Snargfargle Posted March 12 Share Posted March 12 Nice day today, though windy as usual. Took out Grandpa's old .22 rifle out and shot it some. It has your standard open .22 sights. I wish Grandpa had bought the optional target sights but he probably thought the extra couple of bucks was just a waste of money back in 1938. He had two little girls to feed and two bucks then is the the equivalent of $75 today. The rifle still shoots great but its appearance shows that it's seen a few things in its lifetime, including the deadliest tornado in Kansas history. The target was 50 yards. I had to drop the rear sight down a few notches and knock it over a bit with the back of my pocketknife to get it on target. Bullseyes are 2 1/4 inches. I can barely make out iron sights anymore. I need to look around and see if I can find a way to mount a scope rail on it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfswetpaws Posted March 12 Share Posted March 12 👍 Given the 1938 year of manufacture, I suspect it isn't "pre-drilled & tapped" for installing scope mounts, and doesn't have an equivalent of the more modern groove/rail that allows the use of "claw style" scope mounts. Might need to consult a gunsmith? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snargfargle Posted March 12 Author Share Posted March 12 1 hour ago, Wolfswetpaws said: I suspect it isn't "pre-drilled & tapped" for installing scope mounts Actually, it is. A weaver mount is available for $50 shipped. I can get a red dot for another $50. However, do I really want to spend a hundred dollars on a hundred and fifty dollar gun? I don't shoot it all that much. Of course, if it had some nice sights my great nephew probably wold enjoy shooting it more once he grows up. Knowing his dad, grandpa, and great-grandpa though, that kid's going to have a dozen .22s to pick from by the time he gets old enough to shoot one. Those three spend just about every day of deer and bird hunting season outdoors. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snargfargle Posted March 12 Author Share Posted March 12 Went ahead and ordered one from Brownells. I'll take the Red Dot off my Browning and check the old rifle out when the mount gets here. If I can group two inches at 100 yards with it then it might be worthwhile getting a scope for it. I kick myself now for selling my Weaver 4X with my Ruger 10/22 but it was a trade-in on my Browning pistol so there's that too. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfswetpaws Posted March 12 Share Posted March 12 22 minutes ago, Snargfargle said: Went ahead and ordered one from Brownells. 👍 I've got Bushnell scopes on my .22LR rifles. One is a 4x32 and the other is 3-9x32. Nothing too fancy, but good enough for the anticipated purposes. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snargfargle Posted March 12 Author Share Posted March 12 (edited) 1 hour ago, Wolfswetpaws said: 👍 I've got Bushnell scopes on my .22LR rifles. One is a 4x32 and the other is 3-9x32. Nothing too fancy, but good enough for the anticipated purposes. When I was in paramedic school, one of my classmates had a half yellow lab, half white German shepherd. That dog loved to chase squirrels but never could catch one. I had a target pellet pistol at the time so I loaned it to my classmate to shoot one in his back yard for the dog. I asked him how it went and he said that when he realized that a squirrel had actually fallen out of the tree in front of him the dog went absolutely bonkers. We took Bo (the dog) out quail hunting once and, for being half German shepherd, he wasn't a half bad bird dog. My sister had a black lab. Her husband trained horses and cow dogs for a living until two horses bucked him off and nearly killed him. The second time he got the hint and went to barber school. He had that bird dog trained so well that old Wally would walk beside you or range out if you wanted, and at a couple of different distances. He would also wait until you said "get it" before retrieving a bird and if multiple birds were down, all you had to do was point and he'd go search the place you were pointing to for another one. Unfortunately, labs don't live all that long and old Wally was gone inside a dozen years. Edited March 12 by Snargfargle 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snargfargle Posted March 12 Author Share Posted March 12 I went ahead and ordered a scope. I don't know why I still think I have to be as frugal as I once was when I was happy to have a ham sandwich to gnaw on at the side of the road while sleeping on the ground next to my motorcycle. I made myself a paper tube to the right dimensions and did some measuring and I think I got the right scope mounts ordered. All it has to do is to clear the bolt handle. I can take off the rear sight if needs be. This what Grandpa's old .22 looks like except the stock's been whittled down some. The butt of the stock also has a lot of water staining due to being in a flood. I really should just paint it black 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asym Posted March 12 Share Posted March 12 17 minutes ago, Snargfargle said: I don't know why I still think I have to be as frugal as I once was.... Ah.....because, you live in the land of Oz.... It seems to be how many Kansans culturally envision what is Proper. Or, as they comment all of the time: "Decent and in Order...." sigh........ [face slap emoji] It does create some "Stranger in a Strange Land" moments if you are not from Oz.....! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Estimated_Prophet Posted March 13 Share Posted March 13 On 3/12/2024 at 10:56 AM, Snargfargle said: I went ahead and ordered a scope. I don't know why I still think I have to be as frugal as I once was when I was happy to have a ham sandwich to gnaw on at the side of the road while sleeping on the ground next to my motorcycle. I made myself a paper tube to the right dimensions and did some measuring and I think I got the right scope mounts ordered. All it has to do is to clear the bolt handle. I can take off the rear sight if needs be. This what Grandpa's old .22 looks like except the stock's been whittled down some. The butt of the stock also has a lot of water staining due to being in a flood. I really should just paint it black Lordy Snarg, that looks positively modern compared to the one I have. Single shot bolt action, post and slider spring sights? I'd have to dig it out of the back of my closet, (it's in a rifle bag,) to figure out manufacturer. (Less trouble than I thought.) Remington ,22 Short/Long, Targetmaster Model 41. