Now, I don't mean what gun you would go to in the event of a home invasion, or to carry, etc. I mean the one(s) that manage to find their way into your range bag on a regular basis, even if they don't build muscle memory on your carry gun or train your shooting for bullseye.Well, I don't know about "find their way into my range bag", but there are two that never actually leave my range bag: My Ruger 22/45 and my 4" K-22 are just as much a part of my normal range bag gear as my hearing protection or my first aid kit. The only time they can be found somewhere other than the bag is when they're being fired or cleaned. The fact that they build muscle memory for my carry gun is just gravy.
These are the guns that are just plain fun to shoot.
Also, my Marlin Papoose is a ton of giggles to shoot. Unsurprisingly, it stays broken down in its little case in the trunk of my car. I mean, you never know when you may want a .22 rifle, right?
So, yeah, there're at least three guns that go to the range with me every time I go.
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My father-in-law recently gave us a Smith & Wesson K-22 that had belonged to his father for many years...I had never heard of this particular model until now, but the first time i pulled the trigger I fell in love with the weapon. I keep looking for excuses to introduce people to it (a good gun for beginners, I think). And as i researched it, i became even more grateful to my father-in-law for entrusting us with such a family heirloom.
I kind of want the Marlin just so I can say "papoose" when I talk about it...
I love to have my M1 carbine at the range, because it is a hoot to shoot.
Yeah, the Papoose IS a load of fun to shoot. But how in THE heck do you keep the barrel from unscrewing itself every 50 or 100 rounds?? Blue LocTite would probably do the trick, but then tear-down is a lot more difficult.
My pet is my grandmother's first-model Woodsman. She used it for squirrels; I just punch paper.
My father's bring-back M1 Carbine is both a fun shooter and a source of memories of a bygone era. I was only ten years old on D-Day, but some things are never forgotten.
1911 man: Did you get the wrench with yours? The one I had, you had to tighten the barrel nut with the supplied wrench, and it never came loose for me. Mine was blued, though, if yours is stainless it might be a little greasier, stainless usually is.
I've got a Ruger MKII Stainless Government Target Model with a 6-7/8" bull barrel. I've had it almost 25 years and it still gets a regular workout at the range. Dead-accurate and plain ol' fun.
Dann in Ohio
Never had one that wasn't fun to shoot, but the one in the current collection that stands out is my Heritage Manufacturing Rough Rider (heh) convertible. Shooting any SAA is fun; shooting in .22LR is fun and cheap. First handgun I ever owned; if opportunity presents I might upgrade to a Single Six convertible, but there's no real need: it's held up pretty well over several thousand rounds. Nice-looking laminate grips, nice enough that if I had a good holster I'd open-carry it with the .22 Mag cylimder (hammer down on an empty chamber, of course -- the traditions must be observed).
Come to think of it...who'd like to recommend a good SAA holster? :-)
In this category I put guns that I make space for. They have no purpose whatsoever except fun, but I make space for them when I go to the range.
For me, that would be my Mosin-Nagants (I just like bolties) and my repro Enfield P1853 3-bander. Takes forever to load, but after the first shot I become a tourist attraction. If you're ever lonely at the range, shoot a Civil-War-era muzzleloader just once.
Lately, however (as you know, Tam) I've been having more fun with my air rifle. It wasn't expensive to buy and isn't expensive to feed, but it is acceptibly accurate - I can consistently hit aspirin tablets with it at 50 measured feet.
But moreso, shooting an air rifle well is challenging. The hold is somewhat different than centerfires and even .22lr, and it is unforgiving of even the slightest error in proper form and proper follow-through.
I can go in my basement any time I please and poke holes in paper to my heart's content. I made a pellet-trap out of a cardboard box (thank you, amazon!) and a bunch of blank tax forms my city's library was going to throw away. I simply pin a target to the box and have at it.
Next year the library will have more blank tax forms to give me and there's sure to be a fresh box somewhere around Chez GVI. What could possibly be cheaper?
gvi
wv: unkednes (n): in state of being without trendy faux-athletic footwear.
My 'go to' gun would have to be my Marlin 1894C in .357, for oh-so-many reasons.
First, it is the lightest, slickest handling rifle I own. It comes up perfectly natural to my shoulder, and the length of pull is 100% correct for me.
When loaded with .38's, there is no difference in felt recoil between it and my Ruger 10/22, and plenty of pop for most two or four legged varmints.
On the other side of the spectrum, there are some companies out there like Cor-Bon, Double-Tap and Buffalo Bore who make a few 180gr and 200gr loads that I would comfortable shooting at anything in North America with, because I know, with iron sites, at under 100 yards, that bullet is going exactly where I want it to go.
Finally, it just looks very cool, AND non threatening.
If I could only pick one gun to have for all situations, this one would be it...
The Ruger 22/45 is there every time. Bull barrel, Tam?
Three go on every trip: Trailside, CZ P01, and GP100. Usually take four, the last is a different fun gun every time. .30 Blackhawk, .44 Super Blackhawk, CZ 97, S&W model 25 Lew Horton special, 686+, .357 Blackhawk...
And here I thought that I was the only one with a Marlin Papooose in the trunk of his car....Just for kicks, of course.
Midwest chick keeps a Henry Survival rifle in hers.
22/45 MarkII, 10/22 with Williams peeps, Nickel 586 Smithy for a big bang effect. My Beretta Cheetah fits my hand like a glove, just haven't restocked 380 since "the shortage" of 2009. Oh, and I um, sold my 18-4 to a guy in town here, so it can't come anymore. Had to have that motorbike, sorry. Like GVI does, I play air rifle in the basement, but looking to upgrade to RWS 34 or 48 in 22 caliber. Only have a 17 now.
Glock 17 and a Python... They are ALWAYS in the range bag. Everything else kinda rotates through.
Mr. James, a .22 isn't an upgrade.
My "Beeman-von-Wal-Mart" came with two barrels, one in .177 and one in .22. It is acceptibly accurate in .177. I touched on its accuracy above. The same cannot be said of the rifle in .22, and from friends who all have rifles in this caliber and say the exact same thing, I take it to be indicative of the caliber itself.
You may find a pellet that is accurate in .22 - I found that my rifle likes Gamo Match best - but it's not nearly as accurate as Crosman Premium hollowpoints are in my rifle in .177.
The only advantage I see to .22 is in ft/lbs, which is a bit pointless. As one friend puts it, "How far do you want the pellet to go after it's gone out the back of the rabbit's head?"
You're perfectly free to spend your money any which way you want, but my direct experience and that of other shooters of both calibers holds that .177 is as potent a pellet for pellet-worthy game as you need, and more accurate than .22.
gvi
Mr. GVI, I see your point, and true I have little experience with a 22 airgun. My planned "upgrade" is on 2 fronts: either RWS is a superior rifle to my Daisy, especially the trigger, and with 22 I was looking for a tad more knock down power for the occasional groundhog - I won't be just punching paper. The airgun lets me shoot in more places than getting out the firearms.
Ruger MKII w/the 10" bull barrel - that thing is just fun to shoot, and a MKIII 22/45. Also, a couple of Savage .22 and .17 rifles. The bigger stuff rotates, these small fry always come along.
GVI: I apologize if I'm barking up the wrong tree, but you might want to try some JSB Exacts in .22 if you haven't already. Most every pellet rifle of low to medium power I've come across seems to like them fine.
They even seem to do pretty well when in the trans-sonic crack zone.
I would love to hear of your progress with a .22. I have some experience with a friend's RWS/Diana in .177. I would recommend this to you for your intended purpose without hesitation or reservation.
His has slightly less velocity than my Beeman, but is very accurate (he refers to it as "minute of squirrel).
Your problem vis-a-vis firearms for critters is similar to mine. I live on a very small city lot. Even .22s are out of the question unless I single-load .22cb into my daughter's Marlin. I'm told they're nearly quieter than air rifles.
Anyway, whichever you choose, shop around for the pellet your air rifle likes best - all are choosy and even two identical rifles of the same make and model will shoot the same pellet differently. It's a very individual thing. I've found that match pellets give the best groups, but this comes at the cost of a bit of muzzle velocity.
I take as a standard a sub-half-inch group at 10 yards. If I can't get this from a pellet, I have nothing more to do with it. In my rifle, I've found two - one for each caliber - and I stick to them. In .177 it's Crosman Premium hollowpoints; in .22 it's Gamo Match (semi-wadcutter). Yours may like different ones.
gvi
Robert, I'll certainly try them. I know what mine has liked best so far, but I know better than to keep looking. Thanks for the recommendation.
I will say that I was extremely disappointed in the performance of Benjamin Hollowpoints in .22. They were no better than Daisy pellets. Rather, a few would have a nice tight group but there would always be one really blatant flyer, with no change in form or follow through on my part to explain it.
I'll try the JSBs though - you just never know. Thanks!
Favorite firearms? For grins and giggles, it'd have to be the BuckMark Field 5.5 (do you guys ever actually clean your Mk II and IIIs?), the Winchester 9422, and the uber-ubiquitous 10/22 Sporter.
If I've got two range bags, you'll find the Single Six .22 and the wifey's S&W 617, and the Winchester 9422M. (Seeing a pattern?) Oh, and the SW1911.
The K-22 is a blessing, a divine wafer that transmorgifies the soul.
I almost always finish my trips to the range with a box of inexpensive .22's through my Ruger Mk II 5" bull barrel. Whether it's plinkin' or Bullseye form-reminder, it works like a charm. And yes, I do clean it every few hundred rounds. Volquartsen sear,trigger, hammer, springs in it make it easier to shoot well.
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