The trick isn't handling shorts, it is handling shorts interchangeably with longs, and long rifles. That is a good trick, and the 552 and earlier 550 did that well.
I have a Glenfield .22 auto, that will shoot shorts, but, won't cycle the action and reload itself. I think my Ruger 10/22 did the same thing, but, that gun had such a lousy trigger, I got rid of it in short order.
I think I answered a question for you about your 552, prior to you buying it, over on the old SS board, John. My bolt action 581 Remington is no more accurate than the 552. Glad you have enjoyed the accuracy.
Winter, 1980, left me a hungry boy, out of full time work, and with a 3 year old 552, and two boxes of shorts. Dinner on Sunday at Mom's, but, the rest of the week I ate squirrels. Some bunnies, but, mostly squirrels.
I had ammunition left in the spring, and a full Montgomery Ward chest freezer, left by a former renter, in the basement.
Life got better, but, not soon enough.
Can't sell that gun.
Best,
Ted
Great story Ted. Reminded me of the one my dad told me. He let us boys shoot his single shot bolt action .22 one weekend in the Santa Cruz mountains above Santa Clara Valley. Would have been the '60s (don't know what happened to it after he died). Driving up into the hills he related how one weekend during the Depression they didn't have anything to eat, and grandpa gave him the .22 with the last 10 rounds they had, and told him to make 'em count. He shot ten squirrels but only came home with nine, as the last one hung up in the tree impossible to retrieve. He said grandma made a big stew out of them, and at least for a while, hunger was but a memory.
Mike
