is about $150 cheaper when all is said and done. The 44 is at gunbroker and the H&R is a local rifle.

My only .22lr I own is an old 06 Winchester pump, great rifle and I love shooting it. I'm just looking for something I can sling up and practice shooting with that is a little more of a full sized rifle. Not really wanting a semi auto as I mainly hunt with bolt action rifles nor do I want a scoped rifle as it is only 25 yards and I want to get back to basics.

I'd look over on Rimfire Central for a Winchester 52C. Great old guns and the CMP has put a bunch of them out there. You can get hand stops for them at Champion Shooter Supply.

The Mossberg you are looking at is usually a pretty good rifle too.

The Winchesters are a little more than I want to spend right now. I'm just wanting to get back to the basics, I'm not going to shoot any formal competitions with it. I just hated the feel of the Savage.

Well, I waasss going to suggest a Cooper. The accuracy is there as is the full size but it also comes with a very full size price.

Alan

Something you can sling up is going to cost a few bucks. Especially when you get into repeating smallbore target rifles, the pickins get kinda slim.

You might look for some of the old Remingtons like the 513T.

The Savages, while not the epitome of the gunmakers craft, are super accurate critters. I bought one second hand and proceeded to zero it with 5 shot groups in the indoor bullseye range in one hole-ish groups. The also have a target version that uses globe sights that you can buy thru CMP that is also that accurate.

CZ 455 with Lux stock. $400 or so. Really nice gun. I love the fit of the stock. Nice sights. Very accurate.

I'd check the pawn shops. Seems that there is more demand for auto-loaders than bolt .22's. I found a Rem. 513 Matchmaster at a pawn shop for $199 in great shape with the Redfield aperture sights.

Well I did buy a Savage, it is an Anschutz 164 Sporter with a 4.5-14x40 AO Vari-X III for $650 tax included.

Great deal!

Anyone else interested, the CMP just announced they have more Kimbers on sale.

I think it is a pretty good looking rifle with some decent wood.






I went and shot it this morning it was pretty close to dead on at 100 yards with CCI Blazer ammo. Managed to hit little 2.5" flippers about 75% of the time in a stiff wind. I think the scope is a little much might look for a VX2 EFR 3-9 Rimfire scope and put that 4.5-14 on one of my varmint rifles.

You got a link, I went to look and couldn't find em.....

I was there earlier ... just the "rusty" ones are left. Not sure if they're worth the cash

I've seen several "rusty" Kimber 82's that cleaned up just fine and, more importanty, shot just fine. For $450 they're a heck of a deal. Even a worn out Winchester 52B goes for nearly twice as much.

Keep your eye out on their website, I just got the email saying they have 2,000 more. One of my friends got the email the day before me, I guess they get all the emails out before they update the website.

Long as interior tube is fine, the exterior never has mattered.

I'll try to keep my eyes open.

True ... But the rusty ones are advertised as possibly having rusty bores

That would suck. Kimber is nice, but rebarreling might take it out of a good price range...

This new batch is not rusty.

http://forums.thecmp.org/showthread.php?t=87236

http://www.odcmp.com/Sales/22targetsurplus.htm

Perhaps it's my reading comprehension ... Maybe not

I have no dog in the race cannot afford one either way.

Can you post information otherwise, for those who may be interested?

Email I got didn't mention any rust.

The attachment said the good ones are sold out and the rusty ones are left.

I started four-position shooting in an indoor league last winter with a CZ 452FS (Mannlicher stock). I added a Williams receiver sight and military web sling and was good to go for the first year. My scores are not as high as the members who shoot a dedicated target rifle, but this is a very good way in and I am not too far below them in score either. You can shoot in the sporter class if you decide to compete and you have a very nice field .22 also.

If I had the coin I'd give one a whirl for $450 ... I'm not typically a lucky guy, but I'd still give one a whirl!

I test-shot many, many of the Kimber Army Contract .22s as they came off the factory assembly line. They are heavy and obviously single-shot, but they really perform fantastically with decent ammo.

We had several Winchester 52 and Anschutz target rifles, just for comparison, and I often out-shot those with the off-the-line Kimber Army Contract rifles. They ARE shooters, for sure.

At $425, they are a phenomenal value.

Best of luck with whatever you choose.

God Bless,

Steve

It depends on how you are defining "22 LR target rifle." Most "22 LR target rifles" are single shot.

It also depends on what you want to do. Sound like you just want "cheap trigger time", and fun/familiarity for practice, and not any competition (smallbore prone, 3-position, rimfire benchrest, rimfire silouette etc). So it sounds like you are looking for a moderately priced 22 LR bolt action sporter.

Marlin 782, 2000,

Remington 521 (or "500" series for single shot/repeaters like 510, 512, 513, 514, 521, or the newer 540 series)

Winchester 320 (310 single shot), 69a, 75 target.

Ruger 77/22

It's up to you and what you want to to. I used to shoot smallbore varsity rifle at a service academy (Anshutz 1413). I like serious target rifles.

I really enjoy range shooting with my Remington 540x, and Win 310 (sporter). I used to have a Win 75 and a couple of Win 69a's, but the trigger and accuracy is better on the Rem 540x. You can probably find a Rem 540x with excellent receiver sights for less than $500. Not cheap, but it is an excellent training platform (and great squirrel rifle).

You can do an great deal of shooting/training/practice with a Remington 510 Matchmaster for ~ $150 or less. Single shot sporter. Will need receiver sights, and drill/tapped receiver for scope, but a good simple accurate rifle.

The Rem 513 is a classic too.

If you find a suitable rifle, try to find one with a grooved receiver for easy scope mounting. Not all Win 69a's or 75's had this feature (or most of the Rem "500 series"-the Rem 540x DOES have a grooved receiver).

Keep it simple, and definitely get a good rifle. It's great practice.

In my experience, the CZ 452/453 just bury everything up to the Anschutz.

We used to shoot small rifle primers stuck to a board at 25 yards......and then that got too easy......so we went out to 50 yards.

Avagadro......check the rimfire central forum (under Kimber) and see what others have gotten from this recent batch of "rusty" Kimbers....seems to be a way for CMP to "cover" themselves and many "appear" to have rust but it seems to be dried "preservative/oil". Overall they appear to be MUCH better than advertised and at $425 really can't go wrong (unless of course one got lucky with a heavily rusted bore - that's my kind of luck!!).

PennDog