[haertig]

I'm looking for a good .22LR target rifle. A so-called "tack driver". Not one of the super expensive Anschutz, but something affordable by normal people who aren't into competition but still want a high quality good shooting target rifle.

I'm thinking maybe a CZ 455 Varmint? Or a Ruger 10/22 Target? Phideaux's CZ 453 with that set trigger was a real dream at last years shoot. But those aren't made anymore, are highly prized (thus expensive!), and are almost impossible to find for me. Some people have bought junk 10/22's at gunshows, and thrown away everything except the receiver, then had a gunsmith build them a custom one from aftermarket parts attached to that receiver. That sounds expensive, but I don't really know. What does it cost to turn a factory 10/22 into a good shooter? I will admit, that over the last few years I've gotten quite spoiled on good triggers and good optics.

What other guns should I consider? I do prefer nice wood over the hollow cheap feeling TupperWare-thin synthetics, but there are some decent synthetic stocks available, mostly after-market stuff, so I'm not ruling them out entirely.

 

[ral357]

CZ 455 Lux.

http://cz-usa.com/product/cz-455-lux-22-lr-5-rd-mag/

 

[mtn_chef]

find a savage with a accu trigger
recently shot a .22 mag one of these; can't speak for a .22lr but still an amazing off the shelf shooter.

 

[guru2sum]

Met a guy who said his target shooting buddies banned his Savage Mark II LV because it was too accurate. He had some work done on it by a gunsmith so results may be different for stock. But a bull barrel seems the way to go. Here's an example that seems reasonably priced but is a plastic stock:

http://www.armslist.com/posts/56101...eavy-barrel-accu-trigger-savage-mkii-package-

I have a preference for thumbhole stocks but they add to the cost. Savage has a lot of options. This is more like what you described:

http://www.armslist.com/posts/6589277/reno-nevada-rifles-for-sale--savage-mkii-target-rifle

The Ruger 10/22 conversions are very popular so you need to buy a 10/22 at full price (200) and throw most of it away. Add a stock for 150, a barrel for 150, a bolt for 125, trigger assembly for 200, 75 for misc., and you are up to about $900. Uprgrades could double some of those costs. And you need a good scope to finish it off, and maybe a bipod.

If you can hold off until October, we could have a chance to compare different makes and models.

 

[Gooman18]

find a savage with a accu trigger
recently shot a .22 mag one of these; can't speak for a .22lr but still an amazing off the shelf shooter.

Agreed. I have a Mark 2 with the heavy barrel and accu trigger. It is boringly accurate. I have a Mueller APV 4.5-14 scope and can shoot the staples off of targets at 45-50 yards. I paid $299.99 at Dick's Sporting Goods for mine.

 

[MarkCO]

The Mark 2 is a great value and a very accurate rifle. It is always cheaper to build an accurate bolt gun as compared to an accurate autoloader. That said, you can do really well with some AR22s and 10/22s and be able to use them in other games. Just depends on what you want.

Marlin 60s (and 7000s) are the sleeper accurate auto-loaders on a budget. 10/22s need some work, but with the lighter match grade barrels from Tactical Solutions, are exceptionally accurate.

 

[gsr]

If you want a bolt gun to throw 22lr into the same hole time after time, the Savage Mark II, as stated above, is very hard to beat. MSRP is $289 for the FV-SR version, which has a threaded barrel and a receiver mounted rail. The stock is the worst part of the gun, but Boyd's Gunstocks have several great choices that will remedy that problem.

 

[1A2KEY601]

I have a Savage .22 WMR and it does get boring with a scope just making the same hole a little bigger every time at 100 yds . So for a challenge take it out to 200 or more. If possible.

 

[guru2sum]

Now I've got to take this Savage .22 WMR out again:



Can't remember any remarkable results, but she's a beauty in my opinion. Ammo sensitive maybe?

 

[haertig]

Since so many here like the Savages, I'll look more into them. I've shot many Savages over the years and they are indeed excellent guns. But in all honesty, I will say that their plastic stocks are a little on the disappointing side, they just feel pretty cheap. I have only shot a few wood stocked Savages, and don't remember them all that clearly. I still have a great desire for a CZ, just because they all look great and shoot great and have a stellar reputation. I wanted to give the 10/22 a shot, because so many people like them, but really, if you want an accurate one it's not a 10/22 anymore. It's a collection of aftermarket parts attached to the barest minimum remnant of the original 10/22. Something about that just "feels" wrong - like you're wasting money buying the base 10/22 in the first place, if the only part of it worth keeping is the receiver.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll continue my quest and research. I'm in no hurry to buy. I always try to keep two or three guns fully researched and chosen in my back pocket, so when I bump into one of them I can flip the switch and buy it immediately. I did exactly that when I recently bought my Ruger Precision. And I am ready to buy the first good 45-70 Quigley rifle I run into. Those are pretty rare around here, and that quest may be an extended one. So I needed another gun researched and chosen to keep in my back pocket. A "target 22" seemed like a good choice for that.

