I started both of my boys with single shot, break action .22 LR rifles that also had .410 shotgun barrels. It was a great way to teach them the basics while only having to worry about a single round! They still have those combos all these years later. I love a 22. So much fun at a reasonable cost.
My Dad gave me my first .22 67 years ago. Since then, I have fired countless rounds of this great cartridge. Brings back fond memories of days gone by... thank you...
Went on my first solo squirrel hunt when I was 8 in 1958. Still have the Winchester model 67. ( short, long, & long rifle).Bagged my first squirrel. Still have it at 72, my favorite .22. Light, handy, & accurate.
I used my 10/22 this afternoon to finally get a ground hog that was hanging around my barn! One shot One kill! There will always be a use for a .22! Great video!
May just be me, but the question "What is a .22LR good for?" highlights just how removed so many people have become from hunting and firearm usage in general. So I greatly appreciate your taking the time to make and provide such information in a format my generation (and those younger) are more likely to consume. Perhaps it'll help offset the loss of knowledge that hasn't passed down through families... for multiple generations in some cases.
Its because of movies and games, hell even the military. If they arent using it, then people will question it. Also lot of ignorance out there. Think about it a lot of people will swear by .45 acp for self defense. Same people who dont even shoot .45 acp. Where as 9mm hp or even .38 special is far better for real self defense.
From my experience, when those who aren't into shooting ask "what is a 22. good for?' it's normally an honest question without guile or condescension. When the same question is asked by a larger bore shooter (especially those who are young adults, not seasoned shooters), especially one who thinks only in terms of firepower, the question is made as a derision, looking down on the humble 22.
Well the question can be decided by bullet placement. So if you have a 22 lr with a hard cast bullet and you can place the bullet accurately, you could presumably take nearly anything on the planet. A couple of years back an Alaskan guide killed a fairly large Grizzly with a 9mm automatic. The gun is a S&W model 39 -4 inch barrel the load was a 147 gr hard cast at 1100 ft/sec.
The first gun my father bought me was a Marlin .22 semi-auto, and I still have it. 22 is a great cartridge for beginners, given its almost non-existent recoil.
I think it still serves a purpose for even experienced shooters. I'm a broke college student who's hunted my whole life and shot all kinds calibers..... I still practice with the .22 even at 20 years of age cause it's dirt cheap and good for fundamentals
@@brendonnorris6831i own 26 calibers + 7 non public calibers and the 22lr are still being used to practise. Outof my 15k shots being shot every year 10k of them are shot in 22lr
Fed my family when I was a kid with a 22 lr. Made a lot of money night varmint hunting too. The days of the 35.00 coon and 60.00 coyote are long gone but still have some great memories.
In 1970 for my 10nth B-day my Dad gave me a Iver Johnson self cocking bolt action single shot 22lr 22long and shorts it eats them all even today. When he passed i took ownership of his trapline High standard model R-109 Kit Gun 9 shot. It accompanies me on my trapline here in NH.
A Ruger 10/22LR was my first ever rifle and is still a favorite of mine. Ron is very correct in stating that it is a fun caliber to shoot. With little to no recoil, availability and variety of rounds, cost effectiveness per shot and ease of use make the 22 an absolutely amazing round to shoot. And it comes in just about every flavor of firearm there is! Plus(!) it is one of the most useful cartridges ever made because it can be used for dang near every situation.
The 10/22 in particular is a spectacular weapon. Runs like a sewing machine, which is practically a miracle for a rimfire cartridge caliber gun, tack driver, and it has almost as many possible mods as an AR-platform rifle.
Down south we still squirrel hunt with 22’s. Also used running my trap line. Carlos Hathcock, famous military sniper, started squirrel hunting with a single-shot 22.
Thanks Ron. They can be just plain fun. And definitely good to get those mechanics down like you said, and not feel so bad about blowing through so much ammo since its cheap.
We live on cheap bulk...! the 'good' stuff in the safe, and we constantly buying the cheapest bulk we can find...the other part of the answer is owning several .22 firearms, so that whatever we buy something will run it...as long as cheap bulk stays under 9.9 cents a round we good, lately about 6.5 cents a round in our area...
Nicely done sir! Enjoyed the video and information. Always had at least one or more 22 rimfires around since 1958. Now long since retired, I have more than I need, but with my own range in the woods, I often break out a 22. Great to use to keep sharp and do it without too great expense.
The first rifle I shot was a Marlin Model 60, my second was an M16A1. I was an expert marksman in the U.S.Army, I think that Marlin helped me alot to do achieve that.
Thank you for this segment. I’m a huge cartridge nerd but I always find my self coming back to the 22lr for many different reasons and I feel as if it’s always looked over as a hunting cartridge especially in todays times. Great video! Please do more on the ole’ 22!
My first firearm was a Marlin .22 bolt action. Despite collecting multiple firearms over the years as I grow older, still my favorite round. I would and have bet my life on it as a self defense round. I'll always stand by the phrase "The best firearm and caliber choice, is the one the shooter is most comfortable using."
My first rifle was given to me in 1980 and it was a Marlin Glenfield Model 60 .22lr semi-auto. 42 years later it is still in great shape and a lot of fun to shoot.
Great video, Ron! I own over ten .22s and they are so much fun, and such a great way to train the kiddos or brush up on my own techniques. People have laughed at me in the past for owning so many .22s, but I've always had just as much fun as them when we go to the range at a fraction of the cost.
Wow, I have a Winchester model 62 made in 1946, I’m a 1949 model so it is just a tad older than me. Dad bought it from my cousin who bought it new, and gave it to me for my 10th birthday. It’s in semi-retirement and resides in my safe. I bring it out occasionally and use it.
I started on a 22. I started my kids on 22. They are starting my grand kids on 22. I still carry a 22 revolver (my S&W K22) when I grouse and rabbit hunt with my 12 ga. The 22 will live on forever.
