The 702 Plinkster, which is manufactured in Brazil and sold by Mossberg, is a semiautomatic rimfire rifle chambered in .22 LR.
My test model weighed four pounds, had an 18 inch blued barrel and a synthetic stock and came with a 10-round detachable box magazine.
The receiver and trigger guard were made from aluminum, while the receiver also had machined grooves for mounting a rimfire riflescope.
The barrel came with open sights, and a shroud protects the front sight. The v-notch rear sight may be adjusted for elevation and windage and folded down to better accommodate mounting a rifle scope.
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Loading the magazine was simple, although the spring may be a little too strong for young shooters to fill in the last few cartridges.
The magazine clicks firmly into the receiver.
Removing the magazine requires depressing a lever just behind the magazine well, which was awkward if attempted one-handed and even required a bit of effort with two hands.
A shooter may manually operate the bolt with a right-handed bolt lever.
When locking the bolt open, the shooter must use the bolt lever to pull the bolt all the way open and then press the lever inward toward the left. It may take a shooter a few attempts to get the feel for this.
Pulling the bolt lever back, outward and then releasing it from the open bolt position causes the bolt to close on its own.
The rimfire rifle performed adequately in tests. We were able to get reasonable accuracy up to 50 yards using its iron sights. It was easy to adjust the rear sight with a small flat-bladed screwdriver.
However, it is not the most accurate product I have shot.
My target patterning spread noticeably with cheap bulk ammunition. I also experienced a few jams spaced out through my initial several hundred test rounds.
The rifle is lightweight and small, which makes it ideal for young shooters just starting out. The mild recoil and report should not put off even the most sensitive shooters with the right ammunition and ear protection.
Visually finding and lining up the iron sights is easy, and the firearm’s basic ergonomics make it pleasant to settle into a good shooting position.
The most positive feature is its modest price of around $180, which makes it perfect to expose young shooters to the sport.
An adult is never completely sure if a child will fully embrace a new hobby, so the inexpensive cost of this firearm makes it attractive.
You will not be shooting the wings off a fly on the horizon with the Plinkster, but you will certainly have no problem plinking cans and gophers at reasonable distances.
Kim Quintin is a Saskatoon outdoor enthusiast and knife maker. He can be reached for column content suggestions at kim.quintin@producer.com or 306-665-9687.
