Range Report: Rossi RS22 Trial Run, Sights and Ammo, 2/21/23

[BassCliff]

Greetings and Salutations!

After finally getting all the factory gunk cleaned out of my new Rossi RS22, I took it out to the newer Fletcher Arms facility to check the sights and try a bunch of ammo to see what it likes to eat. I also brought all my pistols but didn't shoot any of them 'cause I was having too much fun dialing in the sights and trying twenty rounds of seven different types of .22LR. I was assigned lane #12, yes, my favorite lane!

I ran two magazines of each of these through the RS22. Spoiler alert: The Armscor is the only ammo that malfunctioned with two FTFs. Everything else worked just fine. Next time I'll start working on trying to figure out which is most accurate.

I ended up shooting this target the whole session. I just kept patching it until I couldn't patch it any more, then I replaced it. This rifle came with only one magazine so I ordered and extra. It's still in the packaging. There's a 25 round magazine that works in this model too. It's on my list.

I started with the CCI Mini-Mags. They always work well in everything. Dang! That target looks small at 25 yards. I can barely see the little red bullseye. I used my range pack as a rest.

I would shoot three to five shots and bring the target back to check. It was shooting high so I started clicking the height adjustment on the rear sight.

Oops, I guess I'm going the wrong way. Let's back-er off a bit and try again.

OK, that's much better. There are ten rounds in the vicinity of the center bullseye. That's where I've been aiming all this time. Doh!

I think I adjusted the windage a click too. I probably went the wrong way. Since I think I've just about got it dialed in, let's try shooting while freestanding. I stuck on a couple of 8" reactive circles.

Ahh, well. I need to steady up a bit and adjust my hold. Let's shoot the bottom target now.

OK, that's looking not too bad.

I patched up that target again and sent it back out to 25 yards. Oops, this is the first of two FTFs with the Armscor. It was so bad that it bent the bullet. I did not try to reuse this cartridge.

I didn't do so well freestanding this time. Plus there's only nine hits on this target due to the malfunction.

I put a 1" red dot on the lower target in hopes I could see it better. I guess it helped a little. There was another FTF on this magazine but I was able to fire the cartridge after clearing it.

Hmmm, only six hits inside 3". I guess that absolutely average for the first time with this rifle. For my last couple of magazines I used the Aguila Super Extra Copper Plated ammo. I also went back on the rest and managed to get these 10 hits on that little tiny head. Those are 3" circles.

And with the very last magazine I tried putting five hits on each circle, left and right. The left seems a little better.

And that was all the time I had for my fun today. I still need to adjust either the elevation or my hold, and maybe try a click to the left. But I think the rifle is really accurate at this distance as long as the shooter does his job.

I'm hoping my daughter will come to the range with me tomorrow. It depends on whether or not the kids get a snow day. We're getting some weather for the next couple of days. I hope the rest of you up here in the Northern climes stay safe and warm. Take care.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

 

[mikep]

Careful. Those little .22’s can be habit forming. First it starts out with a cheap plinker. Next thing you know you’re buying vintage peep sights off ebay to put on your vintage Winchesters that you rebuilt spending stupid amounts of money chasing down a 1” group at 25 yards.
There must be a 12-step program for this.
Enjoy the Rossi. 22’s are tons of fun to shoot and cheap to feed.

 

[SimonRL]

I bought an MP5 .22 two weeks ago because I have a closet full of .22 ammo and I’ve not been shooting my .22 handguns. In the first week I put 1200 rounds through it and already I’m thinking I might need more ammo!

 

[Recusant]

I think you've found an alterative home defense rifle. Being able to put 10 rounds where you want them saves the day. At one time the .22 cal round held the record for the most deaths. My son responded to a call yesterday where a man committed suicide by shooting himself in the head a .22 pistol. My son said there was no visible exit wound.

 

[mikep]

I think you've found an alterative home defense rifle. Being able to put 10 rounds where you want them saves the day. At one time the .22 cal round held the record for the most deaths. My son responded to a call yesterday where a man committed suicide by shooting himself in the head a .22 pistol. My son said there was no visible exit wound.

federal make a .22 defense round called "punch" (i believe). it cycles through my m&p22 just fine. i have yet to try it in one of my rifles.

 

[Recusant]

federal make a .22 defense round called "punch" (i believe). it cycles through my m&p22 just fine. i have yet to try it in one of my rifles.

If you have other family members living in your house a .22 makes sense in that over penetration of interior walls is less of a concern than with larger calibers. And since there is little recoil one is likely to put more rounds on the target and not on the walls.

 

[mikep]

If you have other family members living in your house a .22 makes sense in that over penetration of interior walls is less of a concern than with larger calibers. And since there is little recoil one is likely to put more rounds on the target and not on the walls.

i have a cheap red dot on a Magnum Research MLR22, which is dead on. i'd still feel more comfortable with my m&p9 or 1911 for things that go bump in the night. however, if the MLR was all i had i'd feel quite confident in shot placement.

 

[Bassbob]

I got boxes and boxes of the old Stingers.

 

[Annihilator]

I got boxes and boxes of the old Stingers.

Those were awesome .22’s