Browning BL-22 plinker
Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2024 2:30 pm
I confess to sometimes being a target snob. My shooting tastes and my upbringing in rifles has been heavily concentrated on tiny groups and bolt rifles with match grade triggers and barrels, especially now that I'm in my last years of shooting. Hasn't always been all bolt rifles and shooting for group size and score, though. As a youngster, I did my share of plinking at tin cans and bottles and dirt clods with the other kids.
These days the bulk of my backyard plinking has been with air guns and steel. The air guns make awesome backyard plinkers, but sometimes I get a strong urge to plink with my rimfire rifles, too. Cycling cartridges in a rifle and hearing a pop, even with the lowly CB 22 Short, is still in my blood. Always will be. I kind of cringe using CB Shorts in my match grade bolt rifles or even my expensive Winchester single shots, though. Those really aren't good choices for plinking rifles, anyway.
Oh, we do have a couple of 10/22s and those are some of the all time greats for plinking, of course, except that 10/22s those won't cycle CB Shorts. Long story, short, I've been keeping an eye out for a 22 plinking rifle that can handle CB Shorts, one that is light and handy like a 10/22 and also like a 10/22, a fun rifle for stepping out on the deck for a few shots at 25 yards.
I think I found that 22 plinker this week and brought it home. It's a mint condition Browning BL-22, made in 1969, the first year for the BL-22, made for Browning by Miroku (there never was a Belgium version of the BL-22). It's a Grade I, meaning no checkering or engraving, but I never cared that much for the fancy stuff, anyway. This really is a little jewel of a 22 rifle.
I had a BL-22 awhile back and scoped it, but standard 1" tube rimfire scopes kind of overwhelm this little rifle and the combination just didn't work out for me, so I traded off the BL-22. Later, though, I found a perfect 22 scope for a small 22 rifle and it's been sitting in the scope drawer ever since, just waiting for the right rifle. This BL-22 is it. The scope is the perfect match for the BL-22.
In fact, the scope is a 4x 3/4" tube scope marked Browning 4x. It's actually the legendary baby Redfield 4x 22 scope made by Redfield for Browning back in the 60s. All steel scope with great optics. Rings are 1" steel Leupold using 3/4" adapter shims I found at Brownell's.
Another thing I have always loved about the BL-22 is that the mag tube clicks into the mag and locks in place. Never have to worry about a mag tune slipping out or working loose like some of the competition.
Now for some shooting. BL-22s are not known for their light triggers, but these early ones aren't too bad. This one is about 4 pounds plus, but very crisp. Took me awhile to work out a hold to work the trigger, but once I did, I got accuracy that I would rate as upper class plinking, small game level, even using CB Shorts which are a long way from being match ammo. After getting on paper with the scope, I went 10 for 10 on steel to officially begin my plinking.
Did I mention this is a pretty little jewel of a 22 plinking rifle?
These days the bulk of my backyard plinking has been with air guns and steel. The air guns make awesome backyard plinkers, but sometimes I get a strong urge to plink with my rimfire rifles, too. Cycling cartridges in a rifle and hearing a pop, even with the lowly CB 22 Short, is still in my blood. Always will be. I kind of cringe using CB Shorts in my match grade bolt rifles or even my expensive Winchester single shots, though. Those really aren't good choices for plinking rifles, anyway.
Oh, we do have a couple of 10/22s and those are some of the all time greats for plinking, of course, except that 10/22s those won't cycle CB Shorts. Long story, short, I've been keeping an eye out for a 22 plinking rifle that can handle CB Shorts, one that is light and handy like a 10/22 and also like a 10/22, a fun rifle for stepping out on the deck for a few shots at 25 yards.
I think I found that 22 plinker this week and brought it home. It's a mint condition Browning BL-22, made in 1969, the first year for the BL-22, made for Browning by Miroku (there never was a Belgium version of the BL-22). It's a Grade I, meaning no checkering or engraving, but I never cared that much for the fancy stuff, anyway. This really is a little jewel of a 22 rifle.
I had a BL-22 awhile back and scoped it, but standard 1" tube rimfire scopes kind of overwhelm this little rifle and the combination just didn't work out for me, so I traded off the BL-22. Later, though, I found a perfect 22 scope for a small 22 rifle and it's been sitting in the scope drawer ever since, just waiting for the right rifle. This BL-22 is it. The scope is the perfect match for the BL-22.
In fact, the scope is a 4x 3/4" tube scope marked Browning 4x. It's actually the legendary baby Redfield 4x 22 scope made by Redfield for Browning back in the 60s. All steel scope with great optics. Rings are 1" steel Leupold using 3/4" adapter shims I found at Brownell's.
Another thing I have always loved about the BL-22 is that the mag tube clicks into the mag and locks in place. Never have to worry about a mag tune slipping out or working loose like some of the competition.
Now for some shooting. BL-22s are not known for their light triggers, but these early ones aren't too bad. This one is about 4 pounds plus, but very crisp. Took me awhile to work out a hold to work the trigger, but once I did, I got accuracy that I would rate as upper class plinking, small game level, even using CB Shorts which are a long way from being match ammo. After getting on paper with the scope, I went 10 for 10 on steel to officially begin my plinking.
Did I mention this is a pretty little jewel of a 22 plinking rifle?
and great shooting as expected from you.
Not sure we have to go all official on a plinking thread. Regardless of what we do, I think Henry 22 lever guns are a great fit for such a thread, certainly right there with other 22 lever guns.