.22 LR target rifles

Southern

Well-Known Member
When I was a boy, I lusted after a nice .22 target rifle, and got to shoot one on the team in college, then bought my own Anschutz 1413.

I still like the lighter target rifles, the kind you can just take out and shoot without a bunch of gear, or take hunting for squirrels or crows, like the Anschutz 64, Remington 514, Walther, the old Mossberg and Kimber military training rifles.

So I was just wondering how many of you still shoot those sorts of rifles, and if they are old ones or newer ones. Do you use them for hunting, too?
 
When I was a boy, I lusted after a nice .22 target rifle, and got to shoot one on the team in college, then bought my own Anschutz 1413.

I still like the lighter target rifles, the kind you can just take out and shoot without a bunch of gear, or take hunting for squirrels or crows, like the Anschutz 64, Remington 514, Walther, the old Mossberg and Kimber military training rifles.

So I was just wondering how many of you still shoot those sorts of rifles, and if they are old ones or newer ones. Do you use them for hunting, too?

I have a Remington 540X Target and BSA Martini International en route...~Muir
 
I have just sold two BSA martini internationals. Ive still got my BSA model 12 1953 vintage, and my Annie match 54 although Annie is a bit on the heavy side to be walking around fields with.
 
Yes, the big 54 target rifles are too heavy for anything but that.

Do you get out and shoot the bullseyes much with that Big Iron?

I am wanting something lighter, like the Boy Scout camps used, a Remington 513, Winchester 52, Anschutz 64 from the 1970s, seven pounds or so. I like it so much that I am fitting Lyman target sights on my 24-inch barrel Marlin 336 .30-30, and 17A globe sight on the front. I use Lyman and Redfield receiver sights with target knobs on several rifles; half of the Mausers and 1903 Springfield sporting rifles came that way, and I have added them to several more.
 
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Have a BSA 12/15 with Bull Barrel which of course is a target rifle and a BSA Super Sport Five which of course is the magazine version of the BSA century bolt action target rifle.
 
Yes, the big 54 target rifles are too heavy for anything but that.

Do you get out and shoot the bullseyes much with that Big Iron?

I am wanting something lighter, like the Boy Scout camps used, a Remington 513, Winchester 52, Anschutz 64 from the 1970s, seven pounds or so. I like it so much that I am fitting Lyman target sights on my 24-inch barrel Marlin 336 .30-30, and 17A globe sight on the front. I use Lyman and Redfield receiver sights with target knobs on several rifles; half of the Mausers and 1903 Springfield sporting rifles came that way, and I have added them to several more.

I used to get out once a week, now is more like once a month, unfortunately...
 
I regularly train with both my BSA International Mk III and my Feinwerkbau target rifles. Especially during the winter months when it's far more pleasant training in indoor ranges.[h=1][/h]
 
They did make a Annie 54 Lightweight model. I owned one some 20+ years ago although you don't see them much now.

Many of the BSA Martinis got cut down then scoped as they made excellent Bunny Bashers when altered so. The bull barrel ones had the muzzles bored out and moderators fitted inside.
 
I think, for a lot of us older guys, the .22 target rifle was the way into shooting. It certainly was for me in the 1950/60's although, of course almost every country boy had an air gun of some sort, my first one, when I was eight, was a pop-out barrel Diana No 2 pistol (I still have it).

Almost every town had an active miniature rifle club, often two or three. These were 25 yard indoor ranges, very often based at the local MOD drill hall. (Rent free and encouraged by the government) The only form of shooting in these clubs was prone, aperture sights and a sling. The average club would have half a dozen BSA Martini actioned single shot target rifles, these would be the Model 12 or the newer (but still pre-war) model 12/15.

These teams were arranged in leagues and targets, shot under controlled conditions, were sent by post every week to the NSRA headquarters for scoring.

A few of the more affluent established members would have their own rifles, often a BSA Martini "International" but very occasionally something more exotic and bolt action, usually an Anschutz but maybe something like a Finnish Lion.

It was a good apprenticeship, most clubs had full bore sections, again encouraged by the government with subsidised ammunition and range fees, but again only ever .303 (later 7.62)ex military rifles, aperture sights and a sling. It wouldn't have entered anyone's head to want to rest the rifle on anything.

As the clubs evolved pistol shooting started to gain a strong foothold. I think, when pistol shooting was banned, it was the turning point in the conventional local shooting club. MOD drill halls were knocked down, changed into fitness clubs or sold off. Government/media turned anti-gun/shooting and the NSRA club shooting scene becamea shadow of it's former self.

