Hey guys,
I have noticed a significant change over the last 20 years of 22 shooting.
Bolt actions - especially single shots - are all but gone and semi-autos seem to have won the day.
So.... Any love with you guys for vintage 22 bolt actions?
I ended up picking up a scoped Springfield Savage 84c pawn shop special to teach the kids shooting. They love the thing and so do I.
Subsequently, I traded a CZ I didn't shoot on an old Winchester 69 repeater bolt action and then added an old Winchester 67a single shot.
I have been happy with these. They aren't nearly as finnicky with ammo as my CZ, their long barrels don't make nearly as much racket as semi-autos, and their long barrels are easy to shoot with iron sights, and they just have really cool vintage mojo that the new guns just don't have.
But it's kinda sad to notice the rimfire market.... Bolt actions have almost disappeared. Neither Winchester nor Remington have a bolt action 22 in their standard lineup... There are basically no "Mid price" American bolt action 22's that would compete with somebody like CZ anymore... And try to find a single shot that's not a wee little kid gun.
What about you guys? Do you still shoot your old long barrel 22 bolt guns or have you traded all of them for custom 10/22's?