Winchester Wildcat .22 rifle?

[awp101]

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

[squawberryman]

What was the price?

[bogusbill]

I suspect they are reliable, light and functional. I just am old school and wont buy anything but walnut and steel. This futuristic stuff has never called me.

[awp101]

May 23, 2020 11:37:11 GMT -5 squawberryman said:

What was the price?

Either $239 or $259 IIRC. I didn't pay super close attention but I'm pretty sure it was less than the T/C .22s on the same wall.

I love the old steel and walnut myself but I'm willing to try out any new designs that aren't a steaming pile (looking at you Remington Viper/597). If we don't, all we'll be left with are the old, out of production models and that doesn't benefit anyone.

[JM]

Almost like a cross between a Ruger 1022 & a Remington Nylon 66.

[awp101]

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 but 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.

[squawberryman]

I can't do Japchesters, neither Turkchesters I suppose.