The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The Conference Center > General Discussion Forum

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old July 30, 2014, 09:10 PM   #1
AL45
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 12, 2012
Posts: 753
How many of you have come full circle?

Like most of you, I started with a .22 LR and over the years have owned and shot a wide range of guns and calibers. Lately, I have yearned to return to my first love, the .22LR. I have reached a point where, as of today, if I could only own one caliber, it would be a .22LR........Of course, I might have a relapse tomorrow and buy a big ol' magnum something or other. Gunowners are a fickle bunch.
AL45 is offline  
Old July 30, 2014, 10:52 PM   #2
JWT
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 16, 2007
Location: Southern Arizona
Posts: 3,888
My last three purchases have been .22 rifles. I've come to like them more and more although I continue to shoot other calibers in handguns and rifles. I think reading Bill Wards "Walnut and Steel - Vintage .23 Rifles" kindled the spark.
JWT is offline  
Old July 30, 2014, 11:18 PM   #3
hoghunting
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 27, 2006
Posts: 1,559
Even though I reload, there are times when shooting a .22 LR and not caring about the brass is extremely enjoyable.
hoghunting is offline  
Old July 30, 2014, 11:23 PM   #4
trg42wraglefragle
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 21, 2008
Location: new zealand
Posts: 856
I love shooting 22lr, what other cartridge can you shoot hundreds of shots of and not once worry about the cost of it, or how long it will take to reload more.

Not to mention very easy to shoot, and never have to worry about upsetting anyone with noise.
trg42wraglefragle is offline  
Old July 30, 2014, 11:33 PM   #5
kilimanjaro
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 23, 2009
Posts: 3,963
I still think plinking with a .22 is about the most fun you can have shooting.
kilimanjaro is offline  
Old July 30, 2014, 11:34 PM   #6
Kimio
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 2, 2011
Location: Arizona
Posts: 1,171
I love shooting .22lr especially since I've still got A LOT to learn, and it's an affordable way to train (or at least it used to be).

My problem is I got into the sport extremely late (being a young brat and all), so it's difficult to find .22LR at the moment. I don't foresee things getting better any time soon, at least in regards to .22LR coming back into stock here locally on any regular basis.

At least 9mm and some of the other more common calibers seem to be recovering, slowly.
Kimio is offline  
Old July 31, 2014, 08:45 AM   #7
g.willikers
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 28, 2008
Posts: 10,442
I've closed the circle even more.
Most of my shooting, these days, is with airguns.
Second childhood?
Especially since the .22 ammo shortages.
Before that, a typical range day was about 2/3 rimfire and 1/3 centerfire.
With .22 now costing about the same as reloading, my rimfires are just collecting dust, sad to say.
If there's ever a shortage of pellets and airsoft bbs, I'm going back to archery.
No ammo problems there.
__________________
Walt Kelly, alias Pogo, sez:
“Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent.”

Last edited by g.willikers; July 31, 2014 at 08:50 AM.
g.willikers is offline  
Old July 31, 2014, 08:52 AM   #8
MrBorland
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 31, 2007
Location: NC
Posts: 2,614
I've always wanted a really good rifle, and am about to pull the trigger (pun intended) on a custom build. Since I can only justify the cost on something I'll be shooting a lot, it's gotta be versatile, accurate, have a long bore life, and be chambered in something that won't tie me to the reloading bench and/or break the bank when I do shoot it as often as I plan. My choice is an obvious one, then; a .22LR.
MrBorland is offline  
Old July 31, 2014, 09:04 AM   #9
g.willikers
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 28, 2008
Posts: 10,442
If this idea of concentrating on .22s catches on around here, we may need a rimfire section or risk losing folks to the rimfire forums.
Hint, hint?
__________________
Walt Kelly, alias Pogo, sez:
“Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent.”
g.willikers is offline  
Old July 31, 2014, 03:04 PM   #10
jasmith85
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 6, 2012
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 631
The shortage has pretty much made me give up on 22. I still have my M&P 22 but it has been over a year since I fired it. Sadly 9mm has become my plinking round.
jasmith85 is offline  
Old July 31, 2014, 03:16 PM   #11
Brian Pfleuger
Moderator Emeritus
 