You just inspired me to bring my .22 Sportco to the range tomorrow. Cheap to feed and the old Sportco rifles that were made in Adelaide Australia a while ago, are absolute tack drivers. I bought it for the wife but use it more than her. That was an informative and fun to watch vid. Cheers Mate.
I learned all about shooting with my grandfather’s Stevens 87A, my most treasured gun in my safe! I have a ‘61 40X/22lr with the old school Redfield Olympics that I love to carry to the range! Yeah, Ron, 22’s are just plain fun! Great video, thanks for posting!
In the old days, more white tails were hunted in the Texas hill country with a 22 lr, 22mag was used when it came around. I've dropped deer at some distance with lr.
Well I’ve been a fan since the first Remington target master bolt action I got in 1980. Now at 50 years old I’ve been enjoying my rim fire more then ever with the high price’s of ammonium nowadays. Thanks Ron for fun and informative videos. 🎥👍💯💪🏽
First rifle I ever fired was a Winchester model 51 pump action and after my father passed away I enherited that lovely rifle and still 45 years later . Still love hunting with that iron sighted rifle! Along with all 10 other .22lr and .22 magnum rifles and pistols! I use rimfires more now than ever. The tiny .22short takes care of most of my pest and varmint problems! Thank you Ronn!
My Dad has a c86 Savage bolt action from back when he was a kid. First gun I ever fired and it definitely made a soft spot in my heart for bolt actions. It so fun to shoot and the ammo has stayed dirt cheap. .22 LR is a wildly underrated round.
Back in the early 1980's in my preteen years, I saved up my money to "layaway" a Rossi 62 gallery gun at our local dept. store (well, Mom did all the adult stuff for me0. Went back a couple months later and picked it up. No clue how many rounds have been through it, but it still shoots straight. I taught my daughter to shoot a rifle using it. I still use it from time to time for pests and squirrel hunting. I still have the receipt, manual, etc. that came with the purchase. Now I have more .22 lr pistols and rifles than I can ever use! Just something about these little fellows that's hard to shake!
My first 22lr is a ivery Johnson single shot bolt action model 2X. Still have it and use it. Love the bottle shot, knock down, then reset up, and knocked down again
Thanks much Ron, I own more 22 LR than any other weapon in my collection. When eggs where not so expensive would take a dozen out and shoot those. The small green army men are lots of fun also, be sure and pick up after yourself. I call a day with a 22LF a pocket full of fun.
Our favorite target at 100 yards are those bathtub rubber ducks, about 4 inches across, 97 cents at walmart...they are reusable for several range sessions, and bounce around with glee when hit...on the handgun range my favorite target at 25 yards are spent shotgun shells, which are always laying around (the ground keeping at our range is a little suspect)...we only shoot paper on special occasions...
I've got a pair of old Stevens bolt action 22 LRs that are deadly and all of my cousins and I were raised up shooting one single Ruger 10/22 that never failed to entertain us clipping cans, squirrels, rabbits, and anything else we deemed necessary to shoot at. My grandfather was a slick, old codger; he knew we were all getting muscle memory and reflexes from shooting the light recoiling 22 LR. We all turned out to be pretty good marksmen because of his crafty ways. Now I am learning my own grandkids on the range with the 22 LR. Great fun and time well spent out of doors! I truly enjoyed your take on the worth of the old venerable 22 rifles.
My favorite rifle is the one my grandpa had a JC Higgins bolt action tube fed most accurate 22 rifle I've ever shot. He gave it to me on my 5th birthday. It's older than I am and I'm 60.
The Air Force gave me my first .22”3”. But, my wife gave me a j.c.higgins semi .22 s,l,lr, back in 1964, I wore that rifle out to pieces.mylast and current wife has bought me bunches of 22 rifles, pistols, revolvers. Bless her soul, love me!
During the recent ammo crunch we never stopped going to the range, thanks to .22...with single action, autos, and lever action our fun was affordable...trigger time is trigger time, and those little .22 bullets just smoked all the 9mm, .357, .223, etc., that wasn't being shot...all we can do is tell folks to own some kind of .22, and stash a couple bulk boxes...sooner/later will come the next ammo crunch, and it sure beats crying about zero range time...
Ruger 10/22 is still my favorite gun in the safe. I really like my Heritage Rough Riders too. I have big boy guns too but nothing is as fun and gratifying as plinking away for a few hours with a brick of .22LR 😁
@@stewie5101 we can buy tons of cheap bulk ammo instead...trigger time shouldn't be underestimated...if I can hit the gnat, I don't lose sleep trying to just shoot his boys off...
@@stewie5101 there are multitudes of better shots than i am...no denying a better firearm makes a difference, but other than the ability to make a perfect shot how important is the difference between a .4 inch grouping and a 2.4 inch grouping when we are simply blowing up mass quantities of bulk ammo at targets a 100 yards away...heck, missing is part of the fun, in some perverse way...
The first gun i ever shot was dad’s marlin model 60. My first rifle was a winchester model 250 in 22. It was broken when i found it, i fixed it, and throughout my childhood wore it slap out. Generally 2 bricks a week for 8 years. Ended up having to put some new springs and a firing pin in it in my early 20’s and proceded to wear it out again. Im just a few years ago put my second firing pin in along with a new breech locking mechanism. And am currently working on wearing it out again in my 40’s now. To say the least this is my absolute favorite gun. It was the first thing i ever successfully diagnosed and fixed. The best 80$ dad ever spent back in 1963. Love that rifle.
How many of us learned how to shoot with a 22lr? I guess 90%. I started on a bb then 22 ….and thats how my kids learned to. Once they mastered the safety part…and accuracy. They got to go hunting and then on to bigger calibers. This video brought back old memories….I havent owned a bolt action 22 in ages. Im going to pick one up this weekend.
My first rifle was a Marlin Little Buckaroo, single shot, bolt action. I loved that rifle, it taught me patience, to take my time and shoot straight. I loved shooting long range at ground squirrels 100-200yrds or farther. We had an old grain silo I would shoot at from 550yrds, the ting from hitting it was the greatest sound I ever heard. I rang it like a dinner bell.
