Varment rifle

Mark6005

Member
Any thoughts on a 22 magnum rifle? I see a Remington semi and a savage bolt action and Henry makes a pump and lever. Priced from $260 or so to nearly $600 for the semi. The octagon barrel Henry was sharp. Have a mag revolver so trying to condense the caliber of ammo but looking for a little rifle for varments without the expense of say a 223.
 
My choice would be a Ruger .204-.223. Or the Savage model 110 of same calibers. I have a AR in the. 204 and love it. I reload for every rifle that I own. Which is 204-257Rob. And a wildcat 22-243 Winchester thats a rebarreled Mauser 98. Thats my L/R coyote gun. If you want to stay reasonable priced check into the H&R Handi-Rifle 223. A lot of Calibur choices too. Have one of those too.
 
I imagine the Savage bolt would be a nice one or a Ruger 77/22. IMO, the Cadillac of 22 magnums is a Winchester model 61 pump (I have a 22LR and 22 Mag), but you will have to cough up way more than $600 for a nice one. New, I would probably go with the Savage. Don't know about the Henry and don't think I would want a 22 mag autoloader.
 
If you want a good 22 mag semi-auto get a Brno model 611 is hard to beat. If you want a great 22 mag bolt action find a model 82 Kimber of Clackamas,Oregon. Both of these rifles will pattern in a 1 inch circle.
 
We have a Marlin 22 mag bolt action rifle. it has a hooded front sight and feeder tube. It is very handy, as well as very accurate. I don't know if they make it anymore or even the cost. Could google it and see if it's still avail. Hope you find what you need,without incuring the national debt.lol. Also check out pawn shops or even Armslist web sight, you might find a good used one at a reasonable cost. I have always preferred bolt or lever action over semi autos,much less parts to break or wear out,keeps your marksmanship keen IMO. Hope this helps.
LOU
P.S. picture is of the one we own.
a101158.jpg
 
.22 Magnum rimfire is a silly cartridge. You can handload centerfire ammo for the same cost as .22 Mag, and even the lowly .22 Hornet far outperforms the .22 Mag.
 
I have a Marlin 882SS that is a great little rifle for varments. If I do my part 5 rounds in a nickle sized target at 50 yards. I would suspect they are about $200 or so used for a really nice one. Mine came from the factory with fiber optic sights. A fixed 4X scope is all it needs if you think it needs one.

The other would be the Savage 93 with the accutrigger. We have them in .17HMR and a similar MARKII in .22LR. I like them almost as much as the Marlin and the trigger probably makes them a more accurate rifle.
 
If you want a 22 mag, hunt around for an older Mossberg. They made a zillion of them and while kind of clunky in the stock, they usually shot very well. I'd expect to pay $100-150.00, maybe less.
 
I have winchester 9422 mag leaver action had for many years shoots very well, will take down deer,many other varments to.
 
Too close in performance to the .22lr and too far from the .223. In my opinion as far as functionality what's the point unless you just flat want one. That I get:)

The .22 Hornet is a great in between cartridge. Ammo is, or at least was, about the same price and availability as .22 mag + you can hand load for it.
 
Lou, I obtained a complete, but kind of a basket case 783, not sure what the heck happened, gunked up, some spots of rust, would not feed or eject, mag tube was a bit sticky, first round of repairs was cleaning, barrel swage, then a new feedthroat, and ejector. Cleaned and oiled, action was now smooth, barrel swage did not seem to have much to do, maybe something was off, round does chamber just fine. At this point it still would not feed correctly, jams up, so I waited until Numrich Arms (Gun Parts Corp.) had the cartridge lifter spring in stock, I just recently got those parts, but have yet to install, might do it today, being so windy and cold, nice cozy table near my woodstove LOL !

I did not know much about the 783, particularly the micro-groove barrel, one of the guys whom used to work for us, used to deal in antiques on in his off hours, once in awhile he would have inexpensive firearms, he asked $60, said I'll check it out, told him what was wrong with it, he took $30 more off, I'm into it another $25 I suppose, but was really curious about opinions on them, anything else you like or dislike about the 783 ?

