classic 22 lr

IanC said:
Marlin 39, the longest running production rimfire rifle ever made.
I wont give mine up!
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Although I started shooting my dad's Cooey repeater, the first rifle I bought was a Marlin 39a. Although I ordered a Mountie, SIR substituted but I now have a Mountie.
The CZ 455 American has classic lines, and I would agree with AJ Cave as the Remington 541 looks very much like a hunting rifle.
 
The quintessentially Canadian classic would have to be made in Canada, like the Cooey Model 60. An American rimfire shooter would likely pick an American rifle, a European would pick a Brno.
 
My first choice would be a my dad's Browning trombone, it's the first rifle I ever shot. It sports Redfield peep sights and as a kid it was like a laser with Aguila SE from CTC. I still have the target, a Molson Canadian can that I took to show and tell at school. My nephews now enjoy shooting it with they're Grandpa, so the tradition goes on. I do have Canadian stuff, a Few Ross 1912's, more NAACo's and a Cooey Special from the thirties, but they don't hold the sentimental value of the little Browning.
 
The more I think about this the more it seems like it comes down to what rifle you first shot and memories associated with that. I'm pretty late to the shooting game so for me a classic is a CZ452. The others that come to mind are the cooey 75, cooey 60, and many of the early 40sand 50s mossburg bolt actions (46b especially).
 
I currently own a custom built Winchester Model 52B modern sporting rifle which I consider a very "Classy" Classic. I have had quite a few Brno rifles over the years, which are also desirable classic .22 rifles of quality.

Like a zillion other Canadians I started out with a Cooey Model 60, which I bought for $5, from a mechanic working for my Dad.
I had to promise that my Father would never learn where it came from. I was 13 or 14 at the time.
 
Well, I grew up with my dad's Walther Sport model 2 that he bought back in 1930, but my oldest .22 is a one-off BSA, also a Model 2, but made as a take-down, after the style of an English shotgun, by Alexander Martin of Glasgow sometime around 1910 or 1911. It has all the original accessories, including an unused tin of BSA 'Borebrite' cleaner, and although the outside of the fitted leather travelling case is a mite sad, the inside is just gorgeous.

Pics to anybody who emails me, or you can look at it here - http://www.rifleman.org.uk/BSA_Model_1.html - the image is copyrighted, BTW.

tac
 
That Bsa is amazing.
It's interesting that most choose a rifle they started with. Canadian rifle at that.
I grew up with a Winchester 9422 and a Rossi pump 37. Both in mint condition to this day. However I've always thought that the wby xx11 bolt action was a nice classy rimfire. The cz line follows close
Deep rich bluing with nicely figured walnut of traditional hunting rifle lines
Thanks for the responses
 
I really liked my Sako Fin fire and sometimes wished I never sold it.
The CZ 452 ( have owned several ) shoot very well too and for the money are a great deal for accuracy and price.
They could use something better than the stamped steel trigger and trigger guard though.
Oddly enough both the Sako and every CZ I have shot enjoy AE 22 Hp ammo and did wonders out to 75 paces on Alberta Gophers.
I also have a Browning A-bolt in .22 mag that i am looking forward to finding its sweet spot with its preferred ammo of choice too.
 
I always liked older rifles. My new to me ground hog setup is a Marlin 782 with a very nice dark piece of american walnut, super smooth action, accurate and function flawlessly! And all that for 250$... Older Marlins are classics to me. My other classic is a BRNO 581 in superb shape. What a well made rifle! Newer rifle are of no real appeal for me apart from a few exceptions like, i just bought a brand new CZ 452Lux which i still consider a classic because it is still made like they should be. All a question of taste i suppose.
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I am new to the shooting game at the age of 46. Every wednesday night our local range has a rimfire night and I always seem to reach for my Winchester 69a and my Mossberg 146b. Both rifles are older than me and look better than me.
 
I started with my Grampa's Stevens model 29 pump (sweet gun), then when I was 12 for x-mass I got a C.I.L/Anschutz (model 171 I think), that right there is a Canadian Classic. In the 60's and 70's the C.I.L was about the same same price as a Cooey but a much more accurate and refined rifle, ie: trigger pull, smooth bolt, safety etc. Friends (neighbour kids) had Cooeys and the C.I.L would outshoot them all day long.
 
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