Winchester Wildcat

[KentuckyWindage]

I've been meaning to post this for a while, but I'm just now getting around to it.

Last Christmas I received a Winchester Wildcat. I'm not sure how many of you are familiar with Winchester's new .22 rifle, but this is it. I had been looking at new .22s for several months prior to receiving this gift, and the Wildcat was my favorite.

For those who are unfamiliar with the rifle, let me describe it for you. The Wildcat is a bolt action, has a checkered hardwood stock, is 38 3/8" long, weighs a miniscule 4 1/2 pounds and is sold with one 5-round magazine and three 10-round magazines.

To anyone considering a new .22 rifle, I absolutely reccomend this rifle. You'll forget you're even packing this rifle, it's so light. The trigger feels great, and you won't find a more accurate gun. I can say this having shot several .22s including a couple noted for excellent accuracy (Henry lever and Marlin 39A).

I mounted a Tasco Pronghorn 3-9x40 on mine. The only issue I had was my rings. If you purchase this rifle, don't buy cheap scope rings. The first pair I bought were supposed to be 3/8" dovetail, but when turned all the way down, they wouldn't seat in the 3/8" groove of the Wildcat. I went out and purchased a pair of Weaver rings (not weaver style, these rings were made by the Weaver company) and they fit perfectly.

My brother and I sighted the scope in, then decided to see just how accurate it was. We picked up 10 .22 casings, took them 50 yards out and placed them over top of weed heads. We came back to where we were firing from. We hit 9 out of 10 of the casings. The miss was my first shot. I simply pulled off (not used to firing from a vice). Granted this was in a vice, but that's the only way to check accuracy without the variable of the shooter.

This is the rifle I take coon hunting. Even I'm amazed at some of the shots I've been able to make on coons nestled into a crevace or fork on a tree. Now I'm a guy who doesn't see very well. Several times my brother has shown me a coon that I couldn't see until I looked through the scope at 9 power. I haven't found a round yet that the rifle doesn't shoot well. That includes several hypervelocity rounds I've fired through it. Winchester super X 40 grain power point hollow points are my round of choice. I've also fired several different federals, CCIs and remingtons.

Anyway, I just wanted to post this on here. I had trouble finding any reviews on this still fairly new rifle, and I've been meaning to get one up here for anyone who may be considering this great little rifle.

[KentuckyWindage]

forgot to add a link to anyone who may want to see the rifle, or get some more advanced details of it. Here it is:

http://www.winchesterguns.com/prodinfo/catalog/detail.asp?cat_id=525&type_id=100&cat=018C

[Kaibaby]

Thanks for the good info! This is the first I've heard of this rifle. Will consider it for a 2nd squirrel rifle to my CZ! The light weight sounds good for packing in the woods!

[KentuckyWindage]

Thanks for the good info! This is the first I've heard of this rifle. Will consider it for a 2nd squirrel rifle to my CZ! The light weight sounds good for packing in the woods!

Glad it was useful for you.

The weight of this rifle makes it a dream to pack. I bought a cheap sling at Walmart that's easy to adjust (takes only a couple seconds). While we're walking to the dogs when coonhunting, I adjust the sling out and actually put the rifle on my back. Sometimes I literally forget it's back there.

Because it comes with the 4 magazines, unless you're going to do a LOT of shooting, you never have to worry about carrying loose shells, either.

Another thing I love about this rifle is the safety feature. The safety is located on the trigger guard, right hand side just in front of the trigger. The rear position is safe. So when you put the rifle up to your shoulder, you can find your target and use your trigger finger to move the safety to fire without even thinking about it.

[454Casull]

The mechanical parts look exactly like a Russian TOZ-78 that I bought a couple of years ago. The front site is a little different along with the stock, but everything else appears to be the same. The Winchester stock is a lot nicer. It is a very accurate rifle and very light, but mine came with 2-5 round and 2-10 round mags. The only downside I have with mine is that the 10 round magazines don't function like they should, they want to fall out. The paid $150 for mine, which is what I still see them selling for. There is a TOZ-99 that's a semi-auto that I would like to try, if it shoots as good at the bolt it would be one fun rifle.

ETA: I took a closer look at the pictures on the Winchester site and in the one were the scope is mounted on it, you can see on the receiver were it is the TOZ-78, and on the barrel you can see the first 2 or 3 letters of Russia on it. The Winchester definitely has a nicer stock and bolt handle. Again, I would agree that they are very nice shooting rifles.