A friend of mine has a Sportsman 999 with semi-vented barrel (that is groves on the top of the barrel but they don't go all the way through.)
We shot it today. Excellent! Now it has all the bluing and guys, I really enjoyed shooting my friends 999. Must have had a 6 inch barrel.
Anyway, it brought me back to my 'teens' and when I had a H&R .22 for my revolver.
Deaf