Routledge bore for .22 shot shells

slideact.22

I believe I read somewhere that Remington made some slide-action .22s especially for shot shells that were bored out smooth to .410". I wonder if this is true and, if so, whether it results in a worthwhile improvement in shot pattern? Also, since those rifles seem really scarce, I wonder if it might be practical to bore out an old klunker 22 to shoot rats? And, would it be legal? TIA, Jerry

wundudnee

Some of Winchesters model 61 22cal. smoothbores were Routledge bored. They were still 22cal. bored, but the muzzles were counterbored to give the appearance of a shotgun. The later 61's were just straight smoothbored. It made the 61 look kind of like a model 42 .410. I have no idea about Remington, but rather doubt they were ever bored out to .410. However they also might have been Routledge counterbored. The 22 shot cartridge was popular in the early 50s, and were used to shoot a small clay target called mosquito. A 22 shot only Winchester model 61 in good shape now is bringing around $3000.00.

There, have I shown my ignorance? [:o)]

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Old? First you forget names; then you forget faces; then you forget to pull your zipper up; then you forget to pull your zipper down.

bobski

winchester, remington, and mossberg all had a smoothbore in their lineups just before WW2. they were first designed as garden guns,(for little pests,)and they were better known as snake guns. mossberg took control of the targo game and used the model 142T and 144T style guns. so the answer is yes, remington did make smoothbores and are imediatley identified by the lack of a rear sight. #12 dust, cci shotcap 22 ammo works best in all models. effective range is about 5 to 10 yards. i shoot skeet with my m-61 on stations 1/6/7 and 8 to wooo the crowds. interest died off after ww2 with the push into the burbs with housing tracks, cars, and other cooler things, shooting in ones back yard with dad and his 22 died out.

former air operations officer SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 2. former navy skeet team, navy rifle/pistol team member. co-owner skeetmaster tubes inc.. owner/operator professional shooting instruction.