Looking for rimmie, Magtech any good?

[The Duncan 802]

Hi folks, as I've spunked a lot of money on shooting lately, swmbo is looking to keep me on a budget for the next rifle (replacement rf).

Are Magtech semi-auto's any good? or should I get an older 'quality' rifle?

 

Many thanks in advance!

 

Duncan.

[The Duncan 802]

I guess not

[Deker 3,478]

I guess not

 

 

Well...yes and no....

 

I don't have a semi but my FAC is up for renewal and I am taking the opportunity to add a couple of slots. I have looked at the Magtech over a long period and keep going back to it, the trigger is absolute s***, but the gun is accurate, seems to like most ammo, comes threaded and is cheap as chips as they say... worth a go, I think so!

[The Duncan 802]

I very much appreciate your answer Dekers, and it seems we are in a similar device for maintaining bouyancy . Cheap, but will we enjoy the ride?

[HUnter_zero 58]

Magtech are cheap and cheap for a reason. I guess it depends on what you plan to use the rifle for and how anal you are over your rifle shooting. Magtech triggers are not very good, the actions are okay at best, there are not many after market stocks, but the barrels are supose to be good.

 

If you want long range accrasy, then a semi-auto is not the way to go. However long range for a .22Lr is just 100 yards.

 

If you want to build on the rifle, then you need to look at the availability of after market replacement parts. Not much for a Magtech.

 

However, if you just want a cheap plinker that you have no intention of taking seriously or using long range and not worry about in the rain, then a Magtech seems to fit the bill.

 

This is my CZ . It's had a mass of work done, trigger job, barrel aligned with the action, bolt re-worked for quicker lock time, re-crowned to remove nasty factory crown, new stock. Topped with a S&B 6x42. The rifle is very accurate and due to the rifle being purchased before the CZ price hike, if sold I could get my money back (just). The rifle fits the bill for me and has been built to do exactly the job I use the rifle for.

 

Before the CZ, I purchased a Savage (mail order from Uttings which will go to show how long ago we are talking) and what a mistake, crap trigger, crap stock, cheap was the name of the game and at the time time the attraction. I tried to customise the rifle and crashed with plenty of flames and plenty of pain and my money quickly ran down the drain never to return.

 

Just think long and hard and decide what you actually want from the rifle and buy what you need as apposed to what you will settle for due to a tight budget. Save a little more and buy the right tool for the job.

 

[JonathanKent 16]

I am inclined to agree with Hunter_Zero on the thrust of his post. In esscence 'buy cheap buy twice'! The difference between a 'cheap' .22 and a top of the range or prestige maker and not that significant maybe the difference of £400-£500 quid extra for an Anschutz, Weihrauch or Sako over a Magtech

 

Having said that I personally would not go for a CZ, my first rifle was a CZ 453 (which is the same as a 452 but had a set trigger set up) and it was not really the gun for me so I got rid of it.

 

I don't want to get into what guns best type of discussion because everyone will just say 'my xxxxx gun is best' which is totally unhelpful. Everyone seems to like their CZ's they just are not for me. I havent played with a magtech but if the trigger is as crap as you say your going to really struggle to shoot well with it, for me at least the trigger is one of the most important elements of acurate shooting.

 

I would disagree with Hunter_Zero about buying something a spending a load of time and money customising it. I bet if he toted up what he had spent on his CZ he has spent far more than buying a 'prestige' rimfre which would have shot just as well as hic customised CZ straight out of the box.

 

Not trying to pick an argument or anything but I just think you get waht you pay for but then you know that The Duncan because you bought yourself a rather nice Weihrauch HW60 in 17HMR!

 

Hope that is not too deviscive!

 

ATB

Jonno

[JonathanKent 16]

Oh and the other thing I would say (from my experience!!) is that if you buy something cheap and then don't like it you then have to sell it and lose money getting rid of it and you have all the hassle of sending off your licence back to the police and wait an age for them to sort it out and get it back to you.

 

I am not trying to be the harbinge of doom just from my experience I made some poor choices with my .22 rimfire and wish I had just bought a quality .22 from the off as I would still have it! (I bought the CZ and then I bought a delux ruger 10/22 both of which I kept for less than a year) Had I bought an Anshutz, Weihrauch or Sako etc from the off it would still be sitting in the cabinet and I wouldn't have spent so much money on it. Nor would I have had to bugger about sending my licence back and fouth to the police.

 

Buy what you want even if it means waiting a couple of months to save up or you will just regret it, this is after all your sport and hobby, treat yourself you only live once!

 

ATB

Jonno

[HUnter_zero 58]

 

I would disagree with Hunter_Zero about buying something a spending a load of time and money customising it. I bet if he toted up what he had spent on his CZ he has spent far more than buying a 'prestige' rimfre which would have shot just as well as hic customised CZ straight out of the box.

 

 

Hi Jonno, I can see what you are saying but for me, no matter what rifle I purchased I would still have 'bug bares' that I would need to straighten out. I've shot .22 Anschutz sporting rifles and target rifles, at the moment my CZ produces consistent grouping some where in the middle of both these rifle classes. I know it will never match the heavy barreled action of the pure target class, but I'm fine with that. I'm not sure if I could improve grouping by 'playing' or customizing an Anny sporter, may be and I might do that at a later date, who knows.

My next project will be to sporterize a pure target rifle and use it as a dedicated NV rifle, it's a pain in the butt swapping scopes around. Not sure which calibre, I'm leaning towards a .17HMR but knowing of no pure target rifle chambered in .17HMR it would mean a total re-build and re-barrel, in which case it would be better going for a total custom jobby, left hand case eject etc.

