is a 22 rifle a good gun?

Question

the gun is 71 years old and it is my first gun

Answer 1

You asked a yes/no kind of question, so the short answer is yes. I own several 22s, and they are great plinkers and good for very small game. They are also great for teaching/learning. They are generally accurate, the bang is not usually loud enough to scare the shooter into bad shooting habits, and the recoil is so soft that you can shoot all day long and still not need a chiropractor.

Condition could be an issue with a gun that old, but age alone means nothing. I have some old military rifles that were originally built in the 19th century; I'd put them up against any bolt action built today. Still, without knowing the maintenance history of a weapon, it should be inspected by a gunsmith before fired.

Longer answer requires a question -- good for what? A 22 will do a decent job of killing squirrels, but if you take it bear hunting let's hope you can outrun a very mad bear. Same is true of property protection. A properly placed shot with a 22 can and will kill a man, even a large man, but it normally will not kill him quick enough to prevent him from killing you if he is determined enough. There is an old saying about never going into a gunfight with a caliber that starts with anything less than the number 4.

Hope this info helps.

Answer 2

The .22 rifle is in general the Best "first" gun

Answer 3

It is a good first gun but being 71 years old you might want to take it to a gun smith.

Answer 4

If you have any guns, a 22 should be one of them. The age of the gun, if it's well maintained, is not an issue. Some of the best of 22's date from that period, though you didn't tell us what model you have. My personal favorite 22 rimfire is a newer model, barely over 50 years old.

Answer 5

At that age, it may well be a collector's item. The first thing to do is don't do anything to it before checking its value.

Now to the question: Yes, a .22 is an good caliber in a well-made rifle. It will last a lifetime with any degree of care and will be reliable and accurate.

Answer 6

Really? You are 'designing' a pen gun and have no idea what length of barrel to use? And you are not gifted enough in computer technology to google the words 'pen gun' and read the specifications on existing models? I would think anyone with a Class 2 manufacturing license would be able to figure this out. Unless you are illegally making one?????

Answer 7

Well, without actually knowing the make and model of the rifle I cant speak to the quality of it, age is a bit of concern but assuming its in good working order it should be a good gun. .22 Caliber rifles are great for target shooting, hunting small animals and just plain old fun shooting. I shoot competitions with my Winchester model 52C and its is over 50 years old and it's still a tac driver. so assuming its in safe working order you it should be decent and lots of fun.

Answer 8

For a 1st gun it's a great rifle! Please ignore the remark above about not using hearing protection, ALWAYS use hearing protection when shooting ANY firearm, even tho the initial blast of a 22 might seem negligible, long term exposure WILL damage your hearing! Irresponsible advice never harms the giver, but often harms the taker.

Answer 9

That's a good one to start out with. It has very little kick and should be pretty accurate. Once you get good with this one you could move on up. Your next step could be a .223 Caliber rifle. It's a .22 calliber bullet but it has more kick and power. It sounds sweet too.

Answer 10

Yeah 22's are great. Especiallty as your first gun. Just make sure it is safe seen as it is pretty old.