Favorite rimfires and why? (including longguns and handguns)

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It just occurs to me that the reason a couple of my favorites are my favorites in large part due to the fact that I can dry fire them round the house, due to them having a hammer-block safety, rather than trigger-block safety, and I like to dry fire, to practice sight picture with iron sights, etc.

--Marlin 39, with the cross-bolt hammer block, and
--Heritage Rough Rider, the only revolver I've ever had with a safety

I dry fire the crap out of these, which of course I don't with other rimfires.

Now, granted, the Marlin 39 would probably have been a top 2 or 3 favorite regardless of the type of safety, but now it's the clear top dawg among rimfires, that I won't part with until hands are cold and dead, as they say. The Rough Rider would not really otherwise be a favorite, but for the dry-fire ability.

But what sets your favorite rimfires apart from the others?
 
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Right now... My Browning Buck Mark is a favorite. I just installed the Browning trigger with overtravel screw, and did the Heggis spring flip, and the trigger is superb. I have lots of rimfires to choose from, and this Browning has the best trigger of all of them.

I am also very fond of my 6" S&W 422, because it has a unique look, and shoots perfectly to the Point of Aim.

I also have a beautiful Ruger 10/22 Deluxe Sporter Limited, that came with a fantastic Circassian Walnut stock. I had Jim Pixley thread, and recrown the barrel, and its a "One Ragged Hole" shooter. Its my Groundhog gun, and in 3 years, it hasnt missed.
 
Pistol - S&W Model 41 with a telepathically-controlled trigger. Sight picture looks right, it fires - no intervention from me. If I do try to "fire" it intentionally, the shot goes into the 7 ring or worse.

Rifle - Remington 541X from the CMP. I use it to practice offhand at 50 yards on the reduced target. Prone it prints tight little knots so standing, I know that any shot that is not a 10 or an X is a consequence of my clumsiness. It is a marvelous rifle.

I don't dry fire either of them.
 
I have a REAL problem when it comes to making a distinction about why some are "better" or more favorites than others... So my post ends up being a love letter to a handful of mine! :p

My Ruger Mark II 5.5 stainless Bull Barrel was the first rimfire pistol I bought for myself and I can't remember this pistol EVER letting me down. It runs always, it shoots lights-out and it can improve any range session, no matter if I'm shooting well or shooting poorly before I pull it out. Of all of my "common production guns", this one may be the best handgun I have. As my skills have risen, my desire for a better trigger in this one has appeared, but I can still shoot it extremely well.

My S&W Model 17-6 was my first handgun and a gift from my Mom. It also happens to be an odd transitional in that it's a dash-6 but without the gangly full barrel underlug which I much prefer to the newer 17's. It's not as much fun to shoot as my pistols, but it is deadly accurate and a genuine pride & joy.

My '52 Colt Challenger was purchased because my Dad had one and my brother now owns it and I had fond memories of it. The one I snagged a year ago has quite a bit of bluing loss, but WOW, is it a shooter. Pistols built today simply do not "feel" the way this pistol feels, either in trigger pull/break or the feel of the slide gliding across the rails. I am deeply in love with this one.

My GSG 1911-22 is a modern success story, IMO, because it's a low price-point gun made from cheap materials by a hardly known gunmaker and it's enormous fun and it hasn't yet collapsed under the assault I've volleyed at it. Initially, my goal was to shoot it to destruction within the 2-year warranty period but the rimfire ammo crunch crushed those dreams at 4,826 shots fired. The pistol can go a solid 800 rounds before I need to clean it, which is appalling for a rimfire pistol running bulk ammo, IMO. It simply is -NOT- precision accurate like my other favorite rimfire pistols, but the fun factor is high. I do fully expect to shoot this pistol to failure eventually simply because of the materials from which it is constructed.

All of the above are my favorite rimfires! :D
 
The one that I "enjoy" the most, as in shoot the most, is a circa 1950 Colt .22-.45 conversion on an Auto Ordnance frame that built for the job.
It's a fun gun, with a familiar feel.
The one that I want to like the most, but have hardly shot due to ammo availability and pricing, is an ATI StG44.
I have my dad's old Marlin 39A, and a Ruger 10/22 (doesn't everyone?), but they don't get much range time, either.
 
