November 24, 2022, 12:53 PM
photoman12001Shooting Range 22NOV2022: Yugo Zastava M-56, Mossberg 144, BSA Martini 12/15, Tactical Solutions Owyhee
This will be long-winded but hopefully someone finds useful or interesting information in it.I’m sitting in a car with nothing better to do.
I haven’t been able to shoot as frequently over the past few years as I could previously. Most of the range time I do get has been devoted to centerfire gear. Older rimfire rifles have always been some of my favorites to shoot. Since I recently snagged a Yugo Zavasta M-56 I decided to devote a range day to rimfire rifles. I need to do this more often. This wasn’t any kind of formal testing, just a day of fun. I mostly shot at metal spinners because the range stopped providing target frames. I brought some PVC pipe to build a frame but it took a few cold range times to cut & construct it. I just had time to set one target up before the range closed. It was still a successful & entertaining day.
All shooting was done with CCI Standard Velocity ammo, seated at a bench. I was just rested on elbows, no sling support, bipods, etc. Distance was 25 yards.
Yugo Zastava M-56
- Second from left in photo
- This was the first rifle I shot because I just got it and was anxious to put some rounds through it. I’ve been eyeing it as a local shop for months. I really couldn’t justify buying it but eventually broke down and made an offer they accepted. It was still probably too much but it’s a nice example of this rifle from what I can tell. It’s complete with matching serial numbers and no major stock damage or repairs. A big, heavy, single-shot .22LR is probably a tough sell today so I imagine the shop was happy to move it.
- I was very pleased with its performance. Feeding, extraction, & ejection were all good and the trigger is really decent. It’s a fun gun to shoot if you don’t mind being slow & thoughtful. The notch & post sights are good but don’t allow for quite the precision of the aperture sights on a few of the other rifles I brought.
- I’m happy I picked up this one. It’s a neat shooter to have in the collection.
Mossberg 144
- Second from right in photo
- I’ve had this rifle for serval years. I picked it up at a local shop for $175 which I’m pretty sure included the front & rear aperture sights. Overall, the rifle was in good shape but the crown was messed up. I decided to send it to JP Grips to have it threaded for suppressors and get a clean barrel crown. I know a rifle like this doesn’t really a suppressor but I like having unique hosts. I used an SWR Spectre 2 with it.
- This one is a lot of fun to shoot and it’s a reasonable precise rifle. I love the aperture sights. This is probably the first rifle I shot using them. The magazine can be a bit awkward to get in/out of the rifle and sometimes a bit of force is required to feed rounds. The trigger is good, extraction & ejection are excellent.
- I’d recommend checking out one of these Mossberg’s if you can get it for a good price.
Birmingham Small Arms Company (BSA) Martini 12/15
- Right in photo
- This one was made in England, another one that I picked up on a whim at a local shop. I didn’t know much about these Martini action rifles and still don’t. It’s a beautiful rifle that you don’t see everyday so it was one I wanted in my collection. It also turned out to be a great shooter.
- The trigger and aperture sights are really good. The action is a
fallingtipping block. It’s easy to feed the single round and ejection is aggressive if you manipulate the lever with authority. I really like to shoot this one prone. It’s very relaxing.
Tactical Solutions Owyhee
- Left in photo
- This is the outlier of the group. The other rifles are obviously oler. I’m not sure of the exact dates of manufacture but I believe those three were made in the 1930s-1950s (probably 1950s but the BSA might be from the 1930s). I bought the Owyhee a couple of years ago as a fun suppressor host but haven’t gotten a chance to shoot it much. It’s like a Ruger 10/22 Takedown but bolt action instead of semi auto. I currently have a Leupold 1x Prismatic scope on it. I shot it with a Silencerco SS Sparrow.
- It’s really a great little rifle. The trigger is decent and the factory sights are decent and usable. It certainly isn’t a precision rifle but fills a niche. Given its price I don’t know that I’d recommend it to everyone. I would not have bought it except as a unique, handy suppressor host.
Since I only had time to use one paper target I shot at it with all four rifles.
- The M-56 did well enough but I think it’s capable of better with more solid support. 10 rounds.
- The Owyhee actually does pretty well with the little 1x scope. The open sights aren’t nearly as precise. 20 rounds.
- The Mossberg strung some vertically but did well. It’s a very capable rifle if I do my part. 5 rounds.
- The BSA is also a very capable rifle with proper support (prone, sling). 5 rounds.
The BSA & Mossberg sent a few rounds into the same hole at the edge of the two groups.
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