22 target rifle
 

Just curious if anyone here has a nice 22 target rifle they would recommend -

When up in Whistler last year I got to ski on the biathlon circuit and fire one of their biathlon rifles, and really enjoyed it. Since then I've been toying with the idea of getting one.

I am NOT gonna spend 5000 dollars on a super-duper olympic rifle.... but I'm hoping there is a more reasonably-priced rifle out there for someone who would like to do some 100 yr iron sight shooting.....

Used Winchester 52, or Remington 40XB with some tweaking, or if you have the bucks, an Anschutz.

The Kimbers being sold on the OCMP site are pretty good values as well.

TR

Ruger’s 77-22 is available with a heavy factory barrel, and is the pick of the litter. My CZ is low-end, but does quite well, close to the Ruger’s performance. The Savage heavy barrel with Accutrigger is reasonably priced (half of the cost of a 77-22) and comes w/ good report, but I have not shot one. Because of its price, it is what I’m recommending to my grown sons as a first rimfire rifle. Anschutz are thoroughbreds and prefer the better ammo (RWS R-50 running around $13/box, or Eley Tenex at $16+ per box. Yes, that’s BOX, not BRICK.) The Ruger is not so particular, and will shoot rocks. Any standard velocity ammo does very well in it. This is not the case with the Anschutz. You can sometimes find an OLDER Anschutz, say a 64 action, at a reasonable price, but those seem to come along when you’re not in need of them and aren’t actively shopping for one. Estate sales are a good thing.
I do not have any experience with the Marlin, and am not up to date on the price of old Winchester 52Bs.
How serious are you about this game (meaning, how much money are you willing to spend)? If you have some latitude there, consider a used 40X.
Are you looking for a target rifle, or a biathalon gun? You may find that the only thing you’re really going to be happy with on a biathalon course is an instrument made for that event.

The Kimber from CMP fits the bill. I started with Win 52s and Rem 512s and would recommend them if you're training Juniors. The Rem 40X is nice but pricey, Anschutz is out of my reach, and I've never played with the other recommendations. Fair warning, you'll spend as much for the iron sights as you will for the rifle.

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone...

Incarcerated, I'm looking for a target rifle, I just really liked the feel of the (Izmash) biathlon rifle I fired up in B.C. As slow as _I_ am on XC skis, there is no biathlon competition in my near future....

I agree with the Anchutz comment. I have a model 54 Match I've had since a kid. Most accurate 22 I've shot. here's a pic from a website... Had it all through Boy Scouts and NRA matches...Still shoots great

Attachment 12172

22 target rifle on the cheap
 

As you mentioned that you did NOT intend on spending big money, I would suggest to you the Ruger 10/22. There is an endless supply of upgrades available as your budget allows. Two quick ones that you may consider:

These sights allow simple adjustment for windage and elevation. Tech-Sights give you a very similar sight picture to that of the Springield M1A and the AR-15 rifles.

One of many items available at 1022central for $149.00

Attachment 12179

I am not associated with any of these products or companies, just making a suggestion. I have a couple of 22s that I enjoy shooting with my son. Nothing fancy, keeping the cost down, guns & ammo, allow us to shoot more often. You should be able to find a new Ruger for right around $225.00, which will shoot just about anything. I did a quick search and found the lowest price on a Anschutz to be $755.00 with extra magazines to be equally higher priced.
You can read find a lot of info on inexpensive 10/22 here. Just enter LTR in the search. May not be what you are looking for, but maybe in the budget for others reading this.

+ 1 on the tech-sights if choosing a Ruger 10/22. I am a novice shooter and the tech sights have helped me considerably. Sometime down the road I may replace my Ruger barrel with a heavy bull barrel.

One of the guys from the gun club increased his "high power" scrore from 400+ to 780 out of 800. Part of his training for high-power is lots of practice at 50 yards with the Ruger/bull barrel combo.

There is more to 22 rifles than meets the eye. I am not an expert. I just got interested in trying to get a regular off the shelf Ruger 10-22 to shoot under 2MOA and did some research. I tested 8 different brands and speeds of ammo to find just one that would give me 5 shots under an inch at 50 yards on a consistent basis.

Here is a simple primer on chambers and what it takes to build an accurate rifle.


http://www.riflebarrels.com/products/chamber_info.htm

Nice to see another Lilja devotee!

Under 2 moa? Holy crap, is this standard for 22 target rifles?

I mean, I know you usually use them for close targets, so "1 inch" sounds a lot better than 2 moa, but is this normal for a target rifle?

What range SHOULD a 22 target rifle have?

Yes, yes, I know in most instances it's the shooter, not the weapon, that causes the miss, but 2 moa just strikes me as rather wide. I have an AR in .223 that shoots sub-moa (sandbagged), I would hope that any "target" rifle I buy could match that...

A .22 rimfire is not normally a 100 yd. precision round. Too much velocity loss and accompanying drift. Normal matches are held 25 and 50 yds.

The right ammo is key to good .22 accuracy. Good ammo, like the Eley and Lapua, is almost as much as centerfire ammo.

There is a championship .22 shooter reading here. He can jump in if he wants.

TR

The key to my post is

off the shelf Ruger 10-22

They are designed to cycle and function without stoppages. The are not designed with tight chambers. They are plinking guns not competition guns. You can take a $150 Ruger and replace every part of it with better parts and have a highly accurate Ruger that costs $1,500.

:rolleyes:

I enjoy the rifle but I do not claim it will shoot well. Trying to hit a squirrel in the head at 50-60 feet is an exercise in statistics- sooner or later a bullet will travel straight.