Favorite rimfire handgun is my High-Standard Citation (M107) Made in Hamden CT, in 1968:

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Why?
1.) It is a replacement, as exact as I’ve been able to manage, for the first gun I ever bought myself with my own hard-earned dollars (79 of them, to be exact) down at the local furniture store in 1960.
2.) It, like the original which was stolen from me in a burglary in 1984, makes a hole pretty much exactly where I’m looking and pretty much without my having to think about it.

Most fun: My new Ruger Shopkeeper. It’s just so dang cute!
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I have more rimfires and, with a couple of exceptions, they are all fun to shoot.

My favorite rimfire of all, however, doesn't function anymore, and I don't care. It is a Hamilton Boy's rifle which my grandmother used to bring cottontails home for supper from our wanderings about dusk when I was four or five years old. I will always remember her teaching me how to prepare them for the skillet.

Best,

Will
 

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I have two Browning Semi-Auto .22 LR rifles which are so nice. One is a Belgium Made plain model and the other is a Grade VI which is a beauty. I had wanted one for years and forgot all about it until I acquired these two.

Right now, I am very pleased with my Marlin 917V rifle which is a .17 HMR with a bull barrel. You can even find ammo for it and most likely less expensive than .22 LR.

I no longer own a rimfire handgun.
 
Favorites: Old Ithaca M49 lever action single shot, Ruger 77/22, guess I would to add a Ruger 10/22. All loved for different reasons. Always liked my Ruger Single Six but never could shoot the thing worth a darn.
 
I currently have a Mark II 5.5 bull barrel, Marlin Mod 60, and a CZ 455.
The MkII is a replacement for what I sold off several years ago, and I've regretted it ever since. So far its my favorite 22 handgun, but I do wish to obtain a Buckmark in the future.
I have also owned a Walther P22, did not like that one bit.
As for rifles, I have also owned a Marlin Papoose, that one that breaks down for easy storage. Not a huge fan, it was never able to get that accurate.
The Mod 60, I am 'meh' about. I think I might like it more if I put a scope on it.
The CZ was not the exact model I wanted, I really wanted the one with the long barrel, but I took what I could get since I had the cash. (I actually only had the cash cause I had just sold a Galaxy 4 I had found that no one came back to claim)
So if I find the CZ Ultra Lux somewhere I am buying it.
I am moderately happy with the 455 American I now have, and probably would be in love if I could find the ammo that it loves. So far all I have is bulk ammo thats getting about 1.5-2 moa. I know it can do better!
 
I enjoy my K-22 is definitely my favorite rimfire handgun, but I haven't shot too many rimfire rifles. I have a CZ 455 awaiting my return, but I have yet to fire it.
 
Have many rim fires that cover a wide spectrum.....target, hunting, plinking, conversions, customs, etc. If I had to narrow it down to a "favorite".....it would probably be the target models.

For rifles, the Winchester model 52's....

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For pistols, the Smith & Wesson 41's...
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CZ 452 American in 17hmr.
Kills small critters dead on the spot every time. Every time I pull the trigger I know the bullet is going right where I want it.
 
My favorite rimfire rifle is my Ruger 77/22 with a walnut stock and blued steel - it is nearly 40 years old but almost looks like it has never been touched. It has a Leupold Vari-X 2 x 7 R.F. Special scope which I bought at the same time. I wanted a Winchester Model 52 but could never find a very nice one for sale at a price I could afford. My favorite rimfire handgun is my Ruger Mk II SS bull barrel. I also have an S & W Model 63 stainless .22 revolver that is nearly 40 years old. I bought the Model 63 at a local gun shop after spending a few hours at a local gun show looking at over-priced used Model 63s. The Rugers make a great pair. I'll never forget (maybe) hunting squirrels on a friend's farm with the rifle and pistol. After taking a couple of squirrels with the rifle I decided it was too easy so I switched to the Mk II and quickly took my limit. I was hunting alone and it was the very best squirrel hunt I have ever experienced.
 
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S&W M&P 15-22.
So far the only rimfire pistol I've shot is a k22 masterpiece. Just got a colt woodsman and a colt trooper but I haven't had a chance to shoot em yet.
 
Pistol - Ruger Mark III Target - my first pistol, love that gun, very accurate, great balance. PITA to field strip but that is forgiven.

Rifle - Marlin 795. Simple, fun to shoot. $125 when I bought it, what's not to like?
 
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Because I have always loved classic single shot rifles, that's why.

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50 yard 5-shot group with this rifle. I wish this gun had a better trigger though.
 
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