Thanks Ron for the video. I love shooting .22s. I just checked and realized that I have 10 rifles in .22lr and 6 pistols in .22lr. Of these some are for hunting and some are for target practice. In making a video comparing a Ruger 10/22 to a Savage bolt gun, during the editing, I realized my form was off with the bolt gun by me breaking the cheek weld after each shot thus skewing the comparison. I pointed this out in the video and it gave me something to work on in the future.
First .22 I ever shot was my Dad's Winchester model 61, back in 1956. I passed it on to my son. My first .22 rifle that I bought myself was an Ithaca model 49 single shot. I was 10 years old then, my Dad purchased it for me, but I paid for it. Have loved .22's ever since.
Many moons ago, when I was in high school, I made quite a bit of pocket money with my J.C. Higgins bolt action rifle. Growing up in rural New York, the farmers had a lot of problems with woodchucks. Farmers would pay me $1.00 for each woodchuck removed. At that time, a box of 22lr hollow points was about 60 cents
That was my first gun, a bolt action J.C Higgins 22 single shot, and I still have it. It’s is deadly accurate, one of the most accurate rifles I’ve ever shot. I have many great memories hunting with it with my pops, who has passed on. Good times.
My dad grew up in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. Earned a good amount of money shooting squirrel for pelts back in the late '60s-early '70s. He swore by his 22 LR West German bolt action target rifle. In one eye and out the other.
A marlin .22 bolt action was the first gun I ever learned to shoot, therefore it was the first gun I learned to respect. Great round for learning, target shooting, and it poses an added challenge for any hunt.
I wish I had a 22 I have a 1950s pump action 12 gage Shotg and 1960s 30-06 I got off my grandfather. I am in Canada and 22 rifle gotten expensive I seen a used 10-22 for $600 I was like your joking right. Thanks Ron keep up the great work 👍
The first gun many American youngsters shoot, is the venerable. 22lr., I'm certainly no exception, can remember that experience, it was 50 years ago this Autumn, holy cow..
I remember my dad saying they used shorts, so much cheaper. I shot a few longs also as those used to be a bit cheaper then the 22lr.... not anymore, lol Clay
I have a 22lr and a 17 mach 2, I've really been loving the mach 2. One nice thing about shooting rimfires is the nature of their report. You don't have to worry so much about disturbing animals in the house or being too obtrusive to neighbors like when lighting off full power rifles.
I have shot many many firearms, including a slamfire 20 guage ithaca (built in 1937) but i would say the i have had the most fun shooting 22. One time my buddies and i went ou to the boonies with a 22 rifle dressed up to look like an AR, ended up shooting about 700 rounds of 22 over the course of about 6 hours. Fun little cartridge for anyone who wants to shoot and jist have fun.
I’ve shot full auto, I’ve shot multi thousand dollar precision rifles, I’ve shot well tuned ars, but the most fun I’ve had was with a single shot .22 with tracers
I've always owned a 22, and the first one was a Brno model 2, and that would shoot like a laser! Brno became CZ, and I picked up a CZ452 which also shoots like a laser! Quality rifles and it's great sitting on the porch on the farm and plinking away. Being an Aussie I will have to pick up a Lithgow LA101 at some time too.
My first as well I purchased mine in a now defunct regional big box store in NJ in 1990 mine was brand new in the box with one of those very shitty 4 power scopes for $110 I wish I could buy one now for 6x that price
I've always said that when push comes to shove, a accurate and reliable.22 would be my choice every time. Pretty much no one wants to get shot by anything, and the .22 can penetrate the scull of a mature bison bull at 50 yards. I've witnessed it, and the bull dropped in his tracks. You can carry 500 rounds easily, and survive with it no problem. Ron, I read a article in American Rifleman from the 50's. It was about a trapper who walked across Canada, from West to East, in the Winter. He had a Colt Woodsman and 50 rounds of ammunition. It never let him down. Could you please find this article? I've looked for it for a long time.
We had a s&w 6inch barrel (heavy!) revolver in 22lr. I shot a ton of ammo with it. Loved that gun. And a 10/22 Ruger too. Learned to shoot with 'm. Lots of beautiful memories of my grandpa, who learned me to hunt. Thanks for the vid 👍
Of course I can go much larger on the caliber if the situation warrants (like what was happening in America a couple of years ago), but a cheap .22 rifle is my usual car gun. It's inexpensive, can take a beating, won't break the bank if it gets stolen, not likely to create panic if anyone looks inside my trunk, a good plinker in case a friend wants to drag me off to a range, it can handle any snake if I go for a walk in the woods, and it can most definitely "change the behavior" of anything larger than a snake with the kind of good shot placement it can deliver.
I love the 22lr it is a great round me and my grandpa did alot of hunting with it killed alot of squirrels rabbits coyotes and even a ferrel boar hog that was around 300 pounds
My first rifle purchased in my life was my Marlin .22 Papoose. It is a take down and has gone on lots of camping trips. I must say though, the one I reach for most is still my Marlin model 60. Terrific rabbit/squirrel gun. My first Pistol was my H&R Model Target revolver with 9 shots. Took lots of squirrels and bunnies with that as well. Great for training also.
People, Go on TH-cam and type in .22lr Vs Hogs. You will find posts of absolutely huge hogs dropping in their tracks with a head shot from a standard velocity .22lr. Do not underestimate the .22lr! It works wonders.
I bring a SW MP15-22 to the range with me every weekend along with my .223 rem AR. I really like it because it taught me the fundamentals of how to handle a firearm and it allows me to hangout at the range without breaking the bank. Over the past few years I have shot pretty much every .22 LR round at my local gun shop and I really like that Aguila superextra.
Aguila is good stuff, we have a couple thousand rounds of it...right now we are blowing up golden bullets, because that is what I grabbed...cheap bulk rules our range visits...
