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.22 RIMFIRE RIFLES
Getting Started with the Venerable Double Two
The .22 rimfire is your ticket to a lifetime of
shooting and hunting enjoyment.
Generations of hunters and shooters have made the
.22 rimfire the most popular firearm in the world.
For learning proper shooting mechanics, there is
no finer choice. Low noise, light recoil and
inexpensive ammo make the .22 perfect for the
high-quantity practice it takes to
become a skilled marksman. lt’s also an ideal
close-range cartridge for small game and
varmints. We ’ll highlight some of the many fine
rifles available, and offer advice to
simplify the process of getting started.
ACTION
The three most widely used action types are bolt,
pump and semi-automatic. All are suitable for
shooting and hunting. However, before purchase,
check your state’s game laws to ensure
semi-automatics are legal for hunting. Bolt
actions, such as the Remington Model Five“`, are
great all-around choices. This is an extremely
accurate, rather inexpensive rimfire rifle. There
are plenty of models available with detachable
clip magazines that allow you to fire multiple
shots before reloading.
The pump action is a long-time favorite that
drives tacks and can fire shots in rapid
succession with a quick shuck of the fore—end.
Remington’s Model 572“` BDL"' Fieldmaster"` is fed
by a tubular magazine that holds up to 15 rounds
of .22 Long Rifle ammo. Autoloading
(semi—automatic) rifles, such as the Remington
Model 597"`, shoot as fast as you can pull the
trigger. This particular gun is fed by a clipstyle
detachable magazine that makes unloading/
reloading quick and easy, but there are many
models available that feature a tubular magazine.
STOCK
You’ll have a choice between natural wood and
synthetic stocks. Both have their benefits.
Wood has a classic look and adds heft that can
improve your ability to hold the gun steady in the
off—hand position. Synthetic stocks are impervious
to the weather, extremely durable and often
lighter. But you can’t go wrong with either.
SIGHTS & SCOPES
Perhaps the most important decision is whether to
mount a scope or use standard open sights. As a
natural progression, most people start with rifle
sights and move on to a scope.
In general, scopes will enhance your precision by
magnifying target size and offering a finer aiming
point. If you don’t plan to mount a scope, be sure
the gun you purchase is equipped
with adjustable open sights.
HUNTING & SHOOTING
Under normal conditions, a scoped .22 rimfire
rifle in the hands of a skilled marksman is
effective for small game out to about 75 yards.
Although, most rimfire hunters try to limit their
shots to 50 yards and under. This is optimum
accurate range, and also guarantees the tiny
bullet has enough kinetic energy to quickly
dispatch game such as rabbits and squirrels.
When sighting—in, an ideal zero is 1/2" to 1" high
at 25 yards. This will put you just about dead—on
at 50 yards. You’ll need to compensate by holding
slightly low on closer targets.
LOADING UP
The best all—around choice for standard hunting
and shooting is .22 Long Rifle ammunition. .22
Short and .22 Long rounds are available, but
their uses are limited due to a shorter effective
range.
When buying ammo, you normally get what you pay
for in terms of quality and consistency. For
example, Remington/ Eley Competition ammo is
superbly accurate, but more expensive than others.
Versatile choices include Remington High Velocity
Golden Bullet, Hyper Velocity Yellow jacket and
Viper, and High Speed Thunderbolt and Cyclone
ammo. All of these are accurate and suitable for
hunting and shooting. You`ll have a choice between
solid and hollow—tip bullets. Hollow—tip bullets
expand rapidly and tend to ruin more meat on game
animals, so you may want to opt for solid bullets
when hunting for the table. Solid bullets are
great for target shooting and will cleanly kill
small game as well.
Remington
C O U N T R Y
Be Safe • Be Responsible
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