.22 rimfire recommendations

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.22 rimfire recommendations

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random

Joined: 01 Jul 2006
Posts: 158
Location: Sk�ne, Sweden

Posted: Thu May 29, 08 5:27 pm Post subject: .22 rimfire recommendations
I've been looking into getting my firearms cert and have been down to the range to try out a few rifles The one i liked best was the Sako Finnlight, does anyone know anything about them? good points, bad points etc. The man said [at least i think he said 'cos he was speaking Swedish] that the Finnfire was an ideal womans rifle - any ideas why? I don't want to be hunting wit a girly rifle

Brownbear

Joined: 28 May 2007
Posts: 14929
Location: South West

Posted: Thu May 29, 08 6:46 pm Post subject: Re: .22 rimfire recommendations

random wrote:

I've been looking into getting my firearms cert and have been down to the range to try out a few rifles

The one i liked best was the Sako Finnlight, does anyone know anything about them? good points, bad points etc.

The man said [at least i think he said 'cos he was speaking Swedish] that the Finnfire was an ideal womans rifle - any ideas why? I don't want to be hunting wit a girly rifle

Well, it's light, so that can make it less accurate if you're not good at steadying it, but it's a lot easier to carry around all day.

If you want a semi-auto, go for either a Ruger 10/22 that's been rebuilt with different barrel and action, and re-engineered trigger, but whatever you do, don't go for the Walther G22. It's for sad men who want to pretend to be in the special forces, it's plastic rubbish.

Of the bolt guns, the best is the Anschutz, no question. The Sako Finnfire was a superb rifle, and if you can find one in good condition or new, grab it as it'll last you a lifetime. Sako Quad has replaced it, and it's supposed to have interchangeable barrels in different calibres, but the changing system isn't much good. There's a wood stock and a plastic stock, the wood's nice but a bit heavy; the plastic feels a bit flimsy to me.

If you want a superb rifle at low cost, the CZ Varmint with a heavy 16" barrel is a beautiful rifle, one of the most accurate I've ever owned - headshots at 100m. The blacking is poor so the barrel tends to rust, and the bolt-action can be rough. If, however, you find a friendly gun shop, get them to sort through the boxes as about one in five has a beautifully smooth, easy bolt. If you find one and don't mind a bit of rubbing off the rust on damp days, you couldn't do better except with the Anschutz.

RichardW

Joined: 24 Aug 2006
Posts: 8443
Location: Llyn Peninsular North Wales

Posted: Thu May 29, 08 6:57 pm Post subject:
Can you get the "blacking" (I thought it was called blueing) redone to improve it? Justme

vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21301
Location: Bethesda, Gwynedd

Posted: Thu May 29, 08 7:14 pm Post subject:

Anschutz would be my first choice. However, I have a CZ 452 (not varmint) with a 16" tapered barrel and plastic stock and it's pretty accurate, better than me anyway.

Varmint barrels are parallel sided and thus heavier than tapered barrels, this is by design to minimise vibration during the firing cycle. If you do get a rifle makes it is better to have one with a free floating barrel (the stock doesn't touch the barrel) as this ensures the stock dosen't interfere with the barrel's harmonics as the gun is fired, improving accuracy.

whitelegg1

Joined: 05 Apr 2005
Posts: 409
Location: Woodford Green

Posted: Fri May 30, 08 3:25 pm Post subject:

Even cheaper than the CZ is an older BRNO......esentially the same, but possibly better! As they don't make them like that any more

Plus, as it will be second hand, the stock will probably already hvae the odd scratch and minor ding....so you won't be scared to use it as it should be!

Accuracy up there with the best...(other than a target rifle)....there is little to separate the CZ/BRNOs & Anshutz.....other than the CZ/BRNOs take a little work before they compare.....but it doesn't cost much and is a DIY job if your confident/competent!!

The Ruger 10/22 are NOT good out of the box....to the point of buy the rifle, and then throuw just about everything away and buy better bits!!!! There are even rifle tuners now who have finally remanufactured even the bits you normally kept!! So you end up with a completely new rifle

Pete

Pete

Brownbear

Joined: 28 May 2007
Posts: 14929
Location: South West

Posted: Fri May 30, 08 4:09 pm Post subject:

whitelegg1 wrote:

The Ruger 10/22 are NOT good out of the box....to the point of buy the rifle, and then throuw just about everything away and buy better bits!!!! There are even rifle tuners now who have finally remanufactured even the bits you normally kept!! So you end up with a completely new rifle

Pete

Pete

With mine, they kept the receiver and binned the rest. American rifles tend to have very heavy triggers. European rifles have about a 4-lb pull, American ones about 10-lb. They make the triggers heavy to reduce accidental discharges and the lawsuits that would accompany them, but the extra strength required is enough to put your aim off. My triggers are set to about 2.5-lb which is as light as is safe for field shooting. Target rifles are often set to a pound.

vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21301
Location: Bethesda, Gwynedd

Posted: Fri May 30, 08 4:15 pm Post subject:

whitelegg1 wrote:

Adequate for plinking unless you're lucky and get a good one.

