Match grade 22 under $500

[GarandTd]

I'll have to do that. I thought I had some pictures of some of my groups, but I couldn't find the ones I thought I had.

[Double K]

Do you have a range where 50yds has been measured?

[GarandTd]

I shoot at my local sportsman's club with outdoor 25, 50, and 100 yd ranges. I don't have a rangefinder and my longest tape measure is 100', so I can only confirm the 25 yard range. I have to assume the 50 and 100 are close if not exact.

[Bart B.]

Originally Posted by GarandTd

I shot a horsefly off of the target board at my range at 50 yards with a cheap Marlin bolt action. It sounds like BS, but I kid you not. It took a few shots as it was moving across(walking) the board, but I got it on the 3rd or 4th shot leaving just the wings and a little juice around the hole. A horsefly is a little bigger than a matchstick, but I was using a $100 rifle with a $25 Simmons scope. It was a Marlin 981t.

How much was the biggest miss?

[GarandTd]

Hard to tell. The target boards used at the range is foam board and I wasn't the 1st or only shooter. There were many many holes of all different calibers. As I said, the fly was walking across the target board. It was a target I had to follow across the board.

Drill me with questions about it all day, I don't care. My story won't change cause I'm not making it up. I'm not trying to claim I'm some master marksmen. It was probably luck, but it happened. I've shot golf balls and lollipops at that distance with that rifle too. It's just a good shooter, but the trigger is a challenge.

In case you missed it, I recommended the CZ. My Marlin is capable of great accuracy, but I don't know if I would want it for serious competition. Not so sure I would call it "match grade". Accuracy can come from all price points.

[GarandTd]

Peter R, I apologize if I derailed your thread with my horsefly story. It seemed relevant with the small targets at 50 yards, but I'm afraid it might be distracting.

[Double K]

Years ago I met an older fella at a LGS who taught college level math, he was group br guy and spoke often of statistical probability of hunting rifles to occasionally shoot incredible groups, it happens, not very often but statistically it's inevitable if enough groups are shot.
We all remember those vividly and have a tendency to forget the crap ones.

[Jim Watson]

These threads always evolve into Bart telling us what it takes to support an NRA Master.

But here we have a teenybopper shooting at lollipops. I would find it hard to justify a bona fide target rifle and premium ammo. My first choice would be a CZ but I have seen good shooting done with a Marlin.
My club used to run CMP Rimfire Sporter with a 7.5 lb weight limit, 6X maximum scope, and a 1.75" ten ring target. About any decent repeater (there is a rapid fire stage) will serve. You can work on your marksmanship and not overstress your credit card.

[Double K]

I've seen people try and compete in silhouette for years with CZ's, every once in a while they make one that will group under an inch at 100yards but it's not very often. They make nice little hunting rifles, no more no less.
Tikka T1x's which are made by Sako will group under an inch everytime with mid-range target ammunition and are basically the same price as CZ's at 459.00.

[hagar]

I have played with my Ruger Precision in 50/100 yard matches. It shoots ok for the money, but the guys with the old match rifles shoot rings around me.

[GarandTd]

Took the Marlin out today to try and get some groups together. I've done better with less flyers, but it is what it is. I'm not a competitive shooter. I am a recreational shooter. 5 shots on the left plate were during a downpour. After the rain stopped, I put another 10 rounds on a 2nd plate(right). Each has a couple flyers. Those are me, not the rifle. Marlin 981t, Simmons 8point scope, Aguila Super Extra 40grn LRN.

[Double K]

For an inexpensive hunting rifle those are great groups, those shots off to the left were probably due to a little over exuberant follow through coupled with to much cheek pressure assuming your right handed.

[Rifletom]

CZ 457 Training bolt action .22 with 24.75" barrel Around $400 and change. Accurate!
Look at Budsgunshop.com. These are exceptional rifles.

