Bolt Action .22LR Recomendation

[VaTom]

In addition to my S&W revolvers / pistols I have gravitated toward .22 rifles recently. I would like to add a bolt action, American made .22 (not a single shot) preferably a tube fed magazine to what I already have. Would like wood and steel pre 1980's. Years ago I refurbished a deceased relative's old Western Field bolt action, 7-shot magazine (made by Mossberg I believe) and gave to my nephew. It was a nice shooter.

My current .22 rifle collection consists of a M&P 15-22, Marlin Model 60, Marlin Golden 39A lever action (1958), and a Remington 572 pump (1977).

What would be a good bolt action .22 rile to complete this group? Thanks!

 

[raljr1]

Remington 512

 

[BAM-BAM]

Not american made but the best bang for the buck in rimfire rifles IMHO.... a CZ 452...... number of different models..... the family has 4 in .22lr.... ranging from the little/youth model Scout (16") to the Trainer (25")....... and the "FS" with the full length Mannlicher stock and 20" barrel ( 452FS). Same 5round magazines work in all 3 models I have.....

all shoot at or under 1/2" at 50 yds....... aka minute of angle (MOA)........old world quality; micro Mauser actions and good to great walnut stocks

I also have CZ rifles in .22magnum, .17hrm and .223/5.56

Ruger American Rifles are nice.... I've only got one; a "Compact" 18" Carbine in .22 magnum...... great utility/truck/ATV gun

 

[mgriffin]

I really like my Browning T Bolt 22lr...

 

[arjay]

A Remington 582 (tube) or a 581 (box) Group far better than they should

 

[BAM-BAM]

American made...................


My Remington 511-X Scoremaster is still preforming strong after 54 years.......so don't overlook older guns

Winchester 52 Sporter's................. would be another great find

Most seem to feel ( post) that the Ruger 77/22s need work to equal the CZ gun's accuracy..... bedding and trigger work.

 

[HARDWARE]

Reading comprehension seems to be optional here.

 

[BAM-BAM]

Reading comprehension seems to be optional here.

Nope just suggesting the OP expand his horizons....I've been shooting .22lr since 1963 including 8 years on High School and College rifle teams..... didn't even know about CZ rifles until 2011 when I got an FS in .22 magnum. Why withhold knowledge just because it doesn't fit the question.........some questions are stated to broadly; some to narrow.



In recommending the CZ 452 line...IMO the OP can get as good as or better rifle than many/most older american made guns. For looks handling and feel ..... the CZ rimfire could have been built in america in the 50s or 60s..... yet are still available new...... in the $350 to $500 range. Presenting an option he may want to consider..............................

 

[Fishinfool]

Remington, Winchester, Marlin, and Mossberg all made a variety of quality wood and walnut tube fed bolt actions in the day. Most were accurate and well made.

I owned a Marlin 81 with the factory peep sights that was a real tack driver, and had pretty wood, for example.

Tube fed limits what is available out there, but browsing GB, and your local gun shops will turn up some nice finds.

Larry

 

[fishcreekrim]

I really like my Ruger77-22, not tube fed. Personally I don't like tube fed. A lot of fumbling required to get from having a cartridge chambered to having a bolt closed on an empty chamber.
JMHO/YMMV

 

[growr]

As mentioned above, the Remington 582 is a top performer. They don't show up often but the search is well worth it.
a very under-rated bolt gun for what you described.
Randy

 

[22hipower]

The first gun I ever bought was a Winchester 69A in 1963. Great gun, carried it many miles and it accounted for many woodchucks. Still have it. You'd be hard pressed to find a better US made bolt action .22 and if you insist on the tube feed Winchester's 72 is essentially the 69A with tube feed. Having said that, very much agree with Bam-Bam on the attractiveness of a CZ452. Probably the only other .22 bolt that I have that will keep up with it is an Anschutz 164 from 1961 (which I traded a Colt Diamondback 4 inch .22 for about 20 years ago; seemed like a good trade at the time, probably not so good now). Good luck.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

 

[nachogrande]

1980ISH AMERICAN MADE???

There goes the CZ. You have some nice 22's already. I have been very happy with my Ruger All-Weather 77/22 (magnum) with the wood/lamie stock. A bit of gunsmithing & the trigger is excellent, it has a big boy size & wt, remarkable stopping power for a 22rimfire, & superb accuracy. NO tube feed, but I like the 10 shot rotary mag (flush fit) better. Prices have gone up since it was bought new, back in the day.

