Romanian m69 22 price

(This post is an entry in our spring content contest. The grand prize is a Beretta APX pistol. Entries are closed and we will announce the winner one we have run the best entries received.)By Kurt M.Do you know the feel good story of the ugly duckling? You know the one where the ugly duckling turned out to really be a beautiful swan? This won’t be that kind of review. In a flock of CZ 452’s, the Romanian M69 really is an ugly duckling. One glance at this Romanian milsurp .22 rifle screams sturdy, but cheap… especially because of that mystery wood stock.This is the kind of rifle you can walk by without giving a second look. Ugly is as ugly does though, so don’t be too judgmental, this ugly bird can shoot like a CZ but at one quarter the cost. It’s not all roses but for the right owner, and at the right price, the M69 is an ugly duckling you’ll want to bring home.A little backgroundThe story of this .22 rifle really starts in World War Two Czechoslovakia. The Czechs produced weapons for the German war effort, among those weapons were .22 training rifles. After the war the Czechs continued to sell those .22 rifles as the Brno model 1. The Brno model 1 became the inspiration or genesis for many .22 training rifles used in the Warsaw Pact countries.The Czechs ultimately perfected the excellent and still commercially available 452 and now 455 series of .22 rifles well received here in many flavors. The Poles produced the now forgotten but still excellent WZ78. The Yugoslavians created a great rifle that is also still commercially available. Sold under many names in the US including CZ 99 and Remington Model 5 that rifle has been positively reviewed here. The M69, produced from 1969 to 1989, is a Romanian variation in this lineage of .22 rifles.In 1968 The Soviet Union sent tanks into Czechoslovakia to put down a reform movement called the Prague Spring. The Romanian government sought to generate popular enthusiasm by opposing the Soviet crackdown and encouraging the population to join the paramilitary Patriotic Guards to protect the country. Hundreds of thousands, men and women, joined and every community and factory had its own Patriotic Guards unit. The Romanian military had to have some means of teaching all these people how to shoot and the M69 is what

Produce very good results since the sights really help you. This rifle is a confidence builder. If you want that, and only need that, this one could be a winner for you.Final thoughtsWhen these rifles were under $100 dollars they were a great deal. As they go up in price they become less of a deal. A factory new base model savage .22 with a plastic stock is very close in price now. You can have great groups with that too and factory support. It’s something you have to weigh. That said this still has great features for the price point and is still a viable option for someone looking for a good cheap .22. They can still be had for under $100 if you look hard enough.If you don’t mind the quirks of the M69 but want something pretty the CZ 99 is a great choice for about $100 more. If you want everything, form and function, get a CZ 455 for $400 and call it a day. How much do you want to invest and what can you live without? For $120 or so a M69 will serve you well.Specifications: Romanian M69 Bolt Action .22 RifleCaliber: .22 LRAction: BoltCapacity: 5 roundsManufacturer: RomaniaPrice: $120 give or take $50Ratings (out of five stars):Style *The M69 is not a pretty rifle. No one will complement you on your beautiful rifle. There is very little you can do to fix this yourself since the wood wasn’t quality to begin with. If you like its accuracy the homely look might grow on you. At least the stock isn’t plastic right?Ergonomics * * *Average nothing really terrible but nothing really stands out as great either. The stock has a 14” length of pull so it can fit a range of body types. I like the short throw of the bolt but it can be hard to use due to a lack of leverage. The trigger isn’t great but it could be worse. It is very light and handy, much lighter than say a CZ 455. If you can get past its style the ergonomics are fine.Reliability * * * *By and large the rifle is very reliable and since it has few parts there are few parts to break. There are known issues with the magazine and ejection however. Mine has been perfect but yours might not be. There is no factory support if

Prefer function over form. If you really don’t care about form at all, taking this rifle out in public to your home range is a great way to prove it.The goodNow that we have that out of the way the rifle does have some great redeeming features. The bolt throw is very short and with some practice you can get very quick with the rifle. It is over a pound lighter than a CZ 452 trainer and you really notice that. It is easy to carry around and use despite the long barrel. The magazine release is very easy to use and since you push forward to actuate it won’t get released on accident. It’s way better than many commercial competitors and would be very good on a hunting .22.The rear sight is great and intuitive to use. It is steel, it stays where you want it to and it is very tough. If you know your range it’s very easy to really dial it in and make accurate shots quickly. Again it would be great for hunting; the commercial competitors at this price point often just have cheap buckhorn sights where you have to guess bullet drop. The sight isn’t as nice as many aftermarket options but if you don’t want to put more money into a cheap .22 these sights are night and day better.I’ve talked about how cheaply built the M69 is but the receiver and especially the barrel are machined steel and you could never buy a commercial equivalent at this price point. The man hours would push this way up there which goes to show just how bad things were for the average Romanian when these were built.I have found accuracy to be very good with the rifle. At 25 yards I can consistently keep my groups within the size of a quarter and I’m not a great shot. I know others could do better with my rifle. I can do that with cheap bulk .22 like blazer 40 grain solids or Remington Thunderbolts. It is not ammo finicky. I can get similar results with other rifles but I had to pay more for them.If you are a hunter the sights are very practical and you can be as consistent as you need to be to hit small game. Beyond the practical results I see the advantage here being that someone with no experience could

Something goes wrong.Customize this * *You can certainly work on the stock and do improvements yourself. Since the rifle is cheap you might be more willing to try refinishing this than you would with a more expensive rifle. There is hardly any aftermarket support so you’re on your own when customizing it.Overall * * *The M69 tests what really matters to you. At this price point you get a great accurate .22 and little else. Only you can answer what really matters most to you. The higher the price goes on these the less attractive they should be. I would add or take away either a half star or a whole star for every $50 it goes in either direction, depending on how you grade. At $120 you have to seriously consider if the sights and barrel are worth not having factory support given the competition. In summation if you find one in good condition, at a price that seems right to you, they are worth looking at assuming you can love an ugly duckling.