Zombies Beware

I got a chance to test a Savage A22 Takedown rifle, a rimfire, magazine fed, semi-automatic that is as reliable as it is portable. This is a blowback 22 semi-auto that takes down to backpack size almost instantly.

Anyone who knows me knows that I often gauge my equipment reviews based on usefulness and utility during the zombie apocalypse. The Savage A22 Takedown is a “must have” product, so don’t leave home without one.

Yeah, I know: A 22LR is “not powerful enough” for a survival rifle, and 22LR ammunition is “not reliable enough” for zombie warfare. Here is my answer: Out of a handgun, a 22 is questionable. However, I have seen what 22 LR out of a rifle looks like in real life, and it may surprise the ballistics “experts” out there. As far as reliability is concerned, we simply cannot dismiss the advancements in manufacturing technology in the past few years.

Federal invited me to tour their plant in Lewiston, ID a few years back. I have seen ammunition manufacture before but I was amazed at the redundancy in the inspection process. I would trust a 22 semi-auto for zombie work.

Uncomplicated Design

The truth is, many a homesteader has relied on a 22LR to keep coney stew on the fire, and rid the garden of pests. If called upon to defend the roost, the A22 is up to the job.

The A22 Takedown Rifle is a pretty uncomplicated design. It uses a 10 round rotary magazine that is flush with the bottom of the receiver when loaded. It uses the proven Savage AccuTrigger, and a rapid takedown system.

When I first tried the A22 Takedown, I loaded up several magazines with various types of 22 LR ammo. I mixed the ammo, so I could get an idea of the reliability. Some guns prefer one type of ammo. That is, a gun that can feed target ammo reliably may not do hunting ammo well. Regardless of what I put in it, the A22 Takedown digested it and spat it out.

The A22 Takedown comes with an optics rail that allows the user to align the iron sights, even with an optic mounted. At first I thought this wouldn’t be useful, but it gives the shooter functionality, even with an optics (or battery) failure, without having to change anything. This also aids in sighting in the optic.

I liked the magazines, but I would love to have a little higher capacity. If you are the type of shooter that throws a bunch of loaded magazines into a bag for range day, never considering the fact that things get banged around, this is your product. Conventional mags that stack rounds over a spring and a follower are a little less ammo protective than the rotary types. If you don’t believe me, drop a “stacked” magazine on a hard surface feed lips up. You’ll be lucky rounds don’t pop out. They compress the spring, then smash cartridges against the feed lips. It is still brutal with a rotary mag, but they are certainly more protective. The A22 magazines can really take some abuse.

The tail end of the buttstock opens up to hold 3 magazines. I found I had to be pretty deliberate in yanking them out, but I liked the ability to carry extra rounds.

The magazine catch, which keeps it in the rifle’s mag well, is on the magazine, not the gun. This adds to the rifle’s reliability because a mag catch failure is limited to a single magazine. Swap it out, and move on.

Quick To Get Into Action

At 25-50 yards, this gun was capable of cloverleaf groups with most 22 LR ammo. I had plenty of Winchester “White Box” 36 grain rounds, and the A22 demonstrated outstanding field accuracy. Savage uses a 1/16 18” threaded barrel here, which has a reputation for accuracy and long life. In my previous life, I competed with two different Savage rifles, and the adjustability of the AccuTrigger and great barrel building gave me an edge. The A22 doesn’t just carry the legacy, it has the precision to back it up.

Like the full sized model, the A22 Takedown has a flat area molded into the forend. It gives great stability when shooting over a rest. There are two sling studs, one on the forend, the other on the stock. Several companies like Magpul make sling stud bipods that are compatible with this setup. The grip on the stock even has a utility compartment big enough for your Otis RipCord and batteries. The cheekpiece on the stock is wide and flat, and it fit me, and likely most shooters, well.

The A22 Takedown is quick to get into action. Once the bolt is locked to the rear by the latch in front of the trigger guard, it only takes about a quarter turn to disassemble. Unlike several takedown style guns, there aren’t any delicate parts sticking out of the disassembled ends when in travel mode. The two sections stow easily into my bright blue, non-tactical looking, pack, from which I am ready for the zombies to attempt their incursion. Re assembly is just as quick, and it is literally seconds between unzipping the backpack and accurate zombie suppression.

The manual of arms is simple, consisting of a straight throw of the bolt, and a simple crossbolt safety in front of the trigger.

MSRP is $479.

Here’s the bottom line. If I was issued a Savage A22 Takedown as a zombie patrol rifle, and set down into a target rich environment with a sufficient number of rounds, I’m betting on me. It is a superior survival rifle, and it is pretty inexpensive insurance for all types of invasions.