Discussion Forums

Joshua Mayfield

Nathan, am I correct in assuming you would advocate cutting a stock down to size for a child over having the child learn to shoot in a position they'll grow out of? Noah is 5 and very eager. He's shooting a few BBs at this point but it will be a bit before he graduates to a rimfire, I think. I've been wondering if one of the really small frame .22s would be a good investment.

I appreciate all the input on this thread - you fellows have given me some good thoughts I had not come to yet on my own. Very interesting to hear about the prevalence and popularity of the Brno/CZ .22s. I've not handled one but am curious now.

Growing up in the midwestern U.S. I saw more Marlin .22s than all others combined with the 10/22 coming in second. The bolt and semi-auto Marlins seemed to be tack drivers 90% of the time, but if they were bad they were really bad. My dad taught me to shoot with his 39A that was very accurate. I have a Henry right now that I enjoy very much. It may become Noah's one day. I also recently acquired a very old Winchester 67A that seems to be more accurate than I am in spite of its age.

Dale, I take it you're a fan of the 17HMR? I've no experience with it myself.

A couple interesting things about .22s that I've run across - in a couple of his books Hemingway talks about the .22 pistol he carried with him in Africa and how he would kill hyenas with it. The description might not have fallen within bounds of our current standards of ethical killing, but I bring it up because it is an instance of the .22 being used on a sizable animal with effect. I have no intent of deer hunting with a rimfire but I'd echo what Dale said, that it seems that perhaps we underestimate the light rounds and rimfires in a lot of ways.

One more - in the last few days I ran across an account that some are no doubt already familiar with about a .22 being John Nosler's preferred method of off-season practice. Rather affirming of this little theory.