However, due to being a dedicated NV set-up, I need to set a solid budget and a realistic budget.

 

As I say, the ability to play with a rifle is an important aspect of purchasing a rifle, for me.

I totally agree with the resale value, cheap is money lost when it comes to re-selling.

 

Re-sale of my CZ, total cost. Rifle : £100 (purchased from a friend who purchased the rifle from new and had shot 30 rounds. Stock: £120. Barrel shortening, re-crown £40. Action/barrel adjustment £40. Trigger : £30. Bolt work £28. Total cost : £358 which seems reasonable, but then the auction value of CZ rifles is considerably lower at around £20 to £40 but the rifle will stay in the cabinet for a long long time.

 

All said and done, I do totally agree with you 101%, that if you do not plan to mess with the rifle, or to put it another way if you don't want a donor action then just cut to the chase and buy a good solid second hand quality rifle. Just a note about second hand .22rf, it's not like with CF rifles, the only things to really go wrong with .22rf rifles is cosmetic condition, the barrels tend to last for a very long time indeed.

 

 

John

Edited September 17, 2011 by HUnter_zero

[Deker 3,478]

I think some of you guys are wondering a bit, I have plenty of guns including a .22lr which does all I want accuracy wise, the Magtech 7022 is a trip into the semi world for me and will be a field and fun tool. At £140 BRAND NEW, just how much are you likely to lose, and very worth while using it with the supplied open sights, it's also threaded, so, if you must, just screw on a SAK. Cheap as chips, and they are reliable according to one club I know who uses them!

 

Trigger is s***, I have played with them, and there is little or nothing you can do with it, but it works! Semis are not designed for thought, breathing, precision, there are much better ways of doing that, there are better semis than the Magtech as well, but just the same I am more than seriously thinking!

 

If I wanted a quality target tool I would not be looking at a Magtech.

 

ATB!

[HUnter_zero 58]

I think some of you guys are wondering a bit, I have plenty of guns including a .22lr

 

As there have only been three of us reply, one being yourself then you must be referring to either Jonno or me.

No wondering on our part, the OP asked "Are Magtech semi-auto's any good? or should I get an older 'quality' rifle?" and the rifles are not any good, plain and simple. The OP has no interest if YOU have plenty of guns or not.

 

John

[Deker 3,478]

I think some of you guys are wondering a bit, I have plenty of guns including a .22lr

 

As there have only been three of us reply, one being yourself then you must be referring to either Jonno or me.

No wondering on our part, the OP asked "Are Magtech semi-auto's any good? or should I get an older 'quality' rifle?" and the rifles are not any good, plain and simple. The OP has no interest if YOU have plenty of guns or not.

 

John

 

 

Ha ha, it had to be you didn't it, fair comment, somehow I missed this bit..... or should I get an older 'quality' rifle?... that does somewhat change the complexion of the question/my responses!

Edited September 17, 2011 by Deker

[HUnter_zero 58]

somewhat change the complexion of the question/my responses!

 

I think you have a fair point, if you want a trip into the semi world then for me at least, get the cheapest on the market, that way when it ends up down the local nick for destruction you haven't lost a whole lot of dosh

 

That said, I've owned a few semi's, the best being a Voere with a lockable bolt so you could use the rifle much like a B/A.

The very worst being a bull pup ak47 type hash of a rifle, never again.

 

John

[JonathanKent 16]

I would agree with John above if you just want a cheapo semi auto for plinking I can't see anything wrong with buying the cheapest possible. I would question the point though.

 

Unfortunatley my fire arms department will not give me lots of slots on my license especialy in the same calibre (I used to have 2 slots for a .22 but changed one for a .17hmr) accordingly all my rifles have to sing for their supper which means for a .22 being good for bunny bashing.

 

For me having had experiences with a number of ruger 10/22's including owning one I will be sticking with a good quality bolt action which is consistent and reliable. I therefore cannot justify having a .22 semi auto for plinking and I dont think I would get it past the FEO anyway.

 

If your FEO will let you have a semi-auto for a fun gun and you have a slot on your ticket then go for it. By your own admition the trigger is crap which is going to affect accuracy and personally as I view my rifles as a tool I genuinely can't see the point in having something which is not accurate and reliable.

 

Just my oppinion!

 

Jonno

[The Duncan 802]

Thanks for all considered input into the debate and opinions put forward.

I agree Jonno, on the point that if you buy Weihrauch etc, you tend to keep the rifle permanently or at least long term. My HW60J in.17 flavour is continuing my ueber quality experience I have had for the last 20ish years with Weihrauch rifles.

On reflection and considering all inputs, I reckon I'll go for an older CZ (had one before) as it will be mainly used around farm yards and barns and for lamping.

For long range work, the HW hmr will be used, but up to 60 ish yards the .22lr will be the workmanlike tool.

I'll do a write up once I've got one and with a bit more use I'll do one of my new hmr. Got my first 150 yard bunny with it the other day

[JonathanKent 16]

I see where your coming from on the cost issue, having said that why not save up for a few weeks/months and get what you truely want. Speaking from experience there is nothing worse than picking the gun out of the cabinet and being dissapointed with it especially if you love the other rimmy you use all the time.

 

Don't get me wrong we all have a budget but the difference between a second hand cz and a second hand Weihrauch to match your 17HMR is going to be maybe £200-£300 so why not just wait and get what you actually want rather than rushing in and and regretting it afterwards.

 

I know everyone rates their CZ's but for me they dont come close to the likes of Anschutz, Sako or Weihrauch. Trust be if you buy a CZ your going to miss the lovely trigger on your Weihrauch!!

 

ATB

Jonno