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Savage Mark II vs Savage B22 vs Ruger American Rimfire: which budget bolt .22?

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Quick answer

Pick the Savage Mark II FV-SR ($329 MSRP) for the cheapest threaded heavy barrel, an AccuTrigger and the biggest Savage aftermarket. Its weakness is a 5-round mag. Pick the B22 FV-SR ($409) for a 10-round rotary mag and a top-tang safety, or the B22 Precision ($749) for a factory MDT chassis. Pick the Ruger American Rimfire ($509, model 8305) if you want 10/22 magazine compatibility, swappable comb modules and a 60° bolt throw. All four fit NRL22 Base with plenty of room left for a scope.

How do they compare on paper?

All figures are from the makers' own pages, checked October 2026. Street prices are usually lower.

Rifle	Action	Barrel	Trigger	Magazine	Optic mount	Weight (lb)	MSRP (source, date, confidence)	Aftermarket depth	NRL22 fit
Savage Mark II FV-SR	Bolt; thread-in headspace	16.5 in heavy fluted, 1/2x28	AccuTrigger 2.5-6 lb	5-rd box	EGW one-piece rail included	5.5	$329 Savage MSRP. source, 2026-10-12, conf: high	High (Boyds/MDT stocks, triggers, rails)	Base: leaves ~$1,321 for scope
Savage B22 FV-SR	Bolt; top-tang safety	16.25 in heavy threaded	AccuTrigger	10-rd rotary	Pic rail	5.6	$409 Savage MSRP. source, 2026-10-12, conf: high	Medium	Base: leaves ~$1,241 for scope
Savage B22 Precision (70248)	Bolt; MDT one-piece chassis	18 in heavy threaded, 1:16	AccuTrigger 1.5-5 lb	10-rd rotary	One-piece Pic (20 MOA per Gun Tests)	7.38	$749 Savage MSRP. source, 2026-10-12, conf: high	Medium (AICS-style chassis accessories)	Base: leaves ~$901 for scope
Ruger American Rimfire	Bolt; 60-degree throw	18 in 1/2-28 threaded (8305); other lengths by model	Marksman Adjustable 3-5 lb	10/22 BX-1 rotary	3/8 in rimfire base machined in; drilled and tapped for Weaver #12	5.5	$509 Ruger suggested retail $509 (model 8305; other RAR models vary). source, 2026-10-12, conf: high	Medium (some stocks; uses 10/22 mags)	Base: leaves ~$1,141 for scope

MSRPs from the maker where available, otherwise labeled retailer listings, checked Oct 2026. Aftermarket depth and NRL22 fit are our editorial summaries (NRL22 Base: rifle plus scope MSRP up to $1,650). Specs are published figures, not our measurements.

	Mark II FV-SR	B22 FV-SR	B22 Precision	Ruger American Rimfire 8305
MSRP	$329 ^[1]	$409 ^[2]	$749 ^[3]	$509 ^[4]
Barrel	16.5 in heavy fluted, threaded	16.25 in heavy, threaded	18 in heavy, threaded, 1:16	18 in, 1/2-28, cold hammer-forged
Trigger	AccuTrigger 2.5–6 lb	AccuTrigger	AccuTrigger 1.5–5 lb	Marksman Adjustable 3–5 lb
Magazine	5-rd box	10-rd rotary	10-rd rotary	BX-1 10-rd rotary; accepts all 10/22 mags
Stock	Synthetic, LOP 13.9 in	Synthetic, LOP 13.5 in	MDT aluminum chassis, LOP 12.75–13.75 in	Synthetic with two comb modules, LOP 13.75 in
Mount	EGW one-piece rail included	Picatinny rail	One-piece Picatinny (20 MOA per Gun Tests) ^[5]	3/8 in rimfire base machined in; drilled for Weaver #12
Weight	5.5 lb	5.6 lb	7.38 lb	5.5 lb

Which is most accurate?

No source we found tested all four with the same ammo lots, so we won't rank them. Published examples:

Savage Mark II (BV model, not the FV-SR): Gunblast recorded 50 yd groups of 0.31–0.88 in, with repeatable 0.31 in groups on Olin standard velocity ^[6]. That's one rifle.
Ruger American Rimfire (Target model 8367, not the 8305): Gun Tests averaged 0.91 in at 50 yd across four loads ^[7].
B22 Precision: Gun Tests measured its trigger at 0.98 lb and described the magazine as a proprietary rotary design ^[5]. See the source for their accuracy results.

Ammo lot matters more than the model here. Run a lot test before blaming the rifle: ammo testing guide.

Our range results (coming soon)

This box will hold our own groups, chronograph data and photos for this topic once we've shot and recorded them. Until then, every accuracy number on this page comes from the published source cited next to it. We have not tested these rifles or products hands-on for this article.