Join Date: June 25, 2008
Location: Austin, CO
Posts: 19,578
Quote:
Originally Posted by AL45
Lately, I have yearned to return to my first love, the .22LR. I have reached a point where, as of today, if I could only own one caliber, it would be a .22LR........Of course, I might have a relapse tomorrow and buy a big ol' magnum something or other. Gunowners are a fickle bunch.
I suppose it's possible that I'll come around, but I doubt it.

First, it would be "come around" and not "BACK around" because I've never had any love for .22LR. Yes, I started there but I never wanted to stay there, never loved (nor particularly even cared for) the cartridge and always wanted something better, faster, flatter, longer ranged.

Shooting a .22 bores me to tears. If it was my only choice, I would own one rifle for varmints when necessary and one handgun for defense and I'd most likely never shoot them "for fun" because I don't consider .22 to BE fun.

As it is now, I have one 525 round box of Federal .22 ammo that I've had for probably 3 years and it's still more than 1/2 full. The portion that's missing was shot 90% by my son. In that time, I have fired many hundreds of center-fire rifle and handgun rounds
__________________
Nobody plans to screw up their lives...
...they just don't plan not to.
-Andy Stanley
Brian Pfleuger is offline  
Old July 31, 2014, 03:47 PM   #12
Model12Win
Junior member
 
Join Date: October 20, 2012
Posts: 5,854
My first firearm was a Mosin-Nagant M91/30 rifle. Throughout the years, I've run the gamet form interests of all types of weapons and forgot about the Mosin.

Now, several years later, I've returned to old Mosey and love it so much!

Model12Win is offline  
Old July 31, 2014, 07:47 PM   #13
A400 Fan
Junior member
 
Join Date: June 17, 2014
Posts: 242
Quote:
I love shooting 22lr, what other cartridge can you shoot hundreds of shots of and not once worry about the cost of it, or how long it will take to reload more.

Not to mention very easy to shoot, and never have to worry about upsetting anyone with noise.
Try shooting a .22 air rifle, the ammo is even cheaper AND readily available.
A400 Fan is offline  
Old July 31, 2014, 07:48 PM   #14
TXAZ
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 5, 2010
Location: McMurdo Sound Texas
Posts: 4,322
I'll be the naysayer. I started with a .22, but don't have any desire to go back.
__________________

Cave illos in guns et backhoes
TXAZ is offline  
Old July 31, 2014, 07:53 PM   #15
Jo6pak
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 5, 2010
Location: West Coast...of WI
Posts: 1,663
I've never went away from the .22 rimfire, I've always liked shooting them all along.

What I have come "full circle" to is in regards to old Milsurp rifles. In my teens I really liked military rifles from the past and my earliest purchases centered on them. Then I began to get into more modern guns and the milsurps began to stay in the safe more and more.

But in the past few years, it is the oldies that go to the range more often than the modern stuff.
__________________
NRA Life Member, SAF contributor.
Jo6pak is offline  
Old July 31, 2014, 08:11 PM   #16
ljnowell
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 5, 2009
Posts: 274
I never really had a love for rimfires. I have owned, and still do, several. I have been a reloader for several years though and the 38 special is my favorite to shoot.
ljnowell is offline  
Old July 31, 2014, 09:16 PM   #17
AL45
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 12, 2012
Posts: 753
Brian, send me those nasty .22's you have left over and I will dispose of them for you. I won't even charge you to do it.
AL45 is offline  
Old July 31, 2014, 10:15 PM   #18
Brian Pfleuger
Moderator Emeritus
 
Join Date: June 25, 2008
Location: Austin, CO
Posts: 19,578
Quote:
Originally Posted by AL45 View Post
Brian, send me those nasty .22's you have left over and I will dispose of them for you. I won't even charge you to do it.

