Just don't like... can't take seriously... don't respect... the lowly 22 LR - Page 2

lefteye · February 25, 2013, 06:17 PM

At 66 I guess I'm a part-time kid, part-time hunter, and part-time senior citizen. I enjoy my retirement; I still hunt big game (including whitetails with a bow from my hang-on tree stands); and I enjoy shooting my Ruger Mk II stainless bull barrel. Two buddies (one older and one younger) and I usually have a competition each year with our .22s. Winner buys the beer(after the shoot). I haven't done it recently but I really enjoyed hunting rabbits and squirrels with the Mk II (head shots only).

bbqbob51 · February 25, 2013, 08:21 PM

.22lr is what I shoot downrange the most. I find it affordable to shoot especially when my friends, brother and brother-in-laws show up as there are always someone in the crowd that says, "Sorry, I don't have any ammo with me."
They still shoot though!

TennJed · February 26, 2013, 01:26 AM

Sounds like you are a reloader first and shooter second. Nothing wrong with that. I enjoy the Bobbie of reloading myself, but do find 22s to be a lot of fun. Nothing like taking the kids out with some 22s for some plinking fun

Justice06RR · February 26, 2013, 01:49 AM

maybe let your kids shoot them if you don't like shooting the 22's. its not everyone's cup of tea, but they are still fun to shoot and very cheap to feed.

I bet if you tried to sell your 22lr ammo people will swipe them up like hotcakes in a minute.

wooly booger · February 26, 2013, 02:41 PM

I have all different flavors of firearms. Thinking about it though, I probably use the 22lr 95% of the time for my "working" rifle and handgun. I carry a .22 pistol in my flyfishing chest pack, boat, and canoe. My ruger 10/22 comes with me on most impromptu outings around the property and stays behind the door if a shot at a crow, gopher, or jack rabbit presents itself off the deck. I only carry a bigger gun while hiking in the National Forest northwest of the property where I have a better than normal chance of encountering bear, lion, or wolf. Of course I always carry a more prudent weapon if the possibility of encountering a bad guy exists. My present truck gun is the 10/22 as well.

One or more .22s go with me to the range every time unless I have to do some serious development work with a new big game gun.

Heaven forbid, if I were restricted to owning one long gun and one handgun, they would both be Rugers; a 4 5/8" Single Six and a 10/22

geetarman · February 26, 2013, 02:54 PM

When it comes down to versatility and fun, the .22 is tops.

If push comes to shove, you could carry a 1000 rounds of .22 a whole lot easier than anything else.

If you wanted to put dinner on the table, you would be more to do that using a .22.

Somehow, shooting a squirrel with a .44 mag seems a case of major overkill.

There is a lot the .22 won't do but there is a reason why it has been around as long as it has.

I find them amazingly fun to shoot.

johnwilliamson062 · February 26, 2013, 03:04 PM

I don't enjoy true target shooting all that much. I don't find doing it with centerfires any more exciting than rimfires. I am not paying that much attention to the target or the boom in most cases. Trying to feel every movement in my body, every muscle, any discomfort, etc., etc. It is tedious.
It is a whole lot cheaper with 22lr than centerfire.

More and more I shoot a bit out of my carry gun then shoot only 22lrs.

Magnum Wheel Man · February 26, 2013, 03:14 PM

my "behind the door" rifle is a 17 Mach 2 ( 22 LR, necked down to 17 ) that gun was put together just for that purpose, around the farm, it drops coons from the trees ( outside doggie is very good at treeing them, often 2-3 in the same tree ) it's very effective on most all farm yard pests... there is much less of a chance of recoil with the faster, & much lighter bullet, the "real" effective range at varmints is almost double... it gets shot 10 times more than all my 22's put together, & even though it's a working gun, it's still very fun to shoot in comparision... Like I said... just can't get into the lil 22's any more...

OEF-Vet · February 26, 2013, 03:28 PM

Magnum Wheel Man
I'm sure you knew you would get some folks that didn't quite agree with you when you posted this thread

As long as you're a shooter your alright in my book

Hey, shoot whatever makes ya happy. There are a lot of choices out there as long as we keep protecting the 2nd Amendment.

Dwight55 · February 26, 2013, 03:36 PM

My first trigger pull in my life was an old .22 single shot, . . . pulled hammer back, . . . pushed down on the trigger guard, . . . pulled out the .22 short case, . . . inserted another, . . . pulled trigger guard up, . . . loaded ready to go.

And while my EDC is a 1911, . . . I also have no qualms taking my son's Browning slabside .22 auto to town. I've never felt "out gunned" as long as I've got that little pea shooter. It puts em exactly where I point em, . . . and you don't have to "recover" from every shot.

I've even got conversion kits for some of my center fires.

Yeah, . . . I love shooting my .22's.

