Henry Rifle Forums

Have always wanted one of these nifty little 22 LR semi-auto rifles, but they've always been pricey and usually a little rich for my blood. Had a little extra cash, recently, and ran across two, as a matter of fact, so figured, why not? Allow me to introduce the Browning 22 semi automatic, otherwise known as the SA-22. Yup, it's the Browning SA-22, a rifle that ejects empties, downward, loads through the butt stock, the original take-down 22 rifle, been in production since 1914, one of the last of John Browning's designs. A ton of history and nostalgia with this one, but still in production after all these years.

Up first, our collector, made in Belgium, 1973 vintage (last year of production in Belgium), as new in the box, with manual and invoice. The owner was a collector. Doubt he shot it and not sure if we will, either. We'll see.






Most SA-22 fans buy the Belgiums to collect and baby, but then buy the later Japanese versions to shoot. Having taken both the Belgium and Japanese guns apart, now, I can see absolutely no difference in quality and workmanship. Speaking of takedown, the design of these little rifles is amazing. In less than the time it takes me to write this sentence, I can disassemble the gun into three sections, completely exposing the action for cleaning, as seen here with our '83, well-used Japanese version.


The handling, balance and quality on these Browning SA-22s is superb, as good as anything I've owned. Not so much as a single piece of plastic or aluminum. All tool steel for parts, as beautifully machined inside as out. Still, the little gun only weighs 5 pounds. It's a true gem of a 22 rifle.

So how does it shoot, right? Given the ultra light weight and slim proportions, my expectations were on the modest side. Trigger, though, on both guns is identical. Crisp and right about three pounds. Other SA-22 owners reported respectable accuracy, though, so time to head to the range and see for myself.

For accuracy testing and testing, only, did the unthinkable and added this inexpensive Simmons 22 mag 3-9x to our 1983 Japanese version. Now that I know what the guns can do, will explore other options for a sight. Unfortunately for these old eyes, that teeny-tiny factory open sight setup is just not one of them, not with my old eyes.


Let me also add that the Browning is something of a challenge to shoot from a rest. It's a bit rest fussy, so took some experimenting to get it to shoot up to its capabilities. Of course, the gun was never made to shoot from a rest, anyway. Okay, here's a sample of what our 1983 SA-22 can do from a rest with a cheap scope and the right ammo.

Last week







Today (will do some sight adjustment, next time. Just checking accuracy, today)






And lastly, because this is a gun made to be shot without a rest


Sorry for the long post, but hope it helps by way of adding a little information on a gun a lot of folks have never shot.

Pardon me while I go get a cloth to clean the drool off of my iPad........Again.
Thanks for sharing another beautiful rifle and excellent range report.

A .40" group at 50 yards is quite respectable. Can you tell us more about how it feeds?

The through the stock feeding was a popular feature on some of the old classic 22 semi-auto rifles, such as the Winchester 63 and the Remington 24/241, which was the Remington version of the SA-22. By the way, the Browning SA-22 was the first ever commercial semi-auto 22 put into production, introduced in 1914. Wasn't imported into the U.S., though, until 1956. In 1974, production was moved to Japan. Hard to believe its still being made after all these years. New ones run around $700.

As for the magazine feature, the tube magazine is in the butt stock. You twist a rod in the butt plate, then pull it out till it stops. You then drop rounds into the hole in the stock with the rifle pointed down. Holds 10 rounds. You then reinsert the rod, give it a twist to lock, same as with a regular tube mag, and you're loaded. With the tube in the stock, it's almost indestructible and also very easy to clean. Nothing to get lost and no issues with the rod working loose as with some under the barrel tube setups.

Notice the impeccable machine work, here. Steel on steel and wood.




Also, as mentioned, it ejects shells downward out of the receiver. No breech port.


Made this in a 22 Short version at times. Hope to find one of those. Would make a great backyard shooter for us.

Overall, a fun gun to shoot, just like a Marlin 60 or a 10/22, but with much better quality, a decent trigger and some pretty fine accuracy for a little semi-auto 22. Certainly small game capable and traditionally a gun widely used for that work. Bill enjoyed it, too. He started shooting slow, then picked up the pace and kept pouting them in there at a nice rate. Small the gun might be, but it still fit him, so that says a lot for how the gun was designed and why it has survived all these years. Oh, yeah, John Browning was a genius.

Thanks, I wouldn't mind having one in shorts.

Sir Henry wrote:Thanks, I wouldn't mind having one in shorts.

We've seen your "shorts" I don't want to think about you shooting anything just wearing them.

It just occurred to me why you said it didn't make a very good bench shooter -it ejects downward. I like to rest a rifle just forward of the trigger guard.

The downward ejection is part of it, though it's mainly a matter of the SA-22's slim proportions and light weight, especially out at the muzzle. I found that a good firm hold when shooting the SA-22 on a rest worked best, with my left hand snugging the forearm down on the bag. Otherwise, that light front end wanted to bounce a bit during the shot and that makes for very inconsistent groups. Have found this to be true with most very light carbine style rifles.

Will never forget the first time I shot a Marlin 1894 in 44 mag off a rest while sighting in a scope. That's a very muzzle light carbine. Just laid the forearm on the bag, no hold with the left hand. The very first shot, the Marlin's front end bounced right off the rest, hit the bench, hard, and put a nice ding in the forearm. Ouch! That Marlin was very accurate off a rest, but ONLY if I gripped that forearm, firmly.

Very nice report and great shooting. I had never seen one of these rifles, and your write up, and photos, did it justice. Thanks.