wow, two votes for .22lr
I dont get it. Everyone has one, Everyone loves them. Where are you guys getting this from?
Underappreciated May or may be the *correct* term - I will submit the following perpectives, experiences and observations and allow folks to judge for themselves.
--It used to be every first kid's exposure to firearms were a BB Gun and .22 rifle. Most often in my day a Red Ryder and Single Shot .22 that would shoot shorts, longs and long rifle.
--I have sensed a "shift" in society, perhaps due to more populated areas, less public ranges, single parent families (divorce), less disposable time, political pressures about guns as shared in Media, Schools and Textbooks, firearm legislations in respected areas around the country and so forth.
Meaning kids are not getting passed forward to them as I was firearm lessons, learning to shoot, walking/ riding bikes/ down to a wooden area to get lessons, work on skills, plink or take small game.
Families do not have - or do NOT take the time, to spend Quality time with kids and "Parent" kids. Extends to Adults, be they kinfolks ( aunts and uncles) or other Adults in a kids life.
--Folks want to run before they walk.
I was taught to shoot .22 rimfire to learn Correct Basic Fundamentals in any platform with a .22 rimfire first. Less felt recoil, allowing one to focus on Safety and how to shoot, and the less expense of ammo.
How many folks on this forum alone, have shared they want to buy their first gun, and have criteria for a Centerfire ?
How many when suggested they get a .22 rimfire - discount wanting a .22 and want to learn with a Centerfire? How many want to "feel the recoil", "the more recoil the better", "want to burn that ammo thru them mags"...etc. ?
How many have come back to share they cannot afford to shoot that Centerfire due to expense of ammo? How many have shared they cannot hit the inside of a 55 gal drum standing in the drum and shooting that Centerfire they bought?
How many folks have had new shooters, kids, teenagers, adults, and did not have a .22 rimfire of any kind to let them learn on?
How many times has a kid , teenager, wife, husband visited a range, or been out with another shooter that DID have a .22 rimfire to let them shoot and they had a ball?
How many folks have shared "how come my folks did not teach me guns?".
Anyone ever have a kid look at THR with them and have a kid, wife or whomever say "how come I do not have my own .22 like that little boy, little girl on THR? "How come we do not have a kid's sized rifle to teach our neices and nephews when they come visit?
How many here on this board have shared they had to
Borrow a .22 rimfire to go squirrel hunting, or to attend a indoor shooting range, or to shoot a .22 rimfire Bulls-Eye , Silhouette shoot?
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I will go to my grave sharing with folks , that in my opinion, learning to shoot with a .22 , to learn and instill Correct Basic Fundamentals is the best way to learn.
I will go to my grave sharing with folks that having a .22 rimfire that matches as close as can to the centerfire they shoot, will make them a better shooter, will allow Quality practice, and if they get into a slump, will be the BEST tool to get them out of that slump.
Sell the farm and bet all your money I will go to my grave sharing this as I have since I was little, all my time up to now, and will until the day I die.
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I know this thread is in Rifle Sub-Forum. Still allow me to share why I appreciate the .22 rimfire in short, long and long rifle.
This is hard to type - so forgive my mistakes ...
My maternal grandmother bought a High Standard Sentenial 9 shot revolver for me while I was still in my mother's womb. That gun was MINE and in my crib was I was brought home.
I Knew that gun was MINE, grandmother told me from the first time she held me and that gun. I heard all about gun safety and shooting, even before I understood. She was also reading Ruark to me.
I get big enough to understand a lttle bit more, but played with the leather holster, and would see MY gun and get to see grandma shoot it. I get to be 3 years old and I get to shoot MY gun. I remember itty bitty cartridges, .22 shorts.
I learned to shoot with that gun starting at 3 years old. I get bigger and that gun went with me when I went out with a Uncle, or Mentors. I get bigger and by myself went to the woods and used that gun to put meat on the table.
I was not quite 13 when the Riots hit. I was the eldest kid, watching the sibs, and no adults at home when the front door was being brick- batted in. I got the sibs in safe spots in the house, I took good cover and stopped an immediate threat.
Appreciation - you darn right I appreciated that .22 nine shot revolver, the lessons learned in shooting it, all the safety lessons, all the lessons grandma passed forward to me before she died when I was 5 years old, all the lessons Mentors & Elders shared with me about everything to do with being responsible for my safety and the safety of others in my charge.
Unappreciation I am liable to lose it here...
I used a non-powered push mower bigger than me to mow lawns, I pulled weeds by hand, got on hands and knees to trim with hand held trimmers yards. I painted , and other odd jobs to get most of the money for a used single shot .22 rifle so I could learn to shoot a rifle with a rifle of MY own.
Mentors and Elders helped me refinish the stock and fix it up, they taught me all about it, and how to shoot with them iron sights.
That rifle was Stomped on, broken, and then picked up and used like a baseball bat against a tree. My cherished collection of Field and Stream magazines were torn, and stomped on, then the it got worse, my very own book of Ruark's
The Old Man and The Boy had pages ripped out it and then repeatedly bashed until the binding broke.
Then all of this, my pieces of MY rifle tossed into a burning trash barrel.
The "story" about why I had to have 13 stitches in my head was that I was jumping on the bed and fell and hit my head. No. I was thrown against that sharp headboard, and still was taking hits, kicks and all trying to save MY gun , magazines and Ruark book.
My revolver was hidden, hidden real well at the neighbor's house.
Someone did not appreciate me, a wittle kid, being the eldest male in the household, and wanted to "make a point" and "teach me a lesson".
Many many years later, I would try to be a son to the one that sired me. I really really tried. Against my better judgement I loaned that person MY cherished High Standard Revolver. He had sired another son, by another lady , and that son sold my High Standard for dope.
Larry and Chris were in Tulsa when I saw a High Standard similar to the one I had. I got off into the past and had to go outside and smoke. I had to be alone.
Appreciation- I have my definition of this for sure!
This post may expain my definition of the .22 rimfire, of passing forward, preservation of Freedom, being responsible for one's safety and those of others. This post may enlighten some for who or what I am and believe in, or why I think as I do. This post may explain why I assisted with new shooters, many are ladies, and why I prefer to, and why I assist with kids. Might explain why there is two brick of .22 ammo for some kids I assist with. Might explain why I started a thread in this sub forum about the .22 rifle and youngsters.
This post is long and I do not care. If one person that reads this post buys a pawn shop special .22 rifle, heck just gives a kid a box of .22 ammo they have had in a sock drawer for 10 years, It is worth it to ME and to that kid.
I have to go outside and smoke now...
If a Moderator see a need to edit for spelling or whatever, please do, I cannot go over what I just typed at this time...
Steve
8x56mm is Mannlicher-Schoenauer. 8x56Rmm is Hungarian Mannlicher. JS Mauser is 8x57mm. There are also the 8x51mm and 8x60mm Mauser in Europe (both rimmed and rimless) but, AFAIK, it has never been made with 56mm length.