[Double K]

CZ's aren't bad guns but they're not "match grade", hunter grade would be a more accurate description.
Exceptional is a pretty strong word, more appropriate to this 22.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/866070599

Or this one which is really exceptional.

https://www.covecreekoutfitters.com/...rrel-22lr-aaa/

[baddarryl]

Originally Posted by GarandTd

Took the Marlin out today to try and get some groups together. I've done better with less flyers, but it is what it is. I'm not a competitive shooter. I am a recreational shooter. 5 shots on the left plate were during a downpour. After the rain stopped, I put another 10 rounds on a 2nd plate(right). Each has a couple flyers. Those are me, not the rifle. Marlin 981t, Simmons 8point scope, Aguila Super Extra 40grn LRN.

I have a 981T that I have restocked and upgraded with a Rifle Basix trigger. A fantastic shooter. Same here, I haven't competed with it, but it sure shoots rings around most any 10/22 I have seen at Appleseed.

[rc]

Is this scoped or open sights competition?

My 452 trainer is probably the most accurate 22 I own and the best $225 I ever spent on a gun. They are a bit more now on the used market. A good custom 10/22 with bull barrel can compete but can it win? Dunno.


If you are competing with a scope, get her this one just at the edge of your price range.

https://cz-usa.com/product/cz-457-pr...pressor-ready/


https://www.gunbroker.com/item/888123638


This model has a threaded barrel so you can put a comp on it if you like or just leave the thread protector on. Some comps lead up quick.

[Double K]

When I originally posted pictures of targets with my Tikka T1x they were with mid grade 22 target ammunition, rereading it today it occured to me that I should shoot a few groups with real match grade ammunition seeing how this is about shooting the smallest groups from a 500. and under rifle.
Because I never made it to single ARA tournament this year I didn't shoot single round of Tenex or Midas so I still have a couple of cartons of both, it'll be interesting to see how they do in the Tikka.
It was below zero here this morning so it won't be happening until were out of the deep freeze.

btw rc, pretty sure that barrels on 22 rifles are threaded for suppressors, compensators' have little value on 22lr rifles.

[Bart B.]

Originally Posted by Double K

When I originally posted pictures of targets with my Tikka T1x they were with mid grade 22 target ammunition, rereading it today it occured to me that I should shoot a few groups with real match grade ammunition seeing how this is about shooting the smallest groups from a 500. and under rifle.

Isn't the accuracy one can always count on the largest groups fired?

[zukiphile]

Originally Posted by Peter R

That said my 14-year-old daughter is interested in giving it a go. She is a good shooter, I have a couple of different Ruger 1022s that she enjoys plinking with.
So my question would be, is there a decent 22 cal in the $500 or under Range that would be a decent platform to start with, or am I better off build up one of the Rugers that I already own with a decent trigger and possible match barrel ?

The problem with improving a 10/22 is having the will power to stop when you've hit the limit of your budget. The siren song of the 10/22 aftermarket is relentless. It's easy to end up with a mediocre $1000 rifle

CZs aren't the bargain they once were, but there is a reason so many have recommended them. CZ doesn't seem to have many lemons in its 452/457 range and the pricing isn't abusive unless you need a threaded barrel of kevlar stock.

Will she need a lot of magazines? In this area, Ruger rules. CZ magazines are well made and pricey. Ruger magazines aren't much more than $10, and they are rugged.

You might sidestep the aftermarket temptation and benefit from the inexpensive and durable Ruger magazines with a Ruger American Precision rifle. I don't have one, but I did get an ordinary Ruger American with a short length of pull for my daughter. It seems to be a solid little rifle.

[Double K]

The title of the thread is "match grade 22 under 500."
One could assume from that the op will be shooting match grade ammunition, not "best 22 ammunition for the money" using your logic does the op shoot the cheapest bulk ammunition and decide on the rifle based on how it groups, doubtful.
I'm not sure what "always count on" means in the match 22 world because lot variations can be quite dramatic as far as accuracy which brings up another point, I've found it easier to get ammunition that groups well by by buying cartons of several different lots of second tier ammunition rather that one lot of premium grade ammunition recently. Nothing is more annoying than having a couple of cartons of Tenex sitting around that doesn't group as well as black box. There was a time not that long ago you could count on Tenex to be the absolute best, not so anymore.

[Bart B.]

What's the accuracy standard for a match grade 22 rimfire rifle at 50 and 100 yards?

A 50 shot test group is statistically about 100% confident in representing the accuracy stuff has. Any more is a waste. More shots increases the odds of shooting a quarter MOA few shot group.