Alternatives to the Marlin XT-22TR?

[Gabriel]

I digress, I know that I have broken a golden INGO rule by suggesting a better rifle dollar for dollar when the CZ trump card had already been played.

I am actually surprised I don't have both rifles. The money that was going to go to the Ruger Target model you posted went to a Keystone 722 instead. I still may end up with the Ruger someday, but my top o the list .22 now is the Vudoo Ravage (it would be quite some time before I can afford that, though).

The truth of the matter is, both the Ruger and CZ are production guns. You can get lemons or great shooters from either company. I've heard of great and terrible examples of both. They both have their merits. The Ruger's 60 degree bolt throw and good mags make it a rifle worth looking at (the 50 degree throw on my Keystone is awesome). I think the fit and finish of the CZs I've seen are better than the Ruger rimfires. Choose one or the other and you probably won't be disappointed.

 

[patience0830]

Invest in a Browning BL22.. It will become a family heirloom.

Good choice.

 

[Ggreen]

I am actually surprised I don't have both rifles. The money that was going to go to the Ruger Target model you posted went to a Keystone 722 instead. I still may end up with the Ruger someday, but my top o the list .22 now is the Vudoo Ravage (it would be quite some time before I can afford that, though).

The truth of the matter is, both the Ruger and CZ are production guns. You can get lemons or great shooters from either company. I've heard of great and terrible examples of both. They both have their merits. The Ruger's 60 degree bolt throw and good mags make it a rifle worth looking at (the 50 degree throw on my Keystone is awesome). I think the fit and finish of the CZs I've seen are better than the Ruger rimfires. Choose one or the other and you probably won't be disappointed.

Finish won't make it shoot better lol I do agree that the cz is more polished. I like your style on the vudoo, they are unreal what they are capable of. I've pulled the trigger on a factory cz 455, and a 4600 dollar cz custom integrally suppressed, the bell absolute has the best trigger I've ever pulled on any gun anywhere. It was stupid quiet shooting supersonic ammo, like trigger click quiet. And the accuracy he guarantees at 50 yards is as tight as anyone could ever expect out of a 22lr. Worth what he is asking??? not to me, but all the orders he has for them says they are worth it to someone. And he is always working on a different one when I stop into his shop.

Considering only production mild precision rimfire bolt guns in the under 500 dollar range the ruger won hands down. That was after a lot of shooting and shopping. It needed nothing but a scope and a bipod, the cz's are nice and the tacticool is very close, but that trigger just needs help. I'd be looking at 2 hundred dollars more to get the cz up to where the ruger is out of the box. (scope mount, trigger) If the tacticool would have had a factory 1 piece scope base on it, I may have considered biting the bullet with it and dropping another 100 on a timney, but it doesn't. The cz will not shoot any better than the ruger without dumping hundreds of dollars on an aftermarket barrel. The ruger also benefits from a 10 round completely reliable and widely available magazine, compared to the 5round mags that you have to order in the cz.

Does the cz have interchangeable barrels, sure.. but that is only a selling point to someone wanting to change barrels. Will the ruger's press fitted barrel ever move, nope doesn't need to. When you start playing the sub moa at 100 plus yard game with rimfire guns you're probably going with a cz action and replacing just about everything else anyway. Or just fork out the money to vudoo because you'll probably spend as much or more to do it yourself. At 25 to 50 the ruger will outshoot its factory competitors, if the trigger puller and ammunition is doing their job.

For a utility rifle that will cure your trash panda problem and make you dangerous at your local range's rimfire challenge, the ruger will not let you down and doesn't require or even warrant any aftermarket support. Mine shoots federal gold medal ammo the best (that three in one group), but it shoots touching groups of gemtech sub sonic ammunition at 17yards as quiet as any short. It is even more fun with a suppressor.

 

[seedubs1]

Come on.....a Yo Dave trigger kit is $20, and can get the trigger under 1 lb with no creep. An EGW scope base is $80 and a DIP base is $40 (take your pick). It doesn't take hundreds to get a CZ set up appropriately.

Personally, I wouldn't use a cheap, flimsy, poorly machined stock scope base anyway.

 

[snorko]

This is a 3 shot group with a factory rar target model at 17 yards, and it doesn't open up at 25 yards. To keep this from becoming a keyboard commando anecdotal evidence fest I'll present factual evidence of performance and offer you to come shoot mine any time. I can meet at the indoor HHRP range most evenings during my lunch breaks. To be clear it is the target model, basically the rimfire precision without the senselessly heavy "chassis".

Below is a 5 shot group at 50 yards out of a stock CZ 452 Varmint with a Bushnell scope.