It seems this ought to do the trick, I have federal, HP, SP and a box of Remington SP to try in it, have no idea what shoots best out of these, still say its a nice little plinker, .22wmr is not cost prohibitive IMHO :)
 
our son just purchased a new henry 44 mag. that is one impressive gun in looks, feel and quality. coming over today for first shot.
 
I would love to have a 44mag rifle but I want a semi auto instead of the common lever gun. But then I am also set up to reload 44mag so ammo is cheap for me
 
Back in the late 60s , a guy at work was wanting to sell a Winchester Model 70 243 varmint rifle with a heavy barrel & Redfield 12 power scope .I went to look & fell in love . I"m thinking it may be a pre 64 model or close to it . It still looks as good as new . That bad boy will drive tacks at 100yds . Well I should say it used to when I was young & strong enough to hold it steady . With this baby , I killed a lot of woodchucks throwing out 65 grain hollow points thru the yrs I do know that . My X didn"t like its weight so I wassafe there anyhow .I took my Grandson ought chucking when he was younger & wanted to be with me instead of the girls .That kid could shoot & off hand too . Well he of course wants me to will it to him which I initially planned on . But since then he"s really changed for the worse , so I may just sell it someday instead . I had a guy offer me $900.00 sight unseen for it . Not sure if I made a mistake or not , now . I saw one similar but in a 30-06 caliber at a local gun shop ,except it was in well used condition & showed it . That dealer was asking well over $1,000.00 . I"m just letting it sit in the closet just incase worldly conditions cause a use for it (hopefully not tho) . My buddy whom I hunted woodchucks with back in the 70s had a custom built 17-222 heavy barreled rifle built . That was his choice of chuckin rifles . On a windy day , it was not a head shot caliber at all . But on a normal day , he never missed a head shot at 100 to 150 yds . So that"s my input on woodchuckin rifles . God bless , Ken
 
Ken-Pa
If I may ask, does your rifle have a blued barrel, or sort of a matt grey/black finish with a flat end on the barrel that is non finished?
Alan
 
It's very easy to distinguish a pre-'64 Model 70 from a later model. The early M70s had an external claw extractor like a Mauser 98. '64 and later eliminated the claw extractor and instead use a small extractor internal to the bolt face. The claw extractor didn't return until a couple of years ago after FN bought the Winchester brand.

If indeed you have a pre-64 in reasonable condition, it's worth a tremendous amount of money. If it's post '63, then it's not worth much, which is not to say it isn't a perfectly good gun.
 
I have a Heckler & Koch .22 Mag thats a great groundhog gun bought it new back in 1982 was pretty high then around $350 now I see they sell for $1000+.But its a top quality gun.
 
Around here, a 22LR does most of them in. Have a single shot .223 with bull barrel and scope when I get real serious.

Whatever you are in the market for, make sure you can get your hands on several boxes of ammo. That seems to be a serious problem from reports I've been getting.
 
Billy NY,
I've have no complaints about the one we own,as it was bought new. As for ammunition, this one seems to like the Federal plated ammunition. It's been known to take a deer sort of out of season,but that was a long time ago, statute of limitation done expired.lol. As far as the best ammunition goes, every gun we have has preferences,as I'm sure you know.
According to what we've read the micro groove barrel was bored out to the size, then the rifling was cut in individually, unlike most of todays, where the rifling is usually cut all at once. Seems to me doing it one at a time would keep the barrel cooler and thus allow for a better accuracy rate, but that is just my opinion.

Never had this one jam up on us or any other problems that come to mind. It is always cleaned and oiled after every time we shoot it and when in storage is oiled about every 2-3 months for safety sake.Keeps the rust away and can keep an eye on the condition of it. Hope you get yours fixed, as they are fun to shoot. Hope my opinion helps,
LOU
 
Ah Varmint rifles , Now are we usen them for two legged Varmint or four legged . And at what range . ?? do you just what it dead or cleaned and gutted ???? 22 mag will get the job done upward of a 100 yds. then after that myself i like the 220 Swift. as it just leaves a clump of fur.
 
Marlin makes several bolt action WMR's. One even in stainless.
Try thr CCI mini mags. I had four boxes one day and my friend and I shot all of them at some prairie dogs. Hitting about 4/5. Whae we ran out I found a box of Wincheters. First shot hit about 10 feet in front of a PD at 140 yards.
 