Try www.rimfiremagic.co.uk the 10/22 specialist in the UK. You can build an accurate 10/22 without using any original Ruger parts, if you have a suitable sized wallet. Or buy a second hand one which the previous owner has already done the work on.

random

Joined: 01 Jul 2006
Posts: 158
Location: Sk�ne, Sweden

Posted: Sat May 31, 08 5:40 am Post subject:
I did see a Sako Finnfire Hunter secondhand, it had one or two dings and scratches but they were purely cosmetic With Sako being Finnish and one of our neighbours they are very popular here.

whitelegg1

Joined: 05 Apr 2005
Posts: 409
Location: Woodford Green

Posted: Sat May 31, 08 1:07 pm Post subject:

Some thoughts and experiences here:

https://www.airgunbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=277485&highlight=FINFIRE

https://www.airgunbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=256289&highlight=FINFIRE

https://www.airgunbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=223573&highlight=FINFIRE

https://www.airgunbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=201078&highlight=FINFIRE

https://www.airgunbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=55043&highlight=FINFIRE

And a whole host more here!!
https://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=23

That should keep you going for the rest of the weekend

Was out this morning with my shortened BRNO......obviously the rabbits had beend warned of my arrival....again....thanks T!
Anyway, put in a major (for me) target session.....managed a sub 1/2 inch group at 50 yards (off a bipod).....Yes I know, some person will say they put bullet on bullet at 75 yards.....well I have only been shooting rimfire for less than a year...and I'm pretty pleased with that! Aiming to up my useable range to 100 yards.....but will take it in stages...

Pete

Brownbear

Joined: 28 May 2007
Posts: 14929
Location: South West

Posted: Sun Jun 01, 08 6:24 am Post subject:

whitelegg1 wrote:

Yes I know, some person will say they put bullet on bullet at 75 yards.....well I have only been shooting rimfire for less than a year...and I'm pretty pleased with that! Aiming to up my useable range to 100 yards.....but will take it in stages...

Pete

Shooting like that on the range is one thing. What people often forget is that the field and range are not the same. If you only engage targets in your range of accuracy, there's no problem.

whitelegg1

Joined: 05 Apr 2005
Posts: 409
Location: Woodford Green

Posted: Sun Jun 01, 08 6:48 am Post subject:

Agreed....
I try to steer away from hunting off hand..

I would prefer to deploy the bipod, laser rangefind the quarry, check my reticule chart from chairgun, calculate the appropriate holdover, and then go for a headshot.

By headshot, I really mean brainshot, although with the eley .22 subs I am finding that the target envelope it somewhat wider than when I was using an air rifle, due to the impact damage caused.

However, until I can confidently get a one inch (or less) group on a target, I won't consider engaging quarry at that distance.....

Pete

random

Joined: 01 Jul 2006
Posts: 158
Location: Sk�ne, Sweden

Posted: Mon Jun 02, 08 7:55 am Post subject:
Thanks for all the help everyone I'm going back to try the Finnfire Hunter this week.

vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21301
Location: Bethesda, Gwynedd

Posted: Mon Jun 02, 08 8:29 am Post subject:

Brownbear wrote:

whitelegg1 wrote:

Shooting like that on the range is one thing. What people often forget is that the field and range are not the same. If you only engage targets in your range of accuracy, there's no problem.

I'll second that. I'm quite good on the range but my field rifle shooting, as proved at the DS weekend, could do with considerable improvement. It's a different discipline.

KILLITnGRILLIT

Joined: 14 Sep 2006
Posts: 894
Location: Looking at a screen in the front room

Posted: Tue Jun 03, 08 8:51 pm Post subject:
I have a BRNO and can`t fault it, it shoots better than me and IMHO I shoot better at live targets than paper, or clay for that matter. .

Brownbear

Joined: 28 May 2007
Posts: 14929
Location: South West

Posted: Wed Jun 04, 08 5:52 am Post subject:

Justme wrote:

Can you get the "blacking" (I thought it was called blueing) redone to improve it?

Justme

I think it's still blacking they use on CZs. Yes, you can, but the cost of doing so is such that you'd find it cheaper to just buy a more expensive rifle with better rustproofing.

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