I'm kinda surprised it flew under my radar. Though granted, WHO KNOWS how many semi-auto .22 plinkers are out there? But this one seems QUITE unique. Looks like a pain in the butt to strip and take care of, but well given it pre-dates the Ruger 10/22 by 5 years, I think it's pretty darn good! ... Also... I wonder if back then in the late '50s that professional shooter broke that .22lr record on 2" cube blocks, he casually had drinks at SOME point while shooting for 8 hours. Maybe start at noon, get 4 hours in, start with the drinks, 4 hours later he's feeling pretty buzzed and then they head out for drinks probably without washing their hands after handling probably lead-bulleted .22lr for hours lol Man there really does seem to be something beautiful about the '50s in America. Yeah sure, it 100% had its issues, and we have our issues today what with feminism and BLM and LGBT stuff tearing the West apart, but A LOT about the '50s, I like. And I'm hopeful that some good traditional values of the era will come back as the Overton Window keeps swinging :)
@@normanmccollum6082 Irony is all that stuff "tearing the west apart" are actually concerted efforts to heal a country that was deeply broken and divided in the beloved post-war era. Segregation & Jim Crow were still alive and well, feminism just beginning to blossom after women's suffrage, and homosexuals were living lies everywhere. I agree about traditional values returning; too many modern Americans are comfortable trading liberty & integrity in exchange for snake oil from fascist politicians and literal Nazis- something the "greatest generation" is rolling over in their graves about.
Probably a better place at that time, maybe? Though racial discrimination is worse than today, the entire social climate, like the ones you mentioned, is even worse than back then.
The thing about .22 is how much more I prefer the .22WMR over all the other rounds. I have a bolt action Marlin .22wmr and a 6shot revolver chambered for .22wmr and I LOOOVE those two guns! I love them so much. The bolt action is SOOO on point that I can shoot a penny through the scope at 30-40 yards every single time. I've shot so many rabbits with it that the number must be over 100 by now. I do it everytime I grill in the back yard, I go ahead and pop a few rabbits to clean and throw on top of the charcoal. Then my .22 revolver I carry in my truck for emergencies. Revolvers are about as reliable as it gets, especially in 22wmr. And again it shoots so straight for a pistol. I have bigger, much MUCH more powerful and expensive guns but you can't go wrong with the .22mag for plinking and small game hunting.... BUT THEN of course they had to up the price of bullets.. Now for the last.. eh 15 years? It's been kinda silly to shoot .22mag because they are nearly the price of 9mm rounds! So I bought a 22LR cylinder for my revolver directly from the company that made the gun. I even got some cool etchings on it. But I only use that for plinking. Then I return it back to the .22mag cylinder in case of self defense. Although that's only if I don't have my 9mm on me. I keep that on my person, where the .22WMR revolver stays in the truck. Anyways... I'm gunna be honest guys I'm rambling and forgot my original point. Lol sorry for wasting y'all's time.
Ian, another interesting fact about the Nylon 66. In the early 1960s, Remington also sold chainsaws. One year they had a promotion that each dealer got a Nylon 66 to give away as part of the chainsaw marketing. At the time, my dad worked at an Oliver tractor dealer in Bristol, VA that also sold Remington chainsaws. I would go there after school and cleanup the shop, hustle parts and generally make a nuisance of myself. One year just before Christmas, Mr. Hull, the owner, called me into his office. He reminded me that I was too young for him to hire and pay me, but he said nothing prevented him from giving me a gift. He gave me the Nylon 66 that had been sent to him for the Remington chainsaw advertising campaign! One proud youngster! I wouldn’t begin to guess how many rounds have gone through that barrel, how many black walnuts have left the trees because of it, how many squirrels and rabbits were brought to the table (along with a few ruffed grouse!), but it still shoots better than these old eyes can see and still gives enjoyment through its memories and through watching my children and grandchildren enjoy it. Thanks for dredging up some old, pleasant memories.
In 1960 I was 12 years old and had "my" rifle (a JC Higgins single shot that cost around 12 dollars.) My friend down the block got one of these and I rather envied him. My father didn't believe in semiautomatic guns for kids so I had to keep on envying him. By the way, for means of comparison, $49.95 would buy a three speed "English racing" bicycle in those days. I did own one of those and paid my half of the cost by mowing lawns.
