Several years ago, Mr. Free Market and I were talking about guns — yeah, no surprises there — while sitting around an open fire in the garden behind the guest house while — surprise, surprise — drinking the occasional whisky.
One of the topics was: if you’re facing retirement and decide that your shooting life thereafter is going to be only rimfire, which rifle would you choose as your final shooting companion?
As I recall, Mr. FM’s choice was the Anschutz 1712 HB (he hates set triggers), and I can’t argue with his choice except to note that said rifle retails for nearly $3,000. (Being one of the Landed Gentry / Filthy Rich Set, he doesn’t concern himself with silly things like price.)
All jokes aside, one could only agree with him — Anschutz make wonderful rifles, and that thing positively screams “one-hole groupings, all day and every day”.
I can’t remember what my choice was — I think it was the CZ 457, which is a far better rifle than I am a rifleman — but I was thinking about the topic on my own the other day; not in front of a fire, but certainly with the occasional single-malt in hand, and I thought: “Why only one rimfire rifle?”
Well, that led me down a rabbit hole (the usual one) and I came up with this idea: not just one CZ 457, but two of the lovely things — chambered in .22 LR and .22 Win Mag:
I cannot say exactly why I love the .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire (WMR) cartridge so much, but I do. And the fact that the price of the two above rifles combined is less than $1,500… well, I think you get my point.
That’s not to say that my existing .22 pair (Marlin 880 SQ and 882 SSV) is anything to sneeze at:
…and for a combined price of about $600, if memory serves correctly, they too are far more accurate than I can shoot them.
Yet there’s still a small voice inside my head that whispers evil thoughts to me…
Tomorrow I’ll talk about the .22 handguns.
That is a nice rifle. Wood stock for show. Good looking and functional.
I have the old school well known 10 22. Stainless barrel. It’s nice. I have 2 stocks for it. One plastic one wood. I can switch easily at any time.
Rimfire is fun and functional. And still relatively affordable after Joe and the Hoe got done printing shitloads of money out of thin air to fight the chi com virus. Because having wallet destroying inflation that is everlasting is better than two weeks of being sick with a flu variant.
For me I’d keep my 10 22 for rimfire rifle. But I’d have to add a rim fire pistol to go with it. And for that I’d keep my Ruger Single Six blued 4.62 inch convertible 22 LR and 22 Mag. These 2 rimfire guns can reliably fire most any rimfire ammo and even if I had the money to get more expensive stuff these 2 guns are great for my uses.
Who the hell owns just 1 rimfire rifle? I think I have 4 or 5, haven’t counted lately.
Since it’s considered a household commodity (like owning a hammer or a screwdriver), I can’t really see spending that kinda money on one, though. Even if it is my last rifle to ever purchase. Also being a lefty, the bolt actions get a hard pass from me.
Best bang for the buck – Ruger 10/22. Easily my wife’s favorite and the most fun to shoot.
Second best – old Savage gallery gun, pump action. Scarred stock, most of the bluing gone, and pitiful iron sights, but such a joy to shoot. I really ought to get another pump action.
Third best (close tie with second) – Winchester and Henry lever actions!! Got the Win in .22mag, the Henry in plain jane .22rf.
I’d love to have more. Taxes my friend. Massachusetts ass rapes hard working people who own homes. Someone has to pay for all of the illegals that Massachusetts invited in and hooked up with housing, food, education, transportation and medical care.
That being said, my wishlist
– Ruger American Compact 22 Mag
– Ruger American Compact 22 LR
– Ruger 10 22 take down 22 LR
With bills and mortgage and taxes – the one 10 22 rifle and the Ruger Single Six revolver is gonna have to do for now.
# Taxation is theft
“Who the hell owns just 1 rimfire rifle? I think I have 4 or 5, haven’t counted lately.”
Well, yes. I also have a couple-three out on “loan” (i.e. I’m never going to see them again). My remaining .22 “want” is a Henry pump action in .22 LR.
If I had to be limited to only a couple of rimfire rifles, my choices would be
Browning BL-22 (22 LR)
Henry Varmint Express (17 HMR)
If I could have a third, I think a Savage 93 in 22 WMR would round out the collection nicely.
I have several .22 rimfires, but the one I prefer is a Ruger American Rimfire fitted with a relatively inexpensive Bushnell 3-9X40 Rimfire scope. All told under $450. Fed by Remington bulk box ammunition my then 9- and 11-year-old sons could pop golf balls at 100 yards with boring regularity with it. Works great on the casual uninvited guests on our rural property too.
I’d love to get my mitts on a Winchester Model 52, but those are scarce for sale these days and bringing a king’s ransom. They shoot like a dream (the safety issue notwithstanding).
Anschutz makes probably the finest .22 rimfires on the planet — which is why so many Olympic competitors use them — but they ain’t cheap.