Rossi RS22 Semi-Automatic 22LR Rifle | Robert Wayne Atkins, P.E.

Rossi RS22 Semi-Automatic 22LR Rifle
Copyright © April 4, 2024 by Robert Wayne Atkins, P.E.
All Rights Reserved.

Introduction
This article will review the Rossi RS22 semi-automatic 22LR rifle.

Rossi RS22 Semi-Automatic 22LR Rifle, 10 Round Magazine, Safety, Fiber Optic Sights, and Sling Studs.

On April 4, 2024 the above rifle was available at Walmart in the Sporting Goods section for $116.00. On April 4, 2024 this same exact rifle was also available at other gun stores for at least $20 to $44 more than the current Walmart price. It should also be mentioned that some gun stores are sold out of this specific rifle.

This rifle is made in Brazil and that is one of the reasons it is so affordable. Brazilian quality standards are very good and their labor costs are very low.

The reason I bought this specific rifle was because it is very affordable compared to all the other 22LR semi-automatic rifles that are currently available at Walmart and at every gun store that I visited in my area, and at the four online gun dealers that I also visited.

I do not know how world events will unfold in the future but at some time in the near future firearms and ammunition may become unavailable at any reasonable price that an average person can afford. However, one of my grandchildren has become very interested in firearms and he has become a good shot with a lever-action Daisy BB rifle. I decided to purchase this 22LR rifle so that I would have something that I could give to him one day in the future when I believe that he has become mature enough for this type of rifle.

The reason I am posting this information on my website is for those people who have not yet purchased any type of rifle, and who also have a very limited amount of money to spend on a rifle. It should also be mentioned that 22LR ammunition is currently available at a very reasonable price at most gun stores, including Walmart. Depending on the name brand, the quantity per box, and the quality per bullet, the current price per round is between 7.5 cents to 34 cents each.

However, the availability and the price of the rifle and the ammunition could change at any time.

Discussion
In my opinion, the Rossi RS22 has the following advantages:

Cost: On April 4, 2024 the Rossi RS22 was available at Walmart in the Sporting Goods section for $116.00. This is the most affordable high quality semi-automatic 22LR rifle available at this time. This rifle would be a good choice for almost anyone but especially for a person who has a very limited amount of money to invest in a firearm.
Semi-Automatic Action: After you load a magazine with ammunition and insert that magazine into the rifle, then you can pull the bolt to the rear and release the bolt and the first round will be loaded into the firing chamber. Each time you pull the trigger the rifle will fire the round in the firing chamber, eject the empty shell casing, and move another live round into the firing chamber. This will continue until there is no more ammunition in the magazine.
Free-Floating Barrel: On the Rossi RS22 the barrel is firmly attached to the receiver but the barrel is not attached to the stock of the firearm. The enhances the accuracy, precision, and repeatability of the rifle. When a rifle is fired some vibration may be transmitted to the stock. Stock vibration could impact the point of bullet impact from one shot to the next shot. A free-floating barrel eliminates any stock vibration from being transmitted directly to the barrel.
Bolt Remains Open when Last Round is Fired: When the last round has been fired then the bolt will remain in the open position to visually indicate that the magazine is empty and that you need to replace the magazine with a full magazine of ammunition. If you simply remove the magazine then the bolt will travel forward to its normal position. However, if you pull the bolt to the full rear position and then push in on the short bolt handle so the bolt handle is firmly against the bolt and then allow the bolt to move forward just a little then the bolt will lock into the open position.
Cross-Bolt Safety: There is a manual safety button on the front top of the trigger guard. If you push the safety to the right then the safety will be engaged. If you push the safety to the left then the safety will be disengaged.
Detachable 10-Round Magazines: The magazine release is in front of the trigger guard and it can be easily depressed using your thumb. When a magazine is empty then you can remove it and insert a full magazine. The rifle comes with one 10-round magazine. The Rossi rifle box includes a coupon with a special code that will allow you to purchase 3 or more magazines directly from the Rossi factory store at a reduced price of approximately $15 per magazine. These magazines cost approximately $25 or more at all the online internet stores that I found that have these magazines in stock. (Note: High capacity 25-round magazines designed for the Mossberg 702 Plinker 22LR Rifle will also work with the Rossi RS22 rifle but none of these magazines are available at this time anywhere on the internet.)
Fiber Optic Front and Rear Sights: In daylight conditions the front sight has a red dot and the rear sight has two green dots. To aim the rifle you should center the front red dot so that it is level between the two rear green dots and slowly pull the trigger. If there is not enough light available then the front and rear sights will appear black and they can still be used in the normal manner. The rear sight is easily adjustable for windage and elevation. The front sight is protected with a slotted hollow metal hood to prevent the sight from being accidentally damaged. The sights have been set to zero by the factory at a distance of 25 yards using standard quality ammunition.
Scope Groove on Top of Receiver: A standard rimfire 11 mm (3/8 inch) scope mounting groove is on the top of the receiver.
Factory Installed Front and Rear Sling Mounts: Sling mounts are already installed on this rifle and this makes it easy to add a carrying sling to the rifle.
Easy to Clean: If you pull the bolt to the rear and then push the short bolt handle 90 degrees in to the left so that the bolt handle is firmly against the bolt, and then allow the bolt to move forward then the bolt will only travel about 1/4 inch and stop. It will remain in this position so that you can clean the inside barrel of the rifle. When you have finished cleaning the rifle then you will need to pull the bolt to the full rear position and pull the short bolt handle to the right, and if you release the bolt then the bolt will then travel to its normal full forward position.
High Quality Black Synthetic Stock: The one-piece synthetic stock is lightweight and waterproof and it will last a very long time with very little maintenance. The cheek rest on the rear stock is at the optimal height for the factory sights. When a scope is installed the cheek rest is just a little too low for the average person.