I will say that Ruger target looks very nice. I may have to pick one up.

 

[Areoflyer09]

FWIW, next to the Henry is a Ruger American Talo, CZ 455 Varmint and a Browning T-Bolt.

Memory says the CZ is the only that the OP hasn’t shot yet, funny enough it’s also my least favorite in the safe. Shoots well but has been overly finicky about ammo, with most brands giving it the least slick action of the bunch. The American and T-Bolt have much smoother actions with a majority of ammo. I have little doubt though that this an issue with particular rifle and not the 455 line as a whole.

 

[Gabriel]

Finish won't make it shoot better lol I do agree that the cz is more polished.

Yes, but all things being equal, I prefer a firearm that was built with a little more pride in it's fit and finish than one that wasn't. The Ruger isn't bad, but it isn't nearly the same. Personally I'd prefer to buy the nicer rifle and add a trigger/scope base. Besides, the scope base on the Ruger is 0 MOA and I would have swapped it out anyway (plus it appears to be too short to easily add a larger optic with ease). I was prepared to swap out triggers on my 455, but I haven't found any reason to bother.

I agree with the magazines, plus I have plenty for my 10-22 that I do not shoot or really care for. The CZ's are smaller and feel cheap, although I haven't had any issues with mine, nor have I really heard of any.

It's like arguing Ford or Chevy, people have their preferences but the real differences are so small it doesn't really matter. I would probably have liked either rifle had I bought it and don't feel one is superior to the other. My particular 455 has proven to be quite accurate and I don't see needing a different barrel. It stays sub MOA at 100 yards with CCI SV and close with Norma, but I get a lot of fliers with the Norma. I've only shot steel at 200, so I can't really comment on group sizes at that range.

 

[Ggreen]

Yes, but all things being equal, I prefer a firearm that was built with a little more pride in it's fit and finish than one that wasn't. The Ruger isn't bad, but it isn't nearly the same. Personally I'd prefer to buy the nicer rifle and add a trigger/scope base. Besides, the scope base on the Ruger is 0 MOA and I would have swapped it out anyway (plus it appears to be too short to easily add a larger optic with ease). I was prepared to swap out triggers on my 455, but I haven't found any reason to bother.

I agree with the magazines, plus I have plenty for my 10-22 that I do not shoot or really care for. The CZ's are smaller and feel cheap, although I haven't had any issues with mine, nor have I really heard of any.

It's like arguing Ford or Chevy, people have their preferences but the real differences are so small it doesn't really matter. I would probably have liked either rifle had I bought it and don't feel one is superior to the other. My particular 455 has proven to be quite accurate and I don't see needing a different barrel. It stays sub MOA at 100 yards with CCI SV and close with Norma, but I get a lot of fliers with the Norma. I've only shot steel at 200, so I can't really comment on group sizes at that range.

But my ford's power windows go up faster... lol I agree. CZ was my runner up, just that extra out of the box expense sent me another more convenient direction. The thumbhole stock on the RAR also helped make the decision for me. We live in the golden era of firearms and any direction a person wants to go there are multiple routes with high quality options. I've got a dip 20moa base on my modified b.mag, that is the rimfire i'm going for everytime I think of playing at 200+. Saving for a nice optic for it now I think the new diamondback ffp is going to be the winner. Joe Bell of Bell Precision has done all of the work to it for me, and she is my real rimfire monster.

 

[Ggreen]

Below is a 5 shot group at 50 yards out of a stock CZ 452 Varmint with a Bushnell scope.



I will say that Ruger target looks very nice. I may have to pick one up.

I know people that cant do that with a hpr, very nice. There is a lot of real training value in these 22lr bolt guns.

 

[Gabriel]

Saving for a nice optic for it now I think the new diamondback ffp is going to be the winner

I ordered one last month. I haven't received it yet despite Fedex insisting that I did.

 

[Ggreen]

I ordered one last month. I haven't received it yet despite Fedex insisting that I did.

ouch... I always have my expensive boxes shipped to my wifemail box at the lgs lol to avoid porch pirates.

 

[Gabriel]

ouch... I always have my expensive boxes shipped to my wifemail box at the lgs lol to avoid porch pirates.

It wasn't stolen off my porch, it just wasn't delivered. I've never had an issue with that sort of thing. People don't really come down my driveway, plus I was home all day.

 

[Ggreen]

It wasn't stolen off my porch, it just wasn't delivered. I've never had an issue with that sort of thing. People don't really come down my driveway, plus I was home all day.

Sucks. I just saw your post in the show and tell, that is a pretty rimfire you have.