I those long gone days you could compete at the highest level no matter what your background - A Fulton regulated Enfield/P14 and issued ammunition. Now you need to drive a silver Mercedes and have deep pockets to even get a look in.

These old .22 target rifles are greatly undervalued, there must be loads gathering dust in cabinets and as the clubs have shut down they have been sold off for pennies.

My last .22 target rifle was Russian CM-2 bolt action. It's been a bit customised and I use it for long range rabbit shooting. Several inches chopped off the barrel and moderator and scope rail fitted.


Only this week I fitted a scope rail to a mates .22 Mk 5 International - In payment he gave me a Telephone exchange master regulator clock and a couple of slave clocks in need of restoration.

 
I've just got into .22 benchrest shooting and have bought myself a customised Anschutz 54. Getting down and shooting prone is no longer pleasurable due to back and neck issues. If anybody on here thinks shooting benchrest is a doddle I challenge them to have a go!
Luckily I can still walk and stalk as I'd hate to have to give that up.
 
You summed it up very nicely there 1066. :tiphat: It still feels like we lost a good bit of our heritage when they banned pistols.
 
I have a old book on 22 LR shooting by a fellow named Crossman (1930's publication) and in this book he discusses a comp that arose in the vicinity of the National Armory in Springfield, Massachusetts. He simply called it "The Long Range Game" and it was a scaled-down 1000 yard match using 22LR rifles and 1/5 size targets at 200 yards. The preferred rifle was the M-1922 Springfield; a 22LR version of the 1903 Service Rifle fit with a Lyman long slide receiver sight. His claim was that wind doping and elevation settings were very close to what was being used with the standard 30-06 rifle fitted with the same sights and so it was a viable practice for 1000 yard shooting.

I tried my best to get shooters at my club to get enthused about doing this as the "Position Shooting' comps for the heavy .22's were long gone from the region and many good heavy rifles were gathering dust or being chopped down into Metallic Silhouette rifles. Despite bemoaning of the demise of position shooting, no one was wiling to step up and give this comp a try. Too bad. I shot it informally (by myself) and it was both fun and challenging.~Muir
 
My Anschutz Match 54 is a lovely rifle but too heavy to do anything else with it other than target shooting.

snap! When my club closed I couldn't sell my rifle because it was bought for me by my father so I sporterised it with a scope, have a bipod and chunky sling. It's like carrying a small child but the most devestatingly accurate tool when paired with a rangefinder and laminated bullet drop card

...and lamping... you auto boys can sit in the back and be educated
 
The shooting associations seem to have lost sight of their original mission - developing shooting marksmanship and firearms ownership in the general population - and sought new membership growth by chasing the latest trends in shooting and playing defense against statist legislation and regulation.

Both these are reactive policies, rather than proactively bringing young shooters into the sports, which is so easy because of their natural attraction to it. They had to play defense, but were not being strategic in sacrificing their original programs. If you ask almost any Boy Scout what they enjoyed most, they will name shooting rifles and shotguns at camp or on range trips at the top.

The Crossman matches at 200 yards are very good exercises. I still shoot a .22 at 100 to 200 yards. Right now I am using a 4x32 Mil Dot scope, but I used to use an old Remington with Redfield sights to match my Model 70 single shot .30-06.

And they used to let me go to the county dump and shoot rats. Now that is real.. shooting rats at ranges from 75 to 200 yards, constantly adjusting the knobs or holdover and hold off, doping the wind, on targets moving left and right, up and down at angles.
 
snap! When my club closed I couldn't sell my rifle because it was bought for me by my father so I sporterised it with a scope, have a bipod and chunky sling. It's like carrying a small child but the most devestatingly accurate tool when paired with a rangefinder and laminated bullet drop card

...and lamping... you auto boys can sit in the back and be educated

Amazingly accurate rifle. OK, shooting at 25m bench rest indoors is rather diferent than shooting at longer ranges prone or from sticks, but when an 'off the shelve' rifle consistently lets you put three or four bullets on one hole there is something magic taking place. I don't think I could ever achieve this with my .308, no matter how good I will become.
 
And they used to let me go to the county dump and shoot rats. Now that is real.. shooting rats at ranges from 75 to 200 yards, constantly adjusting the knobs or holdover and hold off, doping the wind, on targets moving left and right, up and down at angles.

I have prairiedogs for that kind of practice.:D ~Muir
 
... and a lot of wind with prairie dogs.
No fair using a scope to dope the breeze by how their fur is moving!
 
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