How I Chose My .22 WMR Rifle (What I Looked For)
I knew I wanted to add a more powerful rimfire rifle. The next step was figuring out which one to go with.
I covered why I went with a .22 WMR in my previous post — this is the part where I actually had to make a decision.
What I Was Looking For
Before getting into specific rifles, I had a few things in mind.
I’m a measure twice, cut once kind of guy. I tend to do a fair bit of research before buying anything like this.
I’m not buying this as a short-term rifle. It’s something I intend to keep for life, so while price matters, I’m putting more weight on overall quality and long-term value.
I was looking for something that would:
- be highly accurate at 50–100 yards
- be reliable
- fit my use for both range shooting and small game hunting
- fall within a $1000 price range
One factor for me was left-handed availability. It limited some options, but the overall decision process would hold true either way.
The Options I Looked At
I didn’t look at everything on the market, but a few options kept coming up consistently.
Henry
I’ve had great experiences with Henry — my .22 LR lever action has been a really fun and reliable rifle. I’d recommend Henry to anyone.
Their .22 WMR options checked a lot of boxes for me. They’re field-friendly, reasonably priced, and the 20" barrel length is right where I’d want it for general use. They’re also naturally left-hand friendly.
This was a close second for me.
I’ll admit, part of me still wants that rifle. I really like lever actions, and Henry makes a great one.
But my .22 LR already fills that role. For this purchase, I wasn’t looking for something fun as much as something functional and accurate.
The Henry was also tempting because it’s easy for right-handed shooters to use, which would make it a good option when I’m out with friends.
That said, somehow all four of my kids ended up left-handed, so a left-handed bolt gun will get plenty of use over time.
The main tradeoff is accuracy. For what I do, I may never fully notice the difference, but when comparing options, it didn’t quite match what I was seeing from other rifles.
Savage
I looked briefly at Savage as well. They have a lot of options and are generally more budget-friendly.
That said, they just don’t really appeal to me personally. I’ve never been a big fan of their triggers or overall feel, so I didn’t spend a lot of time going down that path.
That said, I do appreciate that Savage offers left-handed options and more affordable rifles. I have friends that shoot Savage rifles and really like them.
Anschutz
Anschutz came up frequently as well, and everything I read about them was extremely positive.
They offer left-handed options and have a strong reputation for accuracy and build quality.
In the end, it came down to price. For what I’m using this rifle for, I couldn’t justify the jump. But if it’s within your budget, they’re definitely worth a look.
CZ 457
The rifle that kept coming up over and over was the CZ 457.
It was hard to get far into any discussion without someone recommending one. I saw a lot of examples of people shooting extremely tight groups, which got my attention.
It fit within my price range and checked the boxes I was looking for accuracy and overall quality.
The one drawback for me was barrel length. The left-handed version was only available with a 24.8" barrel, which is longer than I’d ideally want to carry hunting.
What made that easier to accept was how easy it is to customize. The barrels can be swapped easily, so if I don’t like the length, I can move to a 20" varmint barrel later and sell the original.
The Decision
I ended up going with the CZ 457.
At the end of the day, it came down to accuracy, quality, and long-term value. It checked the boxes for what I was looking for, and with their platform, I can adjust over time if needed.
What I Expect
On paper, this should give me a noticeable step up from .22 LR in terms of range and consistency, while still being practical and affordable to shoot.
It should fit right into the gap I was trying to fill.
What’s Next
Now that I’ve chosen the rifle, the next step is getting it out to the property and seeing how it actually performs.
I’ll also be testing a few different ammo options and figuring out what works best with this rifle.