SmallCaliberCentral

I know there's got to be some guys using older, classic .22 match rifles. I still practice with, and occasionally hunt with, this old Winchester 52-B, complete with the equally classic 20x Lyman target scope. Dad & Grandpa used it in competition, it's been in our family 50+ years and is still mighty accurate.



Anyone else using a classic .22?

I had a Remington 513-T with a 16 power (I think) Unertal for many years. It also had a set of Redfield Olympic aperture sights. I bought it from my brother, had it for 20 years or so, and traded it back to him. I still have in my safe the first gun I ever owned. A single shot Remington Fieldmaster my uncle bought for me when I was 5 or 6 years old.
I have always loved to shoot .22 and have owned quite a few. Right now I have a Weatherby Mark XII tube fed, a Ruger 77 .22 which is completely blue printed and bedded, and the one I shoot is a Sako P94 Varmint.

Guy, I have the same set up as in your picture. My Dad won 8 state championships with this rifle back in the 50's and 60's. I was shooting some BR50 a few years ago when I lived in Wyoming using a tricked out 10/22. I did very well in our informal competitions, but 1 day I brought out the 52 just for the heck of it. I shot best 10 shot group of the year, and high score of the year using Eley Match ammo. What a wonderfull classic you have. Cherish it!

Guy has a great system there, perhaps my second favorite. Here is the one I really like:



52 Sporter has always been a super small game rifle, but only a marginal match rifle.

All I can say is I WISH I had an old classic like those............................beautiful rifles!

When I joined my hi-school rifle team back in 1973 my dad said I should have my own rifle. Out to his favorit gun dealer and brought home a model 54 anschutz 22LR target rifle. Apeture sights. So I used it for 4 years and my younger brother used it for 4 years.
We still have it but have not taken it out to shoot it. We just keep her cleaned and oiled. Dad also picked up 5000 round of Eley tenex red/orange box. still have about 2500 rounds left and Yep it shoots.........tried some of Eley in my green mountain barrel I put on my 77/22 and a bug hole at 50 yards.
Not as old as your but stll sweet.
Later
Ray P

Dang it! You reminded me of "one of the ones that got away" with this post. I used to have a sweet, very accurate Remington 513 Matchmaster with an old Unertal 8X scope in external mounts. Many a squirrel met his demise with that old rifle, and I often wonder where she is today......(pout).

In a moment of weakness, I also traded off a 1973 vintage Remington M541S sporter, now worth over $500, that I paid about $150 for back then. Two I still have can't be considered classics just yet; a Remington M541T HB (discontinued) and an original Ruger 77/22 sporter (walnut/blue) that is a first year production rifle with knock-out wood......some day...

Here's the M541T HB wanting to get out into the field:

Critter and Rick, those are a couple of beauties! Thanks for posting the photos. Ray, that Anschutz sounds like one heck of a rifle... They're shooters!

Regards, Guy

Thanks guys.............I think everyone needs a good 22LR for what every purpose. We all have our great center fire's. But there is something about a "Classic 22" . I also have a marlin 39A that my dad got me for my 12th birthday. I couldn't wait to get my hands on one Ruger's "All Weather " 22. I think Ruger S/S is one of the nices out there. This now wears a green mtn. .920 bull barrel and volquartzen grey laminated stock.
Thanks for sharing and I'll try to get ya some pics.
Later
Ray P

I am a modern classic, I guess.

My original 10/22 was sold in a time of need. 10's of thousands of rounds through it.

The 10/22 that currently resides at my house has an aftermarket barrel, custom trigger work, and a Choate style stock. Friends laugh when they see the 4-12 power scope on it...and then they become rather quiet when you outshoot their high power at 100 yards.

Those are some great looking Rifles I am looking at getting a cheaper Bench type gun. Kind of leaning towards a Savage Mark II. My gun club where I shoot centerfire is going to have .22lr matches next year so y'all know what that means Go buy one

The closest thing I have to a "classic" .22 is an old 1920's vintage M24 Remington, an autoloader designed by J.M. Browning himself. Mine is a gallery gun, .22 Short only. If you think "Browning .22 autoloader" you'll know exactly what it looks like, although the furniture has changed a little, the rest of the gun is the same. It's a nice old gun, my late brother gave it to me, just before he passed on.

Here's an old M-49R Ithaca in 22LR. My brother has Granddad's single shot with peep sight we shot in the Jr NRA program.

Hawkeye, that is one great looking piece. Is the stock redone or is that still original. If it's original---WOW

KVW it's all original. Picked it up from a guy at work for $100. He found it in his mom's house after she passed. I think it's from the early 70's. She's a keeper