Great Cheap .22 Rifle, Sears Model 25 (Pic)

[canoeguy]

Saw a neat .22 rifle in a local shop a couple of months ago, a Sears Model 25 semi-auto. The Sears Model 25 was made around 1963-1967 by High Standard for Sears, it is the same rifle they sold as the "Sport King". The butt plate even has the High Standard logo. This rilfe is different than a lot of semi-auto .22's in that it will shoot any .22 ammo as a semi-auto, short, long or long rifle.

This one had been languishing on the shelf for quite some time, even though it was priced at only $90. I thought about it for a few weeks, and decided to get it if the shop owner would demonstrate that it worked OK. We stepped out back behind his shop, he fired 10 rounds into a dirt pile, rifle worked good,so I bought it.

A more thoruogh wringing out of the rifle at the range showed it was a really good shooter, excellent condition (I don't think it had been fired much) very accurate and reliable. Groups at 50 yards run about 1 1/2 inches with the iron sights. Shooting .22 shorts in it is a hoot, it will take something like 24 shorts in the magazine, the rifle fires them with no malfunctions and to the same POA/POI as .22 long rifle ammo at 25 yards.

I thought it would be a nice utility rifle, something to keep in the vehicle, go canoeing with, etc, something that shoots good yet is cheap if it is lost in a canoeing mishap. It will fill that role nicely...

Here's a pic:

 

[montezumaz]

Nice find! Sears and Sawbucks are fun to shoot ... got a few of them myself. The really neat thing is that it will shoot shorts, longs and long rifles.

 

[gunlovingirl]

I love old .22s! You got a nice deal on that one, judging by the condition!

 

[Noah Zark]

DARN IT, CANOEGUY!

Whyja have to go and put a spotlight on my favorite 22 Semiauto rifle?


Seriously, the Sears 25 (High Standard 1041) is "all that" in a 22 Semi auto rifle. The lockwork is straight out of the Savage 6/Stevens-Springfield 87. Known as "Gill Guns" because of the closely-spaced slots in the left side of the receiver just behind the breechface; and "Click-Clacks" because of the sound they make when firing the weapon and holding the trigger back and then releasing -- The bolt stays to the rear with a "click" when the trigger is held, then slams forward with a "clack" to load the next round when the trigger is released.

These guns are EXTREMELY reliable with good springs and when kept reasonably clean and remarkably accurate.

Another neat feature is the magazine loading port in the mag tube -- it is located to the SIDE of the gun at about 02:30 or 03:00 instead of at the bottom as on every other 22 tubeloader. The reason? A very smart High Standard engineer patented the idea to rotate the loading port around by the barrel so that you can load the mag easily by placing rounds on the gap between the barrel and mag tube with the rifle canted butt-down just a little to get the rounds to move backward. They fall right into the mag tube though the loading port zip-zip-zip. Is that smart, or what?

Yep, I've bought Sears 25s for anywhere between $45 and $160 and they are worth every penny.

There go the prices on Gun Broker . . .

Noah

 

[Spotteddog]

One of those utilitarian .22's that had to deliver every penny worth of their initial price. And those did so in spades! Great find!

 

[canoeguy]

Noah,

Thanks for explaining how the "Speed Loading" port works. I read the owners manual (found on-line) and it says the off-set loading port was for quick loading of the magazine tube, but didn't go into detail how it was supposed to work.

I guess people are put off today with off brands like Sears, wasn't so back in the 60's. People then appreciated a good rifle at a value price.

I was surprised the rifle didn't sell quickly at $90, glad it didn't now! Imagine what the gun shop owner gave for it if he priced it at $90!

 

[Noah Zark]

It's only marked Sears, but it's a High Standard.

However, it's true that Sears owned a big chunk of HS for a time.

Enjoy the rifle; IMO it's a keeper.

Noah

 

[reerc]

[Napoleon Dynamite on] Lucky! [Napoleon Dynamite off/]

 

[Old 44 Guy]

There is one like yours in the local gun shop. They want $129 bucks. Was looking at it for my granddaughter. Might do some haggling.

 

[Vegetaman]

I love my Winchester Model 62A because it will shoot short, long, and long rifle .22s. Fantastic gun.

 

[Babalooie]

I love my Winchester Model 62A because it will shoot short, long, and long rifle .22s. Fantastic gun.

I recently bought an old Mossberg 380 in like new condition for the same reason.

 

[graybeard 28]

Help.
I purchased a Model 25, Sears 22, NEW in 1964 for $18. I have plinked away with it all these years. I have cleaned it but never took it apart to do a proper oiling and cleaning. Is there anyplace I can look for the disassembly instructions--so I don't lose a spring or put something back in backwards?