That's ok, my mom has that gun right now for the woodchucks under her shed.

Besides, my son loves the thing.
Brian Pfleuger is offline  
Old July 31, 2014, 10:53 PM   #19
jeager106
Junior member
 
Join Date: November 24, 2006
Location: N.E. Oh.
Posts: 527
Can anyone really have enough .22 firearms?
Shooting a .22 is simply fun & how many shooters started with the .22?
In my opinion the .22 r.f. is one of the very most usefull calibers.
If I were forced to survive -not fight a battle- I'd want a reliable
.22 r.f and a brick of ammo.
jeager106 is offline  
Old August 1, 2014, 10:39 AM   #20
McShooty
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 4, 2012
Location: Northern Missouri
Posts: 480
I second that. Many, maybe most, of us started with .22s and I must tell you that you can't escape your boyhood (or girlhood). Also, the older you get, the more it comes back to you. It is the key to a happy old age.

When I was a boy, in addition to a .22, I had a ball shooting dad's single barrel .410. Now, when I see an old single barrel on a gun shelf, I want to buy it. Recently, got a mint H&R Topper Model 48 .410 for $100. Happy as a pig in a mud hole. Of course, I still also enjoy the bigger boomers in the collection.
McShooty is offline  
Old August 1, 2014, 02:31 PM   #21
SIGSHR
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 13, 2005
Posts: 4,700
I wish I had started with a 22. Started by collecting collecting US milsurps, went to the range once a years if I was lucky. Started collecting and shooting 22, now, when I go to the range with a centerfire it's as if I had been shooting one all along.
SIGSHR is offline  
Old August 1, 2014, 02:53 PM   #22
SHE3PDOG
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 27, 2013
Posts: 988
I have come around in a way. I have been going back to 22 lately, but in much nicer firearms than I could have had when I was younger. I'm also wanting to expand into other rimfires like 17 hmr. Rimfires just make a fun day of shooting forlots of people of all ages and skill levels.
__________________
Semper Fi

Marine, NRA member, SAF Defender's Club member, and constitutionally protected keeper and bearer of firearms
SHE3PDOG is offline  
Old August 1, 2014, 03:00 PM   #23
SPEMack618
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 21, 2010
Location: Central Georgia
Posts: 1,863
I still enjoy sporting clays more than anything...but that being said, Pops was the most ardent supporter of the humble .22 LR cartridge.

I didn't quite understand him until I went off to college, and didn't take a single .22 gun of any sort with me.

I made Mark Twain proud on that one.
__________________
NRA Life Member
Read my blog!
"The answer to any caliber debate is going to be .38 Super, 10mm, .357 Sig or .41 Magnum!"
SPEMack618 is offline  
Old August 1, 2014, 05:00 PM   #24
pete2
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 15, 2012
Location: Texas
Posts: 2,566
For many years I had a .22, a 12ga. and a .22 revolver , I didn't realize I needed the other 40 odd guns til later. I guess if I could only have one gun the 12ga. would win cause it'll take on anything.
pete2 is offline  
Old August 1, 2014, 05:14 PM   #25
hartcreek
Junior member
 
Join Date: April 22, 2014
Location: Washington
Posts: 1,549
Never only a .22

Like many guys my age I started with the CMP so the .22 was it. I always have kept a couple .22 rifles and revolvers around. I keep one at the cabin so that anyone that needs a firearm has one that is easy to handle....I still have two Winchester Model 90s and yes they are dusty but I find ammo because I keep my eyes open for it. I was at Cabelas getting fishing tackle the other day and lo and behold it was just after five and they put out bulk packs of .22s so I got one. I have enough that I can again take out one of those 90s and see if I can find a rabbit.
hartcreek is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:21 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.11921 seconds with 10 queries