Ackley’s two volume book set, shows a half dozen rimmed 22 centerfires into the 1960s (book one). And at least three or more improved designs of each of them (book two). Marlin dropped the 219 Zipper in 1961. So 22 centerfires in leverguns were obviously popular right up thru the early 1960s. Then they were put to bed by the popularity of the near new .222 class of small cased 22 centerfires in bolt guns.

The Zipper in the model 64 was manufactured by Winchester for only ten years and then discontinued from really 1938 to 1948, but then no civilian guns were manufactured during the Second World War. There are a lot less out there than most think. So today they are a prize if you can find one. But hold on to your emotional shock system when you look at a price for even a medium condition shooter. Marlin chambered their 336 in the Zipper for awhile in the 1950s to 1961. And there was a steady business for gun builders chambering leverguns in the Zipper, the Wasp, the Canadian 22 Varmint-R, the Ackley 22/30-30, the 22/303, and the late great Donaldson Wasp.....even a bench rest cartridge called the .224 ICL Benchrester-R version.

And though it wasn’t chambered in a levergun, Winchester produced the 225 Winchester in the 1960s as a bolt action round to contend with Remington’s making the wildcat 22-250 a Remington round. Even though the 225 Winchester was a bolt action rimmed cartridge, I bring it up because the 225 W was nothing but the redesigning of the 219 Zipper Ackley Improved, with a smaller ‘06 size rim.

All of the ‘Improved’ versions of the 219 Zipper pretty much gave 200 to 350 fps more than the standard Zipper. But the standard is no slouch in the velocity department. When I tell people I can easily reach 3500 fps with a 45 grain bullet, 3450 fps with a 50 grain bullet and 3300 fps with a 55 grain bullet, some look at me strangely. They never envisioned a leveraction round of any caliber getting that kind of velocity.

Also with Cowboy Shooting..... contests and clubs going strong... the levergun has found a whole new generation of admirers and shooters. Since the mid to late 1970s and the chambering of leverguns in handgun rounds, also the resurgence of the 45-70 from Winchester (‘86), Browning (86) and from Marlin (336), hunting with leverguns has taken a jump up. Now it’s time for 22 caliber centerfires. I hope the industry gets on the band wagon. Meanwhile one of my projects is to build a 6mm Zipper Improved, I have the reamers....just need to get the barrel and decide which model levergun to put it on....I expect the 55 grain 6mm bullet to reach 3500 to 3550 fps from a 24 inch barrel and the 105 grainer to hit 3000+fps.

My 219 Zipper is almost as old as me, when the Lord took my Grandfather home (after 96 years) it was one of the guns he had that was to go to me. I made sure it did....telling the whole family anyone who attempts to get my Zipper or my S&W 32-20 Handejector....’we would come in the night and take those people away!’ Actually I knew my Aunt who took care of the Ol’Man for years had the guns carefully preserved and packed...they had been for almost 20 years before I got them. The Zipper shows it’s age and use on the outside, but it’s perfect bore and tight fit even now after 65 years, gives very good accuracy. And all the knocks, dents, worn blue, scratches and such, tell only the story of good service over decades not just years. Many of my family learned to shoot and hunt with the Zipper and a Winchester 25-35 my Grandfather had, and he used them both to teach us. "You will always be able to provide for your families when your growed, if you learn shooting an’ hunting!" he used to say it over and over...and my cousins and I did learn.

‘You don’t hunt ‘Big’ game with a 22 centerfire’, it was the family’s mantra. Even though they were very aware of the Savage 22 Hi-Power... it being a deer round and rifle that was very effective when the bullet was placed right. Even on upstate New York ol’mossey back whitetails that easily reached 200+ lbs.

I also use it for long range coyote hunting even though it’s a tough jacketed slug for a 22 centerfire. It’s a bullet that retains it’s velocity and doesn’t destroy pelts.... though pelts don’t bring much in dollars anymore. Some sheep ranchers quietly pay a bounty on them... but don’t talk about it because the tree huggers put up such a juvenile show of stupidity. With 28 grns. of H4320 under a Hornady 55 grn. it gives 3230+fps, but it is a varmint bullet. And it surely varmitizes all varmints...’varmitizes’ that’s a bullet’s ability to tenderize meat. Would I use this bullet if it were all I had on that 75 yard shot deer, it’s only 8 grs less than the Sierra 63 grainer? No I wouldn’t! I would use nothing on any large animal that would have a good chance at a surface wounding only.

Not too long ago someone asked me if a heavy bullet from a Ruger Camp Gun (rifle) in .223 would work well on deer sized game....since the camp guns I have looked at, and tested, have a fast 1 in 9 twist or so....I’m sure you could reach 3000 fps with a 60+ grain slug within pressure limits...30 grns of H380 will do it. Notice I use medium rifle powders even in the short barrel of the camp gun.

Ness concluded that like all leverguns some ammo gave great groups, some didn’t, different rifles preferring different loads. So what’s new in that. Ness ran 10 shot groups with all his test loads. That was the testing procedure in the 1940s and before. His groups ran 1 ½ inches to a little over four inches at 100 yards. Most of the inaccuracy was stringing up and down. Shooters didn’t do their own tinkering in those days, if they had and Ness had, he would have known that a stronger hammer spring would have cleared up much of the stringing...it really is the firing pin. Soft hitting firing pins, not hitting with enough force will string the shots, because of mixed ignition and high/low pressure.

But also Ness used open sights, terrible scopes of the day, and less than great bullets of the 1930s, and ten shot groups, but still averaged 1 ½ to 4 inches at 100 yards. That is obviously not inaccurate. The only problem I have with the Zipper 64 barrel is the twist, a 1 in 16 is much too slow. If I ever reline this barrel it will be with a 1 in 8 to 8 ½ twist.. tops. So that heavy bullets in the 80 grain class can be used. The heaviest bullet I had any good luck with in the W 219 Zipper, is the 55 gr. class and the old Remington 56 gr. commercial load. That Remington load by the way broke 3000 fps from 24 inch barrels and gave 1 ½ inch groups at 100 yards using peep sights. But it also was dropped in the early 1960s.

As much as it pains me to say it, the Marlin has some advantages over the old Winchesters in 219 Zipper. The solid action and closed top make for excellent scope mounting, the barrel is stiffer because of it straight taper and added thickness over the long slim Winchester tube. But the Marlins, especially those of the middle years of the 20^th century, are clunky to say the least. I take a belt sander to the wood and slim it way down. There is a difference in feel between the two models, the Marlin is a working gun... rugged, stiff, and heavy feeling. The Winchester is sleek, slim, quick to aim and feels old world classic. I solved the problem of which one to own... I have them both...! So the great but unloved 219 Zipper is gone but not forgotten.

ONE OF THE LESSONS OF LIFE HANDED DOWN IN THE KELLY FAMILY, Just because something is obsolete doesn’t mean, it is no longer very useful!!