Congratulations on 222. I’ve been using the bolt action 16 ga western auto hardware store toob on ground hogs. My ranges are much shorter here. Great piece!
Oh, man. A bolt-action shotgun really takes me back. I was raised on a break action 410, and a 20 gauge pump. When I turned 18, I really *really* wanted a "grown up" 12 gauge. The first gun I ever bought with my very own save pennies was a bolt-action Marlin 12 gauge. Awkward, heavy thing with a two shot magazine. It wasn't much, but it was $49.99 at the pawn shop. (With 59, 69, 79, 89 all scribbled out, for some reason.)
This one was handed off to me by my favorite uncle. He lost the mag and duct taped the mag opening. I cleaned it up and gave it a fluff and buff. I thought it’d be awful, but it’s a laser at effective ranges. And 16 is a great gauge. It’s maybe my go to for anything except bear and deer. Varmints probably tell campfire stories abut it. 😄
I was mostly a SxS shooter in SASS competition, but I did have a Winchester 97 in 16 gauge that I left the long full choke barrel on. That thing won just about every "cowboy trap" side match I shot it in.
Good one. My first varmint rifle was a Remington 722 in 222 purchased out of a 5 gallon bucket from a local gun store at the tender age of 12. I learned my gunsmithing chops from my father on that gun. It was converted to a 223 then to a 204 Ruger, then to a 20 vartarg then back to a 223 and lightened up with a high tech specialties stock before I finally sold it to a buddy of mine. To be fair even with all the cartridge changes I never felt under gunned with the original 222. We also used them on groundhogs, though here we call them rock chucks and we often shoot them across canyons at distances in excess of 300 yards.
You make it out to northern Nevada and I'll take you some places where you can stretch your shooting legs. All around my home town is pretty much desert as far as the eye can see.
Though not the .222, I used to shoot squirrels in a grove of pecan with a little .22. The only problem I found was, after firing once, all squirrels in the county would clear out for a few hours. Soon I switched to a .22 air rifle and they never knew what hit them. I had to hit them in the head otherwise I just left an injured squirrel, though a flat headed pellet could knock them off a branch and the jack russell was happy to finish the job.
You must have smarter squirrels than we do. Even using 12GA, (this part of Ohio, with no hills for back stop, shooting rifles up into the trees is usually bad juju,) they pipe down for a few minutes, that's about it.
Little beggars are tough enough that "knock it off the branch, then beat it to death," isn't confined to pellet guns. 😬
Congratulations on 222. I’ve been using the bolt action 16 ga western auto hardware store toob on ground hogs. My ranges are much shorter here. Great piece!
Thanks!
Oh, man. A bolt-action shotgun really takes me back. I was raised on a break action 410, and a 20 gauge pump. When I turned 18, I really *really* wanted a "grown up" 12 gauge. The first gun I ever bought with my very own save pennies was a bolt-action Marlin 12 gauge. Awkward, heavy thing with a two shot magazine. It wasn't much, but it was $49.99 at the pawn shop. (With 59, 69, 79, 89 all scribbled out, for some reason.)
This one was handed off to me by my favorite uncle. He lost the mag and duct taped the mag opening. I cleaned it up and gave it a fluff and buff. I thought it’d be awful, but it’s a laser at effective ranges. And 16 is a great gauge. It’s maybe my go to for anything except bear and deer. Varmints probably tell campfire stories abut it. 😄
Ha! That's awesome. I do like a 16 gauge.
I was mostly a SxS shooter in SASS competition, but I did have a Winchester 97 in 16 gauge that I left the long full choke barrel on. That thing won just about every "cowboy trap" side match I shot it in.
First off, big congrats on 222 subscribers. 👏
Second off, thanks for sharing info on the .222 cartridge and your grandfather's Savage 340D. 🫡 Fascinating history on the rifle and cartridge.
Thanks! And likewise, thanks! 😁
Speaking of hardware store guns, the Ace Hardware in my small town sells guns and donuts from the same counter. Almost heaven. https://www.ar15.com/forums/General/How-did-I-not-know-about-the-doughnut-gun-store-/5-2790426/
That's "pert nigh perfect," a Gramps would say. 😁😁
Good one. My first varmint rifle was a Remington 722 in 222 purchased out of a 5 gallon bucket from a local gun store at the tender age of 12. I learned my gunsmithing chops from my father on that gun. It was converted to a 223 then to a 204 Ruger, then to a 20 vartarg then back to a 223 and lightened up with a high tech specialties stock before I finally sold it to a buddy of mine. To be fair even with all the cartridge changes I never felt under gunned with the original 222. We also used them on groundhogs, though here we call them rock chucks and we often shoot them across canyons at distances in excess of 300 yards.
That's something I want to do someday, get out in big open western terrain and really wring a rifle out.
Here in the land of cornfields you'd think we'd have opportunity to shoot long, but usually there's too many people and not enough back stops.
You make it out to northern Nevada and I'll take you some places where you can stretch your shooting legs. All around my home town is pretty much desert as far as the eye can see.
That would be awesome. I used to drive out west quite a bit, but never really carried shooting gear while doing it.
Now you have a reason. I often shoot my handguns in excess of 200 yards. One thing we got is space.
Though not the .222, I used to shoot squirrels in a grove of pecan with a little .22. The only problem I found was, after firing once, all squirrels in the county would clear out for a few hours. Soon I switched to a .22 air rifle and they never knew what hit them. I had to hit them in the head otherwise I just left an injured squirrel, though a flat headed pellet could knock them off a branch and the jack russell was happy to finish the job.
You must have smarter squirrels than we do. Even using 12GA, (this part of Ohio, with no hills for back stop, shooting rifles up into the trees is usually bad juju,) they pipe down for a few minutes, that's about it.
Little beggars are tough enough that "knock it off the branch, then beat it to death," isn't confined to pellet guns. 😬