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The Gun Digest ® Book of
.22 RIMFIRE RIFLES • PISTOLS • AMMUNITION
by James E. House
©2005 Gun Digest
Published by
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Library of Congress Catalog Number: 2005928832
ISBN: 0-87349-908-5
eISBN: 978-1-44022-435-5
Designed by Kara Grundman
Edited by Kevin Michalowski
Printed in the United States of America
PREFACE
Rimfire firearms are used throughout the world. They are used in competition, hunting, plinking, and protection. Some are very inexpensive while others represent the highest form of technical perfection and cost thousands of dollars. A rimfire firearm is the type of firearm most often used to introduce new shooters to shooting sports, but the seasoned hunter or competition may select a rimfire as the vehicle to develop and display shooting skill. In short, the rimfire is an everyday firearm for just about everyone.
Following the introduction of the 22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire in 1959 and the introduction and demise of the 5mm Remington Magnum in the early 1970s, the rimfire field was one which saw only incremental changes except perhaps for the development of the hyper velocity cartridges. Some new models of firearms were introduced and many others were discontinued, but there were no earth shaking developments. That changed dramatically in 2002 with the introduction of the 17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire and the situation is continuing to change rapidly. The 17 Mach 2 and 17 Aguila are here. There is even talk of yet another new 17 caliber cartridge. Ammunition has continued to evolve with several brands that were unknown not too many years ago becoming familiar names. The last few years have seen an enormous number of significant changes in the field of rimfire firearms and ammunition making this the most exciting time in many years with regard to products in this area of the shooting sports.
There have been others who have written books devoted to rimfire firearms and ammunition. Anyone who writes on a topic in any area builds on what others have done with an attempt to bring the field up to date. In that sense, this book is like others that have dealt with rimfire shooting sports. However, studying other writings has made it clear that each author has a particular outlook and system of values that are brought to bear on the content and organization of the material. As always, there is also the question of what to leave out and what to leave in. In writing this book, I have tried to communicate some of the observations and experience that have been accumulated over a period of 60 years. I have tried to make the material inviting, interesting, and informative. Wherever possible, I have also tried to make the material reflect the current status of the field in terms of product availability.
The field of activity involving the shooting of rimfires is too broad for every product to be listed and discussed. Some choice of topics to include must be made and this book certainly reflects the experience and point of view of the author. That is one reason why it is necessary to read works by several authors in order to be well versed on a subject. Consequently, I have included Appendix A which gives a list of books for further study. Some have been included because they are classics even though they may be dated in their content. Also included as Appendix B is a list of suppliers and manufacturers where products that are useful to rimfire shooters can be found. Obviously, it is not possible to list every sporting goods store where these products are sold. Because rimfire shooters are often hunters, Appendix C has been included to make it easy to contact appropriate agencies to obtain information about hunting regulations in each state.
It is my opinion that some earlier books deal more with shooting in the form of stories about acquaintances, experiences, and occurrences than with the equipment and its evaluation. With its emphasis on rimfire rifles, pistols, ammunition, ballistics, sights, accessories, and performance of both current and vintage models, this book is intended to be a user’s guide to rimfire firearms. Of course some “war stories” are related, but this is a book primarily about the equipment. Not every related topic can or should be covered, but the intent is to provide a balance of general and specific information that will be useful to both beginning and experienced rimfire shooters. It is the fervent hope of the author that this balance has been achieved.
(Photo courtesy: U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
No one writes a book such as this in isolation. In working on this book, it has been a great pleasure to gather information from discussions with many individuals. Special thanks are accorded in no particular order to Margaret Sheldon, Ed Goldshinsky, Sherry Kerr, Ron Herman, Mark Sheppard, Chris Erich, Curt Collins, Kevin Zumbrennen, Anthony Imperato, Andy Van Scyoc, Lisa Flaherty, Tony Aeschliman, Tim Achenbach, Joe Jones II, Rick Sanborn, Dino Longueira, and Ron Darnall. Friends and family members were called upon to provide firearms for testing and photography and in that connection it is a pleasure to acknowledge the assistance of Keith A. House, Ronald K. House, Larry W. House, and David Duley. Working with Kevin Michalowski, Joel Marvin, Steve Smith, and Debbie Bradley at Krause Publications has made the entire project a pleasant and rewarding experience that I hope to have again. Finally, the author would like to acknowledge the encouragement and assistance in this project given by his wife, Kathleen A. House, without whose efforts this project would not have been completed in the same form or time frame. She is also a good marksman. Thanks to all who have helped.
About the Author
James E. House has been involved with the shooting sports for well over half a century. During his early years, airguns and rimfire rifles formed the basis for his shooting. As a student at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, he was a member of the Air Force ROTC rifle team. After receiving his Ph. D. from the University of Illinois, he spent 32 years as a faculty member and administrator at Illinois State University.
As an emeritus professor of chemistry, House has been active as an author. His books include titles on chemical kinetics, quantum mechanics, and a book on descriptive inorganic chemistry that was co-authored with his wife, Kathleen A. House.
Since his retirement, he and his wife have traveled extensively in the mountain states where they enjoy photography, camping, and shooting activities. He is the author of American Air Rifles (Krause Publications, 2001) and CO2 Pistols & Rifles (Krause Publications, 2003). House has also written numerous articles that have appeared in publications such as Gun World, The Varmint Hunter, The Backwoodsman, Predator Extreme, The Illinois Shooter, and Gun List.