Weatherby's Mark XXII in its Japanese-made 1970s form is a tube-fed semi-automatic in .22 LR with a 24-inch round barrel. Sights are a ramped front and a dovetailed rear, the safety is on the tang, and the bolt is jeweled. The stock is the showpiece: deluxe checkered walnut with skip-line checkering, a rosewood forend tip, a grip cap and the original Weatherby pad, all over blued metal.

Only a couple of small handling marks show on the wood, the bluing is very good and the bore is excellent. It is a rimfire for the range, for small targets and for anyone who wants a .22 with a deluxe stock. Montana's Oct. 24 to Nov. 29 deer and elk season is a job for something bigger, so think of this as the off-season rifle, or the one that stays in the cabinet for its looks and comes out when the pressure is off.

Key features

• .22 LR semi-auto, tube magazine, 24-inch barrel
• Japanese production, 1970s
• Ramped front sight, dovetailed rear, tang safety
• Skip-line checkered walnut, rosewood forend tip
• Jeweled bolt, original Weatherby pad

The rifle ships to the Montana FFL dealer you choose for pickup after the check.