OT - My first .22 Magnum

[86er]

I've always been drawn to the .22 Magnum, for no particular reason. One real use for it is a particular stand I have overlooking a feeder at 25 yards. This is often visited by racoons, 'possum, skunks, rabbits, wild dogs, bobcats, coyotes hogs and crows. I've always felt the .22LR was a little whimpy on some of these as they have required multiple hits sometimes. Also, it is a lighted feeder, so shooting after dark with a scope is no problem and legal for the above game. I found a 1960 Mossberg 642K rifle for a great price. The 19" barrel carbine has a fold-down fore-end that makes a pistol grip. It is a bolt action 5 shot magazine carbine and the nicely figured stock has odd side-mounted sling swivels (like a M1 Carbine) while the pistol grip has a black plastic finger groove insert. A little research revealed this was the predecessor to the Mossberg "Chuckster" and was known for accuracy. It features a match chamber and target crown. I put a 2x7x32 rimfire scope on it. The only ammo in stock where I shopped was CCI Maxi-Mag 40 grain JHP at 1875 fps stated mv. Ricky and I shot it at 25 yards first and it sighted right in and had tiny groups. At 50 yards we were able to get 5 shot groups under 1" while shooting out the truck window using the rear-view mirror as a rest. At 100 yards it printed just 1.5" low and still held 1.5" 5 shot groups. I don't know the actual mv I'm getting with this ammo but I think it is quite a bit more powerful than even a CCI Stinger from a 22" LR barrel. I probably won't use it where there are opportunities for shots out to 100 yds but I am confident and comfortable out to 100 yds if necessary on the appropriate sized critter. For my 25 yd stand I think it will be perfect.

[3leggedturtle]

Your gonna love the Mag. Dont know why i waited so long to buy one. Have 3 now. The Henry lever 22Mag is very accurate and trim to carry forever. Really like your rifle. I seeen them in catalogs. But never knew anyone who had one or even seen one at a gunshow.. For a lighter load/small game try the 45gr Dynapoint.

[Nath]

Dang it, there you go again, teasing me over a flamin' 22 mag. What did you have to go and do that for

Joking aside I am seriously impressed in your tastes Joe and pleased for you. That performance sounds great.

As you know I sell rabbits and I just think that the night shooting would/could be a little easier with a mag.

Nath.

[foxtrapper]

Nice rifle Joe, you said the forearm folds down into a vertical fore grip? Wow! I like the Federal 22mag ammo as they use a real Speer bullet instead of the usual 22lr pill. I use them from a Marlin bolt rifle that is scary accurate. On a side note are you following the BS from your old neighborhood? The DA raided 5 gunshops and arrested a few in each for selling post ban AR 15. Since one of the arrested also runs the Yaphank skeet range ,the locals are using his arrest to close the range down. The Nassau boy's are scrambling.

[Blaine]

I was talking up a farmer with a large spread to see if I could fish on his property, and I'd always bring beer on these quests. Anyway, he and his seemed to live on venison year round, and he got them all out in the apple orchard with a .22 Mag. Head shots, and never took more than one shot. This was back in 72....

[2ndovc]

Those are great little rilfes and really under rated by the general public.

I've had several .22 magnums and really love the CZ 452 I have now.
Relly prefers the heavier bullets. Actually looking for a pistol to go with it.
Leaning towards the new fixed sight Ruger with the longer barrel.

Have fun. Be nice to have so many things to shoot at.

jb

[horsesoldier03]

I have been wanting a RUGER 96/22M for a while now. Hopefully I will manage to swing one before long. Sure wish my daughter would hurry up with college.

[barbarossa]

Here is mine a Blaserr 93 in 22mag

[COSteve]

I'd love to pick one up save for one little issue, their ammo costs more than it costs me to produce 357mag ammo! 22mag ammo is priced way too high for it's value in comparison to the 22lr in my humble opinion. I understand the issue with lower volume, higher prices but to me it's priced excessivly high.

I'm just a lot better off using my 24" Rossi levergun and my handloads even for small varmints. Now, if the price of 2 mag ammo were to drop to something more reasonable like 5¢ per round, then I'd all over one.

[GoatGuy]

Joe - I believe you're gonna really like that rimfire round. Nice launching pad, by the way.

[Bigahh]

I read somewhere that the .22 Mag in a rifle would be an extremely good survival gun. I have one in a Ruger 10/22, and I was suprised to see them selling on GB for close to 1K. Must be a rare rifle I paid 125.00 for years ago!

[Marlin32]

I have a Win 9422 in 22 Mag. Have a Colt revolver in 22/22Mag.
The rifle is outstanding for squirrels and varmint. It sure adds some distance to your shooting compared to the 22 Long Rifle

In the Colt, the Mag shoots much more accurately than the LR. In part I think, that the ammo is better and more consistent in the Mag than LR ammo, just a theory.

