Complete Book of the .22: A Guide To The World's Most Popular Guns Paperback – August 1, 2006

An enthusiast would have to collect a ceiling-high pile of other books and magazine articles to compile the amount of information contained in this book on .22 rimfire firearms alone. But the part I'm enjoying most is the expanse of biological information that Mr. Van Zwoll presents concerning small game animals in North America. On large rodents alone (rock chucks, wood chucks, the varied species of rabbits and squirrels, list goes on) the author may well have written a definitive work from a purely biological perspective. Even from the non-hunting sector, I can't find anything in my local libraries or bookstores by any other author (save Bob Gooch, on squirrels alone) that gives so much information about these animals - their habitat, diets, range, birthing cycles, and so on. I learned things from this book about the yellow bellied marmot that I didn't discern in 9 years of hiking their habitat in a naturalist mode. And those primarily interested in the rimfire shooting sports should be equally happy to have this on their shelves at home. Having read this book, I have a more complete concept of how to best avail myself of the utility of .22 rifles in particular, as well as a greater understanding of how America has changed since the days when my grandfather kept a smoothbore .22 garden gun behind the back door of his garage. Those were different times, and Wayne brings us up to date on what's different now, and how we got from there to here, without virile criticism of shifts in American culture. I'd give up several trips to the range in order to preserve the time to read this book again cover-to-cover in a quiet place.

This is a good book on the topic. It includes some others like the 17 cal as well. The writting is a bit flat and does not have great enthusiasm for the topic. The 22 is both a fun and serious caliber and has been in use for 150+ years from plinking to hunting and war. This book somehow did not capture my attention and I am enthusiastic about the caliber. I did not like this book as much as I liked The Gun Digest book of the 22 Rifle by C. Rodney James - which I have reviewed previously and feel is a much better book on the topic..

I have always loved 22’s, but this book was filled with things I didn’t know.Highly recommended.History, technical information, shooting and hunting skills, and most of all how to appreciate the rifles that make shooting fun.

I bought this book expecting a good read, and not so much as a reference book. Maybe that's why I enjoyed it so much more than the other reviewers did. I read it straight through from cover to cover and was completely fascinated with the stories of the cartridge's development and the histories of the various firearms manufacturers and inventors. I'm already intimately familiar with most of the guns referred to so it's very interesting reading. The only fault that I find is the exclusion of some of the popular rifles like the CZ in particular, and only a brief mention of the modern Henry rifles. Another reason I enjoyed this book is that I completely identify with the author and his experiences, although I never competed or wrote articles. No, it's not a great reference book, but it is a captivating book if you're interested in reading about the .22 and its uses and fascinating history. The .17 HMR and .17 Mach II also get a lot of attention, and the comparisons and ballistics are useful.

Mr. Van Zwoll's story telling and writing style are very enjoyable for me. I have a few of his books that I read over and over. I know, who reads non-fiction over and over? But I do. I lent this one to my young nephew to read, hoping he'd become interested in his grandpa's .22, which I now have, and I think it worked. I hope to take him shooting soon, and maybe we can write some neat stories.

If you are just beginning your interest in getting involved with owning and shooting .22 rimfire rifles, this would be a book for you. Very helpful with providing knowledge about .22 firearms so it will help you consider what you'd like to start out with that will satisfy and provide many days of family fun shooting.

Its not the complete book of 22 rifles, but it's about as close as possible; a lot of good information and a good reference source.

Very enjoyable book. Accurate and well written.