Accurate old .22

Muir

Well-Known Member
I recently bought 16 old Brno#1 barreled actions and a small pile of stocks and assorted parts. One of the stocks that caught my eye was a nice, checkered sporter stock that had the toe knocked off. I fixed the stock and rummaged through the barreled receivers and, finding a good looking barrel, matched it to a properly headspaced bolt. I shot it tonight. This is three consecutive groups at 25 yards, shot right to left, off of the back of a farm wagon.

thirtydollarBrno1.jpg


This rifle was a training rifle at one time. It's dated 1950 and Lord knows how many rounds it had through it before it was stripped for parts. I think I'll use it for a while longer.~Muir
 
That looks like a good find - Those old Brno barrels are excellent, you may find you have one or two more gems in that lot. Can you imagine the hoops we would have to jump through to buy a box of assorted barreld actions unless you were a registered dealer.
 
I can well imagine! Some of the barrels are trash. Just worn out or with a bulge in the barrel. One was absolutely pristine except that someone had decided to make it non functional by taking a punch and driving the metal of the chamber inward through the extractor cuts. That barrel will be salvaged by taking off the last 3/8" of the breech and setting it back and rechambering it. One has a bulge under the front sight that will simply be recrowned.~Muir
 
Took this rifle out again after some extractor work with a simple 4X scope on board. It shot very well but the real surprise was Aguila 60 grain Sub Sonic Sniper. At 25M I put my first 5 round through a 6mm diameter hole. At 50M it shot a half inch. At 75 yards there was the beginning of the inevitable slow-twist yaw but it still shot 1.2 inches. Not bad! High velocity ammo shot about as good as I could hold at 25M. All shooting as hindered by the chunky scope and moreover, the heavy trigger. Both of these things I'll attend to in time.

I love dragging a 60 year old rifle back from the scrap heap.~Muir
 
Aye the old brno is some tool. my one is 1974 and it shoots like a dream. cheers Hootsman
 
So - Is it just "Pot Luck" that makes some rifles real shooters and some just run of the mill shooters? I can't imagine this rifle has been loving looked after over all those years and it must have shot thousands of all sorts of variable quality ammo. It would appear that it is shooting as well now as it's ever done (maybe even better?) can we conclude that a .22 barrel will never wear out with normal wear and tear? Has this particular rifle got a tighter chamber than normal or tighter headspace, better crown. Be interesting to see how it shoots with top quality ammo, good scope, trigger and rest.
 
I know that abused .22's go to hell. Of the 16 barreled receivers I bought, only 8 of them are worth shooting and of those, only three are really sterling. The rest have bulged bores from bad ammo or excessive crown or throat wear from excessive cleaning. Since these Brno's were training rifles there is also the "over looked" factor. It may be that the gun just didn't get used that much.

I have found that the Brno .22's with their deep, sharp rifling seem to retain their accuracy. All of the Brno rifles that have come through my dealer in Florida have been dated 1948 to 1954. My friend bought a 1950 gun ans it shoots as good as the one I am working with now.

I have too many 100 year old guns to prejudge their accuracy potential due to age alone. If it looks good, it probably is.:)~Muir
 
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