Winchester Wildcat .22 rifle?

[awp_101]

Anyone know anything about them? I'm a rimfire junkie and somehow this one escaped me. I think I saw one yesterday but I didn't look at it (counter help was busy with actual buyers). I might go look at it this weekend unless someone more familiar with them has good reasons why I shouldn't.

Winchester Wildcat .22 rifle

[Casual Friday]

I don't know anything about this rifle, but I'll say they were smart to have it accept aftermarket 10/22 magazines.

[awp_101]

I thought so too, especially since I just ordered a couple of 10/22 mags for my RPRR.

I found one thread on Rimfire Central proclaiming ho-hum accuracy but no pictures or group sizes have been posted. I don't know know what level of accuracy the posters were expecting and I suspect some of the disappointment is due to the rifle's actual release being delayed much longer than Winchester was promising.

[farscott]

My understanding, as I do not own one, is the following:

1) USRAC designed the rifle to handle most bulk ammo and it seems to work with most everything.

2) Everything that can be made from polymer is, including the sights. It is light and handy.

3) Owners are reporting mediocre accuracy but that may be a matter of finding what ammo shoots the smallest groups with that rifle.

4) Does not lock back with OEM 10/22 magazines but does with the Winchester magazine. The magazine is easier to load than the OEM 10/22 rotary magazine due to a thumb wheel that removes spring tension.

5) Takes down with no tools which makes cleaning a snap.

6) The lower receiver comes with two Allen wrenches, one to adjust the rear peep sight and one to remove the stock.

Here is a link to a YouTube review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtrjOoeF7Sk&t=631s

[OlongJohnson]

Someone needs to do a three-way shootout between this, the T/CR22, and the Ruger similarly appointed.

[awp_101]

Here is a link to a YouTube review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtrjOoeF7Sk&t=631s

Thanks, hopefully I can watch it this evening.

Someone needs to do a three-way shootout between this, the T/CR22, and the Ruger similarly appointed.

If I get the Wildcat, you pick which of the other two you want to review then we can rope one more of the Texas guys into this and make him get the third one.

[OlongJohnson]

How about if I just bring my CZ 512 Carbine? It won't get mag cooties from the others.

[awp_101]

I eyeballed one of those in .22 Mag for a long time at a local place. If it had been LR instead I'd have brought it home in a heartbeat.

[awp_101]

I went back today and checked it out as best I could without wasting too much time of the counter help in a crowded store.

It's light, no 2 ways about it. I was expecting more of a forward bias but it wasn't bad. I would expect that to change if a scope or dot were mounted near the front of the receiver. As light as it is, I think a red dot would be the way to go unless you were to use a small, light scope. Maybe a 1-4x shotgun scope or something similar. I think anything much bigger would overpower the handiness.

The controls didn't seem overly fiddly. Getting the mag out using the front tab was easier than on my Ruger Precision Rimfire but slightly stickier than a 10/22. That could be my fingers as much as anything. Using the slides on the side, it popped right out and that would probably be my preferred method of mag release. The bolt hold open and releases were easy to actuate, no complaints there.

The ghost ring rear sight is nice and the aperture is way bigger than I prefer but that's not a major complaint because I would probably be mounting a red dot on this anyway.

The barrel is unthreaded and the front sight base is almost at the end of the barrel. If you want to have it threaded you'll have to take repositioning the front sight base into account as well.

According to the markings on top of the barrel, it's made in Turkey. I'm not thrilled with that fact but it's not a deal breaker. I would suggest laying in as many spares of whatever you think you might need in case imports get cut off or Winchester drops the model.

Finally, the price was $230+tax. For comparison, at the same store I could get a 10/22 Model 31139 or Model 31145 for $215+tax or the bog standard Model 1103 for $250+tax.

Considering the 10/22 is a known commodity with aftermarket support that won't quit I'm not finding it as easy to talk myself into this as I hoped it might be. I know what upgrades I like to do to a 10/22. I don't even know if there's anything I want to upgrade on the Wildcat but if I do it's probably not going to be doable for a while, if ever. The ability to take the Wildcat down quickly with a button push is neat and could potentially be handy on the line or in the field but I never found breaking down a 10/22 to be that much of a burden. Yes, I would have to retorque the stock screws but that's only one more tool to add to my kit that goes to the range with me anyway.

I really like the thought and ideas put into the Wildcat but after handling one it unfortunately lacks that certain...something that makes me really really want one despite the .22s I already have.

[okie john]

I would not be surprised if the Wildcat’s four-pound weight contributes to the perception that it’s inaccurate. Light rifles can be very hard to shoot well, even if they possess a high level of mechanical accuracy. The wood-stocked 10/22 is five pounds—20% heavier than the Wildcat.


Okie John