Browning SA-22

[dddrees]

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?

[PT7]

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

[dddrees]

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.

[tractortad]

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....

[North Country Gal]

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.


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.



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.


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.


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.

[tractortad]

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....

[roddy]

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.

[North Country Gal]

Do you mean the barrel and forearm or just the forearm?

[roddy]

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.

[dddrees]

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

[dddrees]

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.


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.



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.


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.


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.

Somewhere I had noticed you had one so I was hoping and I was waiting for your reply. Thanks for replying in such great detail I really appreciate it. Oh, and I have given some thought to one of those Grade VI's but with my New Original Henry still in the works not sure I'm going to go there for this one. Always a sucker for that better looking wood though.

Wow, four of them. That's quite a testament to how you feel about this gun. Nice to know you've at least confirmed that I have a good eye for a good gun. I'm just kicking myself for being such a newby that I hadn't been aware it until just a few days ago.

Real glad to know the quality on the new rifles has pretty much been retained.


The last one is a real beauty, Congrats!!


Thanks again.

Dan

PS: Historically are the Grade VI versions something they always offer or are they more limited in nature and something you need to pickup up before they disappear and they don't come along very often?

[North Country Gal]

The higher Grade Brownings are not made in great numbers, of course, but, historically, they've been offered as standard production guns as an option to buy along with their standard grades. Browning doesn't play the one of a x number limited edition game as much as other makers do, so you're odds of finding one if you want one are pretty good. The problem, of course, is the money. We got ours, locally, when a customer changed his mind after taking the VI home, then deciding he didn't want it after, all. Never fired a shot, but our local LGS took it back and, being as honest as they are, put it on the rack as a used gun. Being a good customer, they offered it to me at their cost and I grabbed it. Worked out well for both of us, because in our rural area, not many customers would want to spend so much on a 22.

As a rule, I'm not a fancy gun kind of gal - I buy guns to shoot and dread scratching a pretty gun - but grabbed this Grade VI SA 22, anyway. Tells you what I think the SA 22.

[dddrees]

The higher Grade Brownings are not made in great numbers, of course, but, historically, they've been offered as standard production guns as an option to buy along with their standard grades. Browning doesn't play the one of a x number limited edition game as much as other makers do, so you're odds of finding one if you want one are pretty good. The problem, of course, is the money. We got ours, locally, when a customer changed his mind after taking the VI home, then deciding he didn't want it after, all. Never fired a shot, but our local LGS took it back and, being as honest as they are, put it on the rack as a used gun. Being a good customer, they offered it to me at their cost and I grabbed it. Worked out well for both of us, because in our rural area, not many customers would want to spend so much on a 22.

As a rule, I'm not a fancy gun kind of gal - I buy guns to shoot and dread scratching a pretty gun - but grabbed this Grade VI SA 22, anyway. Tells you what I think the SA 22.

Sounds like you got a real great deal, Congrats!!

Exactly what I was looking for and I couldn't ask for more. Actually the fact that you said you had four and you purchased the Higher Grade version I pretty much already came to the conclusion that you thought pretty highly of this little 22. Frankly just the little I've seen so far I can see why.

Personally I don't mind spending a bit more for something that is going to look a little better. For me it just adds a bit more to the overall enjoyment I will get even if there's no actual enhancement to how it functions. Often it's been my experience if you buy right there's some pretty nice looking items that actually perform fairly nicely as well. Besides it's only going to be a range toy so rough handling in this case is a non-issue. However even at the lower grade it appears to be a pretty nice package already.


Thanks again as you made my research on this rifle rather easy. Other guns I've had to do more research and digging but in this case I am confident I already have what I need to make my decision.

Cheers,

Dan

[North Country Gal]

You are so welcome, Dan.

[dddrees]

So I stopped by my LGS yesterday and guess what followed me home? I did give some thought to getting a Grade VI because I would get the version of with the better looking wood. However when I saw how nice the wood was on this one I was more than satisfied. Very happy indeed.

[dddrees]

On another forum I think someone captured the essence of this rifle extremely well when he said it was a simple yet elegant and reliable rifle. I would have to agree.

[North Country Gal]

I agree. Simple, yet elegant, describes so many of John Brownings designs.