But not everyone handloads. And the .22 hornet is like obscure. If you were out of state, or away from home and tried to find .22 hornet you would be out of luck. Every place carries .22 mag. I killed a bunch of prarie dogs with a .22 mag in Wyoming a few years back. Lots of fun.

Gene
 
I have killed 5 or 6 deer with one. And about 75 prarie dogs in Wyoming. I like the .22 mag.

By the way, I killed the deer under a Dept. of Conservation, landowners destroy permit cause they were damaging crops. Could use any weapon, any time, day or night.

Gene
 
As usual I like everyone"s comments and I learn things. The marlin Is nice I like the sights nice pic of the Henry and I looked at some 61 winchesters way out of my range but beautiful rifles. Bolt just might be the thing. Have lots of hornadys critical defense to try. On sale recently and sold out fast but I managed to get a several boxes.
 
I resisted the 22WMR for years thinking it was a 22 on steroids. When I finally succombed to the peer pressure I was pleasantly surprised. I love my magnum. Savage model 93.
 
I have and have had a lot of varmint caliber rifles. My best friend and school buddy from my hometown started getting rid of his guns (pressure from abundant wifey, I think) and he gave me his Marlin 57M .22 Magnum rifle that he used way back then when we went "chuck" hunting. I was with him the day he bought it in 1962.

I've cleaned it up and it still has the Marlin "Micro-Vue" 4x scope on it. My son used it this past summer for chucks. Nice rifle and it's a "keeper" for my Marlin collection.

The .22 Magnum is a good cartridge. I know-a box of .22 Magnum ammo is between $11.00 and $13.00 but so is .17HMR ammo and the heavier .22 Magnum bullet is more dependable under breezy conditions.
 
22mags are ok,but need a real good hit to kill a ground hog. I perfer the 22 hornet. Longer range and you get instant kills on groung hogs no matter where you hit them.
For a cheap rifle the handi rifle fits the bill.
 
"....but need a real good hit..."

Depends on the distance. At at 100-150 yards, the hit with a "maggie" doesn't have to be anything special. It will put them down. Stop and think about it for a minute.

Yes, a .22 Hornet is probably better than a .22 Magnum but a .223 is better than a Hornet and a 22/250 is better than a .223 and a 243 is better than a 22/250.
 
I shot hundreds, maybe several thousand of Jackrabbits back in the 50-60s. We could sell them for up to $1.25 to mink farms. They weigh about 25 lbs. Flattened most of them with Winchester Model 61 WMR, open sights. 22 Long rifle was rarely one shot kill. I paid 88 dollars for it new in the box in 1959, and got 5 silver dollars as a "rebate". Worth about 2k today.The silver dollars, 50 each.
 
25 lb jackrabbits? They must eat good where you were! I've shot hundreds in New Mexico and they might hit 4-8 lbs. I have 2 model 61s. My dad bought the magnum around 1960 to shoot sandhill cranes and "domestic" coyotes that his Rem 121 .22 just wouldn't drop. Love the 61's!
 
Yes they are. I used to use a .243 but then as the area got more built up and what not the 22 hornet is quieter by far.
 
Thanks Lou, been so darned occupied with things, still have not had a chance to spend some time on it, likely this week, I'll bet it will turn out fine, I kinda like fixing/repairing basket case firearms, and or working on them in general.
 
I've got a Savage Model 93 in .22 mag and wouldn't trade it for nothing. I think the .22 mag is way under rated. I have taken fox at 130 yds dead as a doornail. Waiting to catch my first coyote when he aint looking.
 
i guess,it would depend on what your calling varmits. In my own experience if your using it on coyotes youll need to be sure to hit them right for a instant kill.they are pretty tough little critters. on another hand though,was stuck out once with a bunch of old guys for a couple of weeks,and the only firearm on the little island was a 22mag. old man who owned it kept us supplied with deer and he never used 2 shots. It is amazing what damage that little round will do when you hit a deer in the neck bone at 30-40 yards! i used to have a rossi pump that was a good accurate rifle, but they would be hard to mount a scope on. the only thing i didnt really like about it was if you didnt let off the trigger it would fire every time you pumped it,like the old 97 winchester. always thought that was a little unsafe, but it was a pretty good gun.i shot several turkeys with it. brother bought a marlin bolt action and that thing will shoot!
 

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