.22 LR Rimfire! The cartridge and the guns that shoot it may well establish the heart and soul of the tradition and practice of modern single projectile firearms and shooting. Ever since the first .22 lead ball was affixed to a percussion cap, creating the first low cost, low powered, low blast, low recoil single cartridged ammunition, the .22LR has been carving its place in shooters hearts. And what’s not to love? With bricks (500rds) of ammunition available in many different configurations costing from $25.00 to over $150.00, there is something for everyone. Capable is proper gun/ammunition combinations of extreme accuracy (or just something that goes “bang” a lot), these are cartridges and guns that have received much consideration. And when the brass falls on the ground, it’s ready to be recycled as scrap, not to begin another reloading cycle; a fact dear to the hearts of those of us who reload. Pure shooting fun!
NOTE: not ignored by Hollywood, the .22 pistol is their weapon of choice for the fictional master up close assassin. What they do ignore is the .22LR’s unsettling proclivity for the mis- and hangfire. Test your lot of .22LR well before you rely upon it!
I have shown you three .22 rimfires already, 2 Ruger 10/22 variants and a Remington pump, and discussed their significant aspects. The top rifle here is a Kimber Model 82 .22LR left handed bolt wearing another Leupold 4.5-14x40 scope and a nylon shooting sling. This was the original Kimber of Oregon, not the present 1911A1-manufacturing one dominated by Brooklyn merchants who think they know more than John Moses Browning. It is very persnickety about its fodder, but with Federal Premium Ultra Match B or some Eley Tenex, it will shoot under a minute.
The left hand pistol in the middle row is a High Standard Supermatic Trophy with military frame. It’s got a 7.5” fluted barrel, wears a 2X Leupold LER scope, and has some custom Herrett target grips carved thirty years ago to fit my left hand. It was my graduation present from my parents in 1974 when I received my B.A. (bad attitude
). Twenty years ago, when it wore an old Aimpoint, I shot it to my first Expert classification in NRA bullseye competition.
The middle pistol in the middle row is a Daewoo Model DP52 .22LR wearing Pachmayr grip for a Walther PP. As you might imagine, it is a copy of the famous Walther PP and a good one at that. Accurate, ergometric, and reliable, this is the real deal and it warms my heart that the South Koreans in the later 80s found a need to make them. It beats the current crop of wannabee .22LR tactical pistols with a stick, as did its famous forebear. It cries out for a suppressor.
The right side pistol in the middle row is a Browning Challenger .22LR with six inch barrel and adjustable sights. It is a Belgian Browning and is representative of the original .22LR pistols like the Colt Woodsman/Huntsman that dominated the sportsman/woodsman market from the 1910s through the 1960s (and largely are no more). It has an excellent adjustable trigger and is both reliable and accurate. We have logged many miles together.
The bottom rifle is another Ruger 10/22 that started life as their high end sporting carbine when I bought it new for its MSRP of $79.95. It’s undergone some changes, now wearing a Butler Creek folding synthetic stock, a Clark fluted sixteen inch bull barrel, another Leupold 4.5-14x40 scope, and extended magazine release, and a Clark rigger kit and a nylon shooting sling. Proper use of an appropriate shooting sling can bring considerable steadiness to the field shooting positions. As with my other 10/22s, the receiver has been drilled to allow cleaning from the breach. Ruger 10/22s have a cult following with many accessories available; the ones I have installed are of the greatest practical use to me.
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