Nice vintage Mossberg 46M(b) and range report

[wellfedirishman]

Recently I picked up a nice vintage Mossberg 46M(b) 22LR, and took it out to the range today.







It came without sights but with a vintage Weaver 29s scope (with a single post, no crosshairs). I think it is 1.5x or 2x magnification at most.



Overall it is a nice old gun and it fed, shot, and ejected without a hitch. I tried High Velocity (CCI Blazer), Standard Velocity (Aguila), and Subsonic (Remington).

I didn't keep the High Velocity target, but it was comparable to those below.

Subsonic seemed to group best (2" approx at 50 yards). The Aguila had some tighter groups but more vertical stringing. I think that with a more modern scope that I could see better through these groups would improve.





Overall a very fun gun to shoot. It might make a nice trainer for a vintage 1903 sniper clone. I am looking for a 42M also to compliment it.

[WILCO]

wOw! Looks like my Marlin 100G. Thanks for posting pics and a range report.

[ROGER4314]

That is one of my favorite rifles! It's nice to see it being used.

Flash

[KCSO]

You might want to really clean the bore and then shoot in one brand of ammo as it will group better than that. My 44 US would group into 1/2" at 50 yards and my 51??? the semi aout Miliitary will go into an inch.

[BeemerMark]

I bought my 46m back in the mid-60's from the CMP at Camp Perry. Still have it. With open sites it will shoot less than 3/4" at 25 yards off a rest. Originally some of these were used by the US Army for training (which is what mine was). The National Olympics at Perry used to be my summer camp starting when I was 11. The Army supplied the rifles & ammo, the NRA the instructors. 2 weeks every summer and it was heaven (we weren't well off by today's standards). After a few years of mowing yawns, shoveling horse s__t, and a few other jobs I saved up enough to buy the Mossberg.

[atr]

Oh Yea !
I have one very similiar,,,,not scoped but with factory target sights,,,a great shooter ! Mossberg really did make a fine 22 rifle. They seem almost impossible to find now.

[ROGER4314]

In high school (1960-64) on Chicago's North side, I carried my scoped Mossberg Model 46B back and forth on the school bus every Thursday for Rifle Club. I carried it in a beat up soft case, walked through the school with it to the basement range where the sponsor locked it in the armory. It stayed there until the club shoot after school. After the club practice, I took the rifle home on the late bus run and I did that every week for a long time. Try that today.....especially in Chicago!

When my folks passed on, my older sister (who is a mean old "B"), cheated me out of that rifle and I never saw it again. I'd sure like to replace it!

Flash

[bullet maker 57]

I've got an old Savage model19 that will out shoot almost anything I have. The only other 22 that shoots better is a Kimber govt model 82 from CMP. I have about 38 22 rifles. Love to shoot them all. Most like federal lightenings or CCI Blazers. I only shoot standard velocity in the older rifles and only lead.

Pete