I am thinking of getting a bolt gun

[buck1]

in .22lr with a good trigger (or one not too hard to make good). I would like a 22/77 Ruger but I find them a bit costly for my budget. Accuracy is my main concern. I am leaning toward the Savage Marks or Marlin XTs.
I would rather stay with wood or laminate wood as I am alergic to plastic (it makes me break out in bad language).
I am looking for advice on what ever you have played with as this is a bit out of my comfort zone.
Say $200-350 ish range is where I am wanting to go. And know very little about how well these .22 bolt guns shoot.
I know I cant get the top dog in this price range, but would like to get as close as I can.
I can shoot fifty cent pice sized groups all day long with my semi autos but am really wanting to maintain 3/4 or less groups. I realize ammo is a big player in this as I have found, but first thing is the platform. ANY ADVICE IS WELCOME. Thanks everyone!!

[405]

You are allergic to plastic and I'm allergic to Ruger and Savage I know the Savages have had a good run recently with building accurate rifles. But I never have warmed up to the clunky looking Savages. And, I hate being allergic to Ruger bolts, high power or 22rf. They are so attractive and ergonomic but I've had bad luck with Ruger rifles and swore off them. As far as the Ruger bolt 22 goes my only experience is indirect- a friend got one, it looked great but it didn't shoot very well.

So, in your price range who knows. 3/4" (at 50 yds ?) is pretty good shooting. In the bolt 22rf sporter group I've always had good luck with the Marlins. Won quite a few informal position matches with a Plain Jane Marlin bolt 22 back in the day. I'd say maybe do a little used gun hunting for an older Marlin 22 with a good bore. I bought a used one (mid 70s model) for a friend about 3 years ago for about $125. Very clean and very accurate (it shoots well within the 3/4" @ 50 yd objective). My all time favorite modern 22rf bolt is the Win 52 Sporter repro (Miroku)- but if you can find one it may be beyond your $ limit. I think technically, the reason the Miroku 52 sporter is soooo accurate is because they used a match/target type chamber reamer and it has the regular, adjustable 52 trigger. I got one back in the mid-90s and the very first group I shot at 50 yds was between 1/4-3/8" with standard, bulk ammo! It likes CCI Blazer.

[olafhardt]

I have seen some Model 69 A Winchesters in your price range or less on the web.I have two NOT FOR SALE.They came from the factory with an adjustable trigger. They are really good rifles,the magazines are a little bit weird.

[jh45gun]

If your on a budget look for one of the older Marlin bolt guns I have two Marlin 80's they both are tack drivers and easy to make the triggers in the 2# range. Anything in the 800 or 900 series or the 25 series will work fine. I got a deal from a friend and bought one for 50 bucks (well I said he gave me a deal) The other I bought at a gun show a Sears branded Marlin 80 for 130 dollars. I would say 125 is about average for these on the used market. Great guns.

[roysha]

CZ 452. Dollar for dollar the best 22 RF bolt gun out there. All steel and wood.

[Norbrat]

+1 on the CZ.

The BRNO (now CZ) has always been a highly regarded .22 here in Oz.

We use them at our club as club guns and consider them to be only a small step below a mid range Anschutz, at half the price.

Model 2 BRNO's in good condition still command prices almost as high as a new CZ.

And while the trigger is not adjustable pre se, it is an easy job to lighten the trigger by simply replacing the trigger spring with one from ball point pen.

[Landric]

I am very happy with my Savage MkII FV-SR. I replaced the plastic stock with a Boyd's Tacticool stock and even in doing so I ended up with about $350 in it. I think it is a good looking rifle, and is a great value. I'm happy with the accuracy.

5 rounds, Aguila Super Extra Subsonic 40 grain RN, 50 yards, suppressed:

[Jack Stanley]

Another one on the used rifle rack might be a Remington 521 and perhaps and older Marlin 780 or 880 . Right now I'm doing a shakedown cruise with a Savage 93 GL and OH.... how I wish CZ made a left hand magnum .

Jack

[buck1]

You guys are great! Thanks for all the help!

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

buck1,

Yes, the CZ is great bang for the buck.

One thing I have found in my limited experience, is that the better the rifle/barrel the more ammos will shoot well in a given platform.

A friend and I have had some informal "shoot offs," he with his single shot Savage Mark ????? rifle which comes with target style sights.

When we were shooting the pricey target/match ammos, his rifle shot right with my Clark Custom 77/22 with it's .920 Walther barrel.

However, during the next shoot off, we used the typical "off the shelf" ammos and WOW did the better and much more expensive rifle/barrel ever show the advantage.

During the shoots, we both used the same ammo, from the same boxes and off the same bench bags and the first shoot left me wondering at the cost of my CRuger.

