The Gun Digest Book of .22 Rimfire. James E. House

in feeding. If these simple factors do not solve the problem, have the pistol checked by a competent pistolsmith.

Thoughts on Selection

      Gone are the superb Colt Match Target Woodsman and some of the High Standard pistols of many years ago. They are now highly prized as collectors’ pieces. Even with the disappearance of these fine firearms, the rimfire handgunnner has a wealth of choices that includes both autoloaders and revolvers. What follows should not necessarily be taken as strongly as if they were recommendations. I am merely making some summary comments based on first-hand experience. For sporting purposes, it would be hard to fault the Ruger Single Six, especially with the extra cylinder in 22 WMR caliber. Such a handgun is suited to plinking, small game and pest shooting, and woods roaming. The Ruger single-actions are famous for their durability. In 17 HMR caliber (or 17 Mach 2 with the optional cylinder), a Single Six is a good choice for small varmints at long handgun ranges (although you will probably need a scope for taking varmints under such conditions), but it does not really fit the role of a plinking handgun, and it is far less versatile than the 22 LR/22 WMR version. The recently released Ruger Single Six Hunter has a built in rib that accepts Ruger rings for ease in scope mounting. The large frame Smith & Wesson doubleaction revolvers such as the Model 617 are superb handguns that can readily accept scope mounts. The Taurus revolvers represent excellent values as well. A handgun from any of these famous makers would make a superb choice for all around use.

      The autoloader fan will find a wide selection of models in a broad spectrum of price ranges from which to make a selection. Before selecting any rimfire autoloading handgun, examine several models to determine how the size, weight, and handling characteristics compare. If an autoloader is your cup of tea, it is hard to imagine a more reliable, dependable rimfire handgun than the Ruger Standard model in either the Mark II (which is still in the display cases of many dealers) or the recently introduced Mark III configuration. As a plinking pistol for the outdoorsman, the Standard model is adequate, but one of the variants with adjustable sights would be a better choice if the pistol is to be used as a training piece for formal target shooting or for small game or pest shooting. Another excellent choice for general use would be one of the several versions of the Browning Buck Mark. In my experience, they are extremely accurate and reliable, and the Buck Mark Standard weighs only 32 to 33 ounces.