22 Mag Bolt Action

[Jbail1]

Looking for first hand experience with the bolt guns listed below.

I’m wanting a bolt action 22 mag. Considering a CZ 455 Varmint, Anschutz 1516 D HB, or taking a 77/22 and letting Clark’s do their thing to it. Whichever gun I end up with will get threaded for a can. It will primarily be used for hunting varmint type critters.

I have a couple Clark Custom rigs and they all shoot lights out. Does anyone have experience with the 22 WMR Annie’s or Cz’s?

Thanks

 

[justin amateur]

CZ 455 Varmint here. Factory, Lilja and Feddersen barrels have been installed and shot.
For offhand use out to 75 yards it does the job for thumping critters and pests.
If you hope it will become a precision target rifle using the current production of 22wmr ammunition
it is unlikely you will obtain the results y'er looking for. I've been testing all the flavors of 22wmr
across a chronograph at distances from 100 to 200 yards and the targets/numbers haven't been great.
Too much variation in primer amounts, bullet seating depths/angle, brass dimensions to be consistent.

 

[Jbail1]

That’s what Jim Clark Jr told me a few years ago when I first got the bug. I know it’s not gonna be 22LR accurate. I’m good with that. Something about a fine rimfire rifle that just makes me happy though.

 

[justin amateur]

I hear ya'.
It's a rifle that will drop a raccoon or fox sneaking up on the chicken coop.
With ballistic tipped rounds it'll turn most rodents into meat spray.
For those occasions where the 22lr just ain't quite right.

 

[Rthur]

Just to create more confusion, you may consider 17hmr for a rimfire magnum choice.
I have 4 and everyone seems to be fairly accurate.
I haven't priced 22mag ammo recently but I'd imagine the difference isn't much.


R

 

[Jbail1]

have a couple 17s of various sizes. In dead calm conditions, they are great, but introduce a little breeze and they are a PITA.

Decided to try the less expensive options first. Have a CZ 455 Varmint and a Ruger American Rimfire Target.

Still looking for opinions on the Anschutz if anyone has tried one out.

 

[justin amateur]

You might want to rethink that last post.
The 17 hmr has a better bc, is faster
and as a result is less affected by wind than the 22wmr.
Plenty of graphs and tables available on line to verify the facts.

Ammo quality is the true problem with both 17 hmr and 22wmr.
The manufacturers do not apply much in the way of quality control.
That's easy to verify also.

 

[Jbail1]

No need for rethinking.

Anecdotal as it may be, my experience with 17HMR and 17 Hornet has left me frustrated when it comes to windy conditions beyond about 50-75 yards. Maybe I’ll be equally as irritated with the new gun. However, the couple 22 mags I’ve had the opportunity to shoot didn’t seem to suffer quite so bad. My expectations concerning ammo are realistic.

Plus, I have bolt guns in the calibers listed above, and I’m interested in 22 mag now. I do appreciate your input on the Cz and any other platforms you may have experience with in 22M. I’m no expert long range marksman, but not exactly a novice either. We can save the ballistic knowledge dick measuring for another thread.

 

[justin amateur]

Just an amateur here.
Truth in forum handle.
All I'm offering is past experience.

https://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1129343

That's the link to my current hobby.
50 shots at 200 yards with rim fire.
Chrony numbers and wind.
Draw your own conclusions.

 

[Jbail1]

Nice work and informative! Will have to read through all of it when I get a chance. Wish I had time for a similar hobby.

Which brand/load have you found to be the most consistent for each caliber?

 

[justin amateur]

In the 22lr it is usually the most expensive types from Eley, Lapua and RWS.

22wmr I hear RWS makes the best, but I've never found any to purchase.
CCI is never the same box to box and since Hornady, Federal, FiocchiUSA and Remington
are just re-labeled CCI you can figure out that for y'erself.
Winchester 22wmr hasn't impressed me. Aguila and Armscor stayed on paper.

17hmr is only made by CCI and Winchester, see my comments above.
Again Federal, Hornady are relabeled CCI. Browning is relabeled Winchester.

17wsm is all made by Winchester, doesn't matter if the label reads Hornady or Federal.
Decent varminting ammo.

 

[my human host]

I've been shooting a VPT with a 22 WMR barrel for a few years now.

I haven't had much trouble shooting 1 to 1 1/2 moa at 100yds with it. It started out favoring the 30 grain Vmax, but after 500 rounds or so it developed a strong preference for the CCI A22 ammo. All bets are off past 175 yds when they transition. After that, my 64 MPR shooting CenterX outshines the CZ by a healthy margin.

I would recommend going with a custom barrel. The CZ barrel I bought for my VPT is the nicest factory bore I've ever seen, but I'd bet it's a fluke.

Good luck. It's one of my favorite rounds for killing shit around the yard on my acreage.

 

[justin amateur]

I've been doing a lot of 200 yard rimfire over the past year.
Was told the supersonic transition would ruin accuracy.
My reading indicated this is a problem for long pointed bullets
but had minimal effect on short round nose projectiles.
Interestingly enough, there have been no indications of transition
symptoms on my target results with 40 grain round nose bullets.
I was expecting keyholing but it never occurred.
I now think that claims of inaccuracies due to supersonic transition with rimfire
might need to be looked at again and verified as to it's actual effects.
I'm having more problems with cartridge defects and inconsistent MV's
than those supposedly caused by the transition.

 

[my human host]

I've been doing a lot of 200 yard rimfire over the past year.
Was told the supersonic transition would ruin accuracy.
My reading indicated this is a problem for long pointed bullets
but had minimal effect on short round nose projectiles.
Interestingly enough, there have been no indications of transition
symptoms on my target results with 40 grain round nose bullets.
I was expecting keyholing but it never occurred.
I now think that claims of inaccuracies due to supersonic transition with rimfire
might need to be looked at again and verified as to it's actual effects.
I'm having more problems with cartridge defects and inconsistent MV's
than those supposedly caused by the transition.

I'm going to have to disagree with this, at least with my rifle, ammo, and the conditions I shoot in. Using a high quality optic and shooting with the sun at my back, I've watched the fuckery with my own eyes.

 

[justin amateur]

I have no problem with you disagreeing.
Just wondering how would we differentiate
between cartridge defects, wind, rifle, shooter and MV caused
trajectory dispersion and those actually caused by transition.
Shot a couple targets this morning that could use explaining.
I can use some input.

These are not 22wmr.
42 grain 22lr round nose. Same bullet, same brass, same manufacturer.
One subsonic rated 1090 fps, the other supersonic rated 1250 fps.
Subsonic shot in minimal wind conditions, the supersonic had a decent breeze working.
The transition from supersonic to subsonic happens before the 50 yard mark.
Ballistic calculator predicts 6 inches of vertical spread under optimum conditions
and even with the transition taking place, the supersonic round matches the prediction.
That's just a force of gravity calculation and time of flight differences.
I don't see a transonic dispersion taking place.