Rifle was purchased by us for testing & evaluation. Winchester did not see the video prior to publication and no compensation was received. This write-up is an unboxing / first-impressions look — cold weather kept us from a range report in the same video.
Squat Squad — if you want a fun, target-focused .22 bolt gun and you don’t want to burn cash on a Springfield 2020 Rimfire that disappointed on the range, and you also don’t have Ruger Precision Rimfire / Ruger American Rimfire money yet, take a look at the Winchester Xpert Rimfire.
Precision rimfire accessories: Anarchy Outdoors (code SlavGuns on Anarchy-manufactured only). Everyday gear lists: SlavGuns Amazon. Support the channel: join on YouTube.
What it is
This is Winchester’s Xpert Rimfire bolt-action in .22 LR — Turkish-made (marked Istanbul Silah), imported via Browning (Morgan, Utah), with Winchester as an Olin trademark on the box. So “Winchester” branding, Browning import path, Turkish build. It shares design language with Winchester’s semi-auto Xpert .22, and it feeds Ruger 10/22 magazines (Winchester-branded mag in the box; other 10/22 mags should work).
I spotted it in a local Cabela’s Black Friday ad, didn’t even realize Winchester had a bolt rimfire like this, and picked one up. On camera I said roughly $250-ish before a mail-in rebate — treat that as what I paid that day, not a live street price.
Stock, bolt, and controls
- Polymer stock with a futuristic look — fixed length of pull and comb (no adjusters), hard butt (no rubber pad)
- No swivel studs anywhere — downside if you want a traditional sling
- Hollowed / weight-saving areas in the butt; upright grip angle that feels more precision-friendly
- Forend is free-floated but a bit flexy if you squeeze it
- 10/22-style mag with a red sliding release; mag seats cleanly
- All-metal-feeling bolt body, smooth throw, a little effort to lock down — not bad
- Two-position safety (a bit stout); you can still run the bolt on safe
Barrel, sights, and optics reality
Receiver is pre-drilled for a scope rail but ships with no rail — no built-in Weaver/Picatinny, no dovetail. Iron sights front and rear are on the barrel; plinker-friendly out of the box. Target-style crown. Not threaded (that was my second big “wish it had…”). Two action screws plus a barrel nut — interesting for future stock/chassis or barrel experiments, but that’s curiosity, not a promise of aftermarket fit.
Biggest personal letdowns from the unboxing: no optic base in the box (most .22 shooters want glass), and no threads. Next step on camera was buying a proper base and getting rounds through it — and I floated a possible giveaway later. Range report wasn’t in this video because it was freezing outside.
Who it’s for
Budget bolt .22 buyers who want something more serious than junk but cheaper than an RPR / American Rimfire stack — especially if you’re comparing against the Springfield 2020 Rimfire headaches. Half the price of that Springfield (as framed in the video) with a better street reputation at that spend, per the conversation on camera. Great candidate for a tripod clamp and teaching someone to shoot once you add a base and optic.
Bottom line
Winchester Xpert Rimfire: Turkish Winchester-branded bolt .22, 10/22 mags, free-float polymer stock, irons included, no rail and no threads from the factory. Solid unboxing first look; real groups and reliability wait for the live-fire follow-up. Watch the video for the full hands-on walkaround.
Keep squatting.
Would you run irons first, or slap a base and optic on day one?
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