Trigger: AccuTrigger vs Marksman Adjustable

Both are user-adjustable designs with a safety blade in the trigger face. Savage's AccuTrigger goes lower: 2.5 lb on the Mark II FV-SR and 1.5 lb on the B22 Precision (maker ranges). Ruger's Marksman Adjustable on the RAR is 3–5 lb ^[4]. For NRL22 Base, keep the factory trigger: aftermarket triggers move you to Open ^[8]. Gun Tests noted that the B22 Precision's blade gives a slightly two-stage feel ^[5].

Magazines and feeding

Mark II: a single-stack 5-round box. It's simple, but you'll be reloading often in matches. Higher-capacity aftermarket mags exist; check fit reports before buying.
B22: a 10-round rotary that sits flush, with an ambidextrous release on the Precision ^[3].
RAR: the BX-1 rotary, and Ruger says it accepts all 10/22 magazines, including the BX-25 and BX-15 ^[4]. That's the biggest practical advantage here: 10/22 mags are cheap and everywhere.

Scope mounting

The Mark II FV-SR ships with an EGW rail and the B22s ship with Picatinny rails, so they're ready for any Pic rings. The RAR 8305 has a 3/8 in rimfire dovetail machined into the receiver and is drilled for Weaver #12 bases ^[4]. Budget about $20–$70 for a base if you want Picatinny. Scope pairings that keep Base headroom: Athlon Argos BTR Gen2 6-24x50 FFP ($288.99 seen), Arken EPL-4 4-16x44 FFP ($299.99), and Primary Arms SLx 4-16x44 FFP ($399.99). More: optics and mounting.

Ergonomics and fit

The B22 Precision is the only one of the four with an adjustable length of pull (12.75–13.75 in) and comb, through its MDT chassis ^[3]. The RAR has swappable comb modules for scope or iron-sight height, and Ruger sells compact modules for smaller shooters ^[4]. The Mark II FV-SR has the longest fixed length of pull here, at 13.9 in.

Aftermarket

The Savage Mark II has decades of stocks, chassis and triggers behind it. The B22 is newer, with fewer parts. The RAR borrows the 10/22's magazine ecosystem, but its stock and barrel aftermarket is smaller. If you want to upgrade heavily later, a CZ 457 or T1x has a far larger precision aftermarket (chassis guide, barrel and trigger upgrades).

Which should you buy?

If you want...	Pick	Why
The lowest cost NRL22 Base starter	Mark II FV-SR	$329 with a rail included leaves about $1,321 for glass
10-round mags and a tang safety	B22 FV-SR	$409; rotary mag
A factory chassis and an adjustable LOP	B22 Precision	$749, MDT chassis, 1.5 lb minimum trigger
Cheap mags you already own (10/22)	Ruger American Rimfire	Accepts all 10/22 magazines
A youth or smaller shooter	RAR with compact modules	Ruger offers compact LOP modules

What about a CZ 457 or Tikka T1x instead?

Both cost more ($649 CZ 457 Scout, $699 T1x MTR 16 in) but add a larger precision aftermarket and, on the CZ, swappable barrels. See T1x vs CZ 457 vs Bergara vs RAR and best .22 bolt actions by budget.

Starter kit for any of the four

Ammo for lot testing: CCI Standard Velocity, SK Standard Plus.
Bipod: Harris S-LM ($121.99).
Sling: Magpul MS1 ($37.95).
All four are threaded 1/2x28, so they work as suppressor hosts: suppressor hosts.

FAQ

Is the Savage Mark II better than the Ruger American Rimfire?

On paper, the Mark II FV-SR costs less ($329 vs $509 MSRP), has a heavy barrel and a lighter-adjusting AccuTrigger (2.5 lb min). The RAR has 10-round 10/22-compatible magazines and swappable comb modules. No side-by-side accuracy test we found ranks one ahead of the other.

What is the difference between the Savage Mark II and B22?

The B22 uses a 10-round rotary magazine and a top-tang safety. The Mark II uses a 5-round box magazine. The B22 FV-SR costs $409 MSRP vs $329 for the Mark II FV-SR.

Does the Ruger American Rimfire take 10/22 magazines?

Yes. Ruger says the American Rimfire accepts all 10/22 magazines, including the BX-25 and BX-15.

Is the Savage B22 Precision NRL22 Base legal?

Its $749 MSRP leaves about $901 for a scope under the $1,650 Base cap, if you keep the factory configuration. Check the current NRL22 rules.

Sources

Confidence: maker specs and prices are high confidence as of the date seen; forum and owner reports are low–medium confidence and labeled as such.

Not affiliated with Sako/Tikka, CZ, Bergara, Ruger, Savage or any retailer. We have not tested products hands-on for these guides; figures come from cited sources. Affiliate disclosure · Privacy · Terms · Rimfire Builds is operated by Tomahawk Designs LLC, Utah · contact@rimfirebuilds.com