.22 Rimfire Rifle Resurgence

The ONLY regular "slick-page" monthly magazine I get these days is "The American Rifleman", that's part of my benefit as being an NRA member. I don't think I've ever picked up a glossy page magazine off the rack at our local grocery store chain that didn't have more advertising involved rather than beneficial and informative articles concerning firearms or shooting. Seems when I do pick up one of these monthly's off the rack, the pages begin raining 3 X 4 subscription and advertisement cards from in between the pages all over the stores floor.
It seems that the writers involved with these magazines have NEVER found a firearm that they didn't like.
I did get weak the other day when I spotted the magazine cover that stated "Rimfire Precision Edition", so I dug deep and paid the $9.99 to satisfy my curiosity as to what information was inside.

Seems there's been quite an upsurge in the interest of many folks who started out their journey as young people into the world of shooting when they started out with .22 caliber rifles, and getting back into .22 rimfire shooting. Reasoning being with some, even with the rate of inflation with ammunition prices, .22 rimfire ammunition is still much more reasonable than many of the centerfire rounds that can still be found.

I've been a huge fan of shooting .22 rimfire since I received my very first rifle at 10 years of age, and to this day it's still what I shoot the most of, most often as I can. So, I'm just curious if this resurgence involved with shooting .22 rimfire has become a part of your shooting routine, and especially if you try to bring any youngins into the fold. One of the most enjoyable days I've ever spent during our gun clubs annual "Family Range Day", has been assisting young people in the proper methods involved with shooting .22 rimfire pistols, and the proper use of shooting and hearing protection. It's a very rewarding experience, and I for one, would like to see a ".22 Rimfire Forum" started here:

 

I think you're right on point with your observation about rimfire rifles, and another supporting proof is all the new models in .22 LR from high-end makers more usually associated with center fire hunting rifles that I've been seeing in the rimfire rifles section at my local Scheel's, like Bergaras, Tikkas, etc, on display right there along with the Savages, Rugers, CZs, etc.

But...wrt your suggestion for a subforum dedicated to rimfire, would it be rifles only, then, or rifles and pistols?

 

The rifle I have owned the longest is a .22 LR rimfire. I have always liked shooting .22 LR. and have had many, I consider them the best trainer for a shooter because one learns to shoot without fear of recoil. I enjoy, target shooting, hunting and shooting matches with them. Price, recoil, noise and challenge is all part of it. You can afford to shoot a 22 all day. Not so much with centerfire these days.

 

I shoot a variety of firearms and enjoy them all from AR’s to flintlocks. But I really enjoy shooting my 22’s both rifle and pistol. I just got back from the range after putting about 150 rounds through a 10/22 I built. Very relaxing and enjoyable for this old man.

 

While .22 rimfire is still MOST popular, there's still quite a bit of interest in the .17's, at least as far as I'm aware of, so any, and all, current rimfire chambered "firearms" , would most likely garner some attention, I would think?

 

As a Kansas farm boy in the '40s-'50s I wore out a J.C. Higgins .22 shooting jack rabbits. As an old man I wish for a Winchester or older Remington pump .22. Couldn't afford one then and still can't.

 

There does exist a “generational gap” among Millenials and Gen Z’ers which simply do not own 22LR’s. Pre-War, there was a generational trend that 22’s were a sustenance tool, and post-War, among the first few generations at least, Fathers taught their sons to shoot 22’s during a learning curve towards centerfire hunting rifles.

But somewhere in the mix, Fathers stopped hunting, and further stopped teaching their kids to hunt. Fast forward three generations and now Millenials and Gen Zers have come about firearms on their own, but hunting is no longer the driving application which imitates contact with firearms as children, but rather, SOME shooting sport or plinking hobby brings them behind the gun. Most of these kids aren’t getting mentorship to suggest they should buy 22’s along side their centerfires to be used for plinking, pleasure, and practice, so there was a gap for many years in which 22’s simply didn’t sell nearly as well as most “gun folks” like us would assume they should.

But we’re seeing now those younger generation folks buying 22’s for their kids, seeing them buy 22’s for the economy, or in many cases, buying 22’s because they bought into a long range shooting culture, when they only have access to a 100yrd range, and they can’t justify a Highpower rifle for the plinking they do...

Solve a problem - take a friend shooting, take a friend’s kid shooting. Show a neighbor a good time and what a 22LR can do with a little skill and practice behind it.

 

I’ve posted it somewhere before- Yet 22lrs are fun. Here are a few.

