Thread: .22lr budget - will I regret buying cheap?

Originally Posted by Dicko

You're on the right track, a good .22LR is a hell of a practice tool and will improve your shooting with your CF significantly if you use it regularly from both bench and field shooting positions. . However you want an accurate .22LR that enables accurate shooting so you can tell where the error is coming from and if you are progressing. Ideally you want a bolt action that operates well, flawless feeding, and extraction. A clean crisp trigger without creep, ability to mount a scope low and secure. Accuracy potential of ~12 mm at 50 meters with good std velocity (target) ammunition or hollow point subs.

While we all want cheap, it's often to look at this in terms of the bigger picture of what you need and getting the best value. I'd look at Anschutz, CZ, Brno, Tikka T1 (particularly if your CF is a T3), possibly Savage or Marlin if you can get a decent trigger and also consider some of the older European e.g. Voere, Krico and or US/Aust made rifles such as Winchester, Sportco and Remington. Do a little research, ask questions. Lots of RF shooters are on this forum. I've also seen Stirling's shoot very well, but many have been trashed...

I've got an old Marlin that is a tack driver, but the trigger is heavy as hell. Worth looking at if one pops up

Some brands/models are better than others, but I would want to know how a particular gun shoots before buying secondhand. The vendor could demonstrate that it shoots as well as claimed in front of your eyes. I don't think that would be an unreasonable request if you were serious about buying.

Originally Posted by MB

Some brands/models are better than others, but I would want to know how a particular gun shoots before buying secondhand. The vendor could demonstrate that it shoots as well as claimed in front of your eyes. I don't think that would be an unreasonable request if you were serious about buying.

For $300 or so dollars and given the fact it's a .22 that does seem ocd. But if it was a kidd, or Annie target I can understand that.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

The can't tell if it's rifle or you is easy fix. Get known good shot to try it.

Its more when you know the rifle is inaccurate and you know you are too, you never know when you aren't inaccurate. When you do hit middle is it because the rifle was off to the left and you were off to the right?, were you both on at the same time?, or were you off to the left and the wind was from the left when you aimed high and the rifle shot low. At least there is the option of blaming the equipment!.

Originally Posted by pickled_puck

So I'm looking for a simple .22lr 2nd hand rifle with a scope on it. I'm buying one so I can get more accurate without spending a bunch on .223 ammo.

I made the mistake of blasting through three boxes of ammo thinking it'd be cheaper to just have one rifle and practice with that. Turns out I'm not that good a shot and this quickly made zero sense financially....

I've got $350 earmarked and have found a few suitable 2nd hand .22lrs at Guncity. One is a JW15 and has a VX1 Leupold scope on it, which appeals to me.

If I'm only shooting out to 50m for target practice, don't intend to go bunny busting, and want something that'll make me shoot better is this a good option? Or am I going to regret not waiting longer, saving more, and getting something better quality?

I don't want to buy a dud rifle and then never get better because I can't tell if it's shooting poorly or me.

At least you figured it out sooner rather than later, and you're on the right track looking for something accurate to practice with.
There is some good literature out there on how to shoot, if you want to save money on ammunition, reading up on how to shoot will be one way to get better while shooting less. You will still need to shoot, maybe a fair bit, but a lot less than if you just have at it.

Just regularly practicing breathing, stance, hold and trigger control at home makes a big difference, but make sure you use snap caps for a rimfire, don't dry fire it without those.


Also you cant go wrong with that Voere. The older JW15s are mostly good, mine was my first rifle and has probably shot more than everything else in the cabinet put together, but the new ones are a real dice roll and to handle them they feel like quite a different rifle. I would think it would be a 50/50 chance as to whether you would get one worth keeping. But that Voere will do just about anything any other bolt action .22 can do, it could easily last you your entire hunting/shooting career.
The only thing it wants is a visit to a tame gunsmith to be threaded for suppressor.

I have a Stirling 20P(semi), I have shot rabbits& wallabies & possums & goats they all died . Some would say it was a piece of crap because it does not shoot sub 25mm at 50 m but the fact of the matters it works.You do not have to shoot the cock off a gnat to get the job done.
Your purpose is to learn how to shoot and most 22's are capable of a 25-35 mm group with half decent ammunition, so go for the JW15 it should suit your purpose and at the end if you sell it for less than you got it,it was worth it for the experience it gave you . Some people think that you should get some fancy crap because they are not practical thinkers and are just target shooters .Close enough is good enough to a government employee.

Just to mention 22lr can be real picky on ammo. Some of todays ammo is rubbish.
CCI standard is a good one to start with, then the prices ramp up with somewhat varing results, all the way $35 for 50.
Finding what a rifle likes can be expensive, so buying second hand & being told what they found good is gold, same as buying a CF rifle off a reloader, who's developed a recipe.
Also buying a cheap rifle has it merits, play aroud with it beading it, improve the trigger at own risk. Great place to start learning about how to improve a rifles accuracy, plenty of advise on this forum, just have to ask, avoid the traps us old buggers have fallen down.

Your better off spending the $300 on 223 ammo and practicing with that, 22 won't make you a better shooter.
What sort of practicing do you want to do? For hunting?
If it is then just get a 6 inch gong and the cheapest 223 ammo you can get and shoot that at whatever distance you want to hunt. It will do a lot for confidence for yourself and for the gun you will actually be hunting with.

Also dry fire practice is nearly as good as the real thing, do it regularly at home until you know that Trigger instinctively.

I had the same idea at 1 time, I put probably near on 1000 rounds through a 10/22 practicing. To the point I could hit a 5 inch gong at 100 metres with a off hand shot every time. But with a live deer at 100metres and my hunting rifle in hand I wouldn't even attempt that shot,too unstable.

You want your practice to be as close to the real thing as possible.

@Dundee buggers a lot of theories when it comes to 22's.
I also have a Stirling which is more than adequate.

Cheers all, I bought the Voere from Alan and will take that out to the range as soon as I have it. Glad to hear it's a great option, and much nicer to buy on the forum than from a shop.

@Bradp I get your point, getting familiar with my CF rifle is important too but I want to get the practice on a cheaper rifle first. Also, already bought it, so c'est la vie.

of course we will want to see the groups it shoots please well done I am sure you will not be disappointed

I had a krico which is the same rifle I think it shot really well

Originally Posted by pickled_puck

Cheers all, I bought the Voere from Alan and will take that out to the range as soon as I have it. Glad to hear it's a great option, and much nicer to buy on the forum than from a shop.

@Bradp I get your point, getting familiar with my CF rifle is important too but I want to get the practice on a cheaper rifle first. Also, already bought it, so c'est la vie.

I think you are on the right track! When I was in your situation, a 500rnd brick of 22 ammo cost $25-$30, and I went through one every month and a half. Shooting, shooting, shooting.
Start at 25 yards and just draw a fingernail size dot on your target. Shoot until you can destroy that dot. Shoot rabbits, hares, possums. As many as you can.

IM 3 hours south of you. If you have any issues, and want someone to run things over with you, then give me a yell if no one closer can help.

Also had a Voere, years ago, excellent little rifle, good buying

If you are wanting this for a practice rig for your .223 I would suggest shooting high velocity ammo and not using a suppressor, if you just sit there running subs through a quiet suppressor you run the risk of getting a bit of "magnum flinch" when you go back to the .223. I know I know, .223 isn't a magnum and doesn't kick hard BUT getting used to a low thud on trigger break and then going to a big boom and crack on the .223 will not do your shooting any good. I shoot very quiet PCP's every day and found as soon as I picked up my centrefire rifles I was flinching before each shot and groups were not as they should have been.