This old .22

[chriskletke]

I'm getting into long distance shooting and from reading on this part of the forum that starting out with a .22 would be a good start. The only issue is I have an old mossberg 46A bolt action .22 and wondering if that would work or if I have to invest in a newer one? Any advice for a newby would be greatly appreciated thanks.

Chris

 

[clodhopper]

Re: This old .22

Mossberg built some good rifles.
Can you live with the trigger?
Can you mount a scope?
Is the rifle accurate?
If yes is the answer to all these questions why not use that rifle.
Spend you money on a good scope and start shooting.
If the day comes that the mossberg will no longer do.
Get another rifle and take the scope off the Mossberg.

 

[armorpl8chikn]

Re: This old .22

I wouldn't tell you you can't but the view may not be worth the climb. If the gun is unaltered that means you will have to get it drilled and tapped for a scope mount. A friend who is also a gunsmith just did that to an old gun like yours and he had to search for a rail that would work after D&T. Most gunsmiths will charge you plenty for work like this. I think you would be better off in the long run to start from scratch with a gun that already has the option of scope mounting and go from there.
The 22 is a lot of fun and good practice for simulating long range if you shoot it out to 300yds. It will give you good practice learning to use the elevation adjustments on a scope correctly.

 

[Cserv]

Re: This old .22

Shoot what you have, then upgrade as your skill level surpasses your equipment. I started shooting long with a .22, with an old J.C.Higgins single shot. Put an inexpensive mil-dot on it and started shooting. The trigger was horrible, but the rifle was accurate enough to get me started. Just recently upgrade to a Savage MkII BV, and am loving the improved trigger, and accuracy. Just my .02, with it and $5 you can get a cup of coffee. Good luck, and happy shooting.
Eric

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: This old .22

If the receiver is grooved, rimfire scope rings should work. If not, it's probably better to stick with iron sights.

Old rifles can be a crap-shoot. But with .22LR's if there's going to be a problem, it'll probably be related to crown damage. TopPredator on this site has done some posting about how to make an improvement over a damaged .22LR crown.

Buy several brands of standard velocity (not supersonic, high velocity, or anything faster than subsonic) ammunition. Shoot them with reasonable care and see if it will shoot well at 50yd, and how much brands of ammo make a difference.

Greg

 

[GunKnowledge]

Re: This old .22

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Cserv</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Shoot what you have, then upgrade as your skill level surpasses your equipment. </div></div>

Exactly. Your rifle will outshoot you for quite a while, no point in throwing down money when you're learning the first steps.

Right now, spend your money on range entrance fees and bricks (500 round boxes) of ammo. Get as much trigger time as you can.

 

[JustCallMePapa]

Re: This old .22

I have an old Western Auto .22 single shot, which is actually a Mossberg 321. I recently made some modifications, including shortening the barrel to 20", bedding the stock, installed sling swivels, re-blued the barrel, lightened the trigger, installed a really cheap scope. It's still an old .22 single shot, but it shoots really well, looks much better and gave me a project for a couple of snow days. I am not a professional gunsmith, just another guy whose good with his hands and thinks he can do anything.

Yes, shoot the your old Mossberg and enjoy it. Later, if you want a newer rifle, get it.

 

[HathcockProtege]

Re: This old .22

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Greg Langelius *</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If the receiver is grooved, rimfire scope rings should work. If not, it's probably better to stick with iron sights.

Old rifles can be a crap-shoot. But with .22LR's if there's going to be a problem, it'll probably be related to crown damage. TopPredator on this site has done some posting about how to make an improvement over a damaged .22LR crown.

Buy several brands of standard velocity (not supersonic, high velocity, or anything faster than subsonic) ammunition. Shoot them with reasonable care and see if it will shoot well at 50yd, and how much brands of ammo make a difference.

Greg </div></div>

What he said.

I would add:

Get the "best" (a highly subjective term, I admit) scope you can afford and then trade the mossberg in on an older Savage Mark 2 if you can't mount said scope on rifle. Otherwise, stick with the Mossy and see what it will do.

-The Kid.

 

[chriskletke]

Re: This old .22

Well did a little bit of research about this rifle it was used a design used by the military during ww2 for training new soldiers how to shoot and after the war for target and recreational shooting. Mine is already tapped for traditional scope I was thinking of putting picatinny rail for scope. As for shooting I'm definitely not an expert but by no means a newbie I have done different types of competitive shooting and am on my national guard shooting team. I'm trying to get better so I can try out for the tactical long distance portion of the team.

 

[chriskletke]

Re: This old .22

Opps forgot to say that I've already shot it with iron sites and seems fairly accurate and good trigger as well. Only thing is cleaning it as I haven't figure out how to dissemble it that would make it easier. So is finding a picatinny rail for an older rifle like this hard or impossible to do? Thanks again for all your advice.

 

[skinz0021]

Re: This old .22

chances of a picatinny base are slim to none, but you can buy a blank and have a smith mill the base then drill tap the base and receiver. also boyds had the tacticool stock on sale that was un-inletted for cheap last time i looked. you could inlet the stock or have the smith do that as well. just an idea.

 

[ida83704]

Re: This old .22

The Parma Gun Club has .22 Tactical Precision matches.
Only about 1 hour from Boise
Targets from 25 to 250 yards.
If you get the rifle up and running, the matches start in March.

Details here
http://www.parmarng.org/
Click on the calendar for the info

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: This old .22

My Iron Sight trainer is a Mossberg Model 44 marked as US Government Property with (Lyman?) micrometer sights. I love that rifle.

Greg

 

[rocketron]

Re: This old .22

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: chriskletke</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Opps forgot to say that I've already shot it with iron sites and seems fairly accurate and good trigger as well. Only thing is cleaning it as I haven't figure out how to dissemble it that would make it easier. So is finding a picatinny rail for an older rifle like this hard or impossible to do? Thanks again for all your advice. </div></div>

if dissemble means remove the bolt. try pulling the trigger as you remove the bolt.

Ron

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: This old .22

Forget about disassembling it and cleaning it. Leave the bore alone, and confine cleaning the action to wiping it and poking inside with a soft cloth. As long as a rimfire operates, the thing is clean enough.

Greg