doublegunshop.com - home Forums 22 magnum rifles

who out there has any of the current crop of 22 Magnum rifles. what would you recommend? and if you have one, what ammo shoots best.
CZ 452
Ruger 77-22
Savage 93 with accu trigger
Marlin 782
others???
better to learn from your trial and error than to do it over myself!!!

more:
I bought one of the 17HMR in Savage 93 model last year. 3x9 Leupold on it. That thing is fun as hell. vaporizes pigeons and starlings. But It doesnt have the oomph of a 22 mag on big woodchucks. or it seems that way to me. Want something with a heaveier bullet for better penetratyion on "bigger" small game animals.

Only had one .22M - a 77-22M. Shot well. Sold it because I couldn't figure out what it's intended purpose was. Regarding ammunition - I think, as with most rimfires, you will have to experiment with lots of different types onece you choose your rifle. Good luck.

Don't forget the Anshutz, Walther, and Kimber.

Years ago I had an Savage/Anshutz and Browning A bolt that were both 100 dime size group shooters with Win. ammo....I currently have a first Model Kimber .22 mag. that I've never really took the time to see how well it will shoot.

I've always wanted an Anshutz since I was a young varmint hunter, but about a dozen yrs ago, I found a Walter KKM (22LR) for a friend at a Lil' John's Auction and I'm sure they are at least the equal or more of the Anshutz. I could be very happy with either the Anshutz 15xx series 22mag or the Walther field guns in 22 mag.

But heck, I haven't fired my old clip fed, black walnut stocked, Marlin 22 mag in decades.

I had a CZ 527 a few years ago in .22 Hornet. The hornet is a much better round than the magnum. You can do pretty much the same things with a .22 LR that you can do with a .22 Magnum anyway. The hornet on the other hand is one of the best varmit rounds for under 200yds. Especially when using the 35gr Hornady V-Max loads.

The CZ shot sub MOA and came with a 5-shot detachable magazine. It also had a single set trigger that broke very cleanly.

This is a target I shot with a Marlin 22mag I bought for $65. from a i-net classified. I wanted it for close range groundhogs, fall turkey and fox. I was worried the trigger would be a disapointment and I'd regret I didn't get a better gun, at least with an accu-trigger, but I thought for the price I would try. Yes the group is 50yards not 100, but I don't shoot as good as I once did and my eyes are poorer too, but I am happy with this. It's the model with the clip mag and I don't think they make it anymore but the Marlins aren't bad.

I have a bunch, but most of them are old: a Win 61M, a Savage 4M, a Savage 24DLM (.22WRM over .410). Of the new batch I have only two now: a Savage 93 "Classic" and a custom .22WRM barrel for my G2 Contender. The "Classic" is a very nice rifle for the money; well finished and with very nice wood. It shoots right around MOA with the original Winchester 40gr. hollowpoints. But I use the G2 more; handier and I can switch to .22 LR when the ranges are short, or I'm at an indoor range.

I like the .22 WRM because it kills smaller varmints dead, dead. You can hit a California ground squirrel in the upper body and it won't get to its hole. Can't count on a .22LR, even a Stinger, to do that. And I can't count on hitting 'em all in the head any more...

Strangely, the Savage 24 is probably the most consistently accurate of my .22WRMs!

I have a Savage 93 w/o the accutrigger and it shoots sub MOA as long as I do my job.

I gave it a quick 20min trigger job and it sits in a thumbhole stock.

I like the 22mag as its at 2000+ fps with the Hornady Vmax bullet.

I kinda wish I had gotten the one with the accutrigger, but, just couldn't see the added expense for how accurate these rifles already shoot.

A $250 rifle with a $100 scope (Bushnell Banner 4-12x40) and a $100 stock makes an EXCELLENT varmint dispatcher. I got a 2nd hand Osprey night scope for it to try out and its just as evil at night as it is at day. (out to 100 yards)

The 22hornet is a great round, but, why bother with it when a .223 does all of that and MUCH more? Plus, you can get heavier bullets and wider range of manufacturers to choose from... ?

[not saying the 22hornet is not a good round, but, with the .223, it doesn't really "solve" a problem that doesn't exist these days]

I've got the tubular Marlin, I believe it's a model 773. I haven't shot it for some time-have a hard time (on principle) laying down around $11.00 for a box of the 22 mag shells.

It shoots well and if I were in the market for one, I'd take a look at the clip fed or the tubular Marlin.