If you could only have 1 rimfire rifle

I have a selection of rimfires to choose from but my one and done is a CZ 455 American, it wears a .17HMR barrel most of the time but I do have a .22lr barrel and am on the lookout for a .22WMR barrel.

It's light, accurate, feels good and is very pretty.
For my boys first rifle I bought him the CZ 452 American Scout model. A lil shorter L.O.P. the quality on these CZ's is beautiful. And the thing is very accurate.

It saved the day when we'd taken out the scouts and the other guy who brought his Ruger 10/22 hadn't done any kind of cleaning or lubing and as a result his rifle was experiencing all kinds of issues... while we had this long line of young boys waiting to tackle their merit badge.

So I knew what I had to do... grabbed a screwdriver and removed the scope (they have to do iron sites for the merit badge) and put the CZ 452 on the line with just it's iron sights so the scouts could finish tackling that merit badge.
 
It’s got to be a 10/22. Definitely more accurate options out there, but they’re accurate enough and probably the funnest of all time.
 
This is really a 2 part question.
Caliber, then rifle…both of which will be directed by end user.

For me, caliber no question is 22lr.
With 2 boys that shoot, and straight up cost advantage when shooting volume, the 22lr is my answer. I enjoy the 22 mag every now and then, but it gets maybe 5% of trigger time compared to the others.

Which rifle? Glad I don’t have to just pick one. I have multiples…10/22s, S&W 15/22, Ruger American, and Marlin 39M.

If I could only have one, it would be the 39M lever. Followed closely by a 10/22 w/ aftermarket barrel and stock. However, everybody I take shooting loves the 15/22 for fun shooting. Least accurate of the bunch, but can still ring steel at 100/200 yards.

Savage MKII are accurate for the money, though I did not like the magazines. Switched to the Ruger American for mag compatibility with the 10/22s, and gave up a touch of accuracy.

Never owned a CZ… but everything I hear and read these shoot.

However, if you don’t plink much, and are more small critter focused, then look to the 22 mag or a .17.
 
17 cals do cause extra damage. But in my limited experience, 2 17hmrs, and 2 17 wsm Savage bmags. They are a laser out to 100. I’ve had terrible luck with cci copper out of my 22lr.
Those Copper22's if ya look at the ballistics, they start dropping at like 75yd.

Had a frustrating time with Rabbits at 80yd at this one spot. So made a plan to switch over to .17HMR the next year since you can pretty much just put reticle on em out to like 125yd.

Soo damn fun making rabbits do backflips with headshots fr .17 HMR! Also made getting after Ground Squirrels more fun, and less frustration. Since spot for GroundSquirrels, ranges are like 60-100yd cross-ravine.

But, if I've been in a draw, down out of the wind, and the range wasn't too far, I've gotten some cool shots with the Copper22's though, as long as under that 75-ish yard mark.
 
Getting a Huber two-stage for my Vudoo later this week. Decided to keep it and get my money's worth as a practice rifle. I'm actually going to the Huber factory front to pick it out too which will be pretty cool.
 
For 22LR, for sure the CZ 452 American Scout I bought for my sons first rifle.

That thing is not only accurate, but also a workhorse!

On this one scouts outing, we were to be working on their shooting merit badges. And the gentleman that was supposed to bring the rifle for the scouts to use... a 10/22. Man.. musta been ages since he showed it any love with a cleaning! So was jamming or magazine not pulling the round, something like that.

And we started building up this one line of scouts that were waiting. So oh well.. Daddy had to remove the scope from the 452 (Cause the scouts have to test w/ iron sites) and save the day! So she got a nice workout that day!

And things like the fit-and-finish on these things is beautiful!

-=-=-=-

For 17 HMR, freaking LOVE that cartridge! My favorite. Most fun per dollar, for sure!

I only have experience with my Heavy Barreled Savage 93R17, that I got on sale for $249. Love the things trigger. Stock is too low at comb, but slapped on a HunterSpecialties Buttstock ammo caddy thing and that worked great for raising cheek-weld!

With this rifle? As long as you can hold it steady enough on the specific place you want to put it?...it'll put it there! Every time... as long as there's not too much wind.

But heck... even trying to shoot .223 Rem, head-on into a strong-enough (25+) wind will piss ya off with misses. I remember this one particular Ground Squirrel lucked-out at the end of that day. :)
 
This is the one I have set up at the moment.

-tikka t1x 16” (22lr)
-dead air mask 22
-mountain tactical bottom metal
-titanium firing pin
-area 419 rail
-warne mountain tech low rings
-SWFA 6x mil/mil scope
 

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It would be terrible to only have one rimfire. I’d have to go with the CZ 457. All steel, super adjustable trigger and you can dry fire without messing up the firing on. Plus they shoot well. My current setup is a Scout with an American stock. I like the 16” barrel.
 
Got the Huber trigger for my Vudoo acquired. I picked out an insanely nice 1.5 pounder with the right weight, travel, and all that. I'm actually really excited about getting this thing operational finally and I'm very confident it'll be my new favorite rimfire. It won't be the one I hunt with, more like a trainer and NRL22 rifle.

Vudoo V22 G2 with an 18" Kukri contour barrel
TBAC 22-Takedown suppressor
Huber two-stage at 1.5 lbs
Vortex Razor GIII 6-36x56 in ARC M-Brace rings with an MDT Send-It level
KRG X-Ray with an RRS R-lock rail
Atlas CAL bipod with SC-ARC clamp to lock into the R-lock rail
 
Ruger 10/22 with Boyd stock and Clark custom barrel. It’s not even fair out to 100 yards or so. Truely like a video game, point and click!
 
my one and only, won’t change, and hasn’t changed since I bought it in the 80’s: Belgium made Browning .22 auto.
 
I have a stainless Bmag 17 WSM that I picked up last year that I’m fond of. I know the 22 LR is the legacy choice, but the 17 is a lot of fun.
 
I run a Ruger American Predator in .22WMR, bedded into a Boyd’s stock, Timney trigger, Griffin Armament Checkmate. I’m tickled with it for small game up to coyotes inside of 100yd w/30gr Vmax. I need to upgrade the scope and it’s perfect for my use.

1704072588120.jpeg
 
I don’t see any love for the SW M&P 15-22 in this thread. Are they junk? I was seriously considering that over a Ruger 10/22 as it would be easier to clean, since I’d run a can on it.

I think they take AR triggers, too, which I’d do.
 
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