May God bless,
Dwight

KBP75 · February 26, 2013, 04:14 PM

Its your personal preference to like and enjoy ANY firearm you want. When you don't respect any firearm is when you get into trouble. However weak, small or low powered you think the .22 is, please remember it can kill you or someone else. It might not be fast or overwhelming in power, but it can be deadly up to 1 1/4 miles. Respect all firearms. Your life(or someone's life) may depend on it.

WV_gunner · February 26, 2013, 05:01 PM

I dont like .22 LR much either either but it's too affordable to not shoot. I don't know about now, but last year i could buy a box of 500 for $16. It costs twice that a box of .45/70 of only 20 rounds. I'd rather shoot the big guns, but a 10 minute session of shooting or several long sessions of shooting?

Sarge · February 26, 2013, 06:01 PM

I certainly don't dislike .22s and I really need to get a rifle. I've had several in recent years... usually one of the kids or grandkids take a shine to it and away it goes. I figure what the hell, I can always find a good used 22 rifle.

The recent gun & ammo famine has convinced me that the new one will be Short friendly. The basic Henry is OK but I'm farming my circle of friends for a BL22 or older 39 Mountie. Now those I can warm up to.

Any rimfire pistol that suits me, costs as much or more than my centerfires; and then I start thinking "I could spend that money on reloading components and I often do. I've developed garden-pest loads for all my centerfires make excellent small game loads, so the need just isn't there for me.

mk8tim · March 28, 2013, 06:08 PM

i love my rimfire .22's. they're affordable and very accurate out to 70 yards or so. i love shooting almost anything but paying over a dollar each time i squeeze the trigger hurts my feelings. i rabbit and bird hunt with my 22s exclusively. i have a friend who said the same as you until i handed him my smith and wesson 15-22 with a full magazine. between that, my marlin model 60, my winchester 69a and my ruger single six we shot 700 rounds that day. it was a great day.

February 25, 2013, 06:17 PM	#26
lefteye Senior Member Join Date: January 30, 2006 Posts: 1,433	At 66 I guess I'm a part-time kid, part-time hunter, and part-time senior citizen. I enjoy my retirement; I still hunt big game (including whitetails with a bow from my hang-on tree stands); and I enjoy shooting my Ruger Mk II stainless bull barrel. Two buddies (one older and one younger) and I usually have a competition each year with our .22s. Winner buys the beer(after the shoot). I haven't done it recently but I really enjoyed hunting rabbits and squirrels with the Mk II (head shots only). __________________ Vietnam Veteran ('69-'70) NRA Life Member RMEF Life Member

February 26, 2013, 01:26 AM	#28
TennJed Senior Member Join Date: September 26, 2010 Posts: 1,536	Sounds like you are a reloader first and shooter second. Nothing wrong with that. I enjoy the Bobbie of reloading myself, but do find 22s to be a lot of fun. Nothing like taking the kids out with some 22s for some plinking fun __________________ Find out just how tall I am By jumping in the middle of a river

February 26, 2013, 02:54 PM	#31
geetarman Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2009 Location: Arizona Posts: 3,157	When it comes down to versatility and fun, the .22 is tops. If push comes to shove, you could carry a 1000 rounds of .22 a whole lot easier than anything else. If you wanted to put dinner on the table, you would be more to do that using a .22. Somehow, shooting a squirrel with a .44 mag seems a case of major overkill. There is a lot the .22 won't do but there is a reason why it has been around as long as it has. I find them amazingly fun to shoot. __________________ Geetarman Carpe Cerveza

February 26, 2013, 03:14 PM	#33
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 9,333	my "behind the door" rifle is a 17 Mach 2 ( 22 LR, necked down to 17 ) that gun was put together just for that purpose, around the farm, it drops coons from the trees ( outside doggie is very good at treeing them, often 2-3 in the same tree ) it's very effective on most all farm yard pests... there is much less of a chance of recoil with the faster, & much lighter bullet, the "real" effective range at varmints is almost double... it gets shot 10 times more than all my 22's put together, & even though it's a working gun, it's still very fun to shoot in comparision... Like I said... just can't get into the lil 22's any more... __________________ In life you either make dust or eat dust...

February 26, 2013, 03:28 PM	#34
OEF-Vet Senior Member Join Date: October 23, 2011 Location: Backwoods, PA Posts: 284	Magnum Wheel Man I'm sure you knew you would get some folks that didn't quite agree with you when you posted this thread As long as you're a shooter your alright in my book Hey, shoot whatever makes ya happy. There are a lot of choices out there as long as we keep protecting the 2nd Amendment. __________________ Jim "If a man does his best, what else is there?" - General George S. Patton Jr

February 25, 2013, 08:21 PM	#27
bbqbob51 Senior Member Join Date: November 6, 2005 Posts: 775	.22lr is what I shoot downrange the most. I find it affordable to shoot especially when my friends, brother and brother-in-laws show up as there are always someone in the crowd that says, "Sorry, I don't have any ammo with me." They still shoot though!

