Simply steel and walnut

[Ithaca Gunner]

My favorite .22 is an old Winchester M-69A. It's pretty simple, just steel and walnut with a Winchester composite but plate. Shoots better than any newer .22 I ever had and a pleasure to carry. A good old American rifle, simple and accurate.

[Nueces]

And it has that lovely off hand iron sight stock on it. Sweet.

[pworley1]

Some things are better left alone. Every time they tried to improve on this combination was a step backwards. Just my opinion.

[Nueces]

My 1966 Browning T-Bolt has the identical profile.

[Ithaca Gunner]

My brother liked mine so much that when came up for sale in the local paper in my area, he had me buy it for him, (I shot it for him also until he picked it up, and it shot as well as mine). His is a regular sporter, sight on the barrel rather than the receiver mounted aperture rear.

[rking22]

I'm with you, lovely rifles. I traded a friend out of a 69A with factory scope grooves. I can't decide between it and the M69 as my favorite. The M69 is more "trim" and cocks on closing with a cool little peep sight. Both shoot very well and do not seem as ammo sensitive as many current 22s. But then if a rifle is not blued steel and walnut I'm not much interested in it

[fast ronnie]

I'm the same way about wood and steel. I'd love to have one like some of Waksupi's pieces!

[sparky45]

I agree as well. Bought a couple of 1950's vintage .22's by Remington that I dearly love to shoot. One a model 514 and the other a 550-1. Cleaned them up and they shoot minute of tin can every time.

[waksupi]

I'm the same way about wood and steel. I'd love to have one like some of Waksupi's pieces!

I just happen to know some are available!

[quack1]

I'm kind of partial to a 69A, too. This was a parts gun without a stock when I came across it.

[richhodg66]

I'm kind of partial to a 69A, too. This was a parts gun without a stock when I came across it.

May I ask what your scope set up is? A few years ago, I rescued a Model 72A (I think the same rifle only tube fed) from a pawn shop that is late enough to be grooved, but the action on those is so short, finding a scope combo that works as far as eye relief has been a challenge as there is very little fore and aft adjustment space.

Nice picture and rifle, by the way.

[Nueces]

It looks like the same little 3/4" Redfield mini scope I have on my T-Bolt. That is one hyper handsome rifle.

[rking22]

If you can urn up a Lyman Alaskan it will fit, from memory I think both rings are on the same side of the turret. Thay's what I had on mine, presently not there or I could try for a pic.

I also think the scope on that nice 69A is a Redfield 3/4 inch 4x 22 scope. Wish they still made them. I had one and let it get away,,, stoopid fits happen

[texassako]

The look and feel of steel and walnut is the way I like them. The BSA MKII in my avatar:

[quack1]

For those who asked, that is a 3/4" tube Redfield 4X in Redfield rings. If I remember right, I bought it in the early 80's. The bases are cut and modified from a one piece dovetail base I dug out of my parts box. The gun had 7 holes drilled and tapped in the action and barrel when I got it. I drilled holes in the bases to fit the spacing of the holes in the receiver that I wanted to use. Backwards from what is normal, but the holes in the gun were already there. I just turned plugs on the lathe to fill the holes I didn't use. The only complaint I have with the scope is the crosshairs are kind of thick for squirrel hunting.
I had one screw-up when restoring the rifle. I have a bunch of high nickel content rod that I scrounged, and thought I was pretty diligent in keeping it separate from all the normal steel I have. Well, I was wrong, at least one piece got mixed in, and I chose it when making plugs for the extra scope base holes. Not what you want to see when you pull a barreled action out of the bluing tank. Humorous now, but I wasn't laughing then.