Topic: The Best Rimfire Rifles of 2023 (Read 41 times)
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Engineered by the man who designed the AR 15, this takedown rimfire rifle was conceptualized as a survival gun for Air Force pilots. They’re reliable, accurate, and the ideal behind-the-truck-seat rifle. The AR 7 is also offered in a survival kit for $550 with a bunch of good-day-gone-bad goodies including a Buck knife, food bars, and a space blanket.
These rifles might be the best example of modern American gun making. They are reliable, accurate, and affordable. They’re also available chambered in the 22 LR, 22 Magnum, and 17 HMR. And, you can choose between co*pact or standard length models, with or without sights, and with either a synthetic, wood, or laminated target style stock. The 22 LR rifle models feed from Ruger 10/22 magazines and the trigger is user adjustable from 3 to 5 pounds.
The fastest rimfire cartridge on the market, the 17 WSM, never really caught fire, but it’s an excellent varmint cartridge for rimfire rifles. It’s close to the 17 Hornet in performance, and makes a fantastic fox, bobcat, or prairie dog cartridge. One of the few semi-auto 17 WSM rifles is the Franklin armory F17-L. It’s a piston-driven semi-automatic AR-style rifle that uses a rotating bolt design to handle the pressures of the high-speed cartridge. It uses a 10-round magazine, is co*patible with regular AR furniture, and is suppressor-ready. The accuracy and flexibility of the AR platform makes it adaptable for rimfire predator hunters, and the gas piston system makes it one of the cleanest-running semi-auto rimfires you’ll find.
When it co*es to souped-up 10/22-style clones, Volquartsen has it dialed in. Many gravitate to Volquartsen rifles because they produce reliable 10/22-style rifles in both 17 HMR and 22 WMR—something that Ruger discontinued. They also make fantastic 22lr rifles, and the VM-22 is a great example of a premium 10/22-style rifle that’s got top-notch co*ponents and is great for a variety of target and hunting needs. The VM-22 is essentially the Volquartsen Superlite barreled action in a Magpul X-22 Hunter stock. It’s light and ergonomical to shoot offhand or prone off a bipod or bags. You’ll have a hard time heating up the carbon-wrapped barrel, and it co*es optic- and suppressor-ready.
Vudoo Gun Works is a Utah based co*pany that builds top-end rimfire rifles, particularly for co*petition. They’re expensive and in-demand but are top-notch rifles. Unlike some of their chassis-based rimfire rifles, the Sinister Carbon model features more traditional styles of stocks to choose from. It is built on Vudoo’s V-22 controlled-feed action which features a Remington 700 footprint and utilizes over-sized magazines to feed short rimfire cartridges including .22 LR, .22 WMR, .17 Mach 2, and .17 HMR. It’s a full-length-sized action that’s designed specifically for cycling rimfire cartridges.
If fun is what you seek, look no further. Configured to mimic the feel and function of America’s most popular rifle—the AR 15—the M&P 15-22 Sport is a rifle that will help transform your range into a shooting gallery. With 13 variants to choose from, you’re bound to find one everyone in the family will enjoy. And, at less than five pounds, this rifle is light enough everyone in the family can handle it.
The Zephyr II is a grown man’s rimfire rifle. Intended for the field, it shoots well enough to win a bench rest match. It co*es standard with a European walnut stock fitted with a Bavarian cheek piece. It has a five-round detachable magazine, and elegantly simple but practical and beautiful fish-scale checkering. It is available in 22 LR, 22 Magnum, and 17 HMR. You’ll brag about its accuracy in the squirrel woods, and about its loveliness around the campfire.
Read Next: Top 10 Best Lever Action Rifles
The Henry Golden Boy is the type of rifle that’s pure fun to shoot no matter your age. It’s available in 22 LR, .22 Magnum, and .17 HMR. There is even a shortened youth model for a dedicated youth plinker. It has an adjustable buckhorn-type rear sight and has a 20-inch octagonal barrel. The .22 LR version holds 16 rounds. The .22 Mag can carry 12 rounds and the .17 HMR holds 11.
Also check out the Classic Lever-Action Rimfire Rifle, which is under $400 and has many of the Golden Boy’s features.
NRL .22 is one of the fastest growing shooting sports. One of the appeals is that the rifles and the ammo is much cheaper than the centerfire NRL and PRS co*petitions. The Base Class in NRL .22 is for shooters with a rifle and scope, that co*bined, have less than a $1200 MSRP. Zane Hermann won the 2022 NRL .22 Championship in Base Class with the Tikka T1X MTR and proved that it’s a great option for co*petitions.
The best rimfire rifle for you will depend on what you want to use it for, how much you want to shoot it, and your personal tastes and style. There are great general-purpose, all-around rimfire rifles, and also highly specialized ones. The caliber you choose will be closely related to these things too.
The most popular caliber choice for rimfire rifles is the 22 LR, and it’s the best for a general-use, multi-purpose rimfire. If you want to shoot high volume or co*petition, the 22 LR is your best bet. Some specific applications can use a little more power or velocity, which might steer you towards the 22 WMR, 17 HMR, or 17 WSM.
Action type is generally a matter of your personal preference, and they’re all fun and effective. Other Key things to consider are: Sights/optics options, magazine style/availability, options for aftermarket mods, threaded muzzle or not.
A rimfire rifle is a rifle that’s chambered in a rimfire cartridge. A rimfire is a cartridge that’s ignited when the firing pin strikes the rim or out-side edge of the cartridge. The outer rim is packed with a priming co*pound and that impact ignites it. Centerfire cartridges use a self-contained primer that’s seated in the center of the case head—that’s what the firing pin strikes to ignite that style of cartridge.
Vudoo Gun Works and the CZ 457 are two of the best all-around .22 rifles for target shooting. But, the best rifle for target shooting depends on the type of target shooting. A great rifle for NRL 22 isn’t a great rifle for bull’s-eye. For a co*plete list of the best precision .22 rifles, click here.
The Ruger 10/22 is the most popular .22 rifle. It’s an excellent rifle for hunting and plinking.
There are eight main 10/22 variations to choose from. The most well-rounded rifle is the Ruger 10/22 Sporter.
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Despite being invented almost 180 years ago, the rimfire rifle is as relevant as ever; every hunter and shooter ought to have one. Because of the wide diversity in those of us who use rimfire rifles, our tastes and applications, there’s great freedom in finding what will be best for you. There are excellent rimfire rifles in just about every style and configuration—you just have to pick one.
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