I won't shoot my eye out!

[Specs]

Santa brought me a NIB 96/22M 22 magnum with 3 extra magazines. Does anyone here know if the barrel band is metal? It looks it, just can't tell. Also, will any other butt plates (metal) fit the stock? I don't mind the plain stock so much, but that plastic butt plate is really cheesy looking and it's slippery.

The rifle functions well, but can't seem to hit anything with it yet. That brass bead sight is almost invisible to these tired old eyes. Guess I need some optics, but don't want a scope.

I had to dispatch a skunk in my yard yesterday out at about 50 yards, ran through 10 shots 22 magnums, no joy, went and got my wife's Marlin 60, no scope, and 1 shot did it. I think I am going to burn a lot of 22 mag ammo to learn the rifle.

 

[coach]

Have you taken it to the range & sighted it in. Maybe the sights need adjusting, but if you can hardly see the brass bead that could be much of the problem. You won't regret a scope for your old eyes(I haven't).
I dislike the plastic butt plate too. I replaced the plate on my mini with a rubber pad, not for recoil, but for extending the stock and it looked & felt better too.

 

[Rumrunner]

I have a 96/44 and I put a slip-on recoil pad on it. Not for the recoil, but I also noticed how slippery the curved butt plate was. I couldn't keep it in the same place shot to shot and never could get used to it. The slip-on gave a little more length and really makes it easier to shoot. I would love to get a laminated stock made that has a regular pad on the butt.

 

[wizofwas]

I have a 10/22 that I took the band off and floated the barrel. I also replaced the plastic butt pad with a rubber one I found on E-Bay. And for the same reasons as the others. I just didn't like the looks of the plastic one. And yes, it is real hard to hit anything without sighting it in first with the iron sights.

 

[Specs]

I just got overeager. The skunk was my first shots from the new rifle. I need to wait for a little warmer weather and set up a 75 yd target. I can do this right here at home with a temporary bench. Today I took it down and cleaned and oiled the gun. No grease, and dry as a bone.

I'm going to get a slip on butt pad for it. Will the 10/22 model fit? I looked on Ebay and saw one that adds about 1 inch lop.

I will have to replace the sights eventually, but I'm going to try a litle flourescent paint on the bead to see if it helps, but I will need better irons or maybe optic if I want to shoot much at 100 yds.

 

[Specs]

Have you taken it to the range & sighted it in. Maybe the sights need adjusting, but if you can hardly see the brass bead that could be much of the problem. You won't regret a scope for your old eyes(I haven't).
I dislike the plastic butt plate too. I replaced the plate on my mini with a rubber pad, not for recoil, but for extending the stock and it looked & felt better too.

I found the rubber buttplate and ordered one. It fits a 10/22 also. 14 bux on Ebay. Now I just wish it would warm up enough to go out & play. I added some bright paint to the bead, maybe it will help. I am looking at optics now, maybe a scope, maybe a red dot.

 

[DVRich]

Santa brought me a NIB 96/22M 22 magnum with 3 extra magazines. Does anyone here know if the barrel band is metal? It looks it, just can't tell. Also, will any other butt plates (metal) fit the stock? I don't mind the plain stock so much, but that plastic butt plate is really cheesy looking and it's slippery.

The rifle functions well, but can't seem to hit anything with it yet. That brass bead sight is almost invisible to these tired old eyes. Guess I need some optics, but don't want a scope.

I had to dispatch a skunk in my yard yesterday out at about 50 yards, ran through 11 shots 22 magnums, no joy, went and got my wife's Marlin 60, no scope, and 1 shot did it. I think I am going to burn a lot of 22 mag ammo to learn the rifle.

I can see how a skunk could be a threat to you and your family. Don't you know that if you have no kill shot, you aren't supposed to shoot?
You took 11 shots and how badly did you wound it before you got the rifle? I'm glad I taught my boy better firearm ethics.

 

[Specs]

Santa brought me a NIB 96/22M 22 magnum with 3 extra magazines. Does anyone here know if the barrel band is metal? It looks it, just can't tell. Also, will any other butt plates (metal) fit the stock? I don't mind the plain stock so much, but that plastic butt plate is really cheesy looking and it's slippery.

The rifle functions well, but can't seem to hit anything with it yet. That brass bead sight is almost invisible to these tired old eyes. Guess I need some optics, but don't want a scope.

I had to dispatch a skunk in my yard yesterday out at about 50 yards, ran through 10 shots 22 magnums, no joy, went and got my wife's Marlin 60, no scope, and 1 shot did it. I think I am going to burn a lot of 22 mag ammo to learn the rifle.

I can see how a skunk could be a threat to you and your family. Don't you know that if you have no kill shot, you aren't supposed to shoot?
You took 11 shots and how badly did you wound it before you got the rifle? I'm glad I taught my boy better firearm ethics.

Don't really need any wisea$$ comments from you.

1) We have had an ongoing problem with skunks trying to live under our porch, and I kill every one that comes near the house. We do not want to tangle with a rabid skunk at the bottom of our stairs.

2) I had 11 MISSES with the new rifle. and 1 hit with my wife's Marlin which killed the skunk.

3)Perhaps you could also work on YOUR ethics as well as your reading skills.

 

[madd-trapper]

I have had skunks and woodchucks do alot of destruction. They were burrowing under the patio into the crawl space. One made it into the basement and got down into the sump pump hole. It was over a week before I figured out where the dead rotting skunk smell was coming from. It was fun dragging it out of there. They all get shot on sight now with the magnum single six.
By the way I have the 96/44 and and agree the front site bead is terrible. There must be a replacemnt site out there somewhere.

 

[Specs]

I have had skunks and woodchucks do alot of destruction. They were burrowing under the patio into the crawl space. One made it into the basement and got down into the sump pump hole. It was over a week before I figured out where the dead rotting skunk smell was coming from. It was fun dragging it out of there. They all get shot on sight now with the magnum single six.
By the way I have the 96/44 and and agree the front site bead is terrible. There must be a replacemnt site out there somewhere.

LITH!!! WOW! I lived in Algonquin and Crystal Lake for many years before retiring to KY. One of my sons lived right on 62 about 1/2 mile east of randall. My kids graduated from Jacobs. Guess I should have saved this for a PM.

Some people do not realize what a nuisance these critters can be if you let them. I live in a very rural area with 6 acres cleared, and I figure that the critters can have the hayfields and woods, but leave my house and barns alone. I had an old cabin out in the boonies here that had woodchucks under it, and the floor was ready to collapse. Right now I have a woodchuck under the small barn. I'll get him this spring before he wrecks it.bThat tiny bead sight has got to go. I think I will get a red dot of some sort for it. Those 11 shots were the first ones out of the box with that rifle and I missed each time at about 40 yards. I have been shooting and hunting for almost 60 years,and have never seen such a poor sighting system on a 100 yard rifle. I guess it does not help that my eyes never were great, and yes, they are as old as I am.

I guess a holo or reflex, or red dot will be my answer, but I still need to try to sight it in. Never had one so far off out of the box, maybe it's just me.

 

[Tommy Kelly]

The 22 mag is a awesome rifle. In my opinion you need a scope to utilize the 22 mag's uses. They are soo much more than a 22 lr. The 22 lr is ok out to about 75 yds the 22 mag is good for closer to 200 yds. Years ago I used a 22 mag a lot and was very impressed with the gun. I had a 9422m lever action. It was a awesome little rifle. I got rid of it and regretted it so I bought a marlin tube fed and also have a single six that uses the mag. the 22 mag is expensive to shoot but well worth the cost as far as power and range.