I’m new in shooting, first gun I ever bought was a Mossberg 702 Plinkster, fantastic inexpensive shooter. Still have it, love it! Everyone should have some sort of 22lr in their collection
In Australia apart from 308 223 22 is probably the most popular rilfe over here I love cheap to shoot fun to teach new shooters on just a great rilfe cal over all!
Don't forget CMMG's .22LR BCG for an AR-15. It's a 30 second swap from .223/5.56 to .22LR. Comes with AR style magazines that hold 25 rounds. (or 10 rounds for states with mag restrictions) Also love my Beretta M9A1-22 and Bobcat.
Dont forget to run some normal 5.56 through it after every session...other wise the 22lr doesnt have enough pressure to clean your gas tube and itll gunk it up bad and youll have some major malfunctions. But if you run a mag of 5.56 at end of the day before packing up you'll be good to go next tims
I mostly shoot for the fun of the challenge to hit the target, though I may someday go hunting. I like the .22 because it carries the highest challenge due to breezes, heartbeat and trajectory. I've lost count of how many clay pigeons I've toasted on the 200 meter berm with my Ruger Single-10 pistol (open sights) but I've also blown through a prodigious amount of ammo to do so. In my '60s it's also a challenge just to see the target at that distance, especially considering I need glasses for near-field focus, namely the open sights on the pistol, so I wear 2 power glasses and once I have the sights in clear view and lined up, I simply aim at the center of the blur. Considering the amount of ammo I blast through at each range session, I couldn't afford my hobby if it wasn't for the humble .22lr.
"...aim at the center of the blur." ...you're not the only one...! we are primarily plinkers, at a hundred yards with scoped Henry's, and up to 25 yards on the handgun range...we shoot almost every week, and cheap bulk .22 makes it possible...there simply isn't a great substitute for actual trigger time, what works with .22 will work when bigger bullets are fired...
Man I had a buddy that had a couple bolt action .22 long guns with 7 round magazines and man they were fun. Seeing who could clear the magazine the fastest was always our competition.
Ron, a fun upload to old memories. My first powder burner rifle was a Ruger 10/22, still have it. You need to practice your fanning technique. Go search out some of Bob Mundens old videos. Lol. He's still amazing.
You essentially said .22 rimfire is good out to 300 yards. With my CZ 452 and a good scope -- assuming the wind isn't kicking up -- I have routinely popped 8-inch balloons out to 400 yards. Still, an excellent coverage of the .22 rimfire!!
There is nothing like a brick of .22 ammo and a free afternoon.
Just one?? ;)
Couldnt have said it better man
Straight up
A beautiful blonde/ panoramic view/...and being genuinely in love...❤
@@johndoee3850 a brick of 22 will never break your heart
I started both of my boys with single shot, break action .22 LR rifles that also had .410 shotgun barrels. It was a great way to teach them the basics while only having to worry about a single round! They still have those combos all these years later. I love a 22. So much fun at a reasonable cost.
Grew up learning on .22/.410 over under set up still one of my favorite guns 20 years later
Super
My first gun 22 mag. Over 410 my oldest brothers was 22 long over 410 . I still have mine 41 years later.
My Dad gave me my first .22 67 years ago. Since then, I have fired countless rounds of this great cartridge. Brings back fond memories of days gone by... thank you...
The 22 is the most utilitarian cartridge that has ever been created, or that ever will be.
Agreed
Tied with the 12 gauge.
I still have my 22 semi auto Rugger 10-22 and a 12 gauge pump action. Both simple, cheap to blast and will last forever.
Couldn’t agree with you more
22 and shotgun shells are the most versetile
Went on my first solo squirrel hunt when I was 8 in 1958. Still have the Winchester model 67. ( short, long, & long rifle).Bagged my first squirrel. Still have it at 72, my favorite .22. Light, handy, & accurate.
Still got ya first squirrel? lol
@@DatKat matter of fact I do.
good taxiderm work!!
@@DatKat that he was
The most under estimated cartridge in the world. I enjoyed the presentation.
I used my 10/22 this afternoon to finally get a ground hog that was hanging around my barn! One shot One kill! There will always be a use for a .22! Great video!
May just be me, but the question "What is a .22LR good for?" highlights just how removed so many people have become from hunting and firearm usage in general. So I greatly appreciate your taking the time to make and provide such information in a format my generation (and those younger) are more likely to consume.
Perhaps it'll help offset the loss of knowledge that hasn't passed down through families... for multiple generations in some cases.
Its because of movies and games, hell even the military. If they arent using it, then people will question it. Also lot of ignorance out there. Think about it a lot of people will swear by .45 acp for self defense. Same people who dont even shoot .45 acp. Where as 9mm hp or even .38 special is far better for real self defense.
Or you know... People aren't just that into guns.
From my experience, when those who aren't into shooting ask "what is a 22. good for?' it's normally an honest question without guile or condescension. When the same question is asked by a larger bore shooter (especially those who are young adults, not seasoned shooters), especially one who thinks only in terms of firepower, the question is made as a derision, looking down on the humble 22.
I'm 23, and it's sad at how many people are ignorant of guns, also at how many people don't like guns in general.
Well the question can be decided by bullet placement. So if you have a 22 lr with a hard cast bullet and you can place the bullet accurately, you could presumably take nearly anything on the planet. A couple of years back an Alaskan guide killed a fairly large Grizzly with a 9mm automatic. The gun is a S&W model 39 -4 inch barrel the load was a 147 gr hard cast at 1100 ft/sec.
My first gun was a Marlin 81TS tube feed, shorts long and long rifle. Really miss that gun- miss the 1 cents per shot even more...
And you had to walk to school barefoot
@@milekh6681 We still wore shoes in the 80's and 90's brother...
Same here, also my first gun, shouldn't have sold it
I was a child of the 70's-80's and LOVED those old Marlins. You could get them for around $100 from Best Products. Miss the days of $5-$10 bricks.
