I was just talking about .22 rifles with a guy at work today. I was telling him about all the shooting that I did with a friend when we were kids. I proudly wielded a Remington Scoremaster(mod # ?), my best friend had a Monkey Ward bolt gun with a SCOPE!
The Remington was my Dad's gun, formerly a dusty taboo in his clothes closet, now my deadly dealer of deadly death. Nothing could compare to having a fresh brick of high velocity(OOH) hollow points(AHH), or even Yellow Jackets! With such awesome weaponry, we were quite sure that we were an Arsenal of Democracy.
Shooting was so pure and simple, and all kidding aside, we were really pretty good shots. Strictly plinking- dirt clods, cans, dandelions, carpenter bees. A special treat was the half-used spray can. Simple games- "See that twig sticking out ?" POP! "Hah, missed. My turn!" POP!
Most of our guns are bigger and badder now, some even a bit tacticool, but shooting is just not as amazing as it was. We don't get to go as much, my friend's dad sold the farm a few years back, my dad's .22 is back in his closet.
I was telling the guy at work that I would love to have shooting be like that again, but I guess 40 year olds can't get back into the 14 year old mindset.
I have 3 .22's of my own now, and I can't imagine being without them, no matter what milsurp or Magnum phase I'm in. Now I'm wondering if they still make Yellow Jackets......
Oops- forgot the obligatory-
H&R 999 Sportsman 4"
Ruger 10-22 carbine
Stevens 56-C