# The .22 Rimfire thread

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-22-rimfire-thread/614991>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [March 7, 2012, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-22-rimfire-thread/614991 "2012-03-07T00:41:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![ducati](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cc9497/32.png) [@ducati](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ducati)\
**Post date:** [March 10, 2012, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-22-rimfire-thread/614991/61 "2012-03-10T05:16:51Z")

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This is why I hate going to our public outdoor range. Every time I go, I have to confront someone swinging a gun here and there and give them a sarety lesson. People loading guns while the range is cold and people downrange fixing targets.

I once had the brain-less idiot next to me pick up his rifle and fire a shot with the range cold. Only one person was downrange - the man on the other side of my table, and he hit the deck. Of course I and others started yelling at the moron to put his gun down, and he did, but not really understanding our level of displeasure. No harm, no foul, right?

Another time, Grampa brought 12 or so grandson to the range. Pops wasn’t really together, and completely un-involved. Just let junior play with the 9mm pistol as he saw fit. My son and daughter are amazingly safe and capable with guns. I trained them. Junior never had a safety talk, as was evident from his pointing the pistol at me and everything around us. I went over and had a talk with Pops and the boy, but it didn’t stick. Second time, I removed them from the range.

I would be so pissed if some moron shoots me at the range while loading a gun with a finger on the trigger or something equally stupid. I love my sport, I love introducing and training newcomers, but I hate newbies that come from the gun store and just start shooting.

I want so badly to have a few acres in the country to shoot by myself, with no one else around.  
You smug bastards in Idaho and Montana - don’t send me pictures of the wilderness or range that is your back yard where you sit on the deck in your undies and pop crows and prarie dogs while sipping an RC cola and downing Moon Pies .:mad:

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**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\
**Post date:** [March 10, 2012, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-22-rimfire-thread/614991/62 "2012-03-10T15:08:31Z")

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I’m an NRA certified RO and at my local private club we’re issued flags that we are supposed to post when we are present so that if there are any questions it would be obvious that a RO was present.

There was a case a year or so where two ROs were on the firing line when an incident occurred. The two ROs had their club certification suspended when the investigation demonstrated that they’d not taken any action to prevent the incident.

We also have video recording on all the ranges so that if an incident occurs the video can be reviewed to determine what happened and who was involved. Entry onto the property is key card controlled and all visitors must be logged in by the member they are with.

We take safety seriously.

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**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\
**Post date:** [March 11, 2012, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-22-rimfire-thread/614991/63 "2012-03-11T20:14:57Z")

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I’ve fired thousands of rounds of Federal .22 ammo (550 rounds for about $20!) and can only recall 2 or 3 mis-fires. Every time I find a mis-fired round on the ground in the many shooting areas around where I live, it turns out to be a Remington. :rolleyes:

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**Author:** ![RalfCoder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@RalfCoder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RalfCoder)\
**Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-22-rimfire-thread/614991/64 "2012-03-12T21:11:17Z")

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Ah, .22 rimfires. I remember back in the day when my buddy Ron and I were teenagers. We would take our .22s and head out to the local dump and shoot rats. This place was on the backside of beyond in northern Michigan, and there was no attendant there. If someone showed up to drop off stuff, we would just stand by on the side until they were done and had left, and then resume our job of reducing the local population.

I have a Taico Squires Bingham bolt-action .22 that I bought from Ron about 30 years ago. It was made in the Philippines, and has a reputation as a low-end, inexpensive rifle. Ron was home on leave from the Air Force, and got it 2nd hand from someone else, who probably brought it home from overseas. I put a scope on it that I came up with somewhere, and ended up with a decent little rifle that is cheap to shoot and loads of fun. The last time out (last fall), I took it to the range with a friend who brought his .380 pistol, along with his wife and son. The wife liked shooting the rifle better, and I think she could be talked into being a recreational shooter with little trouble.

