Ask me again why I love the Swedish M96 Mauser in 6.5x55mm… in the hands of Henry Chan.
…or the model (M/41B) actually used in the video:
Of all the rifles I’ve let go in my life, this one ranks near or if not actually at the top.
And Henry’s post-range commentary parallels my own thoughts on the subject, precisely.
Incidentally, viz. his earlier comments on the Lee-Enfield counterpart, Henry shooting the the No.4 MkI (T) can be seen here.
For purposes unknown (LOL), Friend & Reader JC in PA sends me this link about a gun:
Of course, there’s a lot to like about this gun (it’s a 1911, for starters): Novak-style sights, lightweight hammer, beavertail grip (hammer bite, for the alleviation of), to mention just some.
For me, the flies in this lovely ointment are the extruded grip safety (unnecessary and a massive irritant in an extended range session) and of course the fact that it’s chambered for the Europellet.
Nevertheless, I think it’s a Good Thing (albeit not for me and in any event, I own a sufficiency of 1911s, and properly chambered withal).
Some might ask: Why not just use a Browning-type SA-35 (High Power), if one wants to use a John Moses Browning-designed gun?
There’s no reason not to, of course; as any fule kno, I yield to no man in my love of the High Power (despite its Europellet chambering).
If one is going to go the Euro way and use the 9mm Parabellum, then both are sound choices — the 1911’s shorter barrel may even make it more portable than the full-size High Power.
The problem, however, is that deciding on the 9mm does open up the choice of gun, bigly. Sticking with all-steel construction, there’s the CZ 75 series (e.g. the compact):
…not to mention the full-size SIG P210 (a longtime favorite of mine):
…and of course, the Beretta line (e.g. the 92X Performance):
…to mention but some.
Once you go completely over to the Dark Side and espouse such filth as the plastic guns, of course, the choice expands exponentially, and this post has gone on long enough already.
So thanks, JC; but I’ll be sticking to my beloved 1911 .45 ACP guns. If ever I do want to downsize, I’ll step down to the short-barreled Combat Commander type:
…but that’s as far as I’ll go.
Longtime Readers will be familiar with my affection for Browning’s Buckmark .22 pistol, she of the wonderful trigger and reliable feeding. And excellent accuracy… well, except in my hands.
I used to be able to shoot the Buckmark acceptably well, but as old age has buggered my eyes up horribly (stop me if this is familiar to y’all), so has my accuracy suffered. Of course it’s not the gun: I’ve owned (counting on fingers) five of the things over the years, and I’ve always been able to make the cans pop and dance, so to speak.
Now? I’d be lucky to hit the inside of a room.
So I’ve had to go from this light, sleek little beauty:
…to this (much) heavier, ungainly-looking thing:
Accuracy? I’ll let you know next week, after I’ve been to the range and zeroed the dotty thingamajig in.
Okay, I don’t wanna hear any moans about “No gun is worth THAT amount of money!”
Just sit back and enjoy the craftsmanship…
I think I need to check some lottery tickets… back in a while.
Why is this interesting? Well, I like the idea of an easy-switch barrel combo rather than having to hump two .22 rifles around (as I do) in order to get the maximum fun out of the cheap .22 LR and the added power of the .22 WMR. (Plus there’s that space issue in Ye Olde Gunne Sayfe…)
That straight-pull bolt is an excellent idea. (The B1 was originally marketed as a Hammerli-designed action, hubba hubba.)
But there’s a snag. You see, Walther has made this rifle accept Ruger 10/22 magazines — excellent — and they supply three magazines with the rifle — even better. BUT: the ratio of magazines is: two .22 LR mags, and only one .22 WMR mag.
And that’s the problem. Ruger .22 LR (BX-1) mags are so plentiful that people hand them out to kiddies as Halloween favors or Xmas stocking stuffers. Ruger .22 WMR mags… errr not so much; you have to get them online rather than in brick-n-mortar stores.
Far better, in my opinion, to supply two magnum mags and one LR mag. Or just up the price of the rig by $10 and offer two of each.
OR — gasp! — include two BX-10 .22 LR mags, and one of the BX-15 .22 WMR mags (15 rounds, oh my). There’s almost no difference in price between the 10- and 15-round mags.
There ya go, Walther: free marketing advice from a would-be customer (blocked only by poverty from being an actual customer). Have at it.
Tell me that’s not a toothsome prospect, I dare ya. (Maybe if I looked under the sofa cushions…)
Better yet, mounted on a nice laminate stock. Nah, that’s asking too much.
Okay, here’s an offer to any of my Loyal Readers: buy me one of these Walthers, and I’ll send you both my .22 rifles (the SQ LR and the SSV WMR) in exchange, including scopes and bipods.
Yesterday I talked about shooting rimfire .22 ammo in my old age, and specifically the rifles with which to do so. Well, I promised to talk about the handgun options for the same purposes, and here we are.
I wrote about the pleasures of shooting single-action revolvers some time ago (feel free to go there first to refresh the memory), and specifically, the guns I have already acquired to take care of this need. Here they are, the Ruger Single-Six Brothers:
(Before anyone asks, I have one in stainless and the other in blue so I can remember which is loaded with which ammo: SS .22 Mag, Bluey .22 LR. That way I don’t have to mess with swapping out the cylinders.)
But what if I want to eschew the hassle of ejecting and reloading the piece one round at a time? We all know what that means: double-action revolvers.
Here’s where I have to admit to a shortcoming, so to speak. Also some time back, I talked about the exquisite S&W Model 48, which is chambered in .22 Mag (once again, feel free to go back in time thence to read my lament at not owning one). In the Comments to the post, Reader Velocette had this to say:
You too have EARNED the right to make yourself happy. So DO it.
Well, it took me a while, but:
…and allow me to say that with the gun case thus almost-filled, I have had many an enjoyable, nay blissful range session since.
But now we come to the problem: Alert Readers will notice a gaping hole in the Gun Case Of Bliss, namely, that there is a distinct lack of a .22 double-action revolver in the space provided. Here’s what it should look like (with a .38 revolver for illustrative purposes only):
…but it leaves me with but one more job: to pick a decent .22 DA revolver for the task.
Naturally, my first choice is a S&W Model 17 with a 6″ barrel:
…which is dreamy, but its street retail price of just over a grand (!!!!!) pretty much relegates it to “dream” status. I have no cash, in other words, to fund this little dream.
However: if there’s a Reader out there who happens to have a Model 17 as above* in decent nick and would entertain a swap for some boomstick of equal desirability… email me and let’s talk. (As always, north Texas Readers will get preference so the exchange can be made in the time-honored Texas fashion.)
And before anyone asks, yes I have the “.22 semi-auto” option already covered, thankee.
*The Model 63 stainless would also be perfectly acceptable.
So hie thee to thine Gunne Sayfes, and let me know.