Still got mine. Probably my favorite rifle.
The first gun my father bought me was a Marlin .22 semi-auto, and I still have it. 22 is a great cartridge for beginners, given its almost non-existent recoil.
I think it still serves a purpose for even experienced shooters. I'm a broke college student who's hunted my whole life and shot all kinds calibers..... I still practice with the .22 even at 20 years of age cause it's dirt cheap and good for fundamentals
@@brendonnorris6831i own 26 calibers + 7 non public calibers and the 22lr are still being used to practise. Outof my 15k shots being shot every year 10k of them are shot in 22lr
Fed my family when I was a kid with a 22 lr. Made a lot of money night varmint hunting too. The days of the 35.00 coon and 60.00 coyote are long gone but still have some great memories.
Love all 4 if my 22 LRs, from the precision rifle to the hi standard 9 shot revolver. Nothing but good cheap fun.
In 1970 for my 10nth B-day my Dad gave me a Iver Johnson self cocking bolt action single shot 22lr 22long and shorts it eats them all even today. When he passed i took ownership of his trapline High standard model R-109 Kit Gun 9 shot. It accompanies me on my trapline here in NH.
A Ruger 10/22LR was my first ever rifle and is still a favorite of mine. Ron is very correct in stating that it is a fun caliber to shoot. With little to no recoil, availability and variety of rounds, cost effectiveness per shot and ease of use make the 22 an absolutely amazing round to shoot. And it comes in just about every flavor of firearm there is! Plus(!) it is one of the most useful cartridges ever made because it can be used for dang near every situation.
Agree with this. Very fun to shoot. I have no issues taking it to 200 yards. Also have a Glock 44 witch is basically a Glock 19 in 22
Cheers from Oklahoma ✌️✌️✌️✌️
The 10/22 in particular is a spectacular weapon. Runs like a sewing machine, which is practically a miracle for a rimfire cartridge caliber gun, tack driver, and it has almost as many possible mods as an AR-platform rifle.
Down south we still squirrel hunt with 22’s. Also used running my trap line. Carlos Hathcock, famous military sniper, started squirrel hunting with a single-shot 22.
That's how you learn to make that first shot count! Hathcock wrote the book!
There’s nothing like a good old Canadian Cooey .22 rifle.
Good info thanks!!!! 22lr has always been my favorite choice wile walking around in the woods with the dogs.
.22 LR and WMR are one of my favorites. Shot placement is king. The biggest drawback is the lower reliability of rimfire versus center fire.
Thank you for this video. I love my 22s. I actually started carrying a Sidekick Revolver in my truck and a 10-22 breakdown in the camper.
When I was growing up, a .22 long rifle was used by many folks for deer hunting ar close ranges...one shot kills if you know how to shoot.
I knew an Aboriginal that used to sneak through the drainage ditches on a floodplain and shoot water Buffalo.
We kill cows wit one on the our farm
@@andhewonders that's pretty impressive. Those bastards get massive! And are mean as!
I love my CZ .22 Ultra Lux.
Fun, super accurate, and ammo is cheap.
There's a TH-cam video of a guy killing a wild boar with a 22lr. Head shot and dead instantly.
Thanks Ron. They can be just plain fun. And definitely good to get those mechanics down like you said, and not feel so bad about blowing through so much ammo since its cheap.
We live on cheap bulk...! the 'good' stuff in the safe, and we constantly buying the cheapest bulk we can find...the other part of the answer is owning several .22 firearms, so that whatever we buy something will run it...as long as cheap bulk stays under 9.9 cents a round we good, lately about 6.5 cents a round in our area...
Nicely done sir! Enjoyed the video and information.
Always had at least one or more 22 rimfires around since 1958. Now long since retired, I have more than I need, but with my own range in the woods, I often break out a 22. Great to use to keep sharp and do it without too great expense.
The first rifle I shot was a Marlin Model 60, my second was an M16A1. I was an expert marksman in the U.S.Army, I think that Marlin helped me alot to do achieve that.
Just joking but.... which one? marksman, sharpshooter or expert. I know what you meant, just jerking your chain.
The M60 and M16A1 were also my 1st 2 rifles. I now own my 4th M60.
@@TheDarkRodent i read this as m60 machinegun and i was really confused how you had 4 🤦♂ not that you had 4 model 60s
Went from a 22 right to a 22. 😅😉😇
Had thousands of hours of fun with this little gem of a cartridge and plenty of game .
Thank you for this segment. I’m a huge cartridge nerd but I always find my self coming back to the 22lr for many different reasons and I feel as if it’s always looked over as a hunting cartridge especially in todays times. Great video! Please do more on the ole’ 22!
Marlin 60s was my first and only .22 that I’ve ever bought. I’ve had that little rifle for well over 20 years. I absolutely love that gun!!!
My first firearm was a Marlin .22 bolt action. Despite collecting multiple firearms over the years as I grow older, still my favorite round. I would and have bet my life on it as a self defense round. I'll always stand by the phrase "The best firearm and caliber choice, is the one the shooter is most comfortable using."
One of my favourite plinking targets go .22 is a small potato on a stick, actually lots of them. Great fun for kids learning to shoot.
Necco wafers are great they explode in a satisfying poof of powder and are biodegradable
My first rifle was given to me in 1980 and it was a Marlin Glenfield Model 60 .22lr semi-auto. 42 years later it is still in great shape and a lot of fun to shoot.
Great video, Ron! I own over ten .22s and they are so much fun, and such a great way to train the kiddos or brush up on my own techniques. People have laughed at me in the past for owning so many .22s, but I've always had just as much fun as them when we go to the range at a fraction of the cost.
Just bought my GSG-16 recently and I love it. My first .22 lr rifle and it's fantastic to shoot.
