New for 2021: Winchester Wildcat 22 SR (Suppressor Ready)

New for 2021, the Winchester Wildcat 22 SR is a suppressor/silencer-ready carbine that provides shooters with a proven, blowback-operated semi-automatic that is chambered for the diminutive, and ubiquitous .22 Long Rifle cartridge. The suppressor-ready Wildcat 22 SR will come packed with features that made the first iteration of the Wildcat successful, such as tool-less takedown, rotary magazine, Picatinny rail and more.

The new Wildcat 22 SR is a great platform training for new and youth shooters, while accommodating small- and large-stature adults. The gun’s overall length measures 34.75” and weighs 4 lbs. empty. Bilateral controls pave the way for left- and right-hand operation, too. By adding a shortened, 16.5” button-rifled barrel with 1/2X28 t.p.i. muzzle threading, the svelte repeater takes on a whole new presence by allowing the addition of muzzle accessories. The chromoly-steel barrel features a recessed target-style crown and twist rate to accommodate myriad bullet weights for repeatable accuracy and functionality. Winchester provides a matte-blued finish for protection against corrosion.

The shooter’s interface is a polymer stock that is skeletonized and shaped to effectively fit most all shooters and rimfire-shooting tasks—a vertical grip, tapered fore-end and straight comb-to-heel measurement further extend the unit’s possibilities. The stock is modified to supply accessory- and sling-attachment points; a molded-in and covered Picatinny rail is found at the fore-end’s tip. Furthermore, Winchester supplies Picatinny-style rail molded into the receiver’s top and included is a fully adjustable rear sight with peep. The front sight is a ramped post.

Field-stripping and cleaning the Wildcat 22 SR couldn’t be more simple; by depressing a button at the receiver’s rear, the striker-fired bolt and trigger assembly may be removed from the receiver. For further disassembly, two hex wrenches are nested within the receiver housing. Winchester supplies its own rotary-style magazine with capacity for 10 rounds that features metal feed lips, translucent polymer body and a bolt-hold-open mechanism that initiates once the last round is fired. Ruger 10/22 magazines and aftermarket magazines modeled after Ruger’s design will function, too.

Wildcat: Fast. Flawless. Fun. These are the words Winchester debuts with its marketing behind the Wildcat 22 SR, and from our initial sampling, the sentiment stands true: The action is fast. The operation is flawless. And is a whole lot of fun to shoot. Screw on a direct-mount silencer and experience what you’ve been missing.

Watch our video above to see the new Winchester Wildcat 22 SR in action. To learn more about Winchester Repeating Arms and its Wildcat series, please visit the company website HERE.