Thread: Looking for a .22 bolt action setup that can be as accurate as possible for rabbits

Originally Posted by Ultimitsu

I own a lot of 22s, and shoot almost exclusively 22s. Here is my take.

1. People tend to hang on to their accurate 22s, because there are always opportunities to shoot them. Accurate second hand 22 sporters exist but you need to be lucky. A few times a year someone in the forum would come up with genuinely good deal. I would say that they are more reliable than TradeMe as far as accuracy claims go.

2. If you want some certainty and buy new, you only have 2 choices around $1k. T1X and CZ457, with T1X a bit more certain. If you want spend no more than $600, get CZ452.

3. If you shoot 100x 3-round groups with any gun, you will be end up with a few 3-shot 1 hole groups. The better measure is whether the gun can produce 3x 5-shot 1-MOA groups on the same piece of paper. I go to several 22 sporting rifle clubs (just finished the 2024 inter-club series between 5 clubs in Auckland), and have been to competitions for other disciplines such as silhouette and PRS and seen many 22 guns in action. I just do not see the fabled "1-hole JW15" or "0.75 MOA Marlin", "sub-MOA-all-day-long Ruger American" competing. Most budget competitors shoot T1X and CZ457. High end shoot Vudoo or Victrix.

4. Do not buy Ruger 10/22 if you want accuracy. The fastest way to waste money is to buy a Ruger 10/22 and upgrade it. If you want an accurate 10/22, go with one-stop option, and the best in that category is KIDD. Be prepared to pay $1700+ for a secondhand and 3k for a new one.

5. Accuracy is not just in the barrel, it is also in the trigger. More so if you shoot free hand. With many low end gun, while you could get a lottery barrel, you will not get a lottery trigger. They all have heavy, gritty, creepy, and/or inconsistent pull. You have to pay good money for a factory light, smooth, consistent trigger. There are after market triggers cost 700+, people buy them not because they are snobs, but because they really improve shooting a lot.

6. I only shoot free hand when I go rabbit and possum hunting. You cannot expect to go prone every time you see a game, it is too slow and the terrain do not always permit prone shooting. This is why good trigger is super important.

Agree with everything, except I can say from experience that JW15A's are right up there with the CZ's in terms of accuracy. Not sure about Marlins though.