classic .22 rifle suggestions?

[Red07]

Hey BD, gotta love them .22's

First of all, let me say I just love the henry lever actions.(have several). That being said, I don't think it's the gun for you, for two reasons.

1.  Great for shooting rabbits, squirrels, etc.., but for paper?  I think you would find the Henry's
fall short when it comes to accuracy.  Sure, you can kill a pop can at 100 yards with it, but try to put a hole in the "o" on a coke can at 100 yds, ain't going to happen.

2.  If you are going to be punching paper with it, I assume you are going to be shooting from a bench?  That means off sand bags or even a front shooting rest with a rear bag.  MUCH easier with a bolt rifle.  With a pump or lever you would need to lift it off bags/rest for every shot.  A bolt would allow you to cycle without disturbing your set up.

While lever guns are definitely my favorite, I would choose a bolt gun.  My Henry's don't even hold a candle to my Marlin 39A's as far as accuracy or fit and finish.  And my 39A's can't compete with my bolt action CZ's or the Savages.  Just my opinion.

My best advise (for whichever you choose) would be to buy a good scope.  I would rather have a $500 scope on a $100 gun, than a $100 scope on a $500 gun. 

Have fun

Randy

[Lannis]

Gouging. When the stories about school shootings became a nationwide debate, there was a run on ammunition. That didn't last though but prices soared. Why charge less and sell more when you can charge many times more and make far less? Someone figured out that demand can be kept high and with it prices and with that, profits. Its really only a business to the manufacturers,distributors and dealers, not a sport, hobby or necessity (in whatever order you like) as it is for us.

Bingo!   Simple economics - charge what the market will bear.   No need in conspiracy theories and NRA pulling strings when the simple fact is that they were selling all they could make at $.20 a round.

Happened in '92 and again in '08.   Me, I don't have a good place to actually put any more, so I'm done buyin' for now!

Lannis

[atavar]

I'm sort of in the same boat as Lannis.  I actually have too much .22LR stocked up.  The last time I went to shoot the old stuff I had quite a few non-fires even with excellent firing pin strikes.  I need to get my oldest stuff shot and replaced.

[rboe]

Not sure how it will affect other shooters but my gun shop told me, in Phoenix, if you bought your brick and put it in your car then took your time going home - in the summer. The primer material in a rim fire will flow to one side once hot. This results in a lopsided distribution of the primer and you'll get misfires. Rotate the the shell and usually it will go off.

[Rotten Ralph]

With a pump or lever you would need to lift it off bags/rest for every shot.

....except for the Martini's.  ;)

[Chuck in Indiana]

  Me, I don't have a good place to actually put any more,

So. You're the problem..  ~;

[Lannis]

So. You're the problem..  ~;

I could be.   :o    For the older ammo, where I'm afraid I might get the occasional misfire, the S&W K-22 is the trick.   Really whacks the primer and doesn't jam or stop when a round doesn't go off ....

Lannis

[rboe]

Threads like this are the pits. Tend to cost me money.  :BEER:

[atavar]

Not sure how it will affect other shooters but my gun shop told me, in Phoenix, if you bought your brick and put it in your car then took your time going home - in the summer. The primer material in a rim fire will flow to one side once hot. This results in a lopsided distribution of the primer and you'll get misfires. Rotate the the shell and usually it will go off.

Good tip.  From now on I will make sure to store my bricks with the cartridges vertical.

[Muzz]

Again , sorry Boatdetective, but my pick would be a Brno Model 2 if you can find one, I'm sure the Czech's copied this Mauser to make the brno's, I used a model 2 for a while target shooting years back did quite well  ;-T 

I concur. I have a Brno #2 (one of the last made by the govt armoury) fitted with a Leupold 3 x 9 x 40 scope.  Beautiful rifle and very accurate.

[Rusty goose]

I have .22 rifles in the double digits somewhere, but my favorite to shoot is my Remington #4 rolling block. It is the octagonal barreled take down model chambered in .22 short or long only. It is a great little boys rifle. I have a #6 as well, but it doesn't have the same charm. My visible loader pump ( miserable loader) is probably #2 for fun shooting. As for handguns, just the 7 .22's,  a little shy. I have #8 picked out though, a nice High Standard  model H-D military calls my name from a local gunshop nearby....

[rodekyll]

Nothing wrong with the H-D.  I've got an option on one.  It has a very similar (though not exact) heft and feel to my model B military which is a hoot to shoot, and a real attention getter at the range.

[sidecarnutz]

Our local Wal Mart carries the SS Marlin 60 for well under $300. .22 lr ammo is available on line lately for about $45 per brick.

