Return of the Booth Babes: The 2007 SHOT Show
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The Program: How To Choose The Best .22 for You
Your goal here is to become a better centerfire-rifle shot by practicing with a .22. The best way to achieve that is by shooting a rimfire that simulates your big-game gun. Many manufacturers have rimfire versions of the big guns, and you should get one that matches yours as closely as possible. Here's a list:
| Your Big-Game Rifle Browning A-Bolt Browning BAR, BAR II Browning BLR Marlin 336 or Marlin 1895 Remington Model 7 Remington Model 700 Savage Model 110, 116 Remington 740, 750, 7400 Remington 760, 7600 Ruger 77 Winchester Model 70 Winchester 94 |
The .22 to Use Browning T-Bolt Browning Buck Mark Sporter Browning BL-22 Marlin 39A Remington Model 5 Remington Ruger 77/22R Savage MK-II BV Remington 552 Remington 572 Ruger 77/22R Winchester 52B Winchester 9422 |
Dave,
I have an old Winchester High Wall .45-70, and an equally elderly Low Wall .22 as a practice gun. Problem is, the .22's bore looks like 40 miles of bad road. Can you recommend someone who can insert a new barrel liner, either .22 LR or .17 HMR? I live in the Tucson, AZ, area.
Posted by: Peter C | April 06, 2007 at 04:06 PM
Or you could forego the Model 5 and instead find one of the identical Charles Daly-stamped Zastavas that are still floating around for a lot less. Local shop has three on the rack for a lot less than $200.
And no CZ 452 or 453? Lot of gun for the money.
Posted by: Chad Love | April 06, 2007 at 04:15 PM
Hi, I just got Model 5 in the Remington stock as a training .22 for my 700. Before buying, I checked stocks dimensions(5 vs. 700, not glossy BDL) which are very close. Overall 5 is smaller than 700 but length of pull is identical. Also, I got trigger ajusted to the same weight and put rimfire scope made by the same company with same plex as my 700. Model 5 is very accurate and I am happy with my new set. I also have semi auto, T/C classic, which is great 22 rifle that I used a lot between hunting seasons. But noticed that I lost habit to cycle bolt after my first shot during the "heat of the battle", i.e. hunting. This was the main reason behind decision to buy bolt action 22.
Posted by: Norman | April 06, 2007 at 06:51 PM
Dave,
You left out Weatherby! Anyway, I have been on this .22 program for the last four years and it is higly effective! This past fall, I killed a bull elk from a sitting postition, a buck mulely from kneeling and a pronghorn prone. All shots right on the $$ and fast. Unlike most of the hunting shows, in the real world there is little time to screw around with shooting sticks and whatever the latest and greatest is at the moment. Great advice, Dave.
Posted by: Eric | April 07, 2007 at 08:53 AM
The above list isn't that hard to conceptualize; Remington to Remington with similar action does not take a rocket scientist or brain surgeon to figure out.
What if you own a rifle like a Tikka T3 that does not make ANYTHING in .22? That mapping requires a bit more thought. A Remington Model 5?
Posted by: DWGriffin | April 07, 2007 at 09:27 AM
I have a Remington 581 can I use that for this system as a replacement for my Tikka T3?
Posted by: mike | April 07, 2007 at 11:15 PM
I must disagree that a buckmark sporter is a good practice .22 for the BAR. The grip angles are just too different.
Posted by: | April 09, 2007 at 12:57 PM
Ruger No. 1??
Posted by: DINFOS | April 10, 2007 at 11:23 PM
Question
I found the aricle interesting, but what about a Weatherby, any .22's similar.
Posted by: Chris Allen | April 12, 2007 at 01:29 PM
Winchester Model 9422's are going for $500+ on GunBroker.com. I paid half that for my Model 94 Ranger. It's cheaper for me to use the Model 94 that I've already got rather than buy a 9422. Or better yet, use my Marlin Model 60. That 9422 is just too expensive to justify.
Posted by: Jared | April 14, 2007 at 01:41 PM
To D.W.Griffin and mike:
..Being the same company Tikka and Sako share similarities(parts).
.The Sako Finnfire comes with the Sako 75 stock & the P94S .22LR action. It weighs 6.2 lbs and has the same balance pt. as the Sako 75 model(Tikka T3)and the same LOP(13.80"). 23" barrel.My Finn is the spitting image of my Sako 75 Varmit('cept for smaller bolt and shorter action)...Prices a little more than the Weatherby XXII @ 1,100 (+,-). They both shoot a lot better than I do now with my 68 year old eyes.... FYI ...
