Pretty rifle. I think I would have opted for a magazine-fed version, but then that would be me and not you.

Tell the truth Dave...did you consider putting a muzzle brake on this rifle?

B/R

Since I use my little .22 for a lot more than preparation for my bigger rifles that gun would not be for me. In the early fall, arounf september I had to the woods for a little squrriel hunting and during the summer I sometimes like to carry it and shoot a few grounghogs. I don't think I would like it all that much to be lugging around a 81/2 pound .22. I thing you have found just what you needed so I say good for you, but for those of us that use a .22 for a variety of reasons I'll stick with my rem 541s

For some reason I thought you owned a Rem 504, Dave. I remember you writing about it, anyway.

My 504 weighs 7.25 pounds with Leupold .22 dedicated scope. Handles very similar to my Tikkas and Sako Finnlight. Which is to say, wonderful. How does the Nula compare to your remembered experience with the 504 in regards to handling?

I have an old Mossberg 46B bolt action that weighs in pretty good that I use for practice. It has lots of steel and walnut to give it heft.

Dave, you must be a little fella. I hate having to try feeding .22 shells into a single shot. Yes, it slows me down. A LOT. With my big mitts and arthritis from picking thousands of waterfowl and skinning thousands more bass and walleye, I find I'm dropping the shells half the time, especially if there is a grouse standing in the road nervously starting to chirp. The heavier gun idea is, however, excellent! I would love that.

Dave,
I bought the Savage Mark II BV after you reviewed it. I have a Leupold 2 x 7 x 28 on it and am very happy with it and have not had the magazine issues that you mentioned. My local store has a Winchester 52C on the shelves that I have been admiring. It is in excellent condition but now I'm torn. Does anyone have experience with the 52C or B?

To Safado: Is this an original Model 52 Sporter, or one of the 1993 re-issues? If it is original, and in good shape, the store should be asking a great deal of money for it.

I'll stick with my Sears & Roebuck JC Higgins Model 42 Deluxe which is reall a glorified Marlin Model 80 with a real walnut sporter stock. It has a 7 shot clip and literally is a tack driver.
There is a story behind the tack driver claim. I used it for squirrels for years.
That is a pretty rifle though. I wonder how much it costs.

so in this case, NULA means NOT Ultra Light Arms?

Mr. Petzal;
Can I get info. on this rifle, or was it a one shot deal.
You've got my attention.

amflyer- bill heavey brings a different perspective off the outdoors from a common mans spot, not th man thats shot everygame animal on the planet... twice... with a spear. however back to firearms and not the inner work of american literature, i find this a great idea, but I'd rather use my ruger 10/22 for the modifications, the clip forces me to learn self control, which would help me with control and patients for the perfect shot on a deer in the woods, along with improved shoting form and accuracy.

Dave it would be hard to say too many good things regarding shooting .22's a lot, and like you I have gone through many of them in my lifetime, and still own quite a few high end rifles, including a beautiful old Savage-Anschutz which shoots almost as well as the one you write about; and yes, that grouping IS very remarkable. I started shooting .22's when I was 8 years old in 1941, starting out with a single shot Little Scout, which I became really deadly with, and of course this carried over into large bore rifles later in life. Lately I have fallen in love with a very pretty Cooper.17HM2, which can equal the grouping of your new rifle and maybe do even better. I do love that cartridge, although I fear that it has not become popular for whatever reason. Do you think the cartridge will survive the years? Have you shot it? Best squirrel rifle I have ever owned and I like it better than a .22.

Dave,
It is an original Model 52 with the original Lyman sights and in good shape but it is not a sporter. It's not cheap but within reason.

Great idea! I have most of my centerfire bolt actions set up stock/scope-wise (eye relief, scope height, LOP, etc.) so that I might practice shooting with the likes of a .308 Win or .257 Roberts. I shoot the big thumpers enough to be sure, but the "Bob" is a pleasure to shoot a lot of rounds through. My scoped 10/22 is not suitable, so perhaps I should scope one of the bolt action Marlin or Remington Scoremasters. Just happen to have a spare VX-II laying around.

Sad to say, it seem all the manufacturers are trying to make centerfires rimfire weight and size, and this makes no sense to me, unless you're gonna be packing it up in sheep (or worse yet, goat) country.
A truly mansized 8 1/4 pound .22 bolt action rimfire is a nice thing.

To Res 1956: I think it just provides more options, and I love it.

Among my collection is a .270 that weighs barely 6 pounds, and .243 WSSM that weighs 5.25 pounds. I've taken high country elk (REALLY high country) with the .270, and that .243 makes for a great "walking" varmint rifle.

I also have a 9.5-pound custom 30-06, and a 8.5-lb Weatherby 30-06 for when I want to be able to hit an antelope at 450 yards.

Two of my favorite .22 rimfires are on the opposite ends of the spectrum: A youth-model Henry single-shot bolt that weighs 3 pounds, and a bolt-action walnut beauty that weighs 7.25 pounds. I can carry the Henry on even arduous hikes and enjoy plinking along the away. And the walnut Remington can easily pick off a field mouse at 75 yards.

In rifles, the variety is a good thing. We might be in the golden age of rifle options.

Sounds like a great gun. But for all of us that can't have a purpose built 22. Wouldn't a Anschutz sporter be more sensible. Myself I have a full sized 48 year old Mossberg 350KA with a Weaver scope that still drives tacks. Albie not at a 110 yards.

dave,
good info but i am still a huge fan of my ruger 10/22. costs almost nothing,fairly accurate, and is a blast to shoot. what is the price range of one of these guns?

Dave:

No offense. NOOOOO offense. But you are lucky you are a gunwriter and therefore can say that this is your business. Me, I think I would have a hard time explaining to my wife that I went to NULA, who makes the lightest rifles around, gave them two grand, had them make me a rifle, and had them fill the stock up with lead. There has to be an easier (and cheaper) way to get a heavy .22 than spending the money it takes to have the world's lightest .22 custom made, and then filling the gun with lead. But if it works, it works. For a .22, a half-inch group at 100 yards is reee-dikalus.

To focusfront: No offense taken. These things are my business, which gives me a great excuse.

To Dr. Ralph: As I said, I was fairly surprised myself, but I did have perfect shooting conditions. I don't know if the rifle would ever do that again, but it now has about 600 rounds through it, and I suspect that it would turn in 1 inch groups at 100 yards, over a rest, with no wind.

I will keep my Savage MK-II in a laminate stock with the Swift Premier scope and weaver mounts as my field practice rifle. The $ I saved i put towards ammunition and having a hunting camp where deer hunters are welcomed by locals and the game is plentiful.

jmeerpohl,

the Savage has the heft, and has the Accu-Trigger, I think. Good for you.

I live in the southeast and hunt mostly deer and hogs. I use a CZ 527 carbine in 7.62x39 with a Leupold VXII 2-7x33 scope. Loaded ready to hunt It weighs 7lb. It will hold moa out to 300yds. But my max. for hunting is 200/250yds. My.22rf is a CZ 452 American It weighs 7lb. 8oz. It Will hold .35"/.45" at 50yds. and 1.0" at 100yds.I know the rimfire has helped me become a better centerfire shot.