I have 2 problems with this rifle: first, I’m left-handed, and that bolt action is a pain to operate. Basically, I have to reach up over the scope to operate the bolt. It’s 2nd nature after all of these years, and if I ever came up with a left-handed bolt action rifle, I wouldn’t know what to do. Probably try shooting it right-handed, just so it would feel “right” reaching for the bolt. 😃

Second, I have only one 6-shot clip for it, and I haven’t found any others. It would be nice to have 3-4 clips loaded up and ready, and be able to swap them out and keep shooting until it’s time to go downrange and check the target. But it’s not a huge deal, just an annoyance.

I have considered getting something else for sports shooting. I saw a recommendation for a Ruger .22 pistol here, and would consider that. Or maybe a semi-auto rifle, so I don’t have to deal with reaching around to get to the bolt, and so I can get a couple of clips.

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**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\
**Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-22-rimfire-thread/614991/65 "2012-03-12T21:19:52Z")

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Reaching around is just common courtesy, wouldn’t you agree?

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**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\
**Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-22-rimfire-thread/614991/66 "2012-03-12T23:39:17Z")

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> [@Nars\_Glinley](#):
>
> A few weeks ago, out of the blue, my wife (who has gotten hooked on the show “American Guns”) says that she would like to start shooting. Huzzah!! I’m thinking probably a Ruger pistol but I’ve been out of the buying/selling game for quite a while. IIRC, the Mark II was new back when I worked at the gun store. Now, there’s a Mark III and a 22/45. I don’t know anything about them other than I don’t care for bull barrels in general. Any recommendations? She has fairly small hands.
> 
> She likes shooting my Marlin Model 60 but the only handgun that I currently own is a S&W 5904 9mm. I’m afraid that if she shoots it, it’ll scare her off.
> 
> TIA.

Anybody?

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**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\
**Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-22-rimfire-thread/614991/67 "2012-03-12T23:47:46Z")

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I think it would be a good idea to go to a good gun sales emporium and let her handle some .22 pistols and see what fits her hand well.

Some ranges rent pistols so folks can try different kinds, they may have a selection of .22s she can shoot.

Not a target pistol, but the [Baretta 21A](http://www.berettausa.com/products/model-21-bobcat/) is not a bad little gun, and Taurus makes a copy in several colors. Trigger pull is rather long in DA, but you can always cock the hammer first and shoot it SA.

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**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-22-rimfire-thread/614991/68 "2012-03-13T00:39:17Z")

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You can’t go wrong with a Ruger .22 handgun of any flavour

Single Six/Single Ten; Single action .22 revolver, the Six comes with two cylinders, .22 Long Rifle and .22 Magnum, the Ten has a 10 shot .22LR cylinder, the Single series are one of the few .22 revolvers that can safely be dry-fired with no damage to the cylinder, great for practice and training away from the range, if you’re still afraid of damaging the cylinder with dry firing, just remove the cylinder completely and reinstall the base pin, and dry fire to your heart’s content

the only _MINOR_ drawback to the Single series is that the bore is sized for the .22 Mag bullet (.224) as opposed to .22LR (.223), _technically_ the Six will be slightly more accurate with the Magnum rounds, in practical use, the difference is negligible

SP101 .22LR; 8 shot .22LR Double Action revolver built on the SP101 .38 Spl/.357 Mag revolver platform, the bore is properly sized for .22LR

“Mark” series semiauto, the Mark guns have a long, historic life, and are incredibly reliable…

Models in the Mark series;  
Standard/Mark I; 9 shot magazine, no last-shot bolt hold open, not safe to dry-fire, it will peen the breech face, which will ruin the upper  
Ruger  
Mark II; 10 shot mag, last shot hold open, dry fire safe, arguably the best Mark series made, yes, even better than the Mark III…  
Mark III; take a Mark II and add the following unwelcome and unwanted “Nannyware” features;  
1; a “Chamber Loaded” indicator on the side of the receiver, adds more places for crud to collect, destroys the clean lines of the gun and is unnecessary as all guns should be treated like they’re loaded anyway…  
2; a Magazine Disconnect, the gun will not fire with the mag removed, it also ruins the trigger feel and makes the already complicated takedown for cleaning even _MORE_ onerous, as you now have to insert and remove the mag multiple times when stripping and reassembling