Wow, I have a Winchester model 62 made in 1946, I’m a 1949 model so it is just a tad older than me. Dad bought it from my cousin who bought it new, and gave it to me for my 10th birthday. It’s in semi-retirement and resides in my safe. I bring it out occasionally and use it.
I started on a 22. I started my kids on 22. They are starting my grand kids on 22. I still carry a 22 revolver (my S&W K22) when I grouse and rabbit hunt with my 12 ga. The 22 will live on forever.
You just inspired me to bring my .22 Sportco to the range tomorrow. Cheap to feed and the old Sportco rifles that were made in Adelaide Australia a while ago, are absolute tack drivers. I bought it for the wife but use it more than her.
That was an informative and fun to watch vid. Cheers Mate.
I learned all about shooting with my grandfather’s Stevens 87A, my most treasured gun in my safe! I have a ‘61 40X/22lr with the old school Redfield Olympics that I love to carry to the range! Yeah, Ron, 22’s are just plain fun!
Great video, thanks for posting!
Sir, I’m watching from Australia and always enjoy your videos, the content is just fantastic, thank you and well done
In the old days, more white tails were hunted in the Texas hill country with a 22 lr, 22mag was used when it came around. I've dropped deer at some distance with lr.
Well I’ve been a fan since the first Remington target master bolt action I got in 1980. Now at 50 years old I’ve been enjoying my rim fire more then ever with the high price’s of ammonium nowadays. Thanks Ron for fun and informative videos. 🎥👍💯💪🏽
First rifle I ever fired was a Winchester model 51 pump action and after my father passed away I enherited that lovely rifle and still 45 years later . Still love hunting with that iron sighted rifle! Along with all 10 other .22lr and .22 magnum rifles and pistols! I use rimfires more now than ever. The tiny .22short takes care of most of my pest and varmint problems! Thank you Ronn!
Great video, love that Ruger and the 62A. I carry a Ruger Six in 22 magnum in my day pack and it’s proved useful over the years. 🤠
I sold my Ruger 6 convertible and now have a Bearcat and a Wrangler with the 7.5” barrel. I am just a handgunner.
Ron you are so awesome, we love our .22 LR's too!
I love the music and I can’t wait to get me a .22 pistol and rifle
My Dad has a c86 Savage bolt action from back when he was a kid. First gun I ever fired and it definitely made a soft spot in my heart for bolt actions. It so fun to shoot and the ammo has stayed dirt cheap. .22 LR is a wildly underrated round.
This video sure looked like a lot of fun! Glad we can all pass the time plinking, showing our friends and family the fun along the way.
Back in the early 1980's in my preteen years, I saved up my money to "layaway" a Rossi 62 gallery gun at our local dept. store (well, Mom did all the adult stuff for me0. Went back a couple months later and picked it up. No clue how many rounds have been through it, but it still shoots straight. I taught my daughter to shoot a rifle using it. I still use it from time to time for pests and squirrel hunting. I still have the receipt, manual, etc. that came with the purchase.
Now I have more .22 lr pistols and rifles than I can ever use! Just something about these little fellows that's hard to shake!
My first 22lr is a ivery Johnson single shot bolt action model 2X. Still have it and use it. Love the bottle shot, knock down, then reset up, and knocked down again
Thanks Ron I enjoyed the video!!! Am one out millions who love the rimfire.
Thanks much Ron, I own more 22 LR than any other weapon in my collection. When eggs where not so expensive would take a dozen out and shoot those. The small green army men are lots of fun also, be sure and pick up after yourself. I call a day with a 22LF a pocket full of fun.
Our favorite target at 100 yards are those bathtub rubber ducks, about 4 inches across, 97 cents at walmart...they are reusable for several range sessions, and bounce around with glee when hit...on the handgun range my favorite target at 25 yards are spent shotgun shells, which are always laying around (the ground keeping at our range is a little suspect)...we only shoot paper on special occasions...
I've got a pair of old Stevens bolt action 22 LRs that are deadly and all of my cousins and I were raised up shooting one single Ruger 10/22 that never failed to entertain us clipping cans, squirrels, rabbits, and anything else we deemed necessary to shoot at. My grandfather was a slick, old codger; he knew we were all getting muscle memory and reflexes from shooting the light recoiling 22 LR. We all turned out to be pretty good marksmen because of his crafty ways. Now I am learning my own grandkids on the range with the 22 LR. Great fun and time well spent out of doors! I truly enjoyed your take on the worth of the old venerable 22 rifles.
My favorite rifle is the one my grandpa had a JC Higgins bolt action tube fed most accurate 22 rifle I've ever shot. He gave it to me on my 5th birthday. It's older than I am and I'm 60.
The Air Force gave me my first .22”3”. But, my wife gave me a j.c.higgins semi .22 s,l,lr, back in 1964, I wore that rifle out to pieces.mylast and current wife has bought me bunches of 22 rifles, pistols, revolvers. Bless her soul, love me!
During the recent ammo crunch we never stopped going to the range, thanks to .22...with single action, autos, and lever action our fun was affordable...trigger time is trigger time, and those little .22 bullets just smoked all the 9mm, .357, .223, etc., that wasn't being shot...all we can do is tell folks to own some kind of .22, and stash a couple bulk boxes...sooner/later will come the next ammo crunch, and it sure beats crying about zero range time...
Ruger 10/22 is still my favorite gun in the safe. I really like my Heritage Rough Riders too. I have big boy guns too but nothing is as fun and gratifying as plinking away for a few hours with a brick of .22LR 😁
A 10/22 with a nice barrel and a good stock or chassis can be surprisingly accurate too
That’s just because you don’t have an Anschutz 😉
@@stewie5101 we can buy tons of cheap bulk ammo instead...trigger time shouldn't be underestimated...if I can hit the gnat, I don't lose sleep trying to just shoot his boys off...
@@PetuniaIii-pd1ww yea it’s crazy only needing one shot, right?
