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Browning SA-22

dddrees
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Browning SA-22

Post by dddrees » Wed Mar 20, 2019 11:46 am

Starting to look at and consider expanding my 22 Rifle options. At some point I think I should get a bolt 22 but currently looking at a Semi Auto. I already have 2 Lever 22s with my Winchester 9422, Henry Golden Boy, and a Remington 121 or 22 pump.


Anyway something about the Browning SA-22 appeals to me.

So I guess my main question would be is there any reason I should or need to go with vintage or new? Are they still as good as they were then as they maybe now? What materials or finishing aspects are different that I may want to consider getting something vintage over something new? Are they still being made from steel or are they now some sort of alloy. How good is there fit and finish currently?
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PT7
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Re: Browning SA-22

Post by PT7 » Wed Mar 20, 2019 11:58 am

dddrees wrote:Starting to look at and consider expanding my 22 Rifle options. At some point I think I should get a single shot bolt 22 but currently looking at a Semi Auto. I already have 2 Lever 22s with my Winchester 9422, Henry Golden Boy, and a Remington 121 or 22 pump.

Anyway something about the Browning SA-22 appeals to me.

So I guess my main question would be is there any reason I should or need to go with vintage or new? Are they still as good as they were then as they maybe now? What materials or finishing aspects are different that I may want to consider getting something vintage over something new? Are they still being made from steel or are they now some sort of alloy. How good is there fit and finish currently?
I'm not up-to-speed on most other rimfires as I've mainly had Henrys. But I'll bet pesos that Bandit, NCG, SH, or others would be familiar with the Browning. I did find one fairly recent review of that rifle (less than 2 years ago). You may have read it already --- very complimentary, and the reviewer quite likes the SA-22. At the end of his article, he lists his email for any questions or comments.

http://gunivore.com/rifle/browning-sa-22-rifle-review/

Enjoy your hunt for another .22!
PT7
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dddrees
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Re: Browning SA-22

Post by dddrees » Wed Mar 20, 2019 12:03 pm

PT7 wrote:
dddrees wrote:Starting to look at and consider expanding my 22 Rifle options. At some point I think I should get a single shot bolt 22 but currently looking at a Semi Auto. I already have 2 Lever 22s with my Winchester 9422, Henry Golden Boy, and a Remington 121 or 22 pump.

Anyway something about the Browning SA-22 appeals to me.

So I guess my main question would be is there any reason I should or need to go with vintage or new? Are they still as good as they were then as they maybe now? What materials or finishing aspects are different that I may want to consider getting something vintage over something new? Are they still being made from steel or are they now some sort of alloy. How good is there fit and finish currently?
I'm not up-to-speed on most other rimfires as I've mainly had Henrys. But I'll bet pesos that Bandit, NCG, SH, or others would be familiar with the Browning. I did find one fairly recent review of that rifle (less than 2 years ago). You may have read it already --- very complimentary, and the reviewer quite likes the SA-22. At the end of his article, he lists his email for any questions or comments.

http://gunivore.com/rifle/browning-sa-22-rifle-review/

Enjoy your hunt for another .22!
PT7

I haven't even really started yet so thanks for the link.


Great read, thanks again.
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tractortad
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Re: Browning SA-22

Post by tractortad » Wed Mar 20, 2019 2:41 pm

We have a relatively new (1 yr old) Browning/Miroku SA-22 and it is one of the finest made guns in our collection. It is all steel/walnut and like any Miroku made gun, the bluing,fit and finish is top-notch. I think NCG has one of these also, so maybe she will chime in - I bet she will say the newer SA-22's are just as nice as the ones made in the past....
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North Country Gal
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Re: Browning SA-22

Post by North Country Gal » Wed Mar 20, 2019 4:17 pm

Actually, we have four Browning SA 22 rifles. Yes, they are that good, as far as I'm concerned. Three are more current Miroku made SA 22s, but one is a Belgium made gun, made in 1962.

The general consensus among SA 22 fans like me, is that the Belgium guns are to collect, but the Japanese guns are made to shoot. In other words, no difference in accuracy and really no difference in fit and finish, either, between the Miroku or Belgium made guns. The only difference in the Belgium made guns is that the engraving on the receivers was done by hand on the Belgium guns, machine on the Miroku guns. That, and there were also a few variations in the sights on the Belgium guns, over the years. Really, though, have shot them side by side and no difference. Could even interchange parts if I wanted to.

