.22 Rimfire for Adults Category

[watab kid]

im sure neither of us meant offense , we tok issue with your expressed thought - just discussions , im not certain how many bought guns for their grandkids as i did - those were my 'new' ones , i have pairs that i bought over 20+ years ago and yes im old but that was before i started SASS , im not pretending that everyone has 22s i guess im asking why not ? 

 

i get it that new shooters have a lot on their plate getting started , more than i did when i started im sure , im not saying everyone needs to consider this , im saying some should that havent yet , i have no idea what my local club thinks on this at this point , i do think it would be short sighted to ignore it but then i have a fondness for 22s that many may not share , would love if more of us did 

[Captain Bill Burt]

Ruger Wranglers are very inexpensive, at least from my POV (well under $300 each). They come with reverse indexing pawls so it's pretty easy to load five, find the empty, back up one and lock it in.

[Eyesa Horg]

2 hours ago, Captain Bill Burt said:

Ruger Wranglers are very inexpensive, at least from my POV (well under $300 each). They come with reverse indexing pawls so it's pretty easy to load five, find the empty, back up one and lock it in.

Got my Wranglers with my first stimulus check! $150 each.

[Cinch]

Some of those copper plated .22 cartridges are probably close to the power factor of everyone's favorite CAS caliber...

[Rye Miles #13621]

8 hours ago, Cinch said:

Some of those copper plated .22 cartridges are probably close to the power factor of everyone's favorite CAS caliber...

You're NOT wrong!!

[Rawhide Rio]

It's just not Cowboy enough to shoot .22s. Don't hardly seem worth getting dressed up for.  

[Cold Lake Kid, SASS # 51474]

Here in Canada, with the Ban on the LEGAL transfer of registered handguns*, imposed by our Glorious Leader, we may be forced into creating adult categories for .22 revolvers, single and double action (shot single action) and even double action centre fire revolvers shot single action, to keep CAS alive for new Pards, until we can vote the current Prime Moron Minister from office and rescind the law,

*Scoff-laws, thugs, gangsters, gang-bangers, drug dealers etc. are excepted from the regulations.

.

[Rye Miles #13621]

On 2/23/2023 at 5:40 PM, Rawhide Rio said:

It's just not Cowboy enough to shoot .22s. Don't hardly seem worth getting dressed up for.  

I've shot .22's at a couple matches, also at an indoor match we have in the winter. It's fun! 2 Rough riders, a Henry lever action and my regular 12 gauge shotgun. It's just a game!

[Hoss]

Several years ago I made an offhand remark “I don’t even have a 22” a couple of my Pards gave me so much grief over it that I rectified that situation. Now I think I have 7 (2 with extra magnum cylinders) and have made a deal to pick up 2 more tomorrow! I think if you can count them, you don’t have enough! 
I occasionally shoot them in a match just for fun. Even have a 410 double so I can go full on Buckaroo if I want!

[Butch McGie, SASS#71758]

The new Ruger Wrangler pistols work well for a match.  The timers work fine even with the rifle.  I can't see that there is any particular advantage to score a .22 shooter with the rest of the category.  And .22 ammo seems easy to get.  So at Squaw Butte Regulators monthly match, it is what ever caliber you brought.

[Cypress Sun]

 

I personally could care less if .22's are shot in conjunction with a normal SASS match. Keep the .22 scoring separate from the rest of the match. No brass to shag, no real drawback.

 

I do find it ironic that some of the people that "have" to save money, had to buy another .22 pistol and .22 rifle so they could save money on reloading components.

[Doc Moses]

I prefer my 'real' guns but it is super nice to be able just grab my 22s and a couple of boxes of ammo and go shoot when it has been a long week at work. It would have saved me a bunch when I started if I could have shot my marlin lever 22 for a while when I 1st started. I encourage newbies to shoot what they own and add their dream guns slowly. BOCO=Buy once cry once.

[DeaconKC]

4 hours ago, Cypress Sun said:

 

I personally could care less if .22's are shot in conjunction with a normal SASS match. Keep the .22 scoring separate from the rest of the match. No brass to shag, no real drawback.

 

I do find it ironic that some of the people that "have" to save money, had to buy another .22 pistol and .22 rifle so they could save money on reloading components.

