Rediscovering the humble .22

This afternoon I'd put aside some time to take out the rifle for a zero check before going out stalking this weekend. However, in this part of Oxfordshire it's been blowing 25mph and I just didn't see the point of going out to make guesses about the quality of my zero. I'll take it out tomorrow morning instead.
At a loose end, I got the neglected old CZ 452 .22 out of the back of the cupboard, grabbed a couple of boxes of ammo, magazine and bolt and headed out into the field behind the house.
Now recently, with less free time and next to know rabbits on my permissions thanks to Mixy, my shooting time has been predominately spent stalking or on the pheasants & pigeons. I had completely forgotten the fun that could be had and the lessons that can be learnt by using a .22lr.
Range judging is absolutely vital with the .22, I'd forgotten how crucial it is whilst shooting a .243 at sub 120 yards. It was great to get back into doing that over the shorter distances, I'm shocking at it. Secondly, I was able to practise shooting out of position, sitting, kneeling, prone, standing etc all for 1/30th of the price of factory .243 stuff. I rattled off 90 odd rounds at a cost of £8-9 as opposed to £135ish with the .243 and I'm sure my centrefire shooting will be better for it.

I don't normally bother with new years resolutions but this year, mine will be to get the .22 out at least once a month for an hour or so to practice those awkward shots, judging range and just generally enjoying getting some useful, cheap practice in.
Maybe I'll have to go out after those squirrels hammering the pheasant feeder 30 yards from that highseat...
Happy New Year all!
 
22LR or air rifles great for practice. We shoot running moose indoors in the basement of a local school every tuesday from october to may. Lots of fun and useful for when the fullbore range season opens.
 
22LR or air rifles great for practice. We shoot running moose indoors in the basement of a local school every tuesday from october to may. Lots of fun and useful for when the fullbore range season opens.

Not like any school round here. Would that we were that sensible.

David.
 
Not like any school round here. Would that we were that sensible.

David.
A throwback from the 70's when most of the schools were built. They are now getting renovated/demolished and it's not so easy to find new locations with 15m range and adequte backstop/ventilation.
 
A throwback from the 70's when most of the schools were built. They are now getting renovated/demolished and it's not so easy to find new locations with 15m range and adequte backstop/ventilation.


Ain't that the case. My school had a rifle range that they didn't use. Crying shame.

Scrummy
 
When the stalking loses its edge ,and do enough it will ,take the .22 out and get back to basics .
Got the pard attachment for the smaller eye piece on the .22 hawke scope and now go out couple times a month .Last month was hares ,loads of them ,this month will be rabbits and odd fox .
CZ synthetic ,10 shot mag .
 
When the stalking loses its edge ,and do enough it will ,take the .22 out and get back to basics .
Got the pard attachment for the smaller eye piece on the .22 hawke scope and now go out couple times a month .Last month was hares ,loads of them ,this month will be rabbits and odd fox .
CZ synthetic ,10 shot mag .

Fantastic stuff.

Little Brno Model-2 cut down to be handy. Boyd's stock and a 10rd mag are just the things.

Scrummy
 
I have 6 “bang sticks” in my cabinet, some have changed over the years, but the one constant and never to be sold or moved on is my .22. The fun rabbiting cannot be overstated, my son is now stalking, but he cut his teeth, like most of us, with my .22. A great little rifle/caliber.

My old BRNO is beaten up and battered, sat underneath a fairly cheap scope, but I can pull that rifle out of the cabinet and put four rounds in an inch group at 50mts every time.

I can’t convey the amount of times I have had the “you MUST get a .17 HMR for rabbiting” my answer was/is always......Why! How much would 200 rounds a week, at the peak, cost me compared to my trusty .22.

.22LR, you just got to love em. :love::love:
 
Lovely little cartridge to shoot but I must admit I keep considering selling mine. I barely use it now the rabbits have all but gone. I keep it thinking they will soon be back but it has been a while now. They have really been knocked savagely around here. Last summer I saw a few about and thought maybe they were getting over the worst of it but even now at night when out fox shooting, I see more hare than I do rabbit.

So sad as rabbit shooting has always been my favourite type of hunting.
 
Rabbits have all but disappeared from here, too. Real shame as it was always great fun. I had a .17hmr with the 22 but that went off to the dealer last week. I used it for the odd very close range fox but bigger things have moved into the cabinet, it was expensive and unreliable to feed and I just didn’t get much enjoyment out of using it. As ‘Cottis’ says, the one constant will always be the .22lr. Cheapest gun I’ve ever bought under an equally cheap scope and it’s not going anywhere!
 
I am on my third and final .22lr , all have been anschutz which i have sold for one reason or another , the one i have now and have had for the past 4/5 years is a thumbhole stock 16” barrel and will be the last gun i will ever sell ,absolutely love it
shooting a .22 to me is like shooting my shotgun , it always always brings a smile to my face
 
Lovely little cartridge to shoot but I must admit I keep considering selling mine. I barely use it now the rabbits have all but gone. I keep it thinking they will soon be back but it has been a while now. They have really been knocked savagely around here. Last summer I saw a few about and thought maybe they were getting over the worst of it but even now at night when out fox shooting, I see more hare than I do rabbit.

So sad as rabbit shooting has always been my favourite type of hunting.
Rabbits all gone here too, but pheasants with the 22lr is almost as good, and will keep me going until the bunnies bounce back. You should try it sometime.
 
Rabbits all gone here too, but pheasants with the 22lr is almost as good, and will keep me going until the bunnies bounce back. You should try it sometime.

We have a pheasant shoot. It's not my bag I am afraid, either the shooting side of it or the eating. I steer clear of the shoot despite family trying to get me involved.

I will stick to pigeon and venison and keep fingers crossed that rabbit numbers bounce back. Rabbit meat is really versatile. I miss it. I used to skin 3, soak them in brine overnight and then boil them until the meat falls off and then just pop all the meat in a large bowl with some olive oil and just eat it throughout the week with salads, veg, sometimes fry them covered in batter and many others ways. I miss rabbit.
 
The .22LR does not do "humble" IMHO:
JSR-On-Stump3-e1456085151314.jpg
K
 
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