Posted by: quahog | April 14, 2007 at 02:39 PM
I have a .223 Remington 700 varmint that I use on prairie dogs and bench rest shooting. I also shoot a Remington 541T 22 cal. on prairie dogs and bench rest. While I'm familiar with the Ruger 77/22, in my opinion, it is not as accurate as a Remington. Was it Col. Wheelen who said that only accurate rifles are interesting?
Posted by: Gary Lovested | April 18, 2007 at 03:25 PM
After reading your article and wanting to become a better shooter, I am considering buying a Ruger 77/22R. Should I put a rimfire scope on it or buy a scope similar to the Leupold VXIII 2.5 x 8 on my M77 30-06?
Posted by: Mark D. | April 23, 2007 at 01:18 AM
I have a Steyr Safebolt in 7mm .08. Any suggestions on an appropriate .22.
Posted by: Bill W | May 07, 2007 at 08:46 PM
what's the going rate for a full stock model 5 Remington bolt action rifle? i have been thinking of buying one yet can't seem to locate one in my area so i was wondering if it was even worth looking in to.any help would be great full.Thank You
Posted by: Jason C | August 04, 2007 at 05:25 PM
what's the value of a rem. model 78 sportsman .222.. auction sunday..???????????
Posted by: lucky | May 03, 2008 at 08:57 PM
I have a Browning BLR 81 in .257 Roberts and I am in need for another magazine for it, any ideas?? Greatly appreciated.
Posted by: Jerry T. | July 20, 2008 at 07:19 PM
I have a Browning BLR 81 in .257 Roberts and I am in need for another magazine for it, any ideas?? Greatly appreciated.
Posted by: Jerry T. | July 20, 2008 at 07:21 PM
Jerry T,
I looked in my Brownells cataloge for M81. All the mags. listed is for 257 Rem & 358. I think that 257 Rem is a typo and should be Roberts.You could call them tomorrow at 800-741-0015. Ask for stock #149-000-041. Price $51.47. Hope thats it.
Posted by: Jim in Mo. | July 20, 2008 at 07:48 PM
Thanks Jim, I just got off the phone with them and they said they ran out of them back in 07 and that the catalog designation was incorrect as you suggested.
I of course have checked Browning, Midwest, Numrich and a few others but this search may take awhile. Really appreciate the lead though.
Posted by: Jerry T. | July 22, 2008 at 12:21 PM
Good News, 125 phone calls to small independent gun shops that sell/sold Brownings and that have been in business for over 15 years turned up 2 NIB .257 clips, 1 in New Mexico and 1 in rural Minnesota. It took time but it paid off.
Posted by: Jerry T. | July 25, 2008 at 07:11 PM
Jerry T.,
Good for you! Where the heck did you get all that info? Doesn't matter, you got it.
Posted by: Jim in Mo. | July 25, 2008 at 08:25 PM
I used the Dealer Locator section of the Browning website. It breaks it down by state and by using some deduction you can rule out big box stores or stores that carry 'guns to greeting cards' and concentrate on true Gun Shops. I tried to hit states that were lever action friendly to start.
Discussions with Browning directly yielded nothing with very little interest as you can guess. The major Clip and Mag advertisers on the 'net had zero inventory and since these things are obsolete there is little information available.
The 2 dealers that I hooked up with were happy to sell them since they had been sitting on their shelves for years gathering dust. I bought a 'spare for the spare' since with my luck I will lose one in the woods and probably break the other one. :-)
Posted by: Jerry T. | July 26, 2008 at 07:58 PM
Jerry T.,
After I responded to you thats what got me thinking about my broken rifle, so I hope I get as lucky as you, but if the catalogs and manufacturer can't help then what? Gun shops don't carry old stocks as inventory. It's a shame because that gun is an incredible shooter.
Posted by: Jim in Mo. | July 26, 2008 at 08:06 PM
Jim in Mo.
It hasn't been that many years ago, there were four or five outfits out there that dealt in hard-to-find/obsolete/odd-ball gun "stuff"(?)!!
Numrich Arms is still out there. Lots of folks still use Shotgun News.
I need an 'action slide lock' for a 16 ga. Mod 12 Win. I know there's one out there, I just haven't been able to locate it. Years ago, I found one at a gun show but my spending money was already gone! Rats!!! (it was like $70!?, I had like $10!)
The stuff you need/want/desire is out there, you just gotta be willing to find it!
Bubba
Posted by: Bubba | July 27, 2008 at 07:17 AM