 

[2152hq]

The Savage Models 3,4 & 5 are nice early bolt action 22's and can usually be found at nice prices.
The pre-WW2 editions are especially nice IMO. There's not a lot of difference betw them and their post war cousins,,but just enough (for me) to make them more desirable.
One quick way to tell a pre-war from a post is that pre-war they used a steel (sheet metal) trigger guard.
Post war they went to a cast metal guard of some sort of alloy,,aluminum or zinc.

The Model 3 is the single shot
Model 4 is the detachable box magazine fed repeater
Model 5 is a tube fed repeater.

Any with the Savage offered target rear sight and special front sight that had 3 changable inserts are known as 'S' models (3S,,4S,,,5S)

Some have a fold down Savage rear bbl sight (after 1936 I think).

A 'T' model will be factory fitted for a telescopic sight. A side mount D&T.

The standard Savage 5shot and 10shot magazine for the Model 4 is still quite common and there are even aftermarket ones available at very affordable prices that are everything the originals are.

I have a pre-war 3S with the 3 position rear aperture site and it is a very nice rifle to shoot, a trigger pull I doubt you could pay most gunsmiths for.
Here's link to a run down of the Savage 22 bolt models w/specs and pics. and even added the Model 6 which is the semi auto.
The Model 4S is particularly nice with it's simple target sights and sling.

Lets share Savage model 3 series rifle information here - Page 10 - RimfireCentral.com Forums

Just one of my selections of the oldies.

 

[NYlakesider]

I really like my Ruger77-22, not tube fed. Personally I don't like tube fed. A lot of fumbling required to get from having a cartridge chambered to having a bolt closed on an empty chamber.
JMHO/YMMV

Another vote for the Ruger 7722. Granted it is not tube fed and now sadly out of print. My 7722 is very accurate,( I like to describe it as a sporter that thinks its a a target rifle) I have had a Leupold 4X on it since I got it mid 70s.

I have also had a 77 in .22 Mag and one in 17 caliber. Good guns but I felt I could do anything I wanted to with just the 77 .22 RF.

 

[andy52]

The Winchester 72 is basically a tube feed model 69. Personally I prefer a mag feed just for the simplicity of carrying a extra in my pocket when needed, for that a 69,75 or 52 would be my first choice. As you can tell I like Winchesters.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Another vote for the Ruger 7722. Granted it is not tube fed and now sadly out of print. My 7722 is very accurate,( I like to describe it as a sporter that thinks its a a target rifle) I have had a Leupold 4X on it since I got it mid 70s.

I have also had a 77 in .22 Mag and one in 17 caliber. Good guns but I felt I could do anything I wanted to with just the 77 .22 RF.

The 77/22 is out of print????? I'm really sorry to hear that. Got an old boat paddle model with a 1.5x5 Leoupold on it that I love. Had Clark redo the trigger when I bought it and it is more accurate than I am.

 

[BAM-BAM]

Ruger seems to have put all it's marbles into the Ruger American Rifles......I like my Compact .22magnum..... shoots well but looks are nothing to brag about.....was just under $300 IIRC

As noted in many of the posts above the Ruger 77/22s seem to need at least a trigger job...... on a $600-700 rifle (last new one I saw was a mannlicher for $725...... was back at the same LGS a year later for $500 with scope)

 

[Drm50]

Go back in 60s and earlier the models of 22 rifles were like
snow flakes. All the major American manufactures had several
models. Bolt actions were the leading sellers back then. From
inexpensive single shots to target versions, they were expected
to function and shoot well. Although there were an occasional
Lemon, I can't think of any BA that had a bad rep accross the
board. Since OP is just looking for a good old bread and butter
22 BA there are hundreds to chose from and lots in $200 range.

 

[steelslaver]

I myself am not a fan of tube feeds, but, I am always checking out pawn shops and see older tube feed 22s at them. What your looking for shouldn't be hard to find.

Older Marlin, Remington, Winchester etc guns all worked and shot well, If you check out the basic functions and take a good look down the barrel before buying you should be fine with any of them.

I bought an older bolt 22lr magazine feed looking for a knock around 22. It shot fine. Cut the barrel to 18", milled a couple shallow grooves down the sides of the receiver near the top so I could mount a scope with the claw like mounts. Happy with it