Winchester 59 - 22 short

[chill3570]

May be dumb question but I have this old rifle. Never been shot by me . Was my fathers when he was a kid.

Now I know it is a 22 but the stamp on the barrel
says

Winchester 59 - 22 short --
patent Aug 29 1899 -- long and long rifle.


Does this means it can shoot 22 short and long and long rifle ?

[oldhickory]

Your dads rifle is one of the scarcer Winchester .22 single shots, being made ONLY in the year 1930. One in excelent shape today could fetch over $600.00 on the collector market. The model 59 is in the "boy's rifle" catagory in the collector field.

Avoid shooting modern high velocity .22s in it, standard velocity ammunition should be fine. Yes, if it's marked for s-l-lr, it will shoot any of the three.

[mooman76]

Chamber one and see. If it chambers freely then I say yes. It sounds like it either way. Just a guess but I'd say that model of 22 at one time was 22 short and then at some point the manufacture either changed it completely or reworked some barrels when 22 L and LRs came out, but thats just a guess.

[chill3570]

Thanks for the reply.
Actually I am going to teach my kids to shoot with it. Its in great shape. Missing the front screw only and a small crack in the butt of the stock. When I was a kid I used to play with it never shot it.