sterling .22 auto

[Rocky Raab]

So true.

I admit to owning a Jennings J-22 myself. I use it as a tackle box gun because pot metal doesn't rust (!)

When I worked in a gun store, we called these little guns "two-clippers" because two clips was about as long as they'd shoot without breaking. The instructions say to dry fire them as the first step in disassembly, but dry firing them often breaks the firing pin - which the company refused to replace!

On mine, the sheet metal extractor hook was too short to reach over the shell rim. I carefully re-cut the hook so that it would - but the gun would usually fire, extract, eject and reload just fine even with the misfit extractor. It's a bit more reliable now, but a blowback pistol doesn't really need an extractor, anyway.

BTW, I keep mine loaded with a CCI shot load in the chamber, followed by five Stingers in the clip. It won't eject the fired shot round, but all I have to do is rack the slide once. I figure the most urgent need I'm gonna have for it is a rattlesnake between my feet - anything else will wait while I eject the shot load and feed a Stinger.