CBC / Magtech model 7022

I suppose that with the influx of the more military looking 22 semi-auto rifles, the more traditional fare has taken rather a back seat. It’s not that it doesn’t shoot, far from it; it’s just that for many it all looks a bit dated. However, if you’re out bashing bunnies you don’t need a 25-round magazine and all that Tactical Tommy furniture. So, a standard stock (wood or plastic) a couple of spare mags and a place to put the scope and moderator is all that’s required.

MAGTECH/CBC

CBC - Companhia Brasileira de Cartuchos is based in St Paulo Brazil and is one of the largest ammunition producers in the world. In 1990 Magtech was created as the commercial brand of CBC products, selling small arms calibres to customers in over 90 countries.

Although in the UK we mainly see them as ammunition suppliers, they also offer a range of firearms based in the main on American equipment. On test is a good example of this, the CBC/Magtech 7022 semi-auto rifle, which is a licensed copy of the Marlin 597. Unusually, the 7022 when compared to the 597 has improved on some features but not copied others directly. So it is better in some areas and less practical in others!

The build is as expected, with a blacked aluminium alloy receiver with an 11mm integral dovetail for scope mounting. You get a choice of furniture, either hard wood (un-chequered) or black plastic (moulded-in textured panels) with a low butt and a slightly raised comb and a black plastic butt plate, annoyingly there’s no QD sling studs fitted, which would have been nice. Also plastic is the trigger mech housing (TMH). The barrel is 18” long complete with some rather fancy iron sights and the muzzle threaded ½ x 20 UNF for a moderator complete with a thread protector. Included in the price are 2 x 10-round magazines, which is a great selling point.

Blow back baby

The mechanism is the usual blow back system found on 99.9% of all 22 semis and shows a medium-sized curved cocking handle that reciprocates with the action. Now for the changes when compared to the 597!

The 7022 has moved the cross bolt safety forward from the rear of the trigger guard and enlarged it for easier operation. The mag catch, which was a small, L-shaped, sheet metal tag at the rear of the well is now a larger lever set into the front of the trigger guard. Both changes are for the better and aid general shootability!

However, the automatic last round hold open (LRH) complete with a big manual release catch of the 597 has been done away with in favour of a magazine-actuatedonly system that simply blocks the bolt. Meaning mag removal is a tad harder and when it comes out the bolt will slam shut.

Plus, and on reflection, the mag platform gets a battering, which might have a long-term effect on reliability. To partially combat this, the 7022 has a manual, push-in bolt handle that physically locks the action open. See what I mean, a definite case of swings and roundabouts!

The iron sights are interesting, both showing Day-Glo insert rods to improve the line up. At the rear is a fully adjustable tangent-type with green rods either side of the U-notch. Small thumb wheels move it in the required directions. Up front, a ramp with a fixed blade with a red bar insert in a rather fancy, skeletonised, pressed steel protector. Though basic, I was warming to the rifle, which is actually quite an old design and I recall testing it and the Marlin 597 many years ago for the magazine. So I was keen to see if anything had changed for the better.

Rigged and ready

I decided to fit a SIG SAUER Whiskey 3, 3-9x42 scope and used Sportsmatch, 1” medium-height rings. In doing so I had to remove the rear sight, as the objective, which was not that wide, still fowled it. No big deal and an easy enough job, but I like iron sights so would need high mounts to allow me to keep them on, which could mess up my cheek-weld. I used RWS sub-sonic hollow point (Sport Line) and Magtech 40-grain hollow point HV for testing. Oh yes and I fitted an A-TEC Wave rimfire moderator from Jackson rifles, a design that has proven effective.

Magazines filled easily and feed proved reliable, with few stoppages and those mainly being power-related. Starting with the action locked open and a full mag fitted, you pull back on the cocking handle, then pull it out and let it go and you’re loaded. The trigger was a bit mushy but better than I remember. Accuracy too as I recall, my tester of many years ago was shooting about 1.5” at 50-yards but this the new version got it down to an inch with the RWS subs.

On the downside you do get a lot of crud coming out of the ejection port and with the Magtech HV, which is really dirty ammo, you were eating the fumes! With the RWS subs it was easy enough to take the rifle out to 100 yards and hit inside a 2” circle. This is no 100 yard head shot gun, but solid body shots behind the shoulder are possible at this distance! The wooden stock would be my choice, as it feels fuller and more solid than the plastic option and it’s slightly raised comb gives that bit better head position with taller rings.