The 22 Caliber Rifle And Tomato Stakes

 

 

The 22 caliber rifle of the 1950s would be considered some of the finest 22 rifles ever manufactured for the hunting and shooting public. But by the late 1950s and into the 1960s the firearms manufacturers would start producing some inexpensive and cheaper made 22 caliber rifles. Some of these rifles would be excellent shooters and dependable firearms. But a good number of them would have sub standard finishes and not be very reliable firearms.

 

Classic Stoeger Parts Book

 

Some of those cheaper firearms would come into the gun shop that I worked in while doing gunsmithing in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s. The issue I had with many of those guns was that they were not worth very much to begin with and if I had to spend much time working on it, the price of the repair would be more than the gun was worth. I would have customers complain about the price of the repair and not understand that the gun was not an easy fix.

 

The 22 rifles in semi-auto and some lever 22 rifles were difficult to get functioning properly. I had some that I could not get to work well, no matter what I did.  Some of those firearms were just plain junk! And you cannot always blame it on the type of 22 long rifle ammo that was used.

 

 

The 22 caliber rifle of that era are even more difficult to work on today. If you need to order parts you have to order them from a used parts supply company. And when you do this you are getting parts that have been stripped out of 22 rifles and handguns that are in the same condition as the 22 caliber rifle or handgun that you are repairing.

 

 

Most of those cheaper 22 rifles will not have good parts available. And it is not worth the effort to make or repair the missing or broken part that the gun will need.

 

 

Sometimes the best option is to take and hammer the barrel into a point. Then go ahead and weld the bolt shot. Take the rifle into the garden and slam it into the ground next to your tomato plant. You can tie a string to the trigger guard or sling swivels and also put a nail into the wood stock. Makes a great tomato stake! It will also over time add a little iron to your garden soil!

 

As you can tell I am not a big fan of some of those cheap 22 caliber rifles from the 50s and 60s. If you are a gunsmith, your best option is to leave those firearms alone. This would be my opinion and you will have to make up your own mind.

 

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