Triggers on individual guns can vary just a bit as far as pull weight, but it's a rare SA 22 that doesn't have a nice crisp trigger. About as good as it gets in an out of the box trigger on a semi auto 22 rifle. My latest, a new SA 22 I bought last fall, had a fairly heavy trigger, out of the box, but has smoothed up and lightened, nicely, now that I've been shooting it. Scope is a Nikon 3-9x EFR that I used for accuracy testing. The gun wears a smaller scope, now.
Image

Accuracy with the SA 22 will compete with a typical bolt gun, too, certainly as good as the best 22 lever guns. This is not that well known or advertised outside of SA 22 circles, probably because the little SA 22 doesn't look like or handle like a typical gun you would shoot off a rest. It's there, though, if you take the effort to treat the little gun like it's accurate and not just a plinker. Here's the first outing with my 2018 gun I mentioned, above. Not a fluke, by any means. Shot similar groups, afterwards and also similar groups with all of our other SA 22s.

Image

This really is more of a fun gun and I love it for offhand shooting, especially. This is the way I use the SA 22 the most. Bottom three were before adjusting elevation.
Image

For me, the big attraction of the SA 22 is its traditional all steel and wood construction quality and, believe me, it is all wood and steel. No cheap anything, anywhere on an SA 22. Also a delightfully easy gun to takedown for cleaning, as shown here.
Image

Last, but not least, given that this gun dates back to 1914 (first imported to this country by Browning in 1957), it is now the 22 rifle in longest regular production, now that the Marlin 39 is now a custom shop, only gun, with Marlin. It was also John Browning's last gun design.

Expensive, yes, but given the superb construction quality and performance, it's worth it to me. I understand that not everyone will want to spend this much on a little 22 autoloader, though. Each to their own.

And just because I had to have it, got this new Grade VI at a great price. Doubt I'll shoot this one, much, but it sure is pretty. Pics just don't do it justice.
Image
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tractortad
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Re: Browning SA-22

Post by tractortad » Wed Mar 20, 2019 5:42 pm

NCG - wow - beautiful SA-22 - I didn't know you had four of these - that in itself speaks volumes about the quality of a Browning SA-22....
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Henry H001TLP,H001TLB,H003T,H004,H006R,H006M,H012R,H012AW,H012MRCC,H010CC,H015-357,H015-44,H015-4570
Winchester 9422,1873,1885,1886,1892
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roddy
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Re: Browning SA-22

Post by roddy » Wed Mar 20, 2019 7:01 pm

I just picked a new one up myself this past weekend. It is the standard grade 1. They had just sold the second of two shot-show Maple stocked versions they had, or I would have brought one of them home. They also had a Maple T-bolt... was a tough decision to leave it there.

Something that really surprised me while cruising through the Browning rimfires was the Buckmark rifle. I had always dismissed them based on looks alone, so never handled one before Saturday. I came away Impressed with the feel/handling, if not the looks. The pistol (literally) grip, and long LOP worked for me, and felt very natural. I wasn't expecting that.

NCG, is there a trick to removing the forestock from the barrel on the SA-22? I had mine apart Sunday for an inspect and clean session, and that was the only thing I couldn't figure out.
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North Country Gal
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Re: Browning SA-22

Post by North Country Gal » Wed Mar 20, 2019 7:11 pm

Do you mean the barrel and forearm or just the forearm?
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roddy
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Re: Browning SA-22

Post by roddy » Wed Mar 20, 2019 8:12 pm

Just the forearm. I like to get in there and clean/oil the barrel, and wax the barrel channel with chopping block wax whenever I get something new.

The rest of it was easy, and it looked like all I had to do was remove the screw to get the forearm off the barrel, but it wouldn't budge.
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dddrees
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Re: Browning SA-22

Post by dddrees » Thu Mar 21, 2019 12:24 am

tractortad wrote:We have a relatively new (1 yr old) Browning/Miroku SA-22 and it is one of the finest made guns in our collection. It is all steel/walnut and like any Miroku made gun, the bluing,fit and finish is top-notch. I think NCG has one of these also, so maybe she will chime in - I bet she will say the newer SA-22's are just as nice as the ones made in the past....

I posted the same on another forum and once they replied it was a Miruko I expected no less.

Thanks
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