 

[ROLEXrifleman]

To my knowledge, any .22lr chamber is capable of firing .22 short, .22 long or .22LR out of it with no ill effect. In a semi auto the rounds may not feed correctly or have enough energy to cycle the action but will fire with no problem. A tube fed should be GTG with all while a magazine fed may need specific mags to pull it off. The one down side will be in the chamber if a steady diet of short is used. Then a deep clean may be needed for longer cases to chamber properly as the chamber will be fouled just ahead of the brass.
BUT, as already stated, between the cost of Short and Long, availability and the recent variations in .22LR specialty ammo such as Quiet, Subsonic .22short, CB's etc are almost unnecessary as there .22LR equivalents do the same job with higher reliability at a cheaper price with better availability.

 

[ROLEXrifleman]

With that said, I had the CZ 455 vs Ruger Precision Rimfire decisions to make a few months ago and went the way of the Ruger. I'm hoping to catch it on the beginning of the platform acceptance by the market. There are a few aftermarket barrel makers offering new tubes for it anywhere between $200 and $500 right now. I know, I know, the rifle only cost $400 but there are a lot of people interested in the platform willing to spend $ on it. I'm hoping for a new chassis system for it along with hand guard options as well . The 455 has interchangeable barrels as well and has been a rock solid platform for years, from a traditional standpoint it is the benchmark. At the end of the day though they both utilize a tubular receiver which is nothing new.
One of the biggest issue I see people have when it comes to their .22 is the lack of variety of ammo they try through it b4 they say it either is a shooter or sucks. I've seen $25 per 50 round ammo shoot like crap through a gun that otherwise shot $25 per brick ammo through one ragged hole. You gotta try different ammo to see what works. And one other thing on rimfires, 3 shot groups aren't worth talking about, 5 shot groups start to tell the tale and 10 shot groups don't lie. As far as distance, 30 yards is minimum, 50-75 and your doing some work, 100 yards and beyond means you and the set up better be in tune with each other. And if you want a truly bad ass .22 there are several customs that can be had for $2k plus


CCI standard has proven to be an excellent value between accuracy and price lately. @ $25 a brick it cant be beat. But with that said you gotta try different things in the gun to see what it likes. Below is my RPR and the target along with ammo i shot for groups. The target is comprised a of four 1" squares making a box 2" x 2" shot at 30 yards, 10 shot groups. Also did a trigger job, I'm at 13oz

 

[DeadeyeChrista'sdad]

Ok, you're stupid for wanting anything other than a .22 lr. And, as stated upthread, there ARE tons of options out there in the long rifle cartridge nowadays. But if you're stupid, I am too. I just like having a few boxes of shorts around, just in case.
And, just in case someone listed it and I missed it, I love my Marlin 39A. It's heavy, but squirrels shudder at the mention of its name.
(I call mine Sally.)
Also, if ability to run shorts isn't an absolute requirement, a model 60 and a Ruger 10 22 are rifles everyone should own for at least a little while.

 

[dbg326]

The Model 60 is definitely on the "to own" list. I have also been eyeing the Remington 512 as a potential option. Bolt-action, tube-fed, and from everything I've read, if they're reasonably well kept, shoot quite well.

 

[halfmileharry]

This is a 3 shot group with a factory rar target model at 17 yards, and it doesn't open up at 25 yards. To keep this from becoming a keyboard commando anecdotal evidence fest I'll present factual evidence of performance and offer you to come shoot mine any time. I can meet at the indoor HHRP range most evenings during my lunch breaks. To be clear it is the target model, basically the rimfire precision without the senselessly heavy "chassis".

I have the standard RAR with 1.2 lb trigger, polished, Harris bipod, and Bushnell 4x12x40 A0. Excellent shooting rifles for the money. IF I do my part it easily does 50 yard 5 shot groups of CCI MiniMag 40gr hp you can cover with a dime on every group. It shoots many types of ammo very well but it really likes the MiniMag best.

 

[dbg326]

Ended up picking up a Mossberg 46B in a local shop today for $90. No rear aperture sight, but for that price, and not knowing what I was actually looking at in the store, I decided to go for it. We'll see how it ends up shooting.

 

[two70]

Ended up picking up a Mossberg 46B in a local shop today for $90. No rear aperture sight, but for that price, and not knowing what I was actually looking at in the store, I decided to go for it. We'll see how it ends up shooting.

You got a good deal. Assuming good condition, they typically go for 2-3 times that on Gunbroker. Give it a thorough cleaning then try a variety of ammo and I bet you will find one that shoots very well for you. With a little internet searching you can find both target style aperture sights and scope mounts for the old Mossies.