I don’t know about you other guys but I’ve had a bunch of rimfire rifles that typically threw the first shot out of s cold barrel way off. I saw that a lot in my years of shooting small bore silhouette. Never did much hunting with rimfire rifles but often questioned how you would manage that.
I have been shooting rimfires for over fifty years and have found this to be the case for many but not all 22 cal rimfires.. If I want a first shot accurate rifle that groups fair a European rifle will not be my rifle of choice. If I want a rifle that shoots great groups after a few warm up shots I will pick a CZ or another European rifle. This is just my experience and as in most things it doesn.t always hold true but most cases does. The reason, my theory only, is the fact that European .22 cal rifles have a bore that is about .001" smaller than US. made rimfire .22 cal. The size difference is a fact as is the fact that European rifles bring home the most trophies. I have been experimenting with resizing .22 rimfire up .001" for a Ruger single six which has an oversize bore to accommodate the mag round. The results are real. The larger bullet shoots better. But, when I move the larger bullet to a Ruger rifle the first shot or two is off poa. All of these challenges are what make this sport so addictive. No challenge and there is no attraction. I actually decided to go to air rifles for safety reasons. I feel more comfortable shooting a projectile with 23 fpe that one with 140 fpe. That is why I started but the challenge has been addictive. Oh well, there are much worse addictions.
Maybe my two Anschutz rifles are exceptions, but I've never had this issue with them.