 

[MarkCO]

There are several "10/22s" in my safes, but only one has any parts from Ruger...a stainless with a VQ trigger. My match 10/22 is a TacSol X-Ring, my wife's has a VQ receiver and trigger and a TS barrel. There are several places you can buy just a receiver and build it exactly the way you want it. There are even 80% receivers for the 10/22 now.

 

[haertig]

There are several "10/22s" in my safes, but only one has any parts from Ruger

That is the way I'd do one if I decide to go the 10/22 route. I'd just buy a custom receiver and build from there. My distaste comes in buying a gun from Ruger and then throwing almost all of that gun in the trash and adding a ton of replacement parts.

The Ruger 10/22 is a decent enough gun - I'm not knocking that, except Ruger charges too much for what it is IMHO. It probably came off that I was trashing the 10/22, which was not my intent. But I see no reason to buy one and then customize the heck out of it. Just buy a custom receiver in the first place. If you can find a junk 10/22 real cheap though, it would be worthwhile to go ahead and buy that just for the receiver. I wouldn't worry about throwing away most of the gun if I only paid $35 for it. But if I paid $225 for it, that would be quite a waste of money. For that $225, you could buy a custom receiver to start with, probably a much better one than comes on the Ruger OEM rifle.

 

[850sub]

So why not and Anschutz?

 

[GoesBang]

Maybe not match quality, but my Henry lever gun can do this.

 

[ral357]

So why not and Anschutz?

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[ral357]

That is the way I'd do one if I decide to go the 10/22 route. I'd just buy a custom receiver and build from there. My distaste comes in buying a gun from Ruger and then throwing almost all of that gun in the trash and adding a ton of replacement parts.

The Ruger 10/22 is a decent enough gun - I'm not knocking that, except Ruger charges too much for what it is IMHO. It probably came off that I was trashing the 10/22, which was not my intent. But I see no reason to buy one and then customize the heck out of it. Just buy a custom receiver in the first place. If you can find a junk 10/22 real cheap though, it would be worthwhile to go ahead and buy that just for the receiver. I wouldn't worry about throwing away most of the gun if I only paid $35 for it. But if I paid $225 for it, that would be quite a waste of money. For that $225, you could buy a custom receiver to start with, probably a much better one than comes on the Ruger OEM rifle.

Some 100 percent stock 10/22s are pretty accurate. 10/22 T/TS

 

[haertig]

Maybe not match quality, but my Henry lever gun can do this.

My Henry lever action octagon barrel is the most accurate of my 22's also. Come to think of it, it has the best trigger of all my 22's as well. I can shoot better with the Henry, with it's rear tang sight and front globe sight, than I can with any of my other 22's, including the scoped ones.

You can't beat Henry service either. When I first got the rifle, I emailed them asking if they had any recommendations on how/where to polish the trigger parts for the smoothest and lightest pull. They responded by sending me a brand new trigger assembly, all tuned and polished from the factory!

 

[Guy]

Lots of good ideas here, and absolutely beautiful guns.
Haertig , here's what happened when I got carried away. Tac Sol dual rail receiver, which I worked over, Tony Kidd straight taper s/s bbl, Tony Kidd trigger group, which needed no tuning, Mueller 8- 32 x 44 mm scope, Millet mounts, and a stock that I hand made. It will print .268" groups at 60 yrds. (The length of my driveway), with Federal 525 rnd bulk. There"s not a single Ruger part in it.. If I had to sell it, I would want at least $2200.00 for it. Way too much for a .22. Would I do it again?
Sadly, I already am. I just love 10/22s. And their clones.

 

[haertig]

...and a stock that I hand made

Do you make stocks for a living??? That's some mighty fine workmanship there!

 

[Guy]

Do you make stocks for a living??? That's some mighty fine workmanship there!

No, I don't. But I do some similar things these days, rather than wrecking things. I really enjoy sculpting and creating articles. Thank you very much for the compliment.
PS. 23 coats hand rubbed True Oil. I might have to add more just to make sure she's pretty. I get kinda OCD at times about rubbing down and polishing that aluminum. And my wood. Had to be very careful there about how I phrased that.
After purchasing a blank from Stockys, I had a friend with CNC machinery do the reciever inletting, then I patterned the central section directly from a 'Raptor' stock, since for me, they are very ergonomic. Then did the shoulder stock and fore end to my own specs. That's where the 'hand made' part comes in. Hand tools and a flex shaft grinder. And 1 or 2 tons of sandpaper.