So I have decided I want to get serious about rimfire. I love long days on the range shooting rifles but due to recent injuries about the only rifle I could really shoot all day long is a 22. So my big question is, if Im going to get serious is it worth it to spend $1K on a Sako? I absolutely LOVE Sakos and I really like the FinnfireII (love the heavy barrel with wood stock). But I am hesitant to spend that kind of money on a rifle I may not need. Im not going to be competing, but I would like a rifle that I might be able to get to 100 yards with. So is it really worth paying that much more than a CZ or even the Savage?

You don't need anything special to shoot 100 yards. It's my favorite yardage to shoot my 10/22.

Honestly I had been thinking of getting a Savage Mk II (probably the BV, because I like wood stocks and heavy barrels). But I remember reading as of late the accuracy could be hit or miss. So i just kinda started thinking about if its worth it to spend big rifle kind of money on a rimfire to grantee high quality and good accuracy.

My first rimfire was a 10-22.  It was inaccurate crap and I sold it off.

My second rimfire rifle was a Remington Model 37.  It was accurate and awesome - walnut and polished blued steel, made in 1937.  The 5 round magazine and single round loading block are exceptional.  I still have that one.  

Still, I wanted a trainer that more closely replicated my centerfire match rifle.  

I started my final rifle build with an Anschutz 1813 barreled action.  It now mimics my match rifle perfectly - trigger, stock, sights, everything except that it fires a 22LR cartridge instead of a centerfire.

yes. I have a $200 savage with almost $800 in glass on it, plus a can. way more money than a 22 should be, but it goes to the range every time, and I enjoy shooting it every time. come to think of it, I'll probably head out tomorrow in the rain and shoot steel under the covered roof...

Can't go wrong with a CZ.

I've been amazingly happy with my CZ 455 Varmint topped with SWFA SS 10x.   I find myself shooting it in between strings of my .308 and get lost in it and have to remember to go back to my .308.  Bug holes to 100 and paper plate to 250-300.  Awesome rifle.

At the $1,000 range you could get an anschutz 64. The 54 will run more. For less than the base anschutz I have heard nothing but good on the cz's. $1000 is close to a kidd supergrade also. You could also build your own custom 10/22 that would shoot great for yhat much. Good stock that fits you, kidd or lilja barrel, good trigger, etc.
I had a anschutz 1710d hb and it was the best shooting rimfire I have ever seen. Was it worth it? Not for what I was doing. There isn't much difference between 10 shot 1/4" groups and 3/8"-1/2" unless you are doing competitive shooting. A squirrel head won't care.

If you want a small ragged hole go anschutz.

If you are concerned about $, but want a good rifle go cz.

If you want the best semi auto get a kidd supergrade.

I can say that I've been into the rimfire precision game for only about a year, I can shoot 100yds at home and not have to drive the hour it takes me to get to my normal training range so I wanted the 22 to be able to train more. I got a CZ 455 varmint and put it into a Boyds Pro Varmint and bedded it and have put about 1k rounds through it. It is a about a 1/2" to 3/8" at 50yds gun with SK Rifle Match which is fairly reasonable priced. I built several barricades and made up an assortment of appropriately sized KYL targets and also little IPSC silhouettes that simulate PRS style targets out at distance. I can most definitely tell an improvement on my centerfire positional stuff after practicing with rimfire. I can walk out the door and shoot 50rds and do that 3-4 times a week if need be. I havent messed with any other rimfires but the CZ is good to go.

Then a CZ of pretty much any flavor is what you want.

CZ accuracy seems to be hit or miss as of late actually. At least on the 455 models. I never had a 452 to compare against but I had a 455 that was at best meh accuracy and when I asked some people on rimfire centreal they basically said "Yeah CZs are just as hit or miss as Savages, Ruger American Rimfire, etc" which really turned me off. No they aren't that much more but if it seems like some CZs are shooters and some are not.

At this price range seems to come down to get whichever bolt gun tickles your fancy and hope for the best.

If you get one that shoots well, all is golden.  If it doesn't, consider it a project to get it shooting well.

Personally, I wanted to shoot and did not want a project (the 10-22).  I spent the money to get a guaranteed shooter (Model 37 and Anschutz).

And this is why I considered the Sako, I want a rifle that I know will just need decent glass and I can go out and enjoy it. I have owned a few other Sakos (an M39, a TRG, and a few Tikkas) so I know the Sako will be 100%.

Well I started looking around and my LGS cannot get the Sakos, but can get Anschutz rifles. So I may be going that rout...

From benchrest my CZ 452 shoots 100 yard 10 shot groups sub-MOA all day long if I pay attention to the wind and use SK or Wolf match. 10-shot. Not 3. Not 5. 10.

If you've got the money and will use it a lot I say get the nicest rifle that you can.  I'm extremely happy with my Savage Mark ll TR but if I could afford something nicer I would have done it.

X2 my wife latched onto my Mark II.

I love my Savage FVSR-II.  I have the green gator stock from Swamp People, I really like it.  I use a Silencerco Specter II on it.  100 yard shooting with it is repetitive as it is accurate and groups very well.  I have been taking it out to 150 now and the holdover is pretty significant.  I shoot CCI SV so it is subsonic.

Easily one of my favorites.

I got my BV about 5 years ago. Added a Hi-Lux scope and Harris Bi-Pod. Love the gun, never an issue with accuracy. Considering an aftermarket trigger now, but that's after five years of shooting it. I'd give it a serious look. YMMV.

