Savage .22 Rifle Review
When hunting for wild game, everyone wants to make the perfect shot, regardless of whether the kill is for dinner or sport. The hunting community features all kinds of individuals with varying opinions on which gun makes for the perfect hunting experience, be it a rifle, handgun, or an entirely different weapon. Hunters believe many factors make the ideal hunting gun, such as firepower, accuracy, and overall weight of the gun they’ve chosen to hunt with.
These days, more and more hunters are turning to semi-automatic rifles to get the job done, and the Savage brand has been steadily gaining popularity among the hunting community for several years. The Savage Arms A-22 .22 Long Rifle is an excellent example of this rifle brand’s popularity. This article will provide a comprehensive, in-depth review of the Savage A-22 .22 Long Rifle, including its features, specifications, pros and cons, and comparison to the competition.
Overview
The Savage brand features some of the few semi-automatics to introduce a safer method of cycling the cartridge via delayed-blowback, recoil-operated hybrid action. The Savage Arms A-22 .22 long-rifle cartridge is designed to generate less pressure than standard rifles, eliminating the need for hybrid action in the cartridge cycle. Rounds are fed through the A-22 through a 10-round rotary magazine that fits snugly up against the belly of the stock. This rifle also features a user-adjustable AccuTrigger in addition to the button-rifled, 22-inch carbon steel barrel to make user accuracy as high as possible.
Specifications
- Model: A-22 (47200)
- Action: Blowback Operated Semi-Automatic
- Caliber: .22 Long Rifle
- Receiver: Blued Carbon Steel
- Barrel: Blued Carbon Steel
- Stock: Synthetic AccuStock, Matte Black
- Trigger: Adjustable AccuTrigger
- Magazine: Detachable Rotary
- Front Sight: Fixed Polymer Blade
- Rear Sight: Fully Adjustable Notch
- Barrel Length: 21 inches
- Overall Length: 40.5 inches
- Weight: 5 lbs. 10.5 oz. with Empty Magazine
- Length of Pull (LOP): 13.5 inches
- Adjustable Trigger Pull (lbs.): 3 lbs. 6 oz. (Factory Setting)
- Capacity: 10+1 Rounds
- Twist: 1:16-inch RH
- Rifle Grooves: 6
- Accessories:
- One 10-Round magazine
- Trigger Adjustment Tool
- Owner’s Manual
- Lock
- Scope Option: Yes
- Warranty: One year from the date of purchase
Pricing
The manufacturer’s suggested retail price for the Savage A-22 .22 Long Rifle is $309. This is slightly less expensive than Savage’s A17 .17HMR rifle, which typically retails at about $539, but the price will depend mainly on the size of the barrel and the number of rounds the rifle can safely hold.
How It Compares
Savage does make great rifles, but there are plenty of competitors out there, especially when factoring in the opinions and experiences of hunters around the country. To better understand how the Savage A-22 .22 Long Rifle stacks up against competitors, we reviewed and analyzed three other big-name rifle brands, including their price ranges, quality, and ease of use.
Browning X-Bolt Target McMillan Rifle
The Browning rifle features a 28-inch fluted bull barrel, a U.S. Military-grade A3-5 stock, a muzzle brake, and an overall weight of 9.5 pounds, making it one of the larger rifles in our comparison section. It’s considered a good rifle for long-range targets, and its flashy outer appearance makes it a favorite among rifle collectors.
Price
The Browning is one of the most expensive rifles today at $2,799, with a manufacturer-suggested retail price of $3,139.99. It’s so costly, in fact, that it makes the Savage A-22 seem like a kid’s toy purchase in comparison. The price of the Browning could be associated with its military-level stock and the extremely high-quality materials used in making the entire rifle.
Ease of Use: 4 out of 5 stars
The Browning X-Bolt Target McMillan’s overall design makes it easy for people who are at least somewhat familiar with rifle handling and operation. However, at 9.5 pounds, this heavy rifle might be intimidating to some rifle newcomers. The rifle’s heaviness is ideal for long-range targets, but carrying it around is quite the task for any seasoned hunter.
Assembly Time: 3.5 out of 5 stars
The sheer weight of the Browning rifle makes it slightly more challenging to assemble than the Savage A-22 or any other lightweight or standard rifle. Building this rifle before a hunting trip may be a nuisance if you’re an avid hunter.
Build Quality: 4 out of 5 stars
Although this rifle is generally well-built and considered fun to shoot by many rifle enthusiasts, the heft of the rifle makes it a poor choice for hunting. The gun’s limited magazine capacity only makes it a little use as a competition rifle, leaving us wondering what this rifle is intended for at such a steep price. Some users have also complained that the Browning isn’t as accurate of a shot as it should be for the price tag.
Warranty: 3 out of 5 stars
While there is no specific warranty information available online for the Browning rifle, customers can return the rifle to the manufacturer for warranty service if applicable. Most firearms have a three-year limited warranty, so it may be safe to assume that this rifle follows that standard.
Bergara B-14 HMR Rifle
The Bergara B-14 HMR Rifle features a mini-chassis integrated into the stock to increase accuracy, an AICS-style detachable magazine, a threaded muzzle, and a steel barrel with a matte blue finish. The scope mount can fit Remington 700 rings and bases, so your zoom-in options will be varied with this rifle model.