[JoeB]

FYI Real time tracking of .22 with some suppliers. Need to factor in shipping for total cost. http://www.gunbot.net/ammo/rimfire/22lr/
Gotta be quick or lucky to get it under 0.09/round.

[Bill N]

+1 on the Henry lever action.

   
+2
Very classic looks, good price, excellent stock trigger, smooth action, decent price. If money is no issue the 39A Marlin would be my first choice, it's built to last several lifetimes.
Bill

[Bill N]

Dave- I can tell you that i have a very close friend who work in a gun store here- it has been a problem. His distributor doesn't have .22.  It is easing up somewhat.

No one has a good explanation.

If you ask google, the prevailing answer is the problem is hording. Choose what ever reason you like but the fact is people are buying massive amounts and hording it thus driving up demand and price. 

[Lannis]

FYI Real time tracking of .22 with some suppliers. Need to factor in shipping for total cost. http://www.gunbot.net/ammo/rimfire/22lr/
Gotta be quick or lucky to get it under 0.09/round.

Hey!

It works!   2 minutes after typing it in, I have a couple bricks of .22 coming at a price I haven't paid in 15 years .....

Lannis

[Navy Gal]

My husband gunsmithed for many years.  He still shoots a Ruger 10/22 and said the only repairs
he ever did on one of them was replace the plastic rear sight blade, which would break if someone
laid it upside down.  Only other thing he ever did to them was clean them.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Hey!

It works!   2 minutes after typing it in, I have a couple bricks of .22 coming at a price I haven't paid in 15 years .....

Lannis

Hey! You said you already had a bunch of 22. You're part of the problem..  ;D :BEER:

[Lannis]

Hey! You said you already had a bunch of 22. You're part of the problem..  ;D :BEER:

Hey yourself!  When I WASN'T buying any more .22 I was part of the problem.   Now I'm BUYING .22s and I'm still part of the problem.   

I see a pattern emerging here.   What I'm going to do is start plinking more ... !

Lannis

[guzzitime]

Get your "friend" to replace the one he sold.

[Luap McKeever]

I have three 22's.  Marlin Model 60SS, Remington 10-22, and the Henry.  

The other day, I had to shoot something that I could not miss.  I grabbed the Marlin.  I've had a model 60 since I was 12 years old.  They drive tacks, and when shot with the proper copper plated ammo and cleaned regularly will never let you down.  I'm not scared to try and shoot a 1" target at 30 yards all day long.  Coupled with a nice scope and see-thru mounts, this puppy is good for almost anything.

This is my 4th model 60.  All previous ones I had I have given to my kids and they are still using them today.

Under $200, USA made, and in my opinion the most accurate 22 you can buy.  Again, my opinion only.

They've also been around forever, so that should fit your "classic" bill.

[Dimples]

I have the Anschütz Mark 10-D used in matches as a 12 year old. Still have the receipt for $73.95!

[Rusty goose]

A friend gave me a model 60 to give to my sons a few years ago. It is rough looking, surface rust,the stock is crusty and dinged up from knocking snow and mud from his boots. It has seen many, many rounds without cleaning or oil. When he handed it to me I thought is was trash. I scraped the crud from it, oiled it and put on a cheapo tasco scope on it. When I sighted it in on my range I used Winchester ammo and got a 4" group at 50 yds. That is what I expected. I dipped into my rapidly depleting stash of Zapper ammo and the group shrunk to under an inch. I couldn't believe it. That POS out grouped my Remington 572's, 552, Savage, and my 10-22! There really is something to their micro-groove rifleing after all. That and different guns prefer different ammo. Not all .22 shoots the same in these things.

[Chuck in Indiana]

There really is something to their micro-groove rifleing after all.

I think so, too.. my Golden 39A is seriously accurate for what it is.

[Bob Wegman]

Mine is a Winchester 9422 lever action. To me it really looks right. 

[Lannis]

I have three 22's.  Marlin Model 60SS, Remington 10-22, and the Henry.  

The other day, I had to shoot something that I could not miss.  I grabbed the Marlin......

Sounds exciting.    What was it?   I thought I was reading an Elmer Keith story for a minute .... !

Lannis

[Gliderjohn]

Quote from Lannis:

Sounds exciting.    What was it?

At my house it would be a skunk. I want to take no chance of just wounding it. The last one I shot was with a Winchester carbine with a .357 JHP. Works!
GliderJohn

[Chuck in Indiana]

Warning, thread drift.. I'l like to have a .357 carbine. Henry?

[rboe]

Warning, thread drift.. I'l like to have a .357 carbine. Henry?

I raise your drift with a slight twist.
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