 

[canoeguy]

Click on the link and print yourself a copy of the original owners manual:

http://gunmanuals.net/Manuals/jchiggins_25.pdf

Takedown is very easy, can be done with just a coin. I pulled mine apart shortly after buying it, gave it a cleaning for what was probably the first time in it's life.

I've probably put 500 rounds through mine in the last two months, I am really liking it. Very reliable and accurate, I'd buy another if I could find one....

 

[VMFA314]

What other brands and models semi autos will shoot all 3 sizes of 22's?

 

[graybeard 28]

Thanks Canoeguy for the manual. In my distant memory I remember having that booklet---where it disappeared to in the last 45 years I don't know.
I haven't taken a gun apart since my Army M14 but I do remember that there are steps to putting it back together right. Is there anything trickey I should know about the Model 25?

 

[canoeguy]

Nothing really tricky, just remember to pull the trigger as you are removing the bolt out the back of the reciever, it won't come out unless you do.

Pretty straightforward gun, I don't think you can put it together wrong.

$18 brand new? What a value! I can think of a lot of things that I paid more for back in the day that are long since in the landfill, like a $60 eight track tape player....

 

[graybeard 28]

I am also a vet--101st Airborne. Learned the value of a buck and can't throw things away. Wished I had my '64 Vette and '68 Camaro back though.
Thanks again

 

[graybeard 28]

Canoeguy, I just saw the picture of your Model 25 on the first page. I want to put a sling on mine--yours looks exactly like I would like. Where did you get the sling?

 

[canoeguy]

The sling is a French military surplus leather sling, 1" wide. I bought four of them in a package deal on Ebay for $15, slung up all my rifles that were needing a sling.

The sling swivels are Uncle Mikes, comes in a kit made just for tubular magazine .22 rifles. The forward sling swivel clamps to the magazine tube, the bottom swivel you have to drill a hole in the toe of the stock and install a screw.

I have one sling left if you want it, PM me your address and I'll send it to you. Then you'll just have to get the Uncle Mikes sling swivels.

It pays to have someone drill the hole for you that has done it before. My gunsmith charges me $5.00 for installing the lower sling swivel, worth it to me knowing the hole won't be drilled wacky...

 

[js&w]

Last night (Friday October 2nd ) I saw one in a very small local gun / pawn shop ( Plaza Gun & Pawn, Birmingham Alabama) It was in very good condition, obviously used little and taken care of. The guy in the shop (Larry) said he knew the previous owner and that he really took care of his stuff. It was obvious. This one had a J.C. Higgins 4x scope on top, it was also perfect and looked as if it had been on since new. I am looking over this nice condition,.. made in the US,.. with all steel construction (my reference to the current Ruger 10/22 rifles with their alum receivers and now plastic trigger group/housings) thinking, what a nice piece. My brother in law with me, got a crash course education on this rifle, he had the current blue book with him and his laptop. Built by Hi Standard ? He ask? The tag said 179.00 Who in their right mind would not take the Sears 25 in excel condition over a new in the box 10/22 dollar for dollar. I ask Larry what he would take for it and he said he supposed 175 cash out the door . So I bought it! The gun is worth 250.00 in my opinion. The closest thing I have seen to this craftsmanship and old school quality in a 22 would probably be a CZ.. If someone told me i could go back to 1966 with $125.00 and buy any then current production 22 auto rifle I wanted or you can have $400.00 to buy now, and it has to be a new current manufactured... You cant even buy a new Japanese Browning take down for 400..(Yea I think they are well made but again why buy a new $500+ when you can find good condition used Belgium for hundred or two more!) There was a time, years ago when you could buy a made in the U S product with the old build materials for a reasonable price, and that time has past and will never return. A cycle in the progression of a nation ,...progressing with the rest of the world. I am not a Buy American or Die kind of guy ,..the world is becoming a smaller place and our place in it changes / I am just glad that most people have little regard for pieces of history like Sears 25's which keeps the price down ,..has for years,
A friend with us noticed the listed value in the current blue book and told me I was paying too much for it, and he wouldn't give mor'en a hunerd fifty for it. I told him , ..." I tell you what big guy..I'll buy every one you can find in this condition and give you $185.00 a piece for 'em Now go an round em up for me !"
I have 47 no make that 48 now in excellent condition ... anybody want one at $199.00 a piece ? and You can buy as many as you want ?

That's what I thought.
Was it Will Rogers quoting Mark Twain regarding where to put your money...
"Buy Land, They Ain't Making Any More of it !"
Same principle applies.