Cz's ,Savage and tricked out 10/22s are all great fun but when you try to get very serious they have their limits ,usually in the trigger.


Sniff around at the ranges that have smallbore competitions , check the bulletin boards and get yourself a used Anshutz . For whatever reason most of these types of guns are bought and sold among the locals , most never see the inside of a gunshop after the new gun thing.

Whole other class of rifles , better barrels,better triggers . Small bore guns don't get shot out like big bore,they will generally last 5000 to 10000? rounds or so before the accuracy starts to degrade. Usually when a gun is sold local both parties meet at the range and the gun is shot before the deal is made.

New , top line stuff is big dollars but used stuff can be reasonable.
Factor in the price of your optics, 100 yard glass is expensive no matter what gun it sits on

I have a CZ 455 that shoots 1/2' at 50 with bulk ammo. Just picked up a Kidd supergrade. Have not had the chance to get it out.
Might also look at a Styer Zephyr II. Really good accuracy reports and is beautiful walnut and hammer forged blue stell

2 1/2 year old zombie thread,...

I wonder what the OP decided to do.

I have a CZ Varmint and a Ruger 77/22.  Both are tack drivers.  Boringly accurate.

I came close to buying the Ruger American when the 77 magically appeared in front of me.

Over the years, I've bought and sold only a few guns.  Most guns I buy, I'll most likely die with or I'll hand off to family members.  

Here's my take.

I'm at that point in my life where I have almost all of my needs covered.  If I want a gun, I want it a certain way or I want it for some sort of nostalgic reason.  Any gun going forward will be custom or almost exactly what I want with a little work from a gunsmith.  Guns that I own that are not accurate, don't fit me, aren't nostalgic, or are something I purchased because the price was right just don't get shot and might as well be sent down the road.  If you don't get exactly what you want, you'll always wonder...

Some of us take shooting at 50 and 100 Yards very seriously.

We call it Smallbore F Class

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Just my opinion here. If you are going to get into any serious type of competition such as small bore F class, bench rest, long range (200y +) buy the best that you can afford. For informal shooting but still wanting the best accuracy, you can get by with off the shelf rifles such as the CZ, Savage, or any other brand with good barrels. I have had really good experiences with all my Savage rifles with their heavy varmint barrels in both rimfire and centerfire. I have an older Savage MkII (before accusing-trigger and new E receiver) and a newer Savage MkII with accuracy-trigger, both have the heavy varmint barrel and shoot great. I shoot left handed and stick with Savage since they are easier to find in left hand models.

I have been using a $250 savage mark II FV-SR in nrl 22 matches. Easily capable of MOA and less  at 100 yards ( my shooting ability is an entirely different matter!)
Does not even approach the style elegance and refinement of most European rifles like sako or tikka or anschutz, let alone the current “hot ticket” in nrl22 open class the vudoo. But you can buy five savages for the cost of one euro rifle, or about 12 ( yes twelve) for the cost of One vudoo!
If you want performance on a budget savage will do. Don’t expect it to be silky smooth or win beauty contests.
I like but am not completely immersed in precision 22 shooting at my level of involvement the savage serves my purpose and unless I trip over a winning lottery ticket am content not to have a high end euro rifle or vudoo.

In my opinion for whatever that’s worth, If you don’t spend the money upfront for quality/what you want, you’ll wind up spending at least as much making it as accurate/reliable/what you want.

I’m a tinkerer though, so i kinda like doing that. I’ve done a lot of messing around with the wife’s 10/22, plan to send my late model 77/22 to CPC and make a custom stock for it, and have ideas but not equipment yet for totally revamping my suppressed rar 22

Here is what my journey has been.

Started with 1. 10/22 target model then added a Green Mountain barrel.
I was happy the I was not.
2. Savage FVSR happy then I was not.
Those two never saw ammo better than Wolf which really didn’t shoot any better than CCi SV.  Honestly I had never heard of Vudoo so no regrets at this point.  
3. CZ 455 Tacticool was really into it but started looking at DJDillo for sending it off to but he was retired. After looking at what it would take to bed etc etc. Besides what kinda dumb ass spends over 1k for a rimfire other than a Olympian.
4. CZ 455 Manners  loved the rifle nothing bad to say at the price point, but back to wanting to bed, upgrade trigger maybe a lijia barel.
5. I’m just going to buy a Vudoo. Hold on remember the rule. Only a dumb ass spends more than..... 2k ya that’s it
6. Begaura B14r distraction.   Ultimately the rifle I would recommend to anyone looking sub 1k.  It’s really is amazing for the price and will put a hurt on the upper end Cz457
I was very happy but after selling the 455 I was up late night  on a gun forum.... Posted my B14r and.....

7. Ordered a Vudoo V-22 and will be shooting old 10/22 to fight boredom for the next 8-10 weeks

8. Sitting on the beach in Charleston getting sunburnt. Thinking very much on sticking my head in the sand in regards to money wasted.  

9. Happy to be a dumb ass that doesn’t mind spending what it takes to have what I want.  Yes I will have 5k invested if you add in the PST Gen2. ARC rings Bipod etc.
Here is the deal.  I do have my own range so I shoot quite a bit. Since I started getting more and more serious I hardly shoot anything else and I have quite a few.
I have so much fun that I plan to travel to some matches as time permits and may try to organize a local event.
If you haven’t shot 2 3/4 shotgun shells at 200 yards with a rimfire it’s fun. Especially when you make hits constantly not luck shots hear and there.