The Best .22 Ever Made

[Glenn R. McMannly]

Today I took to the woods with my Remington Nylon 66: the very finest .22 semi-automatic ever made:



For an autoloading rimfire, the Nylon 66 combines phenomenal reliability with high durability. It’s practical field accuracy is excellent, and it carries like a dream, weighing only 4 lbs.

Remington were fools for ever discontinuing this fine rifle. But due to their ruggedness, many still serve today and work as well as they ever did. I’m the proud owner of four of these fine guns.

-Glenn

 

[BAM-BAM]

Never had one, wanted one as a kid, but hard to beat a Ruger 10/22 semi....... especially one with a full Mannlicher stock and a little 1-4x20 scope.

3.5lbs in carbon fiber stock to around 4.4lbs

 

[fiasconva]

They were quality rifles and seem to have a cult following recently. Back in the 60's a bunch of us high schoolers were squirrel hunting and one of the group brought his 66. We teased him so much about his "plastic" rifle that he got PO'd, packed up and left, and refused to go hunting with us again.

 

[armadillo]

When I had to make a choice back 60 years ago, I chose a 552 over the 66 because I wanted to be able to use 22 shorts. I always craved the 66 and finally in my old age, I have acquired 2. I love shooting them (so did my grandkids).

 

[Golddollar]

My dad bought one early on when the Nylon 66 came out. I can't remember how many rounds he put through it , but I don't think it was many. I thought it was a pretty cool thing. Pop died 9 years ago and one of the guns I picked out was the Nylon 66.

 

[Just another 22 shooter]

The best 22 ever made? I'll just say I disagree.

 

[Glenn R. McMannly]

The best 22 ever made? I'll just say I disagree.

Well, you’re wrong, that’s all.

 

[hardluk1]

I am a bolt action 22lr guy . My wife and I do have a couple ruger 10/22 BUT original parts or limited to the reciever and bolt .

My first 22lr rifle was a rem 511P and still use it mainly for short range critter control with 22 short cb and never had a problem with these light 29gr slow bullets leaving the long 25" barrel with the firing pin "click " when fireing a cartridge being louder than the puff sound from the barrel . It is purdy accurate with 22lr match ammo but not as accurate as our ruger customs or my savage mkii bv .

 

[Baxter6551]

Another one of those “man I should have picked one of those up back in the day” guns. I should start scouting the used racks for one.

 

[chief38]

The Remington Nylon 66 was always a favorite of mine when I was a kid pouring over my Dad's gun magazines. I also liked the black Apache model as well. That said, I have never owned one. I just forgot about them as an adult and now I don't want to start buying more guns as I am in my early 70's. Still in excellent health, but not getting any younger and I have more than my fair share of 22 rifles to shoot.

As far as being the "best" 22 semi auto rifle, that could possibly be but since I have never shot one I wouldn't know. Enjoy yours - I hear they are terrific!

 

[Hodado]

What about a favorite.22 pistol?
I’m partial to the S&W Victory

 

[Grayfox]

I'm not sure if its the best, but its certainly the most complicated. Never, ever take one of these apart. You will regret it.

 

[pasound]

I have 10-22's, and a bolt action American 22. Always wanted a Nylon-66, ever since I was a kid. They never show up in LGS's or pawn shops in my area.

 

[flagaman1950]

My father gave me a 66 back when the price was $49, if I recall correctly as it has been over 60 years ago. Hunted with it many years. Only problem was mine did not like any kind of hollow points. Still have it, but it has a bit of rust blemishes here and there. Good gun, yes, the best, not my sample. Not dependable with HP and the trigger left a lot to be desired. Would I give it up? not a chance!
Best

 

[Bozz10mm]

Circa 1964, Dad and I were walking past the Goodyear store when we stopped and looked at a Nylon 66 in the display window. It was priced at $29.99, maybe $39.99, can't remember for sure. I wanted it so bad I could taste it. Dad said, "Nope. That plastic stock will warp." $29.99 sounds really, really cheap now. But in today's dollars that's over $300.

 

[cmansguns]

I've been lucky enough to find two of these classic, before-their-time rifles, one in Mohawk Brown, date code R-P (Nov 1967), and the other in Seneca Green, date code P-G (June 1960). Neither has serial numbers on the receiver which started in Jan 1968 with the GCA. These rifles have a fantastic history with well over 1,000,000 sold between 1959 and 1991. The Seneca Green color is the scarcest with only 45,290 produced before discontinuance in 1962.

Even with good cameras and natural daylight, it is still hard to pick out the Seneca Green from the Mohawk Brown, but angle them just right and the green hue will jump out to you. Have heard that these rifles are up in the $400-$500 range if you see them in gun stores. Don't really know the value as I'm not selling anytime soon.

I never had one as a youth, my 22 go-to rifle was a Mossberg bolt action, iron sights, but a real decent squirrel gun....yes....I learned pretty early that it was indeed "easier" to get my bag limit of 5 squirrels with my trusty Model 37, Ithaca 12 ga., Mom wouldn't touch them for the pot until I (and only me by decree) had cleaned every single one of those tiny lead shot out of what was left of those squirrels. Pretty sure that I can still hear Pop in the background with the evening paper hiding his face mumbling..."told you over and over, head shot with 22LR the only way to go".

Everyone in my family loves those Nylon 66's....even though Squirrel stew hasn't been on any menu here for bucoo years

 

[Empe]

I have an Apache Black 66 that I bought when I was in high school .
I certainly wouldn't describe it as the BEST .22 EVER made though !!

 

[desi2358]

I've always had at least one around since I bought my first one at a farm auction back in the 70's. It was such a huge improvement over the worn single shot 22 and the equally old and worn shotgun I had (and I no longer had to pick shot out of squirrels or rabbits too!) that I really came to love the little gun. I had seen lots of ads for them as a kid in the 60's telling how tough and reliable they were so the synthetic stock wasn't a put off and it lived up to the hype.

Over the years I've done a lot of buying, selling and trading and that old gun got away but I always got another one. Have an early 60's mfg one sitting in the safe right now, identical to my first one. As much as I love blue steel and walnut there is a special place in my heart for the 66 series.

 

[Squib_Load]

Back in the 70s I had a Marlin Model 60, a semi-auto, tube mag 22 LR. It went with me everywhere in the desert near San Diego.

 

[WaMike]

I admired these as a kid, then bought a used Seneca Green as an adult. Honestly, the accuracy on mine was not great and I eventually sold it. Reading cmansguns post, I see that's another one I let get away (sigh).