"Grown Up" 22s

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Lately I've been on a really big 22 kick, and I find myself really enjoying shooting some of the "beefier" and more overbuilt 22's. There seem to be quite a large number of rather dinky feeling 22's out there, that tend to feel more like toys in the hand than real firearms. Basically any of the Umarex 22's, SR22's, the lower end 10/22's, etc etc really just don't do it for me. They just feel kind of flimsy and it seems like more and more of these kinds of guns are coming out nowadays.

I've been shooting 22 conversion kits on full size steel frame pistols, my CZ452, and I just got an S&W 617. The thing I like about them is that they all seem like they were built on the same level as a regular firearm, with a bit more heft and generous dimensions. I particularly like the CZ452, whose bolt locks tightly and with authority. It just makes me feel like no corners were cut because it's "just a 22".

What are some other 22's out there that are maybe on a level above the norm as far as build quality?
 
Seriously, nothing against .22s at all, but when I got my .17HMR I sold all my .22s. I just found it to be more fun to shoot and more accurate. Plus the flatter trajectory makes it great for varmints at varying distances. In my mind, I consider the .17HMR to be the grown up .22, as it shares a lof of the characteristics (light recoil, low sound) and many of the firearm configurations are exactly the same.

I do still own a S&W M&P22, and I have to say, it is definitely not what the OP is looking for. It does feel like a toy, and is just not that fun to shoot. I totally get the allure of a heavy-barrel bolt action in a .22, or in my case, .17HMR.
 
Seriously, nothing against .22s at all, but when I got my .17HMR I sold all my .22s. I just found it to be more fun to shoot and more accurate. Plus the flatter trajectory makes it great for varmints at varying distances. In my mind, I consider the .17HMR to be the grown up .22, as it shares a lof of the characteristics (light recoil, low sound) and many of the firearm configurations are exactly the same.

.17 HMR sucks for plinking though, the bullets just get stuck in things, unless you're blowing up shampoo bottles full of water. It worked really well for that. I honestly won't ever buy another one unless I'm actually planning on going out and shooting small animals with one.

-Mike
 
http://www.henryrepeating.com/

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Sig's conversion uppers for their classic 226 and 229 are reliable and affordable. And available threaded.

I've found .22 rimfire takes on a whole new aspect when you get into suppressors [smile]
 
Sig's conversion uppers for their classic 226 and 229 are reliable and affordable. And available threaded.

I've found .22 rimfire takes on a whole new aspect when you get into suppressors [smile]

I can't find these conversion parts on the Sig site. Wonder if they're discontinued?
 
Turn the way back machine on
Remington 513, 552, 40x
Winchester model 52
early anschutz rifles 14xx series
mossberg model 44 or 144

All where nice and already "old" when I was shooting them as a youth
the Remington 552 is still made and is a fine rifle I love mine! Also my 513 is like 10lbs of wood and steel and shoots better than I ever will.
Other than CZ and a few high end target guns there isn't much out there Imho.
most American companies have given up on the good quality accurate 22 market.
But can you blame them. Some of these rifles where 100$+ new back in the 50s and sixties, so about 1k I today's market. I also wonder if a 1k 22 would out shoot one of these old guns.....
Good luck. I been on a little rebuilding quest of the 22s of my youth.
A Erma werkes 22lr m1 carbine copy is one of my favorites. Along with the 513 and 552... still looking for a marlin 39a. Sadly theresxnot much made today that interest me. I like some of the 22 revolvers out there but I just don't get that need to buy feeling when I handle them.
 
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For pistols, if you feel like blowing some cash, look for a S&W Model 41.

The model 41 is an "investment", for sure. But I don't regret buying mine, and I think I'll be able to use it as long as I want, then sell it for more than I paid. The only thing I added to mine is a recoil buffer. Now, it's like a magical hole-making device, a real kick to shoot after sending a few dozen .45 rounds downrange.

I'd recommend researching that, if you like "serious" .22's. Oh - and as Aloha said, check out RimfireCentral.com, it's a great .22 resource.

-Blueskyguy
 
These are my 'grown up' 22s

A Remington 513T Match Master and a Springfield 1922 M2


The Springfield is essentially a full size 1903 receiver in 22lr caliber.
 
The S&W 617 is an awesome revolver. Did you get it with the 6" barrel?

I like my Windham AR-15 with the CMMG 22lr conversion kit. Replaces the BCG in seconds and is ready to go.
 
.. still looking for a marlin 39a. Sadly there's not much made today that interest me.

I was looking for one of those too, and finally found one for sale in a unlikely place.
A shop that specializes in EBR's had one lingering on the rack gathering dust for months, and nobody wanted it.
She's a beauty too, an "Article II" edition, made only in 1971, with a gold bead front sight and medallion on the stock commemorating the 100th anniversary of the NRA. [smile]

The model 41 is an "investment", for sure. But I don't regret buying mine, and I think I'll be able to use it as long as I want, then sell it for more than I paid.

When I bought mine in 1984, I didn't think of it as an investment, I just wanted a good shooter.
It was the first .22 pistol I ever bought, I still have it, and 30 years and countless bricks of ammo later, it shoots just as goods as it did on day one.

As previously said, a S&W Model 41 is hard to beat. You might look around for one of S&W 90's production 22's like these:


That top one is a 622VR (VR for Vent Rib), those are pretty rare and were only made in 1997.
I have one myself which I bought new, but I originally bought it because the mags were interchangeable with my model 41. It's a fun little gun and very lightweight, but not nearly as accurate as the 41.
 
You want extreme .22?

Volquartsen Custom makes tackdrivers.

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https://www.volquartsen.com/tags/8-volquartsen-rimfire-rifles,15-complete-firearms,16-22-lr

Or, you can go high end competition and do Anschutz:

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My favorite is the Tactical Solutions .22 upper on my AR.

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Telepathically uploaded via Google implants.

The tacsol upper is nice. The accuracy surprised me. I'm taking mine out sat. Managed to get iron sights on it. Ugly set up but I squeezed 20" sight radius out of it...I'm shooting 100 yards with it.
There isn't a 22 I own I don't like. Even my sears high standard has a place in my likes. I am also lucky to own a few marlin model 60s that run awesome.
I also have a ruger hunter mkIII and model 41 by far my favorite 22 pistol.
 
my S&W model 17 6" slows me down a little and has a great single action trigger. It helps given the price of .22 lr these days. The MKIII is nice, but it just doesnt have the "weight" and feel of the model 17, 6 shot. Maybe I'll join the 41 club one day...
 
The tacsol upper is nice. The accuracy surprised me. I'm taking mine out sat. Managed to get iron sights on it. Ugly set up but I squeezed 20" sight radius out of it...I'm shooting 100 yards with it.
There isn't a 22 I own I don't like. Even my sears high standard has a place in my likes. I am also lucky to own a few marlin model 60s that run awesome.
I also have a ruger hunter mkIII and model 41 by far my favorite 22 pistol.

MK series are so awesome. I love my MKI and especially MKII bull barrel.
 
Marlin 39's, CZ's are sweet bolt action shooters, those Mossberg CMP guns look great too. Still have a nice old single shot Winchester bolt that's a favorite shooter.
The 617's are nice but I also like the Ruger 22/45 or MK with hvy bbls. I don't want to shoot a S+W mod 41 because then I'm sure I'll need one.
I can't wait till .22 ammo is widely available again, what a freaking drag!!!!
 
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