@@stewie5101 there are multitudes of better shots than i am...no denying a better firearm makes a difference, but other than the ability to make a perfect shot how important is the difference between a .4 inch grouping and a 2.4 inch grouping when we are simply blowing up mass quantities of bulk ammo at targets a 100 yards away...heck, missing is part of the fun, in some perverse way...
The first gun i ever shot was dad’s marlin model 60. My first rifle was a winchester model 250 in 22. It was broken when i found it, i fixed it, and throughout my childhood wore it slap out. Generally 2 bricks a week for 8 years. Ended up having to put some new springs and a firing pin in it in my early 20’s and proceded to wear it out again. Im just a few years ago put my second firing pin in along with a new breech locking mechanism. And am currently working on wearing it out again in my 40’s now. To say the least this is my absolute favorite gun. It was the first thing i ever successfully diagnosed and fixed. The best 80$ dad ever spent back in 1963. Love that rifle.
How many of us learned how to shoot with a 22lr? I guess 90%. I started on a bb then 22 ….and thats how my kids learned to. Once they mastered the safety part…and accuracy. They got to go hunting and then on to bigger calibers. This video brought back old memories….I havent owned a bolt action 22 in ages. Im going to pick one up this weekend.
My first rifle was a Marlin Little Buckaroo, single shot, bolt action. I loved that rifle, it taught me patience, to take my time and shoot straight. I loved shooting long range at ground squirrels 100-200yrds or farther. We had an old grain silo I would shoot at from 550yrds, the ting from hitting it was the greatest sound I ever heard. I rang it like a dinner bell.
Thanks Ron for the video. I love shooting .22s. I just checked and realized that I have 10 rifles in .22lr and 6 pistols in .22lr. Of these some are for hunting and some are for target practice. In making a video comparing a Ruger 10/22 to a Savage bolt gun, during the editing, I realized my form was off with the bolt gun by me breaking the cheek weld after each shot thus skewing the comparison. I pointed this out in the video and it gave me something to work on in the future.
First .22 I ever shot was my Dad's Winchester model 61, back in 1956. I passed it on to my son. My first .22 rifle that I bought myself was an Ithaca model 49 single shot. I was 10 years old then, my Dad purchased it for me, but I paid for it. Have loved .22's ever since.
What’s it good for? Probably the most useful cartridge ever made!
Many moons ago, when I was in high school, I made quite a bit of pocket money with my J.C. Higgins bolt action rifle. Growing up in rural New York, the farmers had a lot of problems with woodchucks. Farmers would pay me $1.00 for each woodchuck removed. At that time, a box of 22lr hollow points was about 60 cents
That was my first gun, a bolt action J.C Higgins 22 single shot, and I still have it. It’s is deadly accurate, one of the most accurate rifles I’ve ever shot. I have many great memories hunting with it with my pops, who has passed on. Good times.
My dad grew up in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. Earned a good amount of money shooting squirrel for pelts back in the late '60s-early '70s. He swore by his 22 LR West German bolt action target rifle. In one eye and out the other.
A marlin .22 bolt action was the first gun I ever learned to shoot, therefore it was the first gun I learned to respect. Great round for learning, target shooting, and it poses an added challenge for any hunt.
Boy oh boy! For a "young man" you sure are amazing. Incredible that you can still assume all those shooting positions...
I wish I had a 22 I have a 1950s pump action 12 gage Shotg and 1960s 30-06 I got off my grandfather. I am in Canada and 22 rifle gotten expensive I seen a used 10-22 for $600 I was like your joking right. Thanks Ron keep up the great work 👍
*I used a 22lr to defend my home from burglary.* The burglar was hit in the jaw, and vertebra....caught outside by the police.
It’s good for just about everything, it’s cheap, light weight, available, dependable, easy to use and works in a wide variety of uses.
The first gun many American youngsters shoot, is the venerable. 22lr., I'm certainly no exception, can remember that experience, it was 50 years ago this Autumn, holy cow..
I remember my dad saying they used shorts, so much cheaper. I shot a few longs also as those used to be a bit cheaper then the 22lr.... not anymore, lol Clay
I have a 22lr and a 17 mach 2, I've really been loving the mach 2. One nice thing about shooting rimfires is the nature of their report. You don't have to worry so much about disturbing animals in the house or being too obtrusive to neighbors like when lighting off full power rifles.
...always a pleasure sir
I have shot many many firearms, including a slamfire 20 guage ithaca (built in 1937) but i would say the i have had the most fun shooting 22. One time my buddies and i went ou to the boonies with a 22 rifle dressed up to look like an AR, ended up shooting about 700 rounds of 22 over the course of about 6 hours. Fun little cartridge for anyone who wants to shoot and jist have fun.
I’ve shot full auto, I’ve shot multi thousand dollar precision rifles, I’ve shot well tuned ars, but the most fun I’ve had was with a single shot .22 with tracers
I've always owned a 22, and the first one was a Brno model 2, and that would shoot like a laser! Brno became CZ, and I picked up a CZ452 which also shoots like a laser! Quality rifles and it's great sitting on the porch on the farm and plinking away. Being an Aussie I will have to pick up a Lithgow LA101 at some time too.
Remington Nylon 66 was my first. I still have that gun 40 years later.
One of those has slipped away from me twice! What a cool little rifle. I am glad you still have yours. They are turning into prized collectibles.
My first as well I purchased mine in a now defunct regional big box store in NJ in 1990 mine was brand new in the box with one of those very shitty 4 power scopes for $110 I wish I could buy one now for 6x that price
My first gun was my grandfather’s Marlin 25N. Its been a joy to shoot over the years and great at managing the groundhog population around the farm
Nice old gun. I have the 25M which is the magnum version.
I've always said that when push comes to shove, a accurate and reliable.22 would be my choice every time. Pretty much no one wants to get shot by anything, and the .22 can penetrate the scull of a mature bison bull at 50 yards. I've witnessed it, and the bull dropped in his tracks. You can carry 500 rounds easily, and survive with it no problem. Ron, I read a article in American Rifleman from the 50's. It was about a trapper who walked across Canada, from West to East, in the Winter. He had a Colt Woodsman and 50 rounds of ammunition. It never let him down. Could you please find this article? I've looked for it for a long time.