In my opinion, the Rossi RS22 has the following shortcomings:

18-Inch Barrel: The barrel is long enough for good average shooting results. However, if the barrel were a little longer then 100% of the gunpowder would always burn up inside the barrel and be converted into gas. This would increase the velocity and the energy of the bullet when it exits the barrel and it would increase the penetration depth of the bullet when it makes contact with the target. And it will also improve the operation of a semi-automatic rifle by minimizing ejection and loading problems with "affordable" standard ammunition.
Scope Position: In order to get the proper eye relief, the scope had to be mounted by attaching the two scope mounts to the front half of the scope. This puts the rear eyepiece of the scope in the correct position for it to be used correctly. I have no previous experience mounting a scope by its front half and I do not know if this will eventually result in any type of future problems. However, the recoil of a 22LR bullet is so negligible that I do not anticipate any problems with this scope mounting position.

Potential Enhancements to the Rossi RS22

Rossi RS22 Semi-Automatic 22LR Rifle, 3-9x32 Scope, Carrying Sling.

The following enhancements are possible for the Rossi RS22:

Riflescope: Although there is a coupon in the Rossi rifle box for a few dollars off a specific type of rimfire riflescope, I did not buy that scope. Instead I purchased a 3-9x32 scope because a 3-9x32 scope is a lot, lot better than any "rimfire" scope. The scope I purchased on Amazon for $34.19 (after clicking on the 5% off coupon) was a "CVLIFE 3-9x32 AO Rifle Scope for Hunting" and it has elevation and windage adjustments that can be made with the fingers and no special tools are required. The scope also has a "parallax" ring on the front of the scope that will enhance the clarity of the image when the distance exceeds 50 yards. The scope also has an adjustment on the rear of the scope that will allow you to adjust the clarity of the image based on the normal vision of your right eye.
Scope Mounts: I purchased special rimfire scope mounts that are designed for a rimfire 11 mm (3/8 inch) scope groove. Because I wanted to be able to use the factory sights with the scope properly mounted, I purchased "high" or "see-through" scope mounts for a rimfire rifle. The scope mounts I purchased on Amazon for $8.99 were "CVLIFE 1 Inch Dovetail/Picatinny Scope Rings High Profile" and they allowed me to be able to continue to use the factory sights by looking through the openings in the scope mounts below the scope after the scope was mounted on the rifle. The scope mounts also elevated the scope high enough so that the front sight and the rear sight were not visible when looking through the scope.
Carrying Sling: A variety of good quality carrying slings can be purchased at Walmart or online for $10 or more. Some of the slings that are available include the hardware to attach the sling to the sling mounts that are already on the rifle. However, some slings require that you purchase the mounting hardware separately.

Direct links to the Amazon pages that have two of the above items are below:

CVLIFE 3-9x32 AO Rifle Scope for Hunting. (Note: Be sure to click on the "5% off" coupon below the price.)

CVLIFE 1 Inch Dovetail/Picatinny Scope Rings High Profile. (Note: Be sure to click on "Dovetail - High Profile" on the Amazon page.)

I do not receive a commission or a fee of any kind if you clink on either of the above links or if you buy something from Amazon.

Shooting Results
I was in a normal standing position for every shot that I fired from this rifle. I selected this position based on my life experience of shooting a rifle in the woods. The only thing supporting the front barrel of the rifle was my left hand on the front synthetic stock. I did not use the sling to enhance the stability of the rifle barrel because I wanted to duplicate the normal shooting situation of a hunter who suddenly sees a wild game animal and who only has a few seconds to make a decision of whether or not to shoot the animal before the animal runs away.