Many folks couldn't find components or ammo for other guns during the Pandemic.

[Cypress Sun]

14 minutes ago, DeaconKC said:

Many folks couldn't find components or ammo for other guns during the Pandemic.

 

That's completely true during the plague. What I'm referring to is present day. 

[DeaconKC]

3 minutes ago, Cypress Sun said:

 

That's completely true during the plague. What I'm referring to is present day. 

Hey, if it's all folks can truly afford [especially since we are trying to grow this sport] I think it's a reasonable idea. Also, folks that are getting older, with weaker hands, could benefit from this.

[Waimea]

I shoot em bc I wanna.

 

[Cypress Sun]

21 minutes ago, DeaconKC said:

Hey, if it's all folks can truly afford [especially since we are trying to grow this sport] I think it's a reasonable idea. Also, folks that are getting older, with weaker hands, could benefit from this.

 

As I implied previously, I don't have a problem with it. I don't think that it should be allowed at State or higher though.

[Smokin Gator SASS #29736]

If people need to shoot 22s, ok. But the initial attraction for me to SASS was precisely that it wasn't plinking/shooting with 22s.

[Bad Bascomb, SASS # 47,494]

 

 

Our club, The Robber's Roost Vigilantes, offers the "I wish I was 22 again" category.  .22 rifle and pistols and any SASS legal shotgun.  Good for a break from the regular routine.  Gives the brass picker (often me) a break, too.  Often a pard may be stove up, or main arms are in repair mode, so it offers options.  No problems with timer registering shots.  Spotters DO have to pay attention.  We usually have one or two shoot it at each match.

Biggest problem?  Inconsistency of ignition with some .22 ammunition.  If I encounter a dud I'll go around one circuit on pistols and ground if no joy, and just take a miss with rifle.  We like standard velocity (I use CCI Standard Velocity 40gr. ) to reduce target dimpling. I plan to shoot it at next Saturday's match as I will have cataract surgery on Wednesday and don't need center-fire level concussions from muzzle blast at arm's length distance.

 

The above posts are right----  it IS a lot of fun!

[Cinch]

On 2/25/2023 at 6:16 PM, Smokin Gator SASS #29736 said:

If people need to shoot 22s, ok. But the initial attraction for me to SASS was precisely that it wasn't plinking/shooting with 22s.

It's pretty close. 52-54 pf compared to 60 pf

[Smokin Gator SASS #29736]

3 hours ago, Cinch said:

It's pretty close. 52-54 pf compared to 60 pf

 

Of course.  With a power factor minimum of 60 it doesn't take much to make it. What used to be a standard 38 special bullet weight, 158gr, is over the minimum at 400fps. 

[Dogmeat Dad, SASS #48563L]

Around here, Ruger Wranglers sell for about $250 give or take, so a pair costs the same as about 4k primers with shipping an hazmat.  Not too bad, especially if you already have the rifle.

 

Overall, just another way to play when ammo is tight.  I'll just be happy to see primers back under $50/1000. Doesn't seem that long ago when I was getting them 15k at a time for $25/1000.  I will burn through the last of our stash by the Ides of March 2024, so I'm hoping they come down a little bit more in the for next winters loading season!

[Black RZR]

We do at our club . Most don't but it's an option with reloading stuff hard to find. I encourage new shooters too. If all they have is an old henry 22 and a couple of heritages why not. I'd rather have them shoot with us then turn a potential new Cowboy shooter away cause he/she can't afford a 73 and a pair of rugers. Or even low end saa are at least 400. I believe more rules should be looked at for possible adjustments if we want our sport to continue to grow. I know my club ain't getting any younger. 

[watab kid]

having reread the entire thread again , ill simply say , i never would suggest replacing the centerfire originals woith the 22s , my thought was to add a venue that might attract more shooters and offer some of us old shooters a chance to shoot what we own [for whatever reason we own them] or those that want to shoot cheap as well , i reload my centerfire , i doubt buying 22 am will save me anything over what i can reload for with my stock of components but hey ....its not the cost for me either , its having fun 

[Lassy LaRock]

Sorry, but the syntax of CAS to .22 just doesn't add up.

With us it's like that, factor 60 is seen as a wimpy load, Cal. 22 in CAS would be Kindergarten Cowboy Shooting.

