For some two or three years finding .22 Long Rifle (LR) ammunition has been quite a challenge. In order to determine why, Dave Campbell takes a look at the cartridge's history.
A lot has changed in the .22 market since the mid-20th century. The blowback action Winchester debuted has been refined to near-perfection. If the Wildcat is going to compete with the likes of the vaunted Ruger 10/22, it has to bring a lot to the table. Fortunately, it does.
European switch-barrel guns are engineering works of art, and are extremely well-designed and precisely executed. They are wonderful additions to any gun safe. One good example is the Merkel RX Helix.
Developed in 1976 by Ken Waters as a wildcat cartridge, the 7-30 Waters is based on the .30-30 Winchester necked down to 7mm to improve velocity and trajectory, with a significant drop off in felt recoil. In 1984, Winchester began to produce rifles chambered for cartridge, legitimizing Waters’ dream, and establishing it as a commercial cartridge.