February 26, 2013, 01:49 AM	#29
Justice06RR Senior Member Join Date: December 21, 2010 Location: Central FL Posts: 1,360	maybe let your kids shoot them if you don't like shooting the 22's. its not everyone's cup of tea, but they are still fun to shoot and very cheap to feed. I bet if you tried to sell your 22lr ammo people will swipe them up like hotcakes in a minute.

February 26, 2013, 02:41 PM	#30
wooly booger Junior member Join Date: February 22, 2013 Location: on the edge Posts: 143	I have all different flavors of firearms. Thinking about it though, I probably use the 22lr 95% of the time for my "working" rifle and handgun. I carry a .22 pistol in my flyfishing chest pack, boat, and canoe. My ruger 10/22 comes with me on most impromptu outings around the property and stays behind the door if a shot at a crow, gopher, or jack rabbit presents itself off the deck. I only carry a bigger gun while hiking in the National Forest northwest of the property where I have a better than normal chance of encountering bear, lion, or wolf. Of course I always carry a more prudent weapon if the possibility of encountering a bad guy exists. My present truck gun is the 10/22 as well. One or more .22s go with me to the range every time unless I have to do some serious development work with a new big game gun. Heaven forbid, if I were restricted to owning one long gun and one handgun, they would both be Rugers; a 4 5/8" Single Six and a 10/22

February 26, 2013, 03:04 PM	#32
johnwilliamson062 Junior member Join Date: May 16, 2008 Posts: 9,995	I don't enjoy true target shooting all that much. I don't find doing it with centerfires any more exciting than rimfires. I am not paying that much attention to the target or the boom in most cases. Trying to feel every movement in my body, every muscle, any discomfort, etc., etc. It is tedious. It is a whole lot cheaper with 22lr than centerfire. More and more I shoot a bit out of my carry gun then shoot only 22lrs.

February 26, 2013, 03:36 PM	#35
Dwight55 Senior Member Join Date: June 18, 2004 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 2,568	My first trigger pull in my life was an old .22 single shot, . . . pulled hammer back, . . . pushed down on the trigger guard, . . . pulled out the .22 short case, . . . inserted another, . . . pulled trigger guard up, . . . loaded ready to go. And while my EDC is a 1911, . . . I also have no qualms taking my son's Browning slabside .22 auto to town. I've never felt "out gunned" as long as I've got that little pea shooter. It puts em exactly where I point em, . . . and you don't have to "recover" from every shot. I've even got conversion kits for some of my center fires. Yeah, . . . I love shooting my .22's. May God bless, Dwight __________________ www.dwightsgunleather.com If you can breathe, . . . thank God! If you can read, . . . thank a teacher! If you are reading this in English, . . . thank a Veteran!

February 26, 2013, 04:14 PM	#36
KBP75 Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2010 Posts: 316	Respect any firearm! Its your personal preference to like and enjoy ANY firearm you want. When you don't respect any firearm is when you get into trouble. However weak, small or low powered you think the .22 is, please remember it can kill you or someone else. It might not be fast or overwhelming in power, but it can be deadly up to 1 1/4 miles. Respect all firearms. Your life(or someone's life) may depend on it.

February 26, 2013, 05:01 PM	#37
WV_gunner Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2011 Location: WV Posts: 938	I dont like .22 LR much either either but it's too affordable to not shoot. I don't know about now, but last year i could buy a box of 500 for $16. It costs twice that a box of .45/70 of only 20 rounds. I'd rather shoot the big guns, but a 10 minute session of shooting or several long sessions of shooting?

February 26, 2013, 06:01 PM	#38
Sarge Senior Member Join Date: May 12, 2002 Location: MO Posts: 5,457	I certainly don't dislike .22s and I really need to get a rifle. I've had several in recent years... usually one of the kids or grandkids take a shine to it and away it goes. I figure what the hell, I can always find a good used 22 rifle. The recent gun & ammo famine has convinced me that the new one will be Short friendly. The basic Henry is OK but I'm farming my circle of friends for a BL22 or older 39 Mountie. Now those I can warm up to. Any rimfire pistol that suits me, costs as much or more than my centerfires; and then I start thinking "I could spend that money on reloading components and I often do. I've developed garden-pest loads for all my centerfires make excellent small game loads, so the need just isn't there for me. __________________ People were smarter before the Internet, or imbeciles were harder to notice.

March 28, 2013, 06:08 PM	#39
mk8tim Member Join Date: March 8, 2013 Posts: 52	i love my rimfire .22's. they're affordable and very accurate out to 70 yards or so. i love shooting almost anything but paying over a dollar each time i squeeze the trigger hurts my feelings. i rabbit and bird hunt with my 22s exclusively. i have a friend who said the same as you until i handed him my smith and wesson 15-22 with a full magazine. between that, my marlin model 60, my winchester 69a and my ruger single six we shot 700 rounds that day. it was a great day.