[Rawhide Rio]

On 2/20/2023 at 5:43 PM, Rafe Conager SASS #56958 said:

Only issue is that I had to run out and buy another pistol to match my old one.

Rafe

And that's a bad thing how??

[Rafe Conager SASS #56958]

6 hours ago, Rawhide Rio said:

And that's a bad thing how??

Finding a pistol that matched my 30 year old Texan 22 was hard. That and trying to convince the boss lady I needed another gun.

Rafe

[Rye Miles #13621]

On 2/25/2023 at 9:31 AM, Butch McGie, SASS#71758 said:

The new Ruger Wrangler pistols work well for a match.  The timers work fine even with the rifle.  I can't see that there is any particular advantage to score a .22 shooter with the rest of the category.  And .22 ammo seems easy to get.  So at Squaw Butte Regulators monthly match, it is what ever caliber you brought.

One of the shooters at an indoor match we have here said the same thing. He doesn't know why .22's should be scored separately (they're not at this indoor match) because there's really no advantage. Usually the rifles are slower and you can't slick up the pistols too much or they won't go off.  Some of the .38's are pipsqueak loads as well as some .45's. 

[Idaho Gunslinger]

On 3/2/2023 at 2:21 AM, Lassy LaRock said:

Sorry, but the syntax of CAS to .22 just doesn't add up.

With us it's like that, factor 60 is seen as a wimpy load, Cal. 22 in CAS would be Kindergarten Cowboy Shooting.

I already feel like it is with the full size guns. A 9mm has a power factor around 130 and is considered mild recoil from a 23 oz Glock 19. 

 

Shooting a power factor of 60 to 70 out of a 44 oz Vaquero is going to be like 1/4 the amount of felt recoil compared to 9mm, maybe even less. 

 

The Ruger Wrangler is 30 oz and 22LR would have a power factor around 36 to 38 from it so felt recoil wouldn't be much different. 

 

And the pair of Wranglers I have are much worse to shoot than the Piettas I have. 

 

Having said all that, I suspect there may be some possible advantage to the fastest of the fastest so it may be wise to keep the 22 separated out at the state and higher matches but I doubt it matters much at the monthly level. I think the only incentive to have a separate category at the monthly level is to advertise that it exists to try to attract new shooters who may already have some 22's. 

[Rawhide Rio]

Upon second thought, I believe the next monthly shooting trip for me,  I'll set up my targets match style and try out my Peacemaker .22s and my Uberti Silver boy. Give that a try and see how I like it.

[watab kid]

when did SASS become a power factor shoot ? i musta missed that memo from the powers that be , i thought "down loading to minimums" was what the great shooters do - not being a great shooter in this or an venue - i might have missed it , i admire those that excell in our sport , but hey the resat of us need to have fun too , , im not looking to change main matches or monthly's , i was thinking to add to them and get more shooters , 

 

there are a lot of women that might join if we had something like this as an ADDED venue , we need more women , not to slight you old ugly guys [im one of them] but wouldn't it be nice to see soime pretty faces mixed in and , not to slight all the pretty faces already here , i just like seeing pretty faces amid all us old guys , makes me feel younger and maybe just a bit more relevant still , bout enough about me .......i think it might add a little - even if my hopes of getting my wife to shoot with us dim more every year , after all - i failed with those grandkids so far - but i have not given up yet 

[Bad Bascomb, SASS # 47,494]

  I shot .22 class this weekend (IWIW22A----  I wish I was 22 again).  Had second cataract surgery Wednesday, and asked the doc if he thought blast/concussion of a short 12 ga. would be problematic after all the post-operative cautions I was given.  He said "Go get 'em!"  So while I was learning to see again I thought if I was going to miss, and/or make a (bigger) fool of myself, I'd rather do it with .22's than bigger stuff. 

Well, it IS more work.  The guns are good, for .22's, but no where near the smoothness or speed of my regular main match guns.  Feeling half blind, finding those little holes in the cylinders with those itty bitty bullets was a challenge, too.  And the well-known .22 primer inconsistencies bit me a few times.

HOWEVER, I was out enjoying the day with good friends.  Others who may have that .22 option can find it an avenue into the game, or a means of STAYING during hard times, financially or physically.