Ya, but who wants to carry only two magazines of .22lr (my mags are 275 rounds each)?
@@mpeugeot someone who has to walk across the entirety of a country and doesn't want to be bogged down by weight
Always will love the 22lr
We had a s&w 6inch barrel (heavy!) revolver in 22lr. I shot a ton of ammo with it. Loved that gun. And a 10/22 Ruger too. Learned to shoot with 'm. Lots of beautiful memories of my grandpa, who learned me to hunt.
Thanks for the vid 👍
Of course I can go much larger on the caliber if the situation warrants (like what was happening in America a couple of years ago), but a cheap .22 rifle is my usual car gun. It's inexpensive, can take a beating, won't break the bank if it gets stolen, not likely to create panic if anyone looks inside my trunk, a good plinker in case a friend wants to drag me off to a range, it can handle any snake if I go for a walk in the woods, and it can most definitely "change the behavior" of anything larger than a snake with the kind of good shot placement it can deliver.
The introduction was great. A picture paints a thousand words, as does multiple pictures.
I love the 22lr it is a great round me and my grandpa did alot of hunting with it killed alot of squirrels rabbits coyotes and even a ferrel boar hog that was around 300 pounds
Great video! Thanks for sharing.
My first rifle purchased in my life was my Marlin .22 Papoose. It is a take down and has gone on lots of camping trips. I must say though, the one I reach for most is still my Marlin model 60. Terrific rabbit/squirrel gun. My first Pistol was my H&R Model Target revolver with 9 shots. Took lots of squirrels and bunnies with that as well. Great for training also.
People,
Go on TH-cam and type in .22lr Vs Hogs. You will find posts of absolutely huge hogs dropping in their tracks with a head shot from a standard velocity .22lr. Do not underestimate the .22lr! It works wonders.
What are they good for? Everything.
Thank You !
Thanks Ron for posting this video. Very informative and good video. Keep up the good work.🙏🙏🙏🙏
I bring a SW MP15-22 to the range with me every weekend along with my .223 rem AR. I really like it because it taught me the fundamentals of how to handle a firearm and it allows me to hangout at the range without breaking the bank. Over the past few years I have shot pretty much every .22 LR round at my local gun shop and I really like that Aguila superextra.
Aguila is good stuff, we have a couple thousand rounds of it...right now we are blowing up golden bullets, because that is what I grabbed...cheap bulk rules our range visits...
I’m new in shooting, first gun I ever bought was a Mossberg 702 Plinkster, fantastic inexpensive shooter. Still have it, love it! Everyone should have some sort of 22lr in their collection
Totally agree...! be sure to stash a few bulk boxes for when the next ammo shortage comes around...
OMG!! Marksmanship! what a novel idea! whodathunkit?? Thanks Ron!
In Australia apart from 308 223 22 is probably the most popular rilfe over here I love cheap to shoot fun to teach new shooters on just a great rilfe cal over all!
My first ever 22 was a glenfield(marlin) model 60. Still have her. She is a beaut
22s are so fun. Great for training and practice. And great for people just learning to shoot.
Don't forget CMMG's .22LR BCG for an AR-15. It's a 30 second swap from .223/5.56 to .22LR. Comes with AR style magazines that hold 25 rounds. (or 10 rounds for states with mag restrictions) Also love my Beretta M9A1-22 and Bobcat.
Yup. What a great little combo so you stack up a million rounds for shtf types of times
Dont forget to run some normal 5.56 through it after every session...other wise the 22lr doesnt have enough pressure to clean your gas tube and itll gunk it up bad and youll have some major malfunctions. But if you run a mag of 5.56 at end of the day before packing up you'll be good to go next tims
@@whiteyfisk9769 Thanks for the tip.
I mostly shoot for the fun of the challenge to hit the target, though I may someday go hunting. I like the .22 because it carries the highest challenge due to breezes, heartbeat and trajectory. I've lost count of how many clay pigeons I've toasted on the 200 meter berm with my Ruger Single-10 pistol (open sights) but I've also blown through a prodigious amount of ammo to do so.
In my '60s it's also a challenge just to see the target at that distance, especially considering I need glasses for near-field focus, namely the open sights on the pistol, so I wear 2 power glasses and once I have the sights in clear view and lined up, I simply aim at the center of the blur. Considering the amount of ammo I blast through at each range session, I couldn't afford my hobby if it wasn't for the humble .22lr.
"...aim at the center of the blur." ...you're not the only one...! we are primarily plinkers, at a hundred yards with scoped Henry's, and up to 25 yards on the handgun range...we shoot almost every week, and cheap bulk .22 makes it possible...there simply isn't a great substitute for actual trigger time, what works with .22 will work when bigger bullets are fired...
What a wonderful video on the virtues of the little .22! Those Winchester Model Model 62A's are sweet ...
Man I had a buddy that had a couple bolt action .22 long guns with 7 round magazines and man they were fun. Seeing who could clear the magazine the fastest was always our competition.
Ron, a fun upload to old memories. My first powder burner rifle was a Ruger 10/22, still have it. You need to practice your fanning technique. Go search out some of Bob Mundens
old videos. Lol. He's still amazing.
Nothing better than seein a man enjoying time with his rifle havin a blas at the range.
My first rifle was an 04 Remington rolling block. I believe it was also the first firearm that I ever fired. Dads are great!
I shot a impala ram on the shoulder and drop it with my .22 lr. Went about 30 yards. Hart/lung shot.
You essentially said .22 rimfire is good out to 300 yards. With my CZ 452 and a good scope -- assuming the wind isn't kicking up -- I have routinely popped 8-inch balloons out to 400 yards.
Still, an excellent coverage of the .22 rimfire!!