Price
The average price of the Bergara rifle is approximately $1,150, but some retailers have it available anywhere between $860.99 and $999.99. This is another rifle in the reasonably expensive category, leaving the Savage A-22 .22 rifle in the dust. The Bergara is slightly cheaper than the Browning rifle, which is a plus considering the Browning and the Bergara are roughly the same size and have the same amount of firepower.
Ease of Use: 4 out of 5 stars
This is another heavy rifle at 9.25 pounds, so hunting novices may not appreciate how heavy this rifle is to carry around. The accuracy of the Bergara rifle is also highly rated among customers and testers, which makes it a reasonably easy-to-use hunting tool despite its weight.
Assembly Time: 4 out of 5 stars
There are several videos available online that demonstrate how to assemble and disassemble Bergara rifles. These videos break down the steps enough so that the average person, even those who may not deal with rifles regularly, will know how to quickly break down their rifle and put it back together again.
Build Quality: 5 out of 5 stars
The high level of craftsmanship in the Bergara rifle can be seen in both the barrel and the main body of the gun. Additionally, based on the how-to videos of assembling and disassembling this rifle, it was easy to conclude that every part featured on the Bergara rifle is high-quality.
Warranty: 5 out of 5 stars
The Bergara B-14 HMR rifle comes with a lifetime warranty, which makes it the best warranty offering on our list of rifles. At any time during the life of your rifle, you can take it to the manufacturer for repairs without worrying about paying a hefty fee. This is a great advantage, considering how much the Bergara rifle costs.
Savage B-17 HMR Rifle
As a testament to how popular the Savage brand is among hunters and rifle enthusiasts, we decided to include a second Savage rifle in our comparison. The Savage B-17 HMR Rifle is seen by many as fun to shoot and a winner in the flawless performance department. Its features include a 20-inch barrel, a 10-round rotary magazine, and the same adjustable AccuTrigger that the A-22 rifle has.
Price
With a manufacturer-suggested retail price of $329, the Savage B-17 is definitely in the affordable rifle category alongside the Savage A-22 rifle. This means the A-22 rifle is the cheapest on our list, which may be pleasing to many budget-conscious hunters. Savage is generally an inexpensive rifle brand, so if you’re looking to save money, either one of the Savage rifles will be a safe bet.
Ease of Use: 5 out of 5 stars
Because the Savage B-17 weighs approximately 6 pounds, its lightweight feel makes it easy for most beginners and hunting experts to make accurate shots. The 20-inch barrel consists of button rifling, which helps increase the rifle’s overall accuracy and therefore makes it reasonably easy to use when hunting game of all sizes.
Assembly Time: 5 out of 5 stars
The lightweight build of the Savage B-17 makes it reasonably easy for most rifle users to break down and put back together, especially compared to the heavier Browning and Bergara rifles. The 10-round rotary magazine also makes this rifle quick to reload, and the user-adjustable settings on the rifle have won over many customers.
Build Quality: 5 out of 5 stars
This rifle’s lightweight build features an ergonomic design and sturdy aesthetics that enable the rifle to withstand bumps, scrapes, and drops without sustaining much damage. This makes the rifle ideal for rough, bare-bones hunting trips and people who don’t care much about rifle looks. Even with the no-nonsense exterior appearance, the Savage B-17 is a polished-looking rifle of high quality.
Warranty: 2.5 out of 5 stars
The Savage brand offers a one-year warranty from the purchase date that covers materials and workmanship defects. The warranty does not cover personal injury, property damage, and damage to the firearm caused by negligence or improper maintenance. This warranty could be better than the other rifles on our comparison list, and it’s also not up to par with the majority of current rifles.
Pros and Cons of the Savage Arms A-22 .22 Long Rifle
The Savage A-22 Long Rifle is highly popular among hunters and shooting hobbyists in general, but no gun or rifle is perfect in the eyes of most consumers. Thanks to various reviews from customers, we were able to compile a definitive list of positive and negative attributes of the Savage-brand long rifle:
Pros
According to most users of the Savage A-22 rifle, it’s simply a fun rifle to hunt with. It’s also one of the more budget-friendly rifle choices for people looking to save money. Because the Savage A-22 is lightweight, hunters can carry over 1,000 rounds of LR ammunition. Additionally, because LR ammunition doesn’t have much velocity, your kill won’t be further damaged by bullet penetration.
Cons
Some rifle owners have complained that the .22 rifle isn’t as powerful as other rifles they’ve shot, such as a .357 ammunition revolver or a .308 rifle. Some shooters have also referred to the Savage A-22 as an air rifle, attesting to the mediocre view in which some see this rifle. Also, the ammunition’s low velocity can cause some accuracy issues if there’s a slight breeze in your hunting environment.
Conclusion
Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
If you’re looking to hunt with an easy-to-handle, easy-to-clean, lightweight rifle, the Savage A-22 .22 Long Rifle is one of the best bets you can take. This rifle will provide clean, easy kills, high shot accuracy, and more money in your wallet because these rifles are relatively inexpensive. The adjustability of this rifle makes it popular among people who like to have a rifle as customized to their shooting habits as possible. Above all, there’s a reason many avid hunters are known to collect Savage-brand semi-automatic rifles, and the A-22 .22 Long Rifle presents some of those main reasons. Whether a beginner or a hunting expert, the Savage Arms A-22 can make you feel like you have been hunting with great success for much of your life.