Heirloom .22

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Ironclad

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I have a walmart special synthetic Savage 93f that shoots pretty nice and does everything I need. However, I think I may be coming into a little cash pretty soon and I want to get more of an heirloom type .22 rifle that I can pass down to my kids and grandkids eventually.

Some guidelines would be:

1. NO PLASTIC - I don't want anything but wood and metal, preferably steel
2. Repeater
3. Preferably made in the USA

Right now I am looking at Henrys, CZ 452s, and Marlin 39As. Any comments on these or any other suggestions?
 
Either the CZ or the Marlin would not be a bad idea. I have never been able to warm up to the Henry's with their Brasslite receivers. They are heavy too.
 
I also wouldn't consider a Henry an heirloom type rifle. Decent cheap plinkers but bordering on disposable.

The Brownings are very nice. They are top quality but made in Japan. I don't have a problem with this and have several Miroku guns but some folks object. I came real close to buying a BL-22 a couple months ago. Later model Marlin 39's are good rifles, although a little rough inside and out. I'd rather have an older model if I'm buying a Marlin and have seen some nice ones for $400-$500. The Winchester 94/22 is by far my favorite. All milled steel, no plastic, no castings, no stampings. Definitely heirloom quality and the best made domestic levergun of at least the last 50yrs. I'm glad I got my pair back when they were $300.
 
The Browning, Marlin and Winchester are all good guns. But I like the Remington Speedmaster. Great gun with real rifle sights and is one of the few semi autos that can handle short, long, and long rifle rounds. Remington also has the 572 pump.
 
My take... don't buy a new gun, instead search out an older well cared for rifle.

The Standards... such as the Marlin 39, made in the U.S. for over a hundred years. The Browning BA22 that rc mentioned.

Something a bit different... the Savage 29, a pump .22 that was first made in 1929 and is very very sweet. For bolt action look at a Brno made from the 40's until the 70's when they merged with CZ.
 
I second the idea of a nice classic older gun.

Remington model 12 pump .22's don't seem to cost over the top. I see them around here for anywhere from $250 to $350. The one I got for $240 that was in nice shape for an older gun turned out to have been born in 1912. Yep, it's an honest 100 years old, made in the USA and still shoots nice tight groups.

I'm not saying you need to look for 50 to 100 year old options. But if you start with a classic then it'll remain a classic. And a pump .22 very much fits the bill. Not to mention that they are buckets of fun to shoot.
 
The T/C .22 Classic/R55 was a wonderful little .22. They are more recent than some of the classics listed, but out of production. I picked mine up used/LNIB and it's terrific. And very accurate with a Williams peep sight. Another interesting .22 that I would love to get my hands on is a Browning BAR-22. Very hard to find, but everyone I know of who's handled one really, really liked it.
 
Hrrm. How about a m20p? They're a good gun, and have a lifetime warrantee. And they're cheap and accurate.

You could take the difference in price between the m20p and the other options, and get the stock refinished and engraved/worked, and you'll have a true heirloom quality plinker that will outlast you and your kids.
 
I always wish someone would leave me a Browning T bolt.

A buddy has an ancient and honorable Remington 510 with apperature medium weight target barrel and target stock that I loaned him the money to buy that I hope he leaves me when his chickens and turkeys revolt and peck him to death.

SO are CZs made in the USA? A couple of folks have meantioned them though I thought the OP wanted US made.

-kBob
 
Some good suggestions already.

What's your budget? It's more expensive than even a 39a, but a Cooper JSR would be a dandy heirloom rifle. It fits all your criteria, and would be mighty fun for you until it's time to pass it on.
 
Ironclad said:
I have a walmart special synthetic Savage 93f that shoots pretty nice and does everything I need. However, I think I may be coming into a little cash pretty soon and I want to get more of an heirloom type .22 rifle that I can pass down to my kids and grandkids eventually.

Some guidelines would be:

1. NO PLASTIC - I don't want anything but wood and metal, preferably steel
2. Repeater
3. Preferably made in the USA

Right now I am looking at Henrys, CZ 452s, and Marlin 39As. Any comments on these or any other suggestions?
Click to expand...
An "Heirloom" comes from with-in a family.

What you`ll be buying is a "collector" piece. A true "collector" piece is not cheap.
In fact they fall under the sellers market.
One problem . What you have in mind may not have the same mind set down the road on who ever gets it. They may not look at it like you . Who knows, maybe they`ll see it as a money pot. Maybe they won`t like/want a weapon. You never know. Just another opinion.
I`d got the stock/bond route. A better investment. IMHO>
 
An "Heirloom" comes from with-in a family.
Click to expand...

Unless your name is something similar to Browning or Colt or Winchester, the heirloom was purchased by someone in the family originally.

Sounds like the OP wants to be the originator of a heirloom tradition in his family with a nice .22, not necessarily looking to make money.
 
An "Heirloom" comes from with-in a family.

What you`ll be buying is a "collector" piece. A true "collector" piece is not cheap.
In fact they fall under the sellers market.
One problem . What you have in mind may not have the same mind set down the road on who ever gets it. They may not look at it like you . Who knows, maybe they`ll see it as a money pot. Maybe they won`t like/want a weapon. You never know. Just another opinion.
I`d got the stock/bond route. A better investment. IMHO>
Click to expand...
I don't understand that at all. So if your family has no existing heirlooms, are you just supposed to forget about it? As posted, somebody has to buy it in the first place, somewhere along the line.

He wants a rifle to pass down to his children, not an investment for monetary gain. I really think you need to re-examine your thinking.
 
If you like your Savage, look at some of their nicer wood/steel models. I truly understand wanting to buy one to leave behind, as a southpaw, I always made due with right handed bolt actions, but since my niece has a 6 year old boy that's a fellow lefty, I bought a left handed savage with a nice checkered wood stock, so I can leave it to him.
 
I don't understand that at all. So if your family has no existing heirlooms, are you just supposed to forget about it? As posted, somebody has to buy it in the first place, somewhere along the line.

He wants a rifle to pass down to his children, not an investment for monetary gain. I really think you need to re-examine your thinking.
Click to expand...

This is it exactly. I'm not set on a brand new gun. Age doesnt really matter to me as long as it is top quality.
 
I have several heirloom rifles, including two Kimber M82s (one in .22 LR and one in .22 Hornet), a Remington 541X (CMP rifle), a Springfield M1922 MKII, a Ruger 77/22M in .22 WRM and a Stevens Favorite made around 1895. I'll add a Marlin 39A to that first chance I get.
 
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