All my shooting results were using "name brand" standard (inexpensive) 22LR ammunition.

All my shots were at a distance of 25 yards from the target because the factory sights on the rifle were theoretically adjusted to 25 yards at the factory.

I used the factory sights for my first five shots and the point of bullet impact was an "average" of 1.4 inches from the "exact center" of the bull's-eye from a standing position. By "exact center" I mean the precise pinpoint center of the bull's-eye. Based on this very limited test I would have to agree that the factory did a good job of adjusting the fiber optic sights that the factory installed on this rifle.

I continued shooting the rifle so that I could adjust the crosshairs inside the scope that I had installed on the rifle. I stopped shooting the rifle when I was satisfied with where the bullets were consistently hitting the target using the scope.

Overall I was very pleased with the performance of the Rossi RS22 rifle and I would recommend it to anyone who was in the market for an affordable, reliable, accurate 22LR semi-automatic rifle.

Information About 22LR Ammunition
The 22 Long Rifle (LR) cartridge is the most popular and the most common cartridge in the entire world. Somewhere between 2 to 2.5 billion rounds of 22LR ammo are manufactured and sold every year.

22LR ammunition is the most affordable ammunition available worldwide. And 22LR ammo can be purchased at almost any store that sells ammunition almost anywhere in the world.

Advantages of 22 LR Ammunition:

Cost: 22 LR Ammunition has always been less expensive than any type of centerfire ammunition for the following reasons:
- The brass case is a lot smaller.
- The lead bullet is a lot smaller.
- Less gunpowder is needed inside the brass case.
- There is no primer in the bottom center of the brass case. The primer material is in the outside bottom rim of the cartridge. This is why it is called a "rimfire" cartridge.
Sound: It makes less noise when it is fired, and it is less offensive to the ears, and the sound does not carry as far as bigger caliber bullets.
Recoil: It has negligible recoil. This helps the firearm to be more stable and therefore more accurate.
Training: It is an excellent caliber to use to teach a person how to shoot. It is also a good caliber to help a person remain proficient in his or her marksmanship skills.
Varmint Control: It is a good caliber for killing small varmints such as rats or raccoons. Obey your local and state laws. (However, rat traps and animal traps are a better option.)
Small Game Animals: It is a reasonable caliber for hunting small game animals, such as squirrels, rabbits, opossums, and groundhogs, if you can shoot the animal in the head or the heart. Obey your local and state laws. (However, animal traps are a better option for harvesting animals for the cook pot.)

Shortcomings of 22 LR Ammunition:

Dry Fire: A rimfire firearm should not be dry fired. Dry firing means to pull a cocked trigger when there is no cartridge in the chamber. However, after you have cleaned your rifle and before you put it into storage it is okay to dry fire the rifle to take the pressure off the firing pin. (Note: If you put a "clean" previously fired "empty" 22LR shell casing inside the firing chamber then the firing pin will strike the rim of the casing and this will prevent any possible damage to the firing pin. You could then put the rifle in storage knowing that there was no pressure on the firing pin.)
Single Use: Rimfire ammunition cannot be reloaded. However, you should still pick up the empty brass cases and dispose of them properly.
Effective Range: The accuracy of a 22 bullet is approximately 100 yards if you know how to estimate distances, and where to aim to compensate for bullet trajectory and cross winds.
Energy: A 22 bullet quickly looses its energy as it travels further away from the barrel of the firearm. Therefore it is not a good caliber to use for animals that are more than 100 yards away.
Self-Defense: A 22 firearm is not a reasonable choice as a self-defense weapon. Although a head shot through the eye, or the center of the neck, or through the heart, would kill an attacker, the chance of hitting these small targets when an attacker is coming at you is very slim. Approximately 90% of the people who have been shot with a 22 bullet have survived if they were not shot through the eye, neck, heart, or through a major artery. However, if a 22 bullet hits a person it will usually slow the person down and they will know that they need to get professional medical attention to stop the internal bleeding, and also to remove the bullet if the bullet is still in the wound. Since nobody in their right mind wants to get shot, the sight of any type of rifle in the hands of another person will usually discourage a person from taking aggressive action against the person that has the firearm.
Big Game Animals: A 22 firearm will not kill a big game animal unless you shoot it in the eye, or in the heart, or if you damage a major artery. The heart of some big game animals, such as a bear, is too deep inside the animal for a 22 bullet to penetrate all the way to the heart. And local and state laws forbid the use of a 22 for shooting these types of animals.

If a rifle is sighted to hit the center of a target at 50 yards, then the "average" 22LR bullet will have the following "average" characteristics if there is no head wind.

