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Thread: Bolt action 22 rifles

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
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    Bolt action 22 rifles

    I have been following the thread about the older 22 bolt action guns and didn't want to hijack the thread so started this one.

    I have come to the conclusion that in today's world if it isn't a black plastic stock, or perhaps some crappy camo nonsense, crude flat black or some "tactical" color metal, with a minimum of 25 round magazine, a flashlight, laser sight, red dot, AND "tactical" vertical foregrip, there is little interest.

    In my opinion, with the possible exception of the CZ 450 series, bolt guns are a rather dead issue, especially among the younger generation. I have several older walnut and steel bolt guns, also a couple of pumps and autoloaders, all pre 60 and a couple pre WWII, which, when I have taken them to the range, have received about as much attention as used toilet paper. On the other hand, it seems anyone with a "Tactical Wonder 50" has to fend off the admirers lest someone drools on it.

    No big thing, just an observation on my part. I'll even go out on a limb and bet that the majority of the responders to the other thread are well into their 40s with a great many in the 60s and 70s.

    I really don't care because I believe, to each his own, but when I shoot tacks at 35-40 yards with my old WIN 69A, Weaver V-22 scope or Win 75 with the 3/4" tube Unertl Target scope, or 1 1/2" at 100 yards with my REM 37, Unertl Programmer 200, (on a good day, 10 shots) it sure is satisfying compared to the grapefruit size groups the "tactical" boys are so proud of at 50 feet.

    In case there is any doubt, my 22s, be it a bolt, pump, auto loader or lever, are far and away my favorite guns to shoot, but the bolts are my favorite of the favorites.
    When it's time to fight, you fight like you are the third monkey on the ramp to Noah's Ark.... and brother, it's STARTING TO RAIN!!

  2. #2
    Boolit Master


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    Grew up with a Winchester bolt 69A and have been thinking of finding one.

    I have a Browning A bolt and just got a Ruger Precision. Yeh I know, black gun. But, I can't bring myself to haul the Browning out into the brush, shooting off of cross sticks and in general getting rough handling on varmint hunts. The Ruger... I don't care, it's made for it and does it well.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master Shawlerbrook's Avatar
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    Mine is and was my Remington 581. Almost 50 years new.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master Jack Stanley's Avatar
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    While I do like a semi-auto or two bolt rifle are my favorite My downfall is finding them in left hand models . Still waiting for CS to sell a left hand .22 magnum . And now Steyr too , I like that Zephr model they make . Of course if I could find a good used Kimber .........................

    Jack
    Buy it cheap and stack it deep , you may need it !

    Black Rifles Matter

  5. #5
    Boolit Buddy
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    Shhhh!!!! Let's keep this talk about bolt actions down low, keeps the prices right where I like them, don't you know that if it's not tacti-kewl it's not worth buying...
    Just recently I picked up a Mossberg Model 146B with a Moss .22 scope no.M4D and a S-130 Moss. peepsight for $125 (his asking price), I believe the scope and peep are going for more than that.
    "People in Arizona carry guns," said Detective David Ramer, a Chandler police spokesman. You better be careful about who you are picking on...

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    I have a very custom 10/22 (sub half inch at 50 yds), Tactical Solutions 22lr AR upper; what's my son (mid 20's) covet ? Bone stock 77/22. He'll probably get it, I just lucked into a 1963 Winchester 52D.
    Cogno, Ergo, Boom

    If you're gonna be stupid, don't pull up short. Saddle up and ride it all the way in.

  7. #7
    Boolit Buddy
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    I learned how to shoot on a club gun, so it was anschutz bolt action. Several thousand rounds down it before me and hopefully still in use today. Only barely in my 30s but I know I'm a young'un on this forum.

    I think in broad strokes you're right, the younger folks don't like bolt actions. I got to shoot an old romanian trainer in 22, the owner wasn't very impressed with it. I just plopped into kneeling and starting ringing his 4 in plate at 100 yards. Hadn't done the work to find ammo preference, it was cheap ammo and an old gun, but she and I could ring it all day. She was underappreciated despite being fine for what she is. Unfortunately Bolt guns are seen as "fudd" guns by the gun culture my age and younger. I think if they (we) got more trigger time and some competition we'd drift back.

    Lever actions though are enjoying something of a comeback among us younger folks.
    "There are no solutions there are only tradeoffs" ~ Thomas Sowell

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
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    I'm amazed that high quality .22s sell for high prices on the used market, but there is so little interest (other than CZ) in manufacturing new ones at a reasonable price. I suppose there's not enough demand to interest other manufacturers.

  9. #9
    DOR RED BEAR's Avatar
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    A bolt 22 was one of the very first guns i learned to shoot. I don't own one right now but i have been looking due to the fond memories.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master
    AZ Pete's Avatar
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    25 years ago I splurged on a Cooper left hand bolt .22. The test target that came with it is a small ragged hole. I see no 10-22's in my future


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  11. #11
    Boolit Buddy
    one-eyed fat man's Avatar
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    I have a Mossberg 44US that I used to shoot on my high school rifle team. Some schools provided their team with DCM Remington 513T. The envy of all was the Winchester 52. About 1992 I got an Anschutz 2013 which shoots way better than I can see anymore.

  12. #12
    Boolit Buddy
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    It's not just the "Tactikewl 50" that gets attention at the range but like PerpetualStudent mentioned lever actions have a following by the younger folks. I've noticed when I take old single shot rifles like my Remington No6 to the range young guys want to know what it is and start asking a lot of questions.

