Remington 541-S

that is sort of what I was thinking.

what makes a gun special isn't that it was perfect , it is that you made memories with them and that rifle.

I recently bought an Ithaca M37 20ga featherweight deerslayer , because it was as close as I was ever going to get to my great uncles deer gun , we hunted together for 27 years before he passed a few years go. his son has the gun.
mine has a different serial number the same in every other way.
I plan to hunt with it next season , the importance isn't the gun but the memories it brings back.

I would suggest you look first at a good user a good tool almost any decent 22lr will last a couple generations if you can get a spare set of springs and a few magazines for it.

if you were not set on a bolt action ,a 10/22 is a handy farm gun you can get it with the deluxe stock in walnut and there are parts everywhere for them you could have spares of everything and they can run forever.
what I would not get is just one , I would find that user you like and buy one for you and each of your kids then go make the memories with them they can fight over who gets "yours" but they will have their own and their own memories to go with them also.

don't worry about it being heirloom quality , just good quality 22s are tools

Ruger American rimfire , it uses 10/22 mags

The CZ 457 is still made and available

Savage makes the MKII they are very accurate the magazines are a touch of a weak point , just don't sit on them and have some spares.

make the memories with what you think is a good user that fits your needs.

This is what I think of when I picture a rifle that will passed down for generations.

Sorry I'm no help on a bolt action. Never cared for them personally.

I always wanted a semi-auto Browning .22 myself.

Mossberg 142k if you can find one , you would look long and hard and probably not find any bolt action better.

If you don't have a absolute of being American, I'd go with a CZ. They are made like the old school Rem's, Win's and such. Tackdriver.

Dirty D that is a beauty!

The Browning lever and semi auto are what came to mind when I read this. They also have the T bolt. All are in that 800-900 range I think.
Do you currently have any guns youve had a long time?
I have several of my dad’s guns since he passed away 14 years ago. A couple ill never sell because of the memories I have from getting to shoot or carry them when I was young. The others Ill never part with are the ones he told me stories about.
For instance, he had four Ithaca 37’s. A 12, two 16’s and a 20. The 12 he bought during his lunch break at school his senior year and the principal kept it in his office the rest of the day if I remember right. One of the 16’s has all the bluing worn off and I was allowed to carry that when I was pretty young.
You may already have something that fits the bill?

Turnbull could also do a one of a kind project. I had them case harden a couple rugers for my kids and engrave the barrels.

I know you said you are looking for a bolt action rifle . But the Marlin 39 A& 39M lever action .22 caliber are about as classic a gun as you can buy .If they are taken care of they last forever And the ones made during the 60 ,70,&80 not only hold their value they are now worth 7 to 10 times what they cost from new And another option is the Ruger .22 CALIBER Model K77/22-VBZIt was made from 1993 to 2016 so it might be a little hard to find one . But it fits the description of "This was Dad's gun" perfectly . They are made with a light brown to dark brown laminated stock and a Grey stainless action and barrel. If you put a scope on it to match the action and barrel . it will stand out in any group of other guns And anyone that you would pass it on too would indeed be blessed to own it

If you want American, you either buy a new Ruger or buy a used gun. I would start by watching armslist for a month or so. Watch for local auctions. Get on gunbroker and find a model you like. Plenty to choose from. If you got two sons you might think about keeping the A5 for one and the new 22 for the other. I have an A5 made in the early 40's. Grandad bought it new. Old gun still lays shot right where you point it without jamming.