Which rifle? Can't be both...

[popper]

I'd go with the 22 as you already have a powerful gun. Pick up some good glass and bricks of bullets.

[artyfo]

The economics of the rimfire cannot be beat.  The ability to switch calibers gives great versatility to the rifle.  A .22 long rifle and a .22 WMR (or .17 HMR) would make a wonderful combination. My 2 cents.

[coffeecoloredcatfish]

22lr--without question.

They're too much fun. And plus finding ammo is still easy.

[M1A4ME]

An accurate .22 is a wonderful thing.  Feed the family.  Protect the pets/livestock.  Take care of business.  Not hard or expensive to find what it likes and stock up on it for the future.

The centerfires aren't so friendly for finding/stocking up on ammo.  More noise when you shoot it.  I'd be surprised to find a centerfire steel case ammo/rifle combo that would shoot like a good .22 for food.  Probably doesn't matter with varmint hunting so much.  I sure hope the 7.62X39 doesn't dry up.  But it sure has gotten more scarce and expensive the last few months.

If you get some corrosive ammo just be sure to do an extra good job of cleaning it after shooting it and keep and eye on it the next day, a couple days after that and 3 or 4 more after that, to make sure you got all the stuff out of it that can make it rust up badly if you live in the wrong type of climate.  All it takes is a weather change to go from, "I can wait till the morning to clean it".  Versus waking up the next morning and finding the bolt rusted shut.  BTDT.  Just once though.  The pits it the bolt will always remind me.  That's all it took to rust that bad, about 14 hrs.

[Bret]

I own both.  The trigger of the 527 is great.  It's just an awesome rifle.  My 457 has a threaded barrel, so I'm able to shoot it suppressed.  It's awesome too.  I don't think you should choose between the two.  Get both.  The question is which to get first.  I'd start with the 527 in 7.62x39 myself.  You won't go wrong either way though.

[retteryer]

I think for 22lr it should be Ruger,for CZ I would go with 527 in 7.62x39.While everything else is out of stock or out of mind price wise,7.62 soviet can still be found for a decent price.And it is designed to eat cheap steel cased ammo.

[huskyfever03]

457 all day! cheap fun

[hardmix]

This is a no brainer, buy the 457. It’s cheap to shoot, very accurate, and you will learn a lot about trigger control and reading the wind.

[Fuzzy Sights]

Have 2 455s both set up for silhouette shooting. Amazing accuracy both will outshoot an Anschultz. Also have two 527s, one in 223 and one in 6.5.  Both are MOA shooters, though I did have to bed the action on 223 to make it so.  Would recommend the .22 and would not bother with extra rimfire barrels.  Use the money you save for ammo and the future centerfire rifle.

JW

[GeneticallySwiss]

Everyone should have a .22 long rifle firearm in my opinion.


GS