Ps That Marlin 39D is extremely accurate- I sold all my tacticool others and got a Marlin 39 Mounti.

 

Ps- With Thousands of rounds, No matter what or Where… that’s very convenient to have and has a multitude of Uses.
The Mounti Fits in a pack with ease

 

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/the-next-gun-fad-precision-22lr-rifles.878872/

I beat you to it a year ago

the people in a bubble always deny gun fads exist. But based on my personal observations we are well on our way to the next one being precision rimfire rifles

 

I love my 22's and have since I was very little and started out with my dad's Savage/Stevens Model 15. I started my boys with a Savage/Stevens Model 120 (same as the 15). I have everything from simple blinkers to rifles and pistols set up for precision shooting. The last couple of rimfire guns I built myself, a 4.5" AR22 pistol and a 16" heavy barrel AR22. I also have two Savage MkII rifles setup up for longer range precision shooting, one in 17m2 and the other 22lr.

I still have fun taking my first plinker out, the Winchester Model 190 that I got from my grampa.

 

Many Years ago

I think maybe 2000lr rounds. CCI Standard in small cardboard boxs got wet from a pipe In the basement. I quickly got to them, Took all of the Ammo out and layed it flat. Grabbed the Mrs Hairdryer and 1hr latter I had it all dry and in a Tupperware container. I pondered if I should or get rid of em.
Well, Nowadays I’m glad to have a extra 2k rounds. Even if She got pissed about the Hairdryer use and Loss of a Tupperware container.

 

I'd definitely include .17 HMR in any special-interest subforum.

 

Also love my rim fires. Recently bought this 1973 vintage Glenfield 75 carbine in excellent condition with original 4x scope.

 

Ive spent about 3X more money on .22s than big bores over the last few years. I dunno, most centerfires just bore me anymore.

 

As far as seeing some MORE than decent, and some even being even more than acceptably accurate, I've seen and purchased one CZ 457 MTR that is much more than what I expected for the "price-point" paid. This is my "Tack-Driver Target" that I shot using SK Rifle Match .22 rimfire ammunition from an "as-is" out-of-the-box CZ 457 MTR rifle . All I did was mount the scope and bore sight this rifle:


After conditioning the bore with several rounds and getting bullet impact to where I wanted it to be, I shot the above target at 45 yards.
One of the main reasons involved with its accuracy is how the bolt chambers the rounds:

The bullets first driving band engages the leade and, in my mind, firmly helps with getting the bullet aligned with the bore center-line. After purchasing this rifle, I have sorta dropped my hopes of getting an Anschutz version at twice the price of this one.

The way things are going in the zeal to make .22 rimfire rifles, by some, as best they can, I can only believe that much interest could be generated here with many of the owners who are becoming interested in both precision and long range .22 rimfire shooting. So, as for me, I wonder what SK had in mind for putting out this type of .22 rimfire offering?:

 

I have had a Kimber 82 Custom Classic (Yonkers) for years - killed hundreds of squirrels with it - a crazy accurate rifle. I just purchased an Anschutz Meister Grade 1710 (54 action) - it shoots SK Standard + crazy one ragged hole accurate at 50 yards. Ironically, I find these rifles to be boring as they are consistently one ragged hole accurate 50 yard rifles all day on any day - boringly accurate.

 

You and SK need to get with the times...

Cutting Edge dropped these for Rimfire ELR

 

!!!

 

Yeah....this is the rimfire version of "extreme shock anti terrorist" ammunition

Wake me up when these actually do something superior to sk, Lapua, eley on paper

 

I’m picking up my Mk IV upper tomorrow, shopping frames, AND looking at complete pistols currently. That will give me 3 pistols, a few revolvers, and nearly 2 dozen rifles in rimfire calibers Safe to say I’m a fan, and beyond my own kids, I am constantly introducing others at the club to rimfire shooting, usually after noting a struggle with centerfire.

Always felt a dedicated sub forum would be beneficial.

 

These Cutting Edge bullets aren’t meant for short range paper punching. They’re running about 50% greater BC with higher velocity due to reduced bearing drag than conventional lead bullets. They’re also reloaded ammunition, so instead of sending our rifles to Lapua or buying exhaustive lots of ammo, we simply buy primed cases and develop a load to mate with our rifle. Effectively, on competitive 22LR ELR firing lines, this means 500 yards is the new 400.

 

So what kind of accuracy and velocity are you seeing with these?