Of the three Mark series guns, the best ones are the Mark II models, keep an eye put for a good, clean, well cared for used one, it’s worth the premium over a brand new Mark III

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**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-22-rimfire-thread/614991/69 "2012-03-13T00:55:41Z")

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> [@MacTech](#):
>
> You can’t go wrong with a Ruger .22 handgun of any flavour

My Ruger .22/45 jams once on almost every damn magazine.  
Oiling the cartrdiges helps.

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**Author:** ![ducati](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cc9497/32.png) [@ducati](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ducati)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-22-rimfire-thread/614991/70 "2012-03-13T17:47:39Z")

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> [@carnivorousplant](#):
>
> Oiling the cartrdiges helps.

That may be exacerbating the problem. You’re not exacerbating right now, are you?  
Good. Let’s look at that magazine. A clean mag is a happy mag, and any rounds you buy today are lubricated enough already. Use a good solvent or gun cleaner - see below - and clean those puppies up.

Second, the gun has to be clean. Oil attracts dirt & gunk in the gun, so make sure it’s squeaky clean in there. Disassembly is necessary for a thorough cleaning, but if you’ve done that recently, find some [G96 gun cleaner](http://www.g96.com/miva/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=g96&Category_Code=Gun+Treatment). Great stuff, very effective, and you can just shoot it in the ejection port & blow it dry.

If this is happening with one mag only, examine the feed lips against a known good mag. If it’s all your mags, I’d have someone - perhaps Ruger - look at it & see what’s not lining up.

Also remember that many .22s are picky about ammo, even gun to gun of the same species. I never have a problem with CCI ammo of any flavor.

Otherwise send it to Ducati’s Home For Unwanted Guns where it can be with others of its kind, and we will treat it well for the rest of its life, FREE! You can’t beat that kind of help!

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**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-22-rimfire-thread/614991/71 "2012-03-13T17:53:49Z")

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> [@ducati](#):
>
> You’re not exacerbating right now, are you?

You can be arrested for that here.

> [@ducati](#):
>
> Otherwise send it to Ducati’s Home For Unwanted Guns where it can be with others of its kind, and we will treat it well for the rest of its life, FREE! You can’t beat that kind of help!

Gee, that’s awfully nice of you. 🙂

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**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-22-rimfire-thread/614991/72 "2012-03-13T19:26:29Z")

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> [@carnivorousplant](#):
>
> > [@ducati](#):
> >
> > Otherwise send it to Ducati’s Home For Unwanted Guns where it can be with others of its kind, and we will treat it well for the rest of its life, FREE! You can’t beat that kind of help!
> 
> Gee, that’s awfully nice of you. 🙂

You don’t want to do that, I’ve heard bad things about the Ducati Home. Glinley’s Firearms Rescue is a humane no-kill shelter where each of the firearms are oiled by 64 virgins after each use.

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**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-22-rimfire-thread/614991/73 "2012-03-13T19:33:30Z")

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Try cleaning the chamber with a tight fitting patch and J&B non-embedding bore paste. Inspect your extractor and ejector. It would also help a lot if you can tell us whether the glitch is in feeding or extraction.

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**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-22-rimfire-thread/614991/74 "2012-03-13T19:54:10Z")

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The last time was when Mrs. Plant chambered the first round. The lead was deformed, so I guess it is a feed problem.  
Sometime it does it mid way through a magazine. Removing the mag and moving the spring up and down cures it. Again I think it is a feed problem. It happens with all three magazines.