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snargfargle Posted March 13 Author Share Posted March 13 1 hour ago, Estimated_Prophet said: Remington ,22 Short/Long, Targetmaster Model 41. Your rifle was built at almost the same time as mine: Introduction Year: 1936 Year Discontinued: 1939 https://www.remarms.com/firearm-history/model-41-targetmaster I too have a Targetmaster but it's missing the bolt. I seem to recall that my cousin broke a part on it once when he was a kid. Grandpa probably put it into a drawer and it got sold with a random box of stuff at his estate sale. There are occasionally are bolts for sale on eBay but they want $150-$200 for them, which is a bit much. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Estimated_Prophet Posted March 14 Share Posted March 14 10 hours ago, Snargfargle said: There are occasionally are bolts for sale on eBay but they want $150-$200 for them, which is a bit much. Depending on a few things, it might be worth it. Outside the trigger mechanism, everything else that does anything on the rifle seems to be built into the bolt. Wanenmacher's will be in town next month. Best place to find something like that, if they ever do a show near you. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snargfargle Posted March 14 Author Share Posted March 14 19 minutes ago, Estimated_Prophet said: Depending on a few things, it might be worth it. Outside the trigger mechanism, everything else that does anything on the rifle seems to be built into the bolt. I just went down to the basement and checked. My Targetmaster is a Model 41 as well. I don't think it's sitting on its original stock though because the stock has some unused mounting holes and cutouts and seems to be much newer than the barrel and receiver. If I had a lathe and a milling machine I'd try to make a bolt. It would be a fun project. However, other than a welder, all of my tools are limited to general maintenance and woodworking. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snargfargle Posted March 20 Author Share Posted March 20 (edited) Well, the fire is out so I could get back to my shooting range. It's nice and cleared off for the moment so it was easy to set my target up. My 50 meter scratch mark in the sand was still there too. I was a bit disappointed in the accuracy I was getting. Through my scope, it looked like I was hitting all around the bullseyes but rarely on them. Then, I went to retrieve my target and remembered that I was zoomed in at 9X magnification on 1/2" bullseyes. I can live with 2 MOA accuracy from a 90-year-old .22 that's been through a tornado. Two of the bullets here just about went through the same hole. Here is my "shooting range." I only have an old, cheap cell phone that my brother gave me to fly a toy drone with. It either doesn't have the best camera or I have it set wrong but you get the idea. Edited March 20 by Snargfargle 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snargfargle Posted March 21 Author Share Posted March 21 (edited) That's not a fire, it's a dust devil. They were all over the place today, which, come to think of it, might have affected my shot groupings a wee bit. That's my home town about four miles in the distance. There is not a single house between where I'm standing and mine, just the shed that houses the city's water pump. Here's the view out my bedroom window. Do you want to own some vast land holdings in a slowly dying little Western town? That lot on the other side of mine is for sale. It even has a hydrant hooked up so that you can water those three trees. Edited March 21 by Snargfargle 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meatgrindr Posted March 21 Share Posted March 21 I would not be at all opposed to a sub-forum around here for the firearms enthusiasts. Seems like there are a few. Deserves a little more than "off topic" in my opinion. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfswetpaws Posted March 21 Share Posted March 21 2 hours ago, Snargfargle said: That's not a fire, it's a dust devil. They were all over the place today, which, come to think of it, might have affected my shot groupings a wee bit. That's my home town about four miles in the distance. There is not a single house between where I'm standing and mine, just the shed that houses the city's water pump. Here's the view out my bedroom window. Do you want to own some vast land holdings in a slowly dying little Western town? That lot on the other side of mine is for sale. It even has a hydrant hooked up so that you can water those three trees. Rango Movie Clip 'That Means We Ride' Official (HD) 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snargfargle Posted March 21 Author Share Posted March 21 7 minutes ago, Wolfswetpaws said: Rango I've watched that movie several times, it's hilarious. My favorite character is the little shrew girl. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snargfargle Posted March 21 Author Share Posted March 21 Got up this morning to fog (thus no glare) and only a 10-mph wind. That's about as optimal of shooting conditions as it gets around here. I found some CCI Mini-Mags with copper-plated bullets in my ammo can, which should be a step up in quality from the Remington Thunderbolts too. That group below calculates to 1.6 MOA. I might be able to shoot a smaller group by using target ammo but that's good enough to hit a squirrel's head at 100 yards so I'm more than happy with the old rifle. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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