I thought I needed a[nother] rimfire levergun.....

[AJMD429]

I was thinking what I needed for my ideal walkin'-around little 22 rimfire levergun...

I decided my ideal little 22 LR levergun should be:

• short and light, with
  
  very mild report, and of course be
  
  slick and fast-handling. . .

. . . BUT . . . it would be nice to have

• a bit more power than the lowly 22 LR;
  
  perhaps a 22 WMR would be nice, instead of a 22 LR, and
  
  I'd be willing to trade off some magazine-capacity for the extra power. . .

. . . HOWEVER . . . as an all-weather gun, I'd prefer

• Stainless Steel - but stainless steel rimfire leverguns are scarce. . !

. . . AND . . . wouldn't it be nice not to have to

• depend on availability of rimfire ammo, and
  
  be stuck with just a limited ammo selection. . ?

So. . . I decided I'll just keep my little Rossi 16" 8-shot, in 1.6x22LR; unlike ordinary 22 LR, it is reloadable, and although it can be loaded up to significantly higher power, it can be loaded with mouse-phart level loads that utilize bullets ranging from 3 to 5 times the weight of ordinary 22 LR. The lower-power loads can be reloaded for not that much more than the cost of 22 WMR loads these days, but a few JHP or heavy hard-cast loads can be kept in the pocket for 'just in case' purposes. The "1.6x" designation comes from the diameter of the bullet being about 1.6x as large.

. . . In case you haven't figured it out yet, there's a thread detailing the actual firearm I wound up with. . . *

Here's what my little 1.6x22LR looks like:



* viewtopic.php?f=1&t=55112

[madman4570]

Nice gun Doc!

[mikld]

Ummm, just wondering, what's a 1.6X22 lr?

Oh, never mind...

[Tycer]

Ummm, just wondering, what's a 1.6X22 lr?

Oh, never mind...

1.62272727

[hfcable]

that is amazing ! and you are teasing us by not telling us the details, like ballistics, how you made it, the brass, the conversion, and a few hundred more details !

[Griff]

I know, I know! Let's call it a 38Spl.

[AJMD429]

I know, I know! Let's call it a 38Spl.

You win the prize...

The point was, I wanted to grab a light and handy 'might pop a few rounds at the gongs when I go for a walk' levergun, and noticed I've been leaving my rimfires (leverguns and others alike) in the safe recently, due to the higher cost and irreplaceable nature of 22 LR ammo these days.

So, I grabbed the 358/38 Rossi, and a handful of light loads, and went out for a walk. As I was walking, I was musing about how although I wasn't carrying a rimfire, the little gun was pretty good at doing most of the things I really want a gun to do when I grab a rimfire. A might overpowered for some tasks, but not in a practical sense; the last time I shot a chipmunk and wanted to save the pelt was, well, never. These days, ammo prices have made it so that a many-times-reloadable light 38 Special reload isn't all that more costly than a good hollowpoint 22 LR round, and definitely competes with a 22 WMR.

The only thing that would be even BETTER - - - would be the same rig in 32-20.
(especially if I had a little Ruger SP-101 companion-gun in the same chambering).

[Streetstar]

A 35.2 ? (JK)

[piller]

That is why I really want a carbine chambered in .327 Magnum. Too bad it is not really an option without having a lot of expense to convert something.

[hfcable]

That is why I really want a carbine chambered in .327 Magnum. Too bad it is not really an option without having a lot of expense to convert something.

+ 1
would be NICE !!

[3leggedturtle]

See if by my logical deductions, IF Ruger had made the 96 lever in 22 Hornet you could get by that much cheaper and efficiently with lead and powder. I really wish I had a Stainless 16" 357 mate for my 16" stainless 45 Colt lever.

[AJMD429]

See if by my logical deductions, IF Ruger had made the 96 lever in 22 Hornet you could get by that much cheaper and efficiently with lead and powder.

I think they would have sold a zillion of them. Could have made them in 480 Ruger too, I'll bet.

I really wish I had a Stainless 16" 357 mate for my 16" stainless 45 Colt lever.

I think of all my leverguns I like the shorties the best; they are just SO "handy" and seem to do the job as well as their 20" and 24" brethren, for the most part.

[Canuck Bob]

My last lever was a 9422. I figured you going somewhere like that. I sure like my little 32-20. Its not quite as stout as a 38 Special but a really fun little gun loaded right around decently accurate plain base cast.

You got me thinking though. A pair of Specials, a 94 in 32 Special and a 92 in 38 Special!!

Nice rifle and the perfect fun carry rifle.