The Nylon 66 was very popular with the Eskimo's and Inuit in the artic regions of Alaska and Canada because of its extreme cold weather reliability and the fact that the plastic stock would not warp in those very low temperatures.
I knew a guy in the '80's who ran a trapline in northern Minnesota. He said he had replaced (under warranty) two or three 66's. I don't remember that he directly blamed the cold; I guess he may have been saving a few rounds of .22 by butt-stocking his catches.
My brother and I each got the 66’s somewhere mid 1970’s great rifles for early teens. I slipped and fell on some wet rocks and the butt-stock hit a rock and knocked a hole in it. The factory replaced the entire plastic and it was good as new. It’s even stamped on the barrel with a certain mark that it had been reworked. Still have it and love it.
These things are simple, but a blast to shoot. My father bought one for my grandmother before we inherited it and going out with her and plinking around was just so fun.
This rifle is actually surprisingly relevant right now because of 3D printed firearms and some of the similar design challenges they share. You can even print in nylon if you really want to.
@@iskandartaib Won't even work as printed nylon potentially. Part of the strength is the high pressure injection molding process itself. It creates singular uniform monoblock piece of polymer. That is why even say injection molded ABS and layer printed ABS are not of similar strength. printed is always weaker since it isn't uniform dense, pressure formed part. It inherently has structure layers and thus structural breaks.
I used to have one of those Remington Nylon 66 rifles which had the Kodiak brown stock. (They came in either a black or Kodiak brown colored stock). As many rounds as I put through it (either in target practice, or shooting small game), I never had a problem or malfunction with it. Great little rifle.
Fantastic video. Thank you for featuring this amazing rifle. My dad had a couple for many years. A lot of cottontails, jackrabbits, prairie dogs and tin cans fell to this rifle! Loved it. God bless all here.
Was waiting for a long time for Ian to review a Nylon 66. A 1972-manufactured version was one of the first firearms I was introduced to at 13, along with a Charter Arms production AR-7, when my older cousin took me plinking for the first time. Both of them have since come into my possession. I've long since sold the AR-7 but I've held onto the Nylon 66. It's a great plinker with the same weight as a Crossman pellet gun.
I have my dad's Nylon 12 bolt-action, tube-fed rifle. It is known in the family as "Plastic Rifle", and it has always been a favorite to bring to shooting days. Over the 60 or so years that it has been in the family, it has been THE most reliable firearm in the arsenal. I can't say enough good things about it.
I have one still with the original box and all the paperwork. Note: do not completely disassemble this rifle without fully understanding how it works. It comes apart extremely easy with pins but there are several parts that need to be realigned with springs before putting the pins back. It literally takes 2 people or an original builders jig (i doubt they exist anymore).
When I was 14 my dad gave me one off these with chrome. It was crusty and crunchy in every way imaginable but it was still my first guns and the very first one I took apart and cleaned. I've used it for a decade now and I love it to death. Very cool to see a whole video on it by one of my favorite channels :)
Thank you Ian. I received mine as a hand-me-down from an older cousin who got it as a hand -me-down from his dad. This is the gun my grandfather taught me to shoot on and I put (no exaggeration) thousands of rounds with one. It was indestructible. And a 13 year old me tried. It was such a joy to shoot and very accurate. Thanks for doing this one. Hit me in the feels pretty hard. I don't comment much but this was really cool.
Your comment was my favorite here! My first gun was (IS!) a Marlin model 60 my grandfather bought for me (at Kmart!). in the 1970s. I have "better" guns today, but NONE are as TRULY valuable as my "60". You have a cool story! Guns like this are MAGIC. You NEVER forget your FIRST! 👍😊👍
I want to thank you for showing this rifle. This was the rifle my dad taught me to shoot on. He gave me this rifle, in Apache Black on black, when I was 12 and we went out to shoot it a few times. Just plinking empty soda cans in the woods. I really loved this rifle, it was so accurate and so easy to shoot. It was interesting to see you take it apart. I never took mine apart because I basically just cleaned the barrel and chamber after every