The Gun Digest Book of .22 Rimfire. James E. House

      This heavy barreled Chipmunk rifle with checkered walnut stock makes an elegant target rifle for a young shooter.

      In addition to the models described above, there are others available from other manufacturers. For many years, there were few choices available for a true youth rifle, but as in other areas of rimfire sports, this is an exciting time.

Selecting a Rimfire Varmint Rifle

      Having dispensed with some suggestions for the selection of a rifle in 22 LR caliber, let us now suppose that you have identified varmint hunting as a developing passion and that you need to select a rimfire rifle to be used primarily for that work. Keep in mind that the varmint rifle must first and foremost be accurate. My suggestion is to consider carefully the types of varmints that you will hunt most. If the emphasis is to be on ground squirrels, crows, and small varmints up to the size of prairie dogs, I would select a rifle chambered for the 17 HMR. It shoots with a flatter trajectory than the 22 WMR, and because the ammunition is loaded with premium bullets, the average 17 HMR will deliver slightly better accuracy than the average 22 WMR. Because the bore in a 17 HMR barrel is so small, barrels have thicker walls than those on 22 WMR rifles which is one factor contributing to excellent accuracy. Experience has shown that there is not a great deal of difference in accuracy between 22 WMR and 17 HMR rifles as long as ammunition of identical quality is used in identical rifles. There is a belief, probably with some validity, that manufacturing tolerances are smaller for 17 HMR rifles and ammunition than with the 22 WMR.

      The new 17 Mach 2 is developing a reputation as a cartridge that gives outstanding accuracy. Even barrels of normal diameter are stiff when the bore is so small and, 17 Mach 2 ammunition is loaded with premium bullets. These factors contribute to a high degree of accuracy. For taking small pests at ranges out to perhaps 125 yards or a bit farther, the 17 Mach 2 would work very well.

      On the other hand, if the varmints are likely to include species as large as foxes or coyotes, the 22 WMR will be a better choice than either the 17 HMR or 17 Mach 2. The larger, heavier bullets hit with more authority, which is needed to anchor such species. Keep in mind that because the overall sizes of the 17 HMR and 22 WMR cartridge cases are similar, the same rifle action can be used as a platform for either. Only the barrel needs to be different and even the same magazine can be used with either cartridge. Therefore, in a specific model, the rifles are identical except for caliber. In terms of ammunition cost, the 17 Mach 2 and 22 WMR run in the range of $6-$7 per box while the 17 HMR is around $9-$11 per box.

      Suggestions for specific arms in 17 HMR, 17 Mach 2, and 22 WMR run parallel to those given for 22 LR rifles. If your budget can accommodate a price tag of over $500 (perhaps well over $500), the Anschutz, Cooper, Kimber, Sako, and similar sporting rifles are elegant, and they give outstanding performance. Two of the outstanding new rifles in 17 Mach 2 are the Anschutz 1502 and 1702 which are built on the famous 64 and 54 actions, respectively. Remington has announced that the Model 504 boltaction will be produced in 17 HMR caliber, and it should make a fine varmint rifle. Take your pick of these upper end models based on price, style, and availability. All are elegant rifles that give a high level of performance.

      In the $300 to $500 price range, the experience of this author leads to the conclusion that two of the outstanding choices are the CZ 452 and Ruger 77/22M or 77/17. Both rifles are capable of excellent accuracy with perhaps a very small edge to the CZ. However, both the Ruger 77/22M and 77/17 can be fitted with aftermarket barrels having different configurations and other accessories. For example, a 17 HMR barrel can be fitted to a Ruger 77/22M action to change the caliber. In that sense, the Ruger is somewhat more versatile than the CZ. Lever-action and semiautomatic rifles in the magnum rimfire calibers that are intended primarily for varmint hunting do not excite me. True, they will give good performance, but most are unlikely to equal the accuracy of a good bolt-action and accuracy not rate of fire is what varmint hunting is all about. Notable exceptions are the autoloaders produced by Volquartsen, which are known for their superb accuracy, but these are more expensive. If you enjoy hunting with a lever-action rifle, by all means consider the Winchester 9422M and Henry in 22 WMR or 17 HMR caliber. Either is sufficiently accurate for taking varmints out to around 100 yards, and both are easily fitted with scopes since they have grooved receivers. Another, more modern leveraction is the Ruger Model 96 that is available in 22 WMR and 17 HMR calibers.

      A number of options exist for the rimfire buyer who does not want to spend over $250 for a pest rifle chambered for the 22 WMR, 17 HMR, or 17 Mach 2. Outstanding among these are the bolt-action rifles from Marlin and Savage ,which typically give excellent accuracy. These are available with standard or heavy weight barrels that are blued or stainless steel. Stock options include hardwood, laminates, and composites. Price is determined by the variant selected, but the lowest price combinations start at approximately $170. As I write this, one of the Savage 17 HMR bolt-action models with standard weight blued barrel and a composite stock is on sale near here for $159.95. This is a lot of rifle for the money, and it enables a pest hunter to get equipped for hunting without taking out a mortgage. At an even lower price are the break-action single-shot rifles available from New England Firearms or Rossi. With a good scope in place, these are sturdy, dependable rifles that can perform well as pest rifles.

Ancillaries

      After selecting a rifle, the majority of rimfire shooters will probably add other peripheral equipment to their outfits. Aftermarket barrels, stocks, triggers, and sights constitute a rather large industry, which will be covered in Chapters 5 and 12. While many rimfire shooters will not change the barrels or stocks on their rifles, there is no doubt that sights, especially scopes, will be necessary because an increasing number of fine rimfire rifles are being sold without sights. That is especially true of the models in 22 WMR and 17 HMR calibers which are intended for use at ranges up to 150 yards and includes some of the moderately priced Marlin and Savage rifles. It is unreasonable for most people to expect to hit a ground squirrel or crow at 150 yards with open sights. Therefore, the majority of rimfire shooters will make choices of scopes to mount on their rifles. Scope sights and mounts are discussed more fully in Chapter 5, but we will make some general comments here.

      Several types of scopes are available that are intended specifically for use on rimfire rifles. Such scopes are adjusted optically to eliminate parallax at a range of 50 yards since this is a typical range for 22 LR rifles. Scopes intended for use on centerfire rifles are adjusted to be free of parallax at a range of 100 yards, and thus they will work equally well on rifles chambered for 22 WMR or 17 HMR. In fact, any scope that is suitable for use on center fire rifles will prove to be satisfactory on these magnum rimfires since they are often used at ranges comparable to those at which centerfire rifles are used. Some scopes are equipped with a focusing or adjustable objective (denoted as AO) so that they can be accurately focused on targets at varying distances. This is probably the best of all choices since focusing on a target corrects for parallax at the distance at which the scope is focused. Therefore, such a scope works equally well on all types of rimfire rifles.

      As in the case of rifles, scopes are available in an enormous range of prices. Some of the elegant models that carry the most prestigious names sell for up to $1,000 or more. The average rimfire shooter should not be daunted by such figures because it is possible to get a very capable and satisfactory scope for a reasonable price. To some extent, the scope should match the rifle. It is not likely that a $50 scope will be found on a Cooper Model 57M sporting rifle that sells for over $1,000, and it is not likely that a $500 Kahles scope will be found on a Marlin 925 bolt-action, Henry lever-action, or Ruger