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**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-22-rimfire-thread/614991/75 "2012-03-13T21:47:17Z")

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If all three magazines give problem, and it is with more than one kind of ammo, I would consider using a very fine Arkansas or ceramic stone to ever so slightly bevel the chamber mouth. You aren’t trying to throat it or anything like that. Just take the sharp edge off slightly. Go slowly, removing a teensy bit at a time and stop immediately when you get good function with your best feeding brand of ammo. I’d still give everything a thorough cleaning and inspection first, including all the mags.

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**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-22-rimfire-thread/614991/76 "2012-03-13T22:49:40Z")

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It’s damn dirty, we’ve only fired about 200 rounds.  
The gunsmith in Little Rock, the old guy, isn’t around anymore. The guy here in North LR, where I took it when I tried to take it apart makes the sign of the Cross at me when I walk in.

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**Author:** ![ducati](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cc9497/32.png) [@ducati](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ducati)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-22-rimfire-thread/614991/77 "2012-03-13T23:09:45Z")

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> [@Nars\_Glinley](#):
>
> You don’t want to do that, I’ve heard bad things about the Ducati Home. Glinley’s Firearms Rescue is a humane no-kill shelter where each of the firearms are oiled by 64 virgins after each use.

I shall not stand for such libelous accusations.  
The DHFUG is one of the most prestigious and professional institutions of its kind, providing a caring and nurturing environment for firearms of all actions, calibers, and finishes for almost 40 years. The director’s penchant for stainless vs. blued materials is not racist mind you, but simply a desire for the more anti-corrosive properties that bluing cannot provide.

Furthermore, I have it on good authority that these “virgins” that the Glinley people speak of are actually just children working in questionable conditions on a tuna boat in international waters to avoid U.S. child labor laws, and the “oil” they use is the same they pack the tuna in. I also hear they use Wolf Russian ammo because it is, and I quote, “cheap”. Appalling.

When considering the donation of an un-needed firearm, please consider the DHFUG.  
We’ll treat your gun like a family member. Not like the retirement homes you see investigated on 60 minutes. The \*\*good \*\*way.

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**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-22-rimfire-thread/614991/78 "2012-03-13T23:18:09Z")

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> [@ducati](#):
>
> Furthermore, I have it on good authority that these “virgins” that the Glinley people speak of are actually just children working in questionable conditions on a tuna boat in international waters to avoid U.S. child labor laws,

To-may-to, to-mah-to.

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**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-22-rimfire-thread/614991/79 "2012-03-14T09:20:56Z")

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Just thought I’d join this firearms discussion. As just about everyone knows, I am one of the more liberal posters at the SDMB but (at least in my case) I don’t see why only the conservatives should have fun with firearms.

Yes, as is the case with everybody, my first rifle was a 22. (A Remington bolt action single shot). Yes, a single-shot rifle _really_ makes you appreciate the value of that one shot. Currently, I own a Ruger 10/22.

**MacTech** did a very good job in summarizing the advantages of a .22 rifle as well as reminding everyone (posting #27) about the dangers of .22 caliber firearms. I wonder how many accidents (or fatalities) have occurred due to the expression “hey, it’s _only_ a 22.”

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**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-22-rimfire-thread/614991/80 "2012-03-28T21:38:35Z")

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Well, today I traded in my Mossberg 12 ga and my old Stevens 22/410 that my grandfather gave me, and bought a new Sig Sauer Mosquito, which has gotten good reviews. With the trade, it only came to about $140. Nice balance compared to the Ruger 40 cal. I was looking at, and the ammo is sure cheaper.

Since we don’t have to worry about grizzlies here, the shotgun was just dead weight, and way too hefty to be aiming at humans. I haven’t fired the over/under in probably 40 years, and I just can’t get sentimental about guns. The Sig hold ten rounds in the mag; if that doesn’t discourage somebody, then I’m out of luck. Now I need to find a range and run some ammo through it to make sure it’s going to function if I ever need it.

That just leaves my old JC Higgins bolt action 22 to deal with. It hasn’t been fired in about 45 years, and likely never will be again, unless I find somebody here who likes to target shoot.

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