"Just a .22?"

Status
Not open for further replies.
A .22 is a must have for everyone imo. Beginners especially because of the low price of ammo and being able to learn without any recoil distracting them. I can't believe people recommend centerfires to beginners. At least that is what I think because getting proficient with a handgun takes thousands of rounds. Unless you reload not many people can afford enough factory ammo to get truly good. Where the "just a .22" came from I'd guess is from mainly inexperienced shooters or people who have an ego issue.
Last year I taught my daughter to shoot and the best part is I rediscovered how much fun a .22 can be. I love my Dan Wesson .22. revolver. Being built on the .357 frame it will last forever. Teaching my daughter to shoot last year made me rediscover how much fun a .22 can be.
 
I will NEVER part with my 39A. Someone could offer me 1 million dollars and I would refuse.

Too many dead relatives have shot it. It is my family in a rifle. This thing is alive. I love it.
 
Can somebody explain to me what “Just a .22” means?
Click to expand...
It means whoever said it has no idea just how useful, effective, and for how many things, "a .22" can be.

-----------------------------------

Je Suis Prest
 
"Just a .22" is the only kind of semi-auto rifle we are allowed in our country, and even then we have to prove a need for it (pest control or membership of a target club) then get a visit off the police, have our background criminal record and have our mental health checked ;)

Even then, I still know people with .22 M4-style rifles.

Where there's a will there's a way :rolleyes:
 
I think the one measurable difference that can appropriately be explained by the phrase "just a .22" relates to the pressure generated by the cartridge. A firearm that is built for .22LRs doesn't have to handle the pressures of centerfire cartridges. That has a lot of implications. Even if one wants a "fine firearm" bolt-action rifle, the .22 version can be less expensively made.

That said, a good firearm is a good firearm, regardless of cartridge. I love .22s, and have more firearms in that chambering than in any other. The scope on my Remington 541T cost twice what I paid for the rifle ... but I had no qualms about buying the scope, given the quality of the rifle and purpose for which I bought it.

.22s are great ... great for introducing new shooters to the sport, plinking, target shooting, small game, and inexpensive practice. They are not adequate, in my opinion, for self defense, long-range precision shooting, or hunting anything bigger than raccoons (I wouldn't even use them on groundhogs). So "just a .22" can be a meaningful phrase. But it should never be used in a derogatory fashion.
 
Last edited:
Since all my .22s are older, I consider them some of the best quality firearms I own.
That phrase doesn't mean "cheap" to me, it just means less powerful than something else. A quality built .22 is worth every penny I pay for it.
I don't think some people take shooting a rimfire seriously. Thay are just for "plinking" cans.
If you've ever shot a match grade 22, your opinion of the firearm and caliber would be different.
I love my rimfires!
 
I don't get it either. Apparently some folks believe that they are "just a .22" in that they're supposed to be dirt cheap. They're not deserving of finer fit & finish, quality optics, swanky grips, custom leather, etc. I disagree. I do a hell of a lot of shooting with my .22's. They are the guns we shoot and enjoy the most. They should be of good quality to begin with but we shouldn't be afraid to put some custom grips on them, carry them in fine leather or put quality optics in strong mounts on them.

Low recoil does not let us off the hook for our glass either. I once thought this was true, until I had to replace them all because they failed. Nope. You'll be looking through that rimfire scope a lot more than you will your centerfire. Put some decent optics on it.
 
A lot on here I agree with. I love .22s, they are the staple of my collection. In past years I would shoot 20-30 thousand rounds a year. 2/3s of that was in .22lr because of the cost. These days I am probably closer to 5k a year, with about 90% of it being in .22lr. Less because of the cost than because of the type of shooting I am doing. I like plinking, rolling a can around the ground, shooting holes in paper, and other similar things. The .22lr is as good for that as anything else.

I also take my wife, kids, and a lot of their friends with me. The old .22lr is IMHO the best cal for that. Low cost, low recoil, relatively low sound, all add up to a great ease of operations for those learning to shoot. I have a couple of beater .22s, and several decent .22s. I would say my 1962 39M is a pretty nice rifle, old Ruger MKII 6in with a bull barrel, or Buckmark pistols are decent as well. I personally prefer them to many of my larger/more expensive guns. But then again it isn't "just a .22" to me.
 
I really enjoy my "just 22s" and shoot them more than anything else. But I do have one concern about the cost of some 22s; in particular, DA 22LR revolvers. They're more expensive than 38spl or 357mag these days.

That one, I can't figure out. :confused:
 
That one, I can't figure out.
Click to expand...
It no doubt relates to basic supply and demand. Given that quality, relatively inexpensive semi-autos are available (Ruger, Browning, etc.), there is probably insufficient demand for .22 DA revolvers for them to be made in large numbers. Further, while ultra-dependable, revolvers are a bit more complicated to build well than autoloaders. Together, a good quality DA revolver is going to cost more. Which is too bad!
 