Distance	Bullet Drop	Energy	Velocity
Muzzle	0 inches	140 ft.lbs.	1255 fps
50 yards	0 inches	110 ft.lbs.	1115 fps
75 yards	2 inches	100 ft.lbs.	1065 fps
100 yards	6 inches	92 ft.lbs.	1020 fps
150 yards	20 inches	79 ft.lbs.	945 fps
200 yards	42 inches	68 ft.lbs.	890 fps

If a 22LR bullet is fired from a rifle at a 40 degree angle up into the air, then the bullet can travel about one-mile or 1600-meters before it falls to the ground.

If a 22LR bullet hits the ground, or some water, at a high speed and at a slight angle then it may ricochet off the ground or water and continue for a long ways beyond the target. Therefore, for safety reasons, it is a good idea to practice shooting in a location where there is a hill behind your target that can stop all your bullets.

In April of 2024 22LR ammunition is currently selling for between 7.5 cents to 34 cents per round depending on the store, the name brand of the ammo, and the quantity purchased (50 rounds per box or 200 or more rounds per box). Most centerfire ammunition is currently selling for one-dollar or more per round. Therefore even though 22 ammo is a lot more expensive than it used to be, it is still cheaper than centerfire ammo.

Conclusion
It is important to learn and obey your local and state hunting laws.

A 22 caliber firearm will not kill a big game animal, such as a deer, unless you shoot it through the eye, or in the heart, or you hit a major artery. The heart of some big game animals, such as a bear, is too deep inside the animal for a 22 bullet to reach the heart. In the USA most local and state laws forbid the use of a 22 for shooting deer and other large wild animals.

However, the 22 long was created in 1871 and the 22LR was created in 1887. In the late 1800s these two cartridges were used to hunt small game, medium size game, and deer sized animals. It was not used to hunt bear, or buffalo, or wild boars. The cowboys of the American West usually carried a six-shot revolver that fired a centerfire cartridge. But a cowboy also carried a lightweight 22 caliber rifle for hunting small game animals for the cook pot. A lot of 22 ammo could be carried in a very small space inside a saddlebag. The ammunition was cheap, it did not weigh very much, and it was small compared to other cartridges. These were three very important factors for a cowboy.

These were also very important factors for most of the people who lived in the rural areas of the USA in the late 1800s and the early 1900s, including during the Great Depression. These people were relatively poor compared to the people in the urban and city areas. Therefore people in the rural areas relied on their 22 caliber rifle to harvest wild game animals, including deer, to provide fresh meat for their families to eat.

Unfortunately, in 1942 the Disney movie "Bambi" was released and the American people demanded that laws should be passed to protect the poor innocent deer from the ruthless evil wicked people who wanted to eat them. Therefore laws were passed that restricted deer hunting to centerfire firearms and it became illegal to hunt deer with a 22 caliber firearm. However, most areas included a provision in their laws that in a "survival situation" it was okay to harvest a deer using any method, including shooting it with a 22 caliber firearm.

If a long-term grid-down situation should occur at some time in the future, then it might be wise to remember the above historical information.

Hollow points are "usually" preferred for hunting small game animals such as squirrels and rabbits.

Although a hollow point is usually the best choice for self-defense centerfire ammo, it is not a good option for the 22LR if the rifle will be used for self-defense. The reason is because a hollow point will spread out and expand on contact and this will cause the bullet to slow down and the bullet will not penetrate as deeply as a round nose bullet. And penetration is the most important issue for a 22LR bullet when it is used for self-defense against a criminal because a deeper slightly more narrow hole is much more effective than a shallow hole that is just a little bit wider. A 22LR bullet has limited energy and that energy is best invested in penetration and not in expansion when used for self-defense.

For these same reasons a hollow point bullet is not a good choice for hunting medium size wild game animals. Penetration depth is more important than the diameter of the wound channel. Therefore a round nose (full metal jacket) 22LR bullet is a better choice than a hollow point bullet when hunting medium size wild game animals. And it can also be successfully used for small animals such as squirrels and rabbits.

If I were going into the woods then I would take a centerfire firearm with me to protect myself from predatory wild animals. I would not trust a 22 firearm for protection against vicious wild animals, including 200 pound feral hogs or 350 pound black bears.

However, if I were trapping wild game animals then I might carry a 22 firearm with me in addition to a 40 caliber or larger semi-automatic pistol when I checked the traps on my trap line. I would rely on the big caliber pistol for protection against predatory animals because the smell of a dead or wounded animal that is caught in a trap can sometimes attract larger animals. But I would use the 22 firearm to safely and humanely dispatch a wild animal that was caught in one of my traps if the animal was still alive.

Respectfully,
Grandpappy.

Grandpappy's e-mail address is: RobertWayneAtkins@hotmail.com