To say the question was answered and put to rest at the second shoot is an understatement.

So, all that to say that MANY folk really like the results from the CZ.

Check the Rim Fire Central Forum for lots of good info on the CZs.

Keep em coming!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[MBTcustom]

Get a CZ 452. I bought one because I was looking for the same thing you are after. I got 1/2" 10 shot groups at 50 yards with cheap remington "gold bullets" bulk ammo. Simply amazing. They are built like a tank, and come to point like a shotgun. They are made like a miniature Mauser complete with little bitty Mauser sights. (could you die?)
You'll not be disappointed.
I believe that CZ makes the best firearms out of the box, especially considering that famous saying "only accurate rifles are interesting".

[jh45gun]

They may be good but Marlin and Savage rifles shoot just as good folks post the targets all the time to prove it.

[PB234]

Another vote for a CZ 452 or 453 or even a 455. Your budget might find a good used 452, maybe even a 453 with the single set trigger. The trigger is adjustable for weight of pull by changing the spring and for crispness. Look on eBay for Yo Dave kit or look at the CZ section of www.rimfirecentral.com .

My experience is that an old Brno in good shape will be more costly than a new CZ.

The YoDave kit is perhaps $15 and comes with a number of springs so you can get what you want and a number of shims to tighten up the trigger break. You can get a single shot adapter from CZ or Denny (look for him at rimfire central). The one from Denny is metal and old Brno stock.

CZ, built like a tank and remarkable accuracy especially with Wolf ammo.

[Silver Eagle]

++! On the CZ's!Also a +1 for Rimfire Central. Great site on all things rimfire,

I bought a CZ 455 American and recently took it to an indoor range near my place. At 25 yards (range max) I put 5 Remington Thunderbolts in a cloverleaf of about a dime! With Wolf Match the groups are smaller. I am really looking forward to being able to take it to a longer range.
Mine is fully stock. I did adjust the trigger weight down (Do not have a trigger weight gauge).
They also have the option to purchase a 22 MAG Barrel and mag as well as the 17 HMR Barrel. These are a basicdop in caliber change.
Try looking for a used CZ in your price range. The CZ Scout "youth" or CZ 513 Basic models are reported to be wicked accurate out of the box with a MSRP of about $300 for either.

Silver Eagle

[PB234]

Some here report successful results loading down a 223 to 22 R or 22 Mag. If you cast and reload (good guess if you are here) and like this idea along with also getting a new 223 try this auction http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=290224442.

At $5 a box for Wolf ammo then reloads down to 22LR might be as cheap to shoot. Probably cheaper. Boolits about free. Brass lasts forever. Primer about 3 cents. Powder a few cents. Total cost per box about $3.00 or less and you also get a 223 if you want it that way.

The extra stock is probably better for a scope. Overall appears to be a very nice rifle.

[Tom-ADC]

Savage, I have three of them and looking for another, get the accutrigger and never look back.
25 rounds back to back at 100 yds 93R17 FV.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

CZ -------------- If it wasnt't for the mag. that hangs below the stock line, I'd likely have one, BUT just don't like that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seems like a company that builds a rifle that good, could cure that "problem."

Don't think anyone here is saying that a rifle of a different make, for example Marlin or Savage, can't shoot very well. Sometimes even with a number of different ammos.

However, as I related above it is VERY likely that the better the rifle/barrel, the less searching you will need to do to find an ammo your rifle really likes.

AS noted above, my friends Savage shot so well during our shoot out with match/target ammo, that it left me wondering at the investment I had in my rifle/scope.

BUT, and this is a very big "but," during the second go around with typical "off the shelf" .22 ammo, it was a whole different story.

Where the Clark Custom 77/22 with it's Walther barrel went ahead and made nice little groups with most of the cheaper ammo shot, the Savage opened up in most cases, only turning in the nice tiny groups with a couple of the cheaper loads.

The point here is, if your barrel/rifle has any quality at all, you will likely find an ammo that will shoot quite well in it. BUT, and this is back to the big "but," you may need to do far more testing with many more .22 loads/brands before you find that perfect combination.

Yep, in the price range your talking, make mine a CZ!

CDOC

[Longwood]

Savage, I have three of them and looking for another, get the accutrigger and never look back.
25 rounds back to back at 100 yds 93R17 FV.

Did you work on the triggers?
I did mine and got it down to a little more than two pounds.

[Mugs]

Buck 1
Ck. Specialty Pistols Forum clasifieds. Marlin XT with 3-9 Simmons scope $ 180.
Mugs

[MBTcustom]

Tom-ADC, That is beyond sick! The .17s sure do git 'er did don't they?