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Browning BAR .22 Rifle

Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2010 1:56 pm
by vik
Hi

I want to know If this is a good gun for a beginner at the range.
Kindly let me know any pros and con of this rifle. Any detailed
reviews are much appreciated.

If you do want to suggest some other .22 rifle, please feel free to do so.

Thanks
Vik

Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2010 3:42 pm
by Makris D. G.
Well, interesting choice for a sport shot with single shot .22LR bolt actions...

Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 6:04 am
by pdeal
I would not recommend a semi auto but a bolt action. A CZ would be a good choice and a good place to learn about them and this subject would be www.rimfirecentral.com.

Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 7:00 am
by Makris D. G.
Isn't the BAR a centerfire rifle?
I am missing something?

edit:
took a bit of googling but I found the rifle you meant.
still seems like a poor choice for olympic style shooting.

Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 5:29 pm
by Guest
I mean SA-22.

Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2010 12:43 pm
by weilers
I think the Savage Mark II makes a nice choice.

Browning SA-22

Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2010 6:47 pm
by Finprof
I have had a Browing Semi-autimatic 22 since 1964, when I bought one for $69.00 brand new. It is a very nice well-made rifle but very outdated now and not very accurate. I bought it as a grouse gun for back in the bush where they will sit and let you shoot at them. It is one of the last guns I would bring to the range, particularly for competitive shooting and particularly not for a beginner.

Get one of the entry level Savages or a CZ for a beginner. If for some reason you want a takedown rifle like the Browning, a Marlin lever action will work much better and you can use it for lever action silhouette, or for NRA Light Rifle.

Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2010 12:05 am
by Charlotte
Ditto on the CZ, however there is a model change in progress. The 452 has been around a good while and those of us who have them swear by them. Check out CMP rimfire sporter competition results and notice which rifles are winning. The new model 455 has interchangeable barrels and calibers which on the one hand makes it a platform for a 22lr, 22wmr, 17hmr or 17m2. On the other hand the 452 is so good it brings up the old saying, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."
Savage seems to be trying harder, in my opinion, to make a nice, accurate, affordable rimfire with an acceptable trigger and stock and barrel options compared to....Marlin, Browning, etc.
The Thompson Center R-55 seems to be the most accurate out of the box semi auto by most if not all of the people who shoot them, but the reputation for needing cleaning frequently to insure reliable function is an issue worth considering.
Izhmash Biathlon Basic is a toggle bolt sporting rifle that is very accurate and fun and also has a nice trigger.
I think those are safe choices as far as accurate sporting rifles go and the CZ 452 is my first choice.
If you are more interested in a match rifle, Anschutz owns the market and just pick your poison. A more entry level (lower price) match rifle is the Izhmash CM-2 Adult. They lack a lot of the features that Anschutz has, aren't particularly pretty, but they will shoot well enough to make you dizzy. If you want to scope the CM-2 you will need a gunsmith to figure out how to do it, but it comes with target aperture sights.
I have 2 lever action .22's a Browning BLR and a Marlin 39A. Both are nice, but I'd trade them both for a Martini Mk2 or Mk3. I wouldn't suggest a levergun to a new shooter unless they were planning on going into cowboy action shooting.