.22 RF Rifles of the 40's 50's and 60's

[308magtip]

Had a Rem in the 513 model,still have first gun I bought in 1959 a Win mod 69a with a 5 and 10 shot orginal mags and a ranger single shot. All will shoot dime size groups at 25yds off sandbags. A better shooter than me could get smaller groups. Any thoughts on these rifles?? I know they are all bolt actions but levers are hard to find. Skipped out on a Rem nylon lever 20 years ago at an auction after bid went to 200$$ Was book value then so I let it go for 210$...

[2ndovc]

Some of my best days shooting have been with a vintage .22 LR and a brick of ammo.

I have several that would fit into the '40s-'60s time frame. A Winchester 63 and a 75. Marlin 39 from the '50s. A couple of old Savage rifles, and several military trainers.

My first rifle was (still have it) a Stevens Favorite. When we would go to our cabin in PA, he'd give me a brick of Remington .22s and turn me loose. The previous owners had used a spot down below the cabin as a trash dump for years and it was filled with old bottles, Black Label beer cans, etc. I happily turned that stuff into tiny bits of rusting steel and dust. The old man said he never worried about me down there as long as the shooting never stopped. He always knew where I was.

The thought of turning a ten year old loose in the woods with a rifle and several hundred rounds of ammo would freak most people out these days.

[Walt]

I have given away several .22 bolt actions to youngsters whom I considered trustworthy and headed toward a life out of doors. The only ones I have left are an old Winchester model 61 and a Remington model 66. The model 66 is light enough that I have started a number of kids including my own using it as an introductory gun when other .22 rifles were too heavy. Oh yeah, I have a couple of Winchester model 9422s also, a .22lr and a .22 mag.

[marlinman93]

There were some very accurate .22 rifles built during those years. I think all the major makers made great barrels then, and the main difference in the price and accuracy was triggers, and sights. Some lower end rifles were hampered by heavy "safe" triggers, while medium range, or high end target .22's had excellent triggers.
I've got a Win. 67A that's an excellent single shot rifle, but for a kid the trigger pull would fall into the "safe" class. An adult can pull it easily, and be more accurate.

[Pat C]

I have a few from that time period , Winchester 62A from 1955 is one of my favorites. Has the better fine bead and shallow U notch rear for better accuracy.
67,62A,Springfield 87A gill gun, Remington 512 currently.
The 512 I have was wearing a Weaver K4 scope ,currently using open sights on all.
They have issues with feeding I finally through research and trial error figured out the problem and fix .I believe I made a thread here on the fix?

You really want to talk about shooter my Savage model 29 will out shoot all of them hands down .First year production gun ,we'll seasoned on the outside but with mirror bright bore and very fine bead sights .

I've only shot it from improvised sitting position and it most accurate .22 I have .Sometime I'll bench it and see what it will do.

[samsi]

Those old .22's have some mojo. One of my shooting pards has a weakness for the old Stevens Click-clacks, they're good fun when they run right.

[Sixgun]

American made .22’s are icons to guys who are “bit older” than the punks of today. I’ve owned and shot them all from all eras and the ones produced in the 30’s-50’s are the most accurate on average concerning the average .22 repeater…..target .22’s bolt guns have always been accurate.

The Model 61 Winchester was not a cheap gun and they will shoot in there with a target gun …..the problem is the trigger which is no easy feat to bring it to a pound and a half.

The early Marlin 39’s are probably the best of the bunch…say 1930-late fifties in terms of accuracy and trigger pull. I’ve seen too many issues with later 39’s.

The octagon barreled 39—second from right is a gem. This is the one that’s safe to shoot with hi-vel ammo…..the still-like-new 39 case colored in the second picture has won me more than a few matches…1.5 pound trigger and it will shoot up there with the best bolt actions.

The 61 in the middle is still like new but it gets shot. Trigger is heavy at around 4 pounds ….used it at the State Champs and didn’t do so well with it.

The 62 on the far left is also like new but is gone now, back up the giant funnel in the sky where it originally came from.

[Blaine]

I learned to shoot on my uncle's world war II era Winchester 72 bolt action.
It was eventually passed down to me, a more accurate 22 I have never owned.
I can honestly say it's killed 30 or so squirrels and never missed a shot.
I've never shot it on paper, because I've never needed to.

[JBowen]

I grew up shooting my Grandpas Mod. 67 Winchester single shot. The family story handed down is he paid $7 back in 1936 for it. It is very accurate with the 27 inch barrel. I learned to make that first shot count because a follow up usually wasn't possible. That gun has been a safe queen for the last 40 years, but it is still a fine rifle. I get it out about once a yearand wipe it down and think about all the memories from years gone by. I gave it to my son, but he wants me to keep it in my safe.
Now my 9422 gets all the .22 duties.

JBowen

[AJMD429]

.
“…the thought of turning a ten year old loose in the woods with a rifle and several hundred rounds of ammo would freak most people out these days.…”

THAT is a sad sad reflection on the character of our society.

What kind of MEN are the result of raising BOYS who have no self discipline, no honesty, and no character, and whose role models are not John Wayne or Ernie Pyle, but instead are man-bun-wearing snowflakes who set buildings on fire when the cops shoot back at a wanted felon who is ‘oppressed’…

[OldWin]

I have a bunch of .22 rifles from that time or before. Fantastic shooters.
Winchester 61, 62A, 67 Boys Rifle, 68. A Remington 512, Stevens 1915 Favorite and a Tip Up pistol (that will outshoot most modern rifles). Fantastic rifles, all.

Probably why I never cared for the 10/22. It seemed a poor shooter when compared to these. They need to have a bunch of money thrown at them to be on par IMO.
I never bought one, but got an unfired first year production example for free several years ago. It's ok. But not in the same league as the above rifles.

[308magtip]

thanks for all the info. My small game buddies used any gun we could afford.Anything from a J.C.Higgins to my Win 69a and Win pumps.