DWalt
Member
Is anyone here interested in discussing Daisy V/L .22 rifles? I think one of the most unusual designs ever, but few today have any idea as to what they are, even if they have heard of them. I have all models.
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Daisy V/L rifles?
- Thread starter DWalt
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Is the VL the rifle that uses special .22 ammo ?
My brother has had one for as long as I can remember. A family friend gave it to him when he was a kid (1970s/80s timeframe).
I've fired a few rounds through it, kind of interesting. Still got one or two hundred rounds of ammo in the plastic tubes somewhere in all my junk. I think some is even in the original boxes.
I've fired a few rounds through it, kind of interesting. Still got one or two hundred rounds of ammo in the plastic tubes somewhere in all my junk. I think some is even in the original boxes.
gdnagle
US Veteran
So it's a hybrid .22 short fired by heat from the compressed air to ignite the ceaseless ammo. I had to look it up. So will it also shoot .22 pellets without the ceaseless powder. I see ammo is still available for it about the same price as some places sell .22lr for.
Where's the picture.
Where's the picture.
I had one. As I recall, it used a spring piston to compress the air. As indicated, it could be used as a pellet rifle, or the heat generated by compressing the air ignited the powder pellet at the base of a 22 caliber bullet. I didn't like it because of the vibration upon firing when the spring went twang. On the other hand, one can think of the cartridge as the successor to the Volcanic.
Bob
Bob
OP
DWalt
Member
There were three V/L versions commercially sold. The most common had a plastic stock. In second place was the same rifle with a wooden stock (shown in the picture above). The least common is a fancier wooden stock version in a presentation case. Daisy was working on repeater versions, but none made it to market, to my knowledge, probably because the earlier V/L models did not set the market afire. They can be used to shoot .22 pellets, but they do not work very well in that role, and that was never advertised as a feature. All ammo was made by CIL in Canada. Ignition was essentially like a Diesel engine. A spring-loaded plunder compressed air, heating it to a temperature high enough to ignite the nitrocellulose pellet molded to the bullet. A primer was not required. After a few shots, accuracy degraded rapidly, and I believe that was the principle reason for its market failure. And, yes, it was a successor to the Volcanic as a caseless cartridge, and probably the only caseless cartridge firearm besides the Volcanic to make it to market in some quantity (not counting paper and gut cartridges for muzzle and breech loaders from the black powder era which required a separate primer).
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OP
DWalt
Member
"I have read that Daisy stopped making it because ATF got involved. I don't know if it is true or not."
That's one story, and frequently repeated, but I have never read anything authoritative that substantiates it. I believe production stopped because of slow sales and poor market acceptance.
That's one story, and frequently repeated, but I have never read anything authoritative that substantiates it. I believe production stopped because of slow sales and poor market acceptance.
Yorkie Man
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My local dealer has one of the models in the presentation case for sale.
OP
DWalt
Member
They are not often seen and few were sold. What's he asking for it?
I think (?) that I have a Daisy .22 single shot rifle ANIB somewhere in my closet. I never knew that Daisy manufactured .22 S-L-LR rifles ?
JimC
Member
I bought this Presentation grade in 1968 when I worked at a LGS.
I haven't fired even one complete box of the VL ammo thru it.
I haven't fired even one complete box of the VL ammo thru it.
OP
DWalt
Member
Daisy did make some bolt-action .22 RF cartridge rifles, but I don't know anything about them.
OP
DWalt
Member
"I bought this Presentation grade in 1968 when I worked at a LGS.
I haven't fired even one complete box of the VL ammo thru it."
The presentation set included the rifle, 300 rounds of ammunition, a pair of brass brackets for hanging the rifle on a wall, a fairly extensive full-color instruction manual which gave a history of the V/L, and a certificate signed by Cass Hough (who was, I think, the President of Daisy at the time). Sort of like a S&W .357 Registered Magnum, I guess. I have understood that Daisy would engrave whatever you wanted on the brass stock plate if the presentation set was special ordered, but I have not seen an engraved plate. I have everything but the certificate with mine, and I have never seen one of them either, of the 3 or 4 other presentation sets I have seen over the years.
I haven't fired even one complete box of the VL ammo thru it."
The presentation set included the rifle, 300 rounds of ammunition, a pair of brass brackets for hanging the rifle on a wall, a fairly extensive full-color instruction manual which gave a history of the V/L, and a certificate signed by Cass Hough (who was, I think, the President of Daisy at the time). Sort of like a S&W .357 Registered Magnum, I guess. I have understood that Daisy would engrave whatever you wanted on the brass stock plate if the presentation set was special ordered, but I have not seen an engraved plate. I have everything but the certificate with mine, and I have never seen one of them either, of the 3 or 4 other presentation sets I have seen over the years.
JimC
Member
The brass brackets got lost a long time ago. I don't recall a manual or the certificate and I am the only owner since 1968.
OP
DWalt
Member
Maybe I'll unearth my V/L Presentation set and take pictures of everything. It's buried in the attic. I'd like to see the certificate if anyone has an example. As I said, I have never seen one of those.
I have one, got it years ago from a LGS, fired about 20 shots thru it, accuracy is just so so, still have a full box of ammo, supposedly Numrich/Gunparts Corp in NY brought up all the unsold ammo from Daisy some time in the late 80s. don't know if they still have any in stock.
When shot as an airgun with .22 pellets, performance was poor, barely able to make 300 f/s, not very impressive to say the least.
Most of the VL I've seen, with the exceptions those kept by collectors, were in rather poor conditions, seems like most were purchased by young people, shot it a few time, lost interested in it, set it aside, never bother to clean it.
When shot as an airgun with .22 pellets, performance was poor, barely able to make 300 f/s, not very impressive to say the least.
Most of the VL I've seen, with the exceptions those kept by collectors, were in rather poor conditions, seems like most were purchased by young people, shot it a few time, lost interested in it, set it aside, never bother to clean it.
Daisy made 3 Legacy .22lr rifles from approx. 1988-91.
2201- single shot bolt action.
2202- 10 shot bolt action that used a rotary magazine.
2203- 7 shot semi-auto.
The rifles had plastic stocks and an adjustable butt stock.
Colors were black and brown.
There were wood stocked models of the above numbers that were not adjustable. These were marked 2211, 2212, and 2213 on the box label. The receivers were marked 2201,2202, and 2203.
The guns came with a spanner wrench to remove the barrel.
I have a few of the 2202 and 1 of the 2212. The magazines are very hard to find and expensive. Here is a pic of a 2202 with the mag.
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OP
DWalt
Member
I remember seeing a few of the Daisy bolt action .22s, but not recently. Obviously, they were not any more of a market success than the V/L. I didn't know about the Daisy semi-auto .22. I think all these Daisy rifles have been overlooked by collectors, and are most uncommon due to the small numbers produced. Yet, they do offer some variety.
Allegedly, Daisy was developing some V/L repeaters, but none ever made it into production. I'd like to have one of the prototypes. Some years ago, someone who had worked at Daisy told me that, and a few other interesting facts.
Allegedly, Daisy was developing some V/L repeaters, but none ever made it into production. I'd like to have one of the prototypes. Some years ago, someone who had worked at Daisy told me that, and a few other interesting facts.