[Ysabel Kid]

Cool rifle Joe! I have a Ruger Single Six with the .22 Magnum cylinder, but need to add a .22 Magnum rifle to the fold. It will be a bolt action. I saw a Ruger 10/22M at the gun show in Charlotte last weekend and darn near choked - they wanted almost $800 for it!!!

[AJMD429]

I have been wanting a RUGER 96/22M for a while now.

My FAVORITE...!


(Note that compared to the Ruger 77/22 bolt action the 96/22M is a very compact and 'handy' gun...)

One cool thing is if you get a Ruger 96/22Mag, you can get a .17 HMR barrel for it and the same magazines still work. I'm working on that very project right now, so I'll have "two guns in one". The ultra-short lever throw is nice, plus a one-piece stock makes it SO easy to clean out dirt and moisture after a hike in the woods or drizzle - taking off a tubular magazine gun's forend to de-slime it is a real chore/PITA for most designs.

[Ravenman]

Hi Barbarossa
That's a real unusual R93. I did not even know that Blaser made these conversion kits. Single loader? How does it work and how accurate is the gun?

[cshold]

I have a Win 9422 in 22 Mag. Have a Colt revolver in 22/22Mag.
The rifle is outstanding for squirrels and varmint. It sure adds some distance to your shooting compared to the 22 Long Rifle

In the Colt, the Mag shoots much more accurately than the LR. In part I think, that the ammo is better and more consistent in the Mag than LR ammo, just a theory.

I have found the same to be true with my Colt NF...
From what I have heard it's because the barrels were cut for the .22 mag.

[barbarossa]

Ravenman

It is five shot clip fed.Blaser sells a barrel for the 22mag,22lr and 17rimfire.It works slick as snot and is very accurate.Shells eject out of the left side of the barrel.

[RIHMFIRE]

nice...
I have a very similar rifle from Mossberg..
Model 342K in 22 S-L-LR that I got when I was 15 years old...
35 years ago from my uncle.....in NYC
It has a canvas type strap...with the swivels on the side of the stock
and forearm too...same pistol grip...same mag
Pretty accurate little rifle....and I too use it for pesky
little critters marauding in the back yard....
coooons stealing cat food mostly and refuse to leave
Never did any long range shooting with it.....
25 yards max with LR and subsonic ammo

the only difference between your and mine that I can tell
is I have a solid black butt plate and the caliber...

[crs]

Joe,
Now you a companion pistol in .22 Mag. May I suggest the Kel Tec 30 round auto as seen here?

http://cheaperthandirt.com/blog/?p=842

With a couple of full clips you can shoot all day!

[TMair]

I'd love to pick one up save for one little issue, their ammo costs more than it costs me to produce 357mag ammo! 22mag ammo is priced way too high for it's value in comparison to the 22lr in my humble opinion. I understand the issue with lower volume, higher prices but to me it's priced excessivly high.

I'm just a lot better off using my 24" Rossi levergun and my handloads even for small varmints. Now, if the price of 2 mag ammo were to drop to something more reasonable like 5¢ per round, then I'd all over one.

+1
I have a Marlin 783 rifle, an Automag in 22 Mag, and a Ruger single six tri color in 22 mag. but I don't really use them because of the cost of ammo compard to what I can reload other more potent cal. for, I wish it would come down to where it should be!
Terry

[BigSky56]

I use the 22 mag in a rossi 59 for depredation shooting a reddot for night work and a LER scope for daylight long distance my best so far on canines is 175 yds I probably use 1-2 boxes a month so ammo costs are nil. If you want to burn ammo use a 22 lr.
Having used both the 10-22 & 96-22 mag the one draw back to accuracy for both is the barrel band on the stock get rid of it float the barrel and get a limbsaver barrel resonator find the sweet spot you'll have a 200 yd varmint rifle with the factory barrel, some of the new mag ammo is traveling 22-2300 fps. danny

[EdinCT]

Joe, They are a great knock around gun. I have had a Marlin 782 for almost 30 years and in has done it all. I shot a red fox the day before yesterday at 140 yards and flipped him with a Win 40 gr JHP and a quartering to shot. I have done the same to coyotes running along the same fenceline. I have heard its marginal but the coyotes haven't complained.
I sight it in a inch or so high at 100 yards and when I lived near my folks place shot woodchucks out to 150 + yards one at close to 180 once.
Not proud of the fact that I filled two free landowner tags with whitetails along time ago when I saw deer and had this rifle in hand during the season. One at 40 yards and one at 90 both rested headshots both DRT.Also saw a guy finish a deer with a 22mag handgun that his nephew shot with a slug and unloaded his shotgun thinking it was dead. It jumped up and was shot in the lungs with the 22mag turned out that the boy had knocked a front leg off next to the body, the 22 mag killed it. I wouldn't feel hamstrung in the east feeding my family with a 22mag.
Its not what I would target shoot with, and if I am calling coyotes I take a shotgun or 6mm but for a truck barnyard gun it gets it done for most applications and no reloading needed. No neighbors windows shaken either.
Ed

[Mescalero]

Have had one most of my life, can not imagine being without one.