22 gun battery - part 1

[ameridaddy]

I bought my first gun, a new Marlin 39A, from my local hardware store in 1960, blowing all my saved up newspaper route money.
I didn't buy my next 22 until 1974, when I just had to have a brand new in the case Browning Medalist I saw at my LGS, quickly followed by an 8-3/8" Smith 17-4. I still have these guns and since then added a bunch more 22's. I thought y'all might enjoy a look. The outdoor light was difficult today, and what looks like finish blems is just oil or glare. All these guns have near immaculate bluing.
Having two chowhound cats who love moist food from tins, I had to load up on 22's to plink all those cans. (copyrighted excuse to SWMBO)

Rifles top to bottom:
Winchester 74 semi auto, ~1952
Winchester 61 pump ~1952
Winchester 62A pump ~1950
Marlin 39A w/original Marlin scope

Revolvers bottom L -R:
S&W 18-4 4" ~1980
S&W 17-3 6" ~1974
S&W 17-4 8-3/8"~1978-79

Semi Autos top to bottom:
Browning Medalist ~1974
S&W 41 7-3/4" ~1979-80
S&W 41 5-1/2" ~1966

 

[ameridaddy]

22 battery part 2

Some more pics:

 

[CajunBass]

Man, you got some nice stuff there. I used to have a rather nice "collection" of 22's myself. A dozen rifles and another dozen handguns. I was a sucker for a Ruger 10/22 with the DSP stock. I had a half dozen of them alone, none exactly like the other. A couple of 77/22's, a Marlin 39a, a Remington 597 which it seemed everyone else hated, but I never had a bit of trouble with. I remember an Ithaca single-shot lever action...Model 49? I think. That was one I wanted when I was a kid but never got. Good little plinker. Perfect companion to a Ruger Bearcat.

The handguns ran the gammit from Ruger standard's to Smith and Wesson 17's and 18's, Dan Wesson 22's, and Ruger and Colt single actions.

Alas, these day's I'm down to only five. A Ruger 10/22 "Wally-World Special" that's had a "Swamp Fox" trigger job, and was a squirrel killing machine (I haven't hunted in years now), a Smith and Wesson K-22 from 1951, a Model 18-3 from 65, a Ruger Single-Six 50th anniversary, and a NAA mini with the belt buckle. The Model 18 goes with me most range trips. I need to shoot the others more.

 

[JRB416]

I like classic .22 rimfires and you have a very nice bunch.

The easiest way for me to feel like a kid again is to take a hike through the woods or along a creek with a favorite .22 rifle or handgun and do some plinking. A great way to relax.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[AJ]

Some folks just have a hankering for .22's. I have a friend that has 32 Winchester Model 52's. Have has many others, but the number of 52's sticks in my mind.

 

[Empe]

A nice selection of .22's !
While I very much enjoy my centerfires I really like shooting my rimfire .22's . Nominal noise , no recoil to speak of and low cost to shoot .
When shooting centerfire I sort of keep count of the ammo used because of the cost but with rimfire I really give the cost no thought.

 

[30-30remchester]

22's are like girlfriends. A man can never have too many.

 

[Grayfox]

I love a good .22 and have a bunch of them!
As I get older, I find that I'm shooting a lot of .22s. Much more fun and relaxing than dealing with centerfires.
Here's my S&W revolvers. One of my Model 18-3s seems to go along on almost every range trip.

 

[cmansguns]

What ??? No "early fantastic plastic"

Love 22's ...even have 2 of the "really early" fantastic plastic, or Nylon 66 by Remington. A really great 22 rifle, a bit to modern for its time though. Folks either loved it or hated it. I've got one in Seneca Green and one in Mohawk Brown....of course both names would probably be banned from todays "woke" bunch of politicians.

As for wheel guns, love em all. S&W, Colt, Ruger, for semi's I never found a S&W Model 41 that I could afford, but an old slab side Browning does the trick.