    It's true though, bolt actions are considered fudd guns... Or a youth single shot bolt gun so it ain't cool. Oh well, their loss is our gain!

  13. #13
    Boolit Master
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    Ask what the younger generation has been shooting. All their shooting is off benches at manned ranges. The paper group is king. OR they are shooting metal swinger targets off benches at ranges.

    They aren't hunting or field shooting. Very little shooting at cans and pop bottles. Almost no rat hunting out at the local dumps or starlings at feed lots.... They aren't shooting pecan thieves or apple bandits (squirrels and chipmunks) out of the tops of trees... There's no busting rabbits or groundhogs out of the garden....

    All that stuff is where the old long barrel 22's shined. Iron sights shooting offhand while walking. You are having a record day if you shoot 10 rounds.... An awkward extended magazine and a big fat heavy bull barrel is just a 10lb headache. You appreciate a nice 4# Winchester 69 or an old Glenfield 25 with the 5 round mag... Even an old Savage Stevens 15 - a 20" barrel single shot... Super light and easy to carry around all day.

    But few shoot like that now.

  14. #14
    Boolit Bub
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    I hunted the rats, the bottles, the starlings in the Mulberry trees with a #4 back in the day. Now I shoot from the bench but that is nowhere as fun or as satisfying as a shot made quickly at an unknown distance.

  15. #15
    Boolit Bub darrondb's Avatar
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    Some interesting perspectives here. Maybe one more! Full disclosure, depending on how its defined, I may fall into the "younger crowd" (early 30's), I own a "tacticool" bolt 22, lever 22, and classic bolt 22. It seems that where a lot of the older generation grew up hunting (I also grew up hunting) with beautiful wood stocked rifles, there are fewer and fewer opportunities like that anymore. Most of the younger crowds first introduction to firearms was at formal ranges or in competition. Right now, the tactical and long range type competitions are king. Tons of young folks and kids at our local NRL22 matches. This is where the "tactical" type bolt guns with detachable magazines and variable magnification scopes shine, ringing steel targets (some as small as 1/4") out to several hundred yards. A person would be severely disadvantaged with a beautiful wood stocked long barreled rifle here. In my opinion (for what its worth), anything that keeps the younger generations engaged in shooting sports and fighting for our 2A rights is a good thing!!!

    But also, maybe I'm a Fudd at heart, I still prefer a good walnut stock and deep bluing!!

  16. #16
    Boolit Master
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    The truth is that most guys with kids shoot cheap/used guns and hand-me-downs because that's what they can afford. All the money goes to house payments, car payments, and kids.

    It's not till the kids are out that dad can afford good guns.

    Of course the guys in this demographic have steak taste and a beer budget. That's life. The reality is that you buy what you can afford and dream of the day you can own something nice again.

    So sure - everybody wants a Winchester 52 or a fancy 10/22 race gun... but we can afford a Glenfield 25 or a used Mossberg...

  17. #17
    Boolit Master
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    You guys are out of touch. Go over to rimfirecentral.com and look around. They have thousands of active members and most of them are very involved in bolt action rimfire rifles. You simply can't believe the interest there is in accurate, well built rimfire rifles. It makes centerfire pale by comparison...really. There's fans and sub forums for all models of bolt guns, and semi-autos. Most on there are more interested in accuracy than having a gun look like a plastic military knock-off. Check it out.

  18. #18
    Boolit Bub darrondb's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by NSB View Post
    You guys are out of touch. Go over to rimfirecentral.com and look around. They have thousands of active members and most of them are very involved in bolt action rimfire rifles. You simply can't believe the interest there is in accurate, well built rimfire rifles. It makes centerfire pale by comparison...really. There's fans and sub forums for all models of bolt guns, and semi-autos. Most on there are more interested in accuracy than having a gun look like a plastic military knock-off. Check it out.
    Yes, this!

  19. #19
    Boolit Master Drm50's Avatar
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    I often wonder where all the bolt action 22s are hanging out. When I was a kid most started out with a single shot BA. Most adults had repeaters in BAs. There were a few pumps and autos and fewer levers. There were still many falling blocks and RBs around too. It hasn't been that long ago that used BA 22s other than Wins were a dead horse. The new Tati-cool models set of the demand for the older BAs. A new Win was about $20 a Rem a couple dollars cheaper and a Stevens 15 was $15 at local HWD store. Now you have to pay $300 plus to get a 22 that is worth shooting. Unless you go for a plastic fantastic. The last nice blue steel and walnut BA I bought was a Ruger 77/22 when they first hit the market.

  20. #20
    Boolit Master
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    Back when I was young and indestructible, I lucked into a used Mossberg 44 for $50 - and there wasn't anything wrong with it! Somebody didn't know what they had. I located an unused cantilever mount for it with a 6x Weaver and never looked back. Even found aftermarket magazines for it. It has accounted for hundreds of squirrels, starlings, grackles, etc. over the years and taught me lessons about wringing the best accuracy out of ammunition. Nothing beats rim gaged CCI Blazer in the 50 round box (not the bulk-packed grade 2 stuff) and I made a file trim die to turn them into RNFP's which are much more effective on squirrels than the RN shape. I can spank stuff with that thing and used to clip off tall weeds out to 80 yards for fun on a quiet day - back when ammo was $10/500 on sale. Some do impressively well with 10/22's and others and they're welcome to them. I like this one, a full-sized rifle with a long barrel that shoots much more quietly than the 16 and 18" guns. I could hunt and shoot squirrels pretty much continuously, but one loud crack from a friend's 10/22 and our woods would be quiet for a while.

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