Bolt Action VS. Semi Auto

[lovemachine]

So dad and I were talking, and I think we both will be buying a couple of nice .22 Long Rifles soon. Bradis, look out! Anyway, it got us wondering. What's the advantage of having one over the other? What's more popular? Bolt Action or Semi Auto?

 

[shibumiseeker]

In a .22lr? Not much unless you are being attacked by zombie squirrels.

I find a bolt action gun forces me to focus more on obtaining good body positioning and reacquiring the sight picture. It slows me down and I feel like I get better results. Bolt action guns tend to be more reliable and less prone to jams, but that can vary by gun.

 

[ROLEXrifleman]

because of the ballistics and design of the .22lr, notto much diffrence.

While teh bolt gun will be mechanicaly "more" accurate, the range that a .22 is effective out to will make both platforms about equal.

The main diffrence wil come in teh actual ammo. Because .22lr headspaces based on the rim of the bullet, the higher costing ammo will get the best results as it has more consisitant rim thicknesses, bullets weights and velocities.

 

[shooter521]

The bolt gun will also be quieter when you put a suppressor on it.

 

[shibumiseeker]

The bolt gun will also be quieter when you put a suppressor on it.

Ah yes, good point. It's also pretty quiet to begin with, especially with a long barrel gun.

 

[caddywhompus]

I started with a bolt action .22 and later acquired one in semi auto. The semi auto is fun to shoot but the bolt action is the one I pack into the woods every time. It kills squirrels just as dead and like shibumi said, it slows you down.

 

[ROLEXrifleman]

16-18" is all you need in .22lr. to get max ballistics. Anything longer and all you gain is sight radius which is a mute point if your going scoped. Also the longer barrels will be quiter as the powder burn will have been completed in teh 1st 18" of barrel.

I actualy had an Aquilla squib in a 26" barreled gun.

 

[steve666]

If I'm out to shoot one of these

I like to use one of these

but if I'm shooting these

then I like to use one of these

 

[caddywhompus]

Steve summed it up very well with his visual demonstration and was repped accordingly.

 

[JeremySS]

Hard to go wrong with a Ruger 10/22 no matter how you look at it. They are very reliable, accurate to within the limits of the cartridge, and can be upgraded to your hearts content when/if you get bored.

 

[Duce]

Actually I'm 180 degrees out from Steve, with all respect. I use a bolt gun from the bench. On a quiet day with Std velocities you can shoot some amazing grps at 100yds.
On squirrels, many times, knock one out of a tree and his bud will come to see what happen and you can take him too. With a semi-auto all you need to do is pull the trigger, less motion...Duce<><

 

[U.S. Patriot]

Honestly anymore I enjoy shooting my scoped bolt action 22's, more then I do semi autos. It forces me to really work on accuracy, trigger pull, body position, etc. I could shoot my Savage MKIIFV all day long, where as other guns I would get bored. Same goes for my Marlin 925M.

 

[LotsofGlocks]

Bolt all the way!! Semi's are so boring!

 

[parson]

You know that you really need at least one of each! Personally, if I'm just burning ammo, shooting cans, etc., I prefer a semi-auto, but if I'm hunting I'll usually grab my CZ 452. That being said, there are some semi-autos that are quite accurate.

 

[tuoder]

By the reasoning used to get behind bolt action, would not a Crickett single shot bolt action be ideal?

Another option would be the Zastava Z5. It is a bolt action .22 that comes with two mags. One is 5 shot and the other is single shot. The idea, as I understand it, is to make a kid careful and patient, and then allow them the 5-shot mag. The same should work for an adult. Leave the 5 shot at home in the beginning.

Personally, I use a semi-auto. It takes a little bit of self control is all.

 

[Bapak2ja]

Steve summed it up very well with his visual demonstration and was repped accordingly.

OK, guys (Steve and Caddywhompus), please summarize for this rookie why you recommend using the rifle sights and bolt action for the squirrels but use the scoped semi auto for the Pepsi can. I would have thought a scope would work better for the animal, and the can, a stationary object, would be a suitable target for the standard rifle sights.

Help me out, guys. Thanks.

 

[Colt556]

I prefer the bolt guns. My CZ452s are remarkably accurate. They have replaced my Ruger 77/22 as my favorite .22 rifle. I have an old model 10/22 and am in the process of building a 10/22T with a bbl I got on trade from another member. The semi autos are good for bouncing tin cans and golf balls around and the bolts for more serious work IMO.

 

[kramnor54]

i am saying bolt only because ive had to dig too many hung spent shells in the field buy what fits u good luck

 

[Agan_08]

I'm definitely a believer in the idea that a bolt makes you slow down and concentrate on making your first shot count. And as was stated earlier, a bolt gun will group tighter than a semi-auto because of the lack of moving parts. But considering most squirrel shots are going to be within 50 yards, it isn't going to be a big concern. Just shoot what you feel most comfortable with and get your rifle dialed in

Or get one of each !

 

[caddywhompus]

OK, guys (Steve and Caddywhompus), please summarize for this rookie why you recommend using the rifle sights and bolt action for the squirrels but use the scoped semi auto for the Pepsi can. I would have thought a scope would work better for the animal, and the can, a stationary object, would be a suitable target for the standard rifle sights.

Help me out, guys. Thanks.

I wasn't recommending a certain optics setup with my comment, just the choice of rifle per the target. I'm with you, I have a scope on my bolt gun and use irons with the semi auto.