 

[Keith Brown]

Beautiful guns ! Is your Medalist an International model ? Or forearm just removed for weights.

 

[desi2358]

Love 22's, have owned a bunch of them over the years. Still have a number of favorite ones that I try to get out and shoot regularly. Marlin 39, Winchester 1906 and a Remington Nylon 66 are probably my favorite long guns. Colt Targetsman, Ruger Single Six and a Hi-Standard Duramatic are the most used handguns. Just can't beat a good 22 for inexpensive fun!

 

[Golddollar]

My pistol club in Maryland has a Wednesday night .22 league from May to October. One of my cousins and I compete in that, and now his sister wants to join the club. So one night she came out to see what the match was about and was invited to shoot it with us. So her brother loaned her his gun and I loaned her brother my backup Model 41 for the match. Now he wants to buy a Model 41 and she is looking to acquire her own .22 target pistol. I'm now the family elder for the area so I'm glad I've been able to get my cousins involved with .22 pistol shooting.

 

[ameridaddy]

Beautiful guns ! Is your Medalist an International model ? Or forearm just removed for weights.

Keith, it's the standard Medalist. Last time out, I decided to shoot it with weights, and the forearm was still in the gun's case when I took the pics.
The Medalist is an elegant piece, with some thoughtful details:

The block that holds the weights is mounted in a dovetail under the barrel, and locked in place with a set screw. Browning put an insert in the screw bore between the screw and the dovetail, so that the screw doesn't dig into the barrel when tightened.

The gun has a brass deflector that directs fired brass forward. It's a simple pin that's usually missing in Medalists I've seen in auctions. You can see it about 1/3 back along the right side of the slide.

The gun has a finely adjustable trigger pull - about 2 lbs to 4 lbs - and a trigger backlash adjustment.

Unlike most 22's, the gun can be safely dry fired by manipulating the safety lever. This manipulation allows cocking the gun for dry fire simply by pressing the safety downward, avoiding the tedium of working the slide and interrupting the dry fire string.

I have the original sales slip, the instruction booklet and the key to the case in its original wrapper
I love the old thing and it almost always goes to range with me.

 

[clang444]

.22s are great, I have a few rifles in .22lr:


I also have a bunch of pistols, but sorry no group pic.

 

[ameridaddy]

.22s are great, I have a few rifles in .22lr:


I also have a bunch of pistols, but sorry no group pic.

"...a few..." - I should be so lucky!
What is the long barreled pump in your picture?

 

[AJ]

I referenced a friends collection of Winchester 52's (he has 32). He also has Remington 37's, 40X's & 540X's, Anschutz 64's & 54's, Kimber 82G's, H&R M12, Walthers and several other heavy barrel competition rifles (of course all in .22). I created a monster when I introduced him to heavy barrel target rifles. He owns a bunch of .22 pistols ( mostly High Standards, a few Colts, Rugers, four Browning Medalists, and several that I have forgotten.

 

[clang444]

"...a few..." - I should be so lucky!
What is the long barreled pump in your picture?

It’s an old Marlin - a Model 20 if I remember correctly. Its barrel has been replaced with one from a Winchester. It’s a good shooter, accurate and reliable. I don’t shoot it much anymore because if something breaks I’d have a hell of a time getting parts to fix it.

 

[wundudnee]

.22 rifles have been my passion for years. When I was young I had a well used Stevens Favorite, I lusted after a Winchester Hammer fired pump. Over the years I have collected many of all of the Winchester models. I have a few other different manufacturers, but basically all Winchesters.

I have at least one example of every model Winchester single shots.

Quite a few bolt actions including most models of the 69/69A series, 72A, 56, 57, 67, 68, 47, 75s,

Got a few model 1890/90s, 61 62A, 1906s.

Some S&W .22s,

I even have a favorite, model90 .22 Long Rifle made in 1919. This is the one I wanted when I was twelve years old.