I really like .22s, right now they're all I can afford to shoot in any serious volume. I think some people just don't see "just a .22 " as being worth much of an investment. I just dropped some serious change on a Walther P22, and last year I spent close to what the gun cost customizing a Marlin 795, and I'm still not quite done with it yet. There's the folks who'll dump even more 2 or 3 times the base price into customizing a 10/22. And then there's Volquartsen. I guess to each there own, we all have a different idea of whaat constitutes "value".

By the way, for those looking for a some decent glass without spending a ton of money, check out Pyramyd Air. While they're an airgun store, I've used several of the Leapers scope they sell on different .22s over the years, never had any problems. As for durability, if it'll stand up to a spring piston airgun, a .22 isn't gonna hurt it. Here's the link. http://www.pyramydair.com
 
They think real men are measured by the size of their recoil.

They think that anyone who'd drop a couple grand on a Cooper rimfire is nuts. They're right, nuts about .22s.

12153coopercustomclassic57M.jpg

But you know what really made me happy this year? Discovering that Numrich had a round front sight hood for my '63 Mountie. I lost mine in '64 I think it was. It was less than $10 including shipping.
 
Wow, lots of great responses here!

I suppose, since I started this, I should have included this in the first place. My will-never-part with revolver, a S&W Model 18. Picked this up used a couple of years ago and I can't total all the time I've burned plinking steel plates, playing cards, shooting CBs off the camp porch, etc, I've done with it. Yes, it cost more than either my .44 Magnum or my .357 Magnum (also DA Smith and Wessons by the way), but the price will be forgotten by the time it is handed down.

22s_01.jpg

And of course, my new lust, an Anschutz 1907 target rifle. Is a couple of grand for a specialized competition-grade .22 a bit crazy? Maybe, but seeing how they shoot makes not having it crazier... ;)
 
Let's face it, the vast majority of .22 firearms aren't high-end, finely fitted and finished pieces. Yes, there are competition guns in that caliber that cost a fortune, but how many people actually buy them?

Most people use a .22 for plinking, informal target practice, and hunting out to 40-50 yards. That's why they can use a less expensive optic. Hunting in the United States is done between dawn and dusk, and most squirrel and rabbit hunters aren't worried about getting the very first, or last, light for their trophy.

"Only a .22" often reflects a lack of knowledge. SAAMI pressure levels for the .22 long rifle are 24,000 psi. That's certainly not something you'd want to scrimp on in design. However, it's easily attained without going to forgings.

Sights on a .22 may well be flimsy, as most people stick a scope on them, anyway.
 
Wanderinwalker,

That S&W 18 is a gem.

----------------------------

Je Suis Prest
 
When I was ten, my father gave me a good lesson on what "just a .22" can do.

It was time to butcher a cow. The butcher used an old, beat up .22 single shot. One shot and an 800 pound animal flopped down as if Thor had struck it with his hammer.

That lesson had a lasting impression on me. I respect all guns of all sizes.
 
I always liked this ad. In fact, I showed this ad to the co-worker that I bought my MT from and he said that was the ad back in the 70s that prompted him to buy it.

MatchTargetAd.jpg
 
That "just a .22" has taught more people to shoot well, than any other caliber, period.
And will keep on doing so for the forseeable future. Easier to shoot, can be used to instruct in all disciplines including long range. If you see someone who can shoot .22 out to 200 yds+ I guarantee that person can shoot high power with little instruction and practice. The .22 teaches the basics, and at long ranges is very unforgiving.
 
Never "just a 22" in my book. That round has taken more game, large and small than any caliber simply because of inexpensive ammo and not being able to afford anything else I don't take my 10/22 lightly and carry a quality 6X fixed scope. Have a Ruger bull barrel with a Leupold 4X fixed on it. If I have to head out back 5000rds can be carried along with my Single Six. A few spare mags and I really don't feel bad considering I have a Beretta 21A/walnut grips in my shirt pocket and got a coyote with it a few days ago, nothing fancy, 5 shots at 15ft or so but it's dead and my young beagle isn't.
 
I shoot .22lr all the time. Being a teacher I have a smaller disposable income so .22lr is a good "bang for the buck."
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

D
  • Locked
YOUR dream gun cabinet...
Replies
22
Views
2K
mustang_steve
M
Carl N. Brown
  • Locked
Assault Weapon Ban 2018
Replies
21
Views
2K
RetiredUSNChief
RetiredUSNChief
DannyLandrum
  • Locked
Guns you thought you'd regret selling but didn't
2
Replies
38
Views
1K
JR24
JR24
Gordon
  • Locked
1963 was a very good year!
Replies
14
Views
1K
grampster
grampster
E
  • Locked
Yet Again, What Gun for Nephews?
2
Replies
31
Views
1K
TimM
T
Back
Top