Premium 22LR Rifles

[highfinblue]

When I first bought my Cooper 22lr I did not know it was a match chamber and found out the hard way that not all ammo would even chamber in it. Certainly not by damaging the rifle, but simply could not shoot it until I bought some better ammo. It loves most things Lapua, and Eley is good enough to hunt with. I have some Wolf and other match ammo in store in case I run out of the good stuff lol. I hated it when Lapua stopped making their high velocity hollow points. My rifle loves that ammo, and I'm not sure how many I have left, but they are only for early in squirrel season when I haven't been shooting that much lol. They make ragged holes at fifty yards, and sometimes even better than that; my guess is the nut behind the trigger is the problem most of the time.

I made the mistake of running low on my preferred ammo for my Tikka T1X prior to my last NRL22 match.

I had to grab what was available. I ended up with Eley Target instead of Eley Tenex.

It is not ammo brand but what the rifle prefers.

The key is consistency or flyers. You might be OK with something like CCI SV and have a few good groups but you will have more flyers or outliers with non match sorted amm

 

[bballard]

My daughter has one of the first Ruger 77/22 s and it is very accurate. I think I paid around $200 for it. Kimbers are pretty, but I have a friend with a couple of their semi-autos, and his experience with customer service has been terrible.

We have 2 Coopers, but Cooper is no more, either.

So, likely CZ. They show up here occasionally.

Cooper was bought by nighthawk customs and relocated to Arkansas I believe.......they are still making rifles!

 

[highfinblue]

Cooper was bought by nighthawk customs and relocated to Arkansas I believe.......they are still making rifles!

I was keeping up with it, and the last I saw they were shooting for business to resume in October of last year. I heard they already make some great stuff. Cooper rifles are certainly great rifles. I've owned several, and all shot well, and their triggers were the only ones I've shot comparable to CZ's set trigger, and TriggerTech Diamond's. The price has gone up considerably in my life lol. I wouldn't be afraid to buy a used one if it came up, they're really nice rifles, generally nice piece of wood, and they can set the trigger at ounces if that's what you want.

 

[flyguy1]

Yes, the Arkansas Coopers are starting to show up; synthetic centerfires around $4700 and a rather ho-hum walnut was $7K. Same thing that happened with Dakota when they became Parkwest Arms. Also, the test targets don't look the same, although they may be fired at 100 yards, not the 52 or so like Cooper. So far, the only ones I've seen are from J.D. Outfitters, though, and there's that "free safari" deal, so maybe that price isn't representative.

For that money you could sure have a nice custom, even with nice wood.

 

[M1A1ABRAMS]

I was keeping up with it, and the last I saw they were shooting for business to resume in October of last year. I heard they already make some great stuff. Cooper rifles are certainly great rifles. I've owned several, and all shot well, and their triggers were the only ones I've shot comparable to CZ's set trigger, and TriggerTech Diamond's. The price has gone up considerably in my life lol. I wouldn't be afraid to buy a used one if it came up, they're really nice rifles, generally nice piece of wood, and they can set the trigger at ounces if that's what you want.

If you scroll through the link of the guns I provided. There was a Cooper or a few if I remember correctly. I believe they were large calibers though. Like 338 RUM.

 

[Chokoloskee Joe]

Yes, the Arkansas Coopers are starting to show up; synthetic centerfires around $4700 and a rather ho-hum walnut was $7K. Same thing that happened with Dakota when they became Parkwest Arms. Also, the test targets don't look the same, although they may be fired at 100 yards, not the 52 or so like Cooper. So far, the only ones I've seen are from J.D. Outfitters, though, and there's that "free safari" deal, so maybe that price isn't representative.

For that money you could sure have a nice custom, even with nice wood.

Where? I haven't seen anything come out of Arkansas.

 

[RYEWSKY25284]

Hey guys, I've been thinking about getting a really nice 22LR rifle in the future. My budget is preferably $1500 and under. Since building custom rifles for myself, I've had the urge to buy a high quality 22LR. My Uncle has a Kimber 82 with a fluted barrel and beautiful walnut stock and that rifle is what got me wanting a nice rimfire for myself. Having said that, it doesn't seem that Kimber makes their rimfire rifles anymore and the same with Ruger's 77/22, that I also like. I don't know much about rimfires and if the Kimbers and 77/22 Rugers were accurate and reliable. For those with experience owning, shooting, and handling the Kimber 82s and Ruger 77/22s give me your thoughts and opinions on those rifles please. Also, what other premium rimfires would you recommend in my price range? I see that Cooper makes a beautiful 22LR, but the price tag is a little more than I'd like to spend on a rimfire, but other than Cooper, I don't see many classic, higher end rimfires currently available. Thank you!

CZ 457 is pretty amazing

 

[hesse]

Cz 457 has a nice trigger to start with can be improved of. Shoots the the than I can most times

 

[fishoneil]

Hey guys, I've been thinking about getting a really nice 22LR rifle in the future. My budget is preferably $1500 and under. Since building custom rifles for myself, I've had the urge to buy a high quality 22LR. My Uncle has a Kimber 82 with a fluted barrel and beautiful walnut stock and that rifle is what got me wanting a nice rimfire for myself. Having said that, it doesn't seem that Kimber makes their rimfire rifles anymore and the same with Ruger's 77/22, that I also like. I don't know much about rimfires and if the Kimbers and 77/22 Rugers were accurate and reliable. For those with experience owning, shooting, and handling the Kimber 82s and Ruger 77/22s give me your thoughts and opinions on those rifles please. Also, what other premium rimfires would you recommend in my price range? I see that Cooper makes a beautiful 22LR, but the price tag is a little more than I'd like to spend on a rimfire, but other than Cooper, I don't see many classic, higher end rimfires currently available. Thank you!

If you can get one in the US get yourself a BRNO Model 2, have it bedded and floated if it isn't, very very accurate and you will not be disappointed, mine LOVES Rem. Yellow Jackets and Eley Sub Sonics

 

[M1A1ABRAMS]

If you can get one in the US get yourself a BRNO Model 2, have it bedded and floated if it isn't, very very accurate and you will not be disappointed, mine LOVES Rem. Yellow Jackets and Eley Sub Sonics

I have a Jw15 Norinco. Made it China. I believe it was a knock off of the Bruno. And it is quite the shooter for a cheap knock off. If I could lighten up the trigger I believe it would be outstanding.

 

[JAYgs8163]

CZ 457 American Combo - CZ-USA

Packaged with both 22 LR and 17 HMR barrel sets, this rifle is easily swapped between the two.

cz-usa.com

Here's a nice RH model. They also make 2 differ models for the southpaw.

 

[highfinblue]

I've never been disappointed with a CZ. I've had a couple, never a rimfire, but both left hand centerfires I've owned were very good shooters, and the set trigger on the models I bought was ounces. I have a 223 right now that you better not touch the trigger until you're ready for it to go bang. No one I'm aware of has a factory trigger as good as theirs. Good company, easy to get ahold of on the phone. Buddy of mine blew up his 204 with a terrible reloading mistake. Could have cost him his life, destroyed the rifle. CZ told him to send it in, they said it was beyond repair. Sold him a new rifle for penny's on the dollar. He was honest with them from the start, and they didn't have to do anything, it was entirely his fault, but they made him a heck of a deal in my book. One of the reasons I repeat it over and over on this site. Be safe when you are reloading!!! The rifle that you can have a 22lr and 17HMR is intriguing to me, but I don't believe they make that in left hand.

 

[ZG47]

I have a Jw15 Norinco. Made it China. I believe it was a knock off of the Bruno. And it is quite the shooter for a cheap knock off. If I could lighten up the trigger I believe it would be outstanding.

The Jian Wei 15 is a copy of the Brno Model 1. I suggest that you go to Rimfire Central for the most detailed information. First step in sorting out the trigger pull is reportedly to degrease the trigger because the grease can hide a small adjustment screw. Caution is required and you should always carry out a rigorous cocking test after any modification or adjustment.

 

[ntsqd]

A couple years ago I decided that I wanted a good shooting .22 bolt that I didn't have to build. Bought it from a member here as I recall. CZ455 of some sort or other, maybe they recall the particular model. Came with both it's original barrel (I've never shot it) and a premium aftermarket barrel that I have shot. Tried out a Forge optic and have been happy with it in this use.

Seems to shoot OK with CCI Std Vel. at 50 yards. Circled group is the final 5 after mucking about with the scope and figuring out the wind. The odds of it getting shot with anything more expensive are pretty low. Groups that the PO shoot with it were considerably better, but they also had an optic on it worth about equal to the rifle.

Haven't really wrung it out, but my JW15 has been disappointing in the limited range time it's seen.