.22rf Day at the Range

[jmoore]

It's nice to take a break from the big (and expensive to shoot) centerfire weapons at times and get back to basics, so as there was a "new" Franz Stock pistol to try, it's all .22s, all day.

So, here's some of the gear. Most, stupidly enough, cost more than the average milsurp rifle on the front end, but make up for it in being reasonably cheap to shoot.

Why the el-cheap-o Remington Golden Bullet value pack ammo out of the rifles? Because it comes home 10.000 at a time, and is good for squirrels out to 75-100yds. Headshot capable to 50yds. (And makes decent Steel Challenge fodder.) The 52C Winchester is reblued- horrors!- but has been a good all weather (and how!!!) hunter, taking probably a couple of hundred tasty grey squirrels. Would have been more, but deer season has overridden quite a bit of squirrel time in the past ten years.

So, too many pictures:

Big and medium: Winchester 52C and a 69A with integral tip-off scope rail:









Nostalgia at the dubious practicality level. This is the same as my first scope. Huge crosshairs and good only in bright sunlight.

Started with the 69A. After zeroing at 25 and fifty yards from the bench, here's two groups shot standing unsupported at 50yds. The first felt "good"- shooting with the supprt hand at the fore end tip, but the results were not satisfying:



Next, a more conventional hold and ten shots, as the heavy trigger resulted in some low shots:




The 52C had not seen a round in at least two years, due to "slow and hard" deer seasons and various other distractions, but the confidence level was high enough to take the first shots at 100ys, using the second tick mark down on the Burris Ballistic Plex reticle:





Having seen the placement of the main crosshair of the Burris, the 69A was tried for comparison:


Considering the coarse reticle, and considerable hold over, the results weren't terrible, but it's just not a serious long range .22. The drop was a bit more than the 52- The shorter barrel OUGHT not have an effect, but...

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[jmoore]

Oops, forgot the standing 50yd 52C group:


Somehow, it just "knows" to go off at the right time! My hold isn't that steady.

But now for the excuse to do .22s:




Well, no, but they were constant background...ATAS


Stupidly enough, the real excuse to do an all .22"rf day, the Franz Stock on the bottom of the photo, wouldn't pop a primer due to an insufficiently strong striker spring.

One hand wonders, but my skills aren't what they once were:



Benelli 95E "Atlanta" A superb pistol, even in the "economy" model, both at 25 and 50 yards.


S&W 41 "no prefix". Kept pushing shots to the right, finger won't quite position on the trigger properly, reach is a little short!

Some two handed shooting with the 617. It wasn't liking the cheap bulk ammo today. It'll do better with other ammo, just did not bring any!:





If you can stand more, here's a slideshow presentation of the day's shoot:

http://s20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...view=slideshow

Thanks for viewing!

[jmoore]

Shouldn't have been so complementary about the Benelli. Ran 20 rounds 25yd rapid fire and then started on a 50 yd slow fire target. First five had one misfire- no biggie. But then the next three ALL misfired. Light primer strikes.

Phooey! After 10-12 years it'll finally have to be taken apart. So far it's only received cleaning with the bolt held back...

[jmoore]

Pulled the Benelli apart. !!! Must be one of the cleanest running .22 pistol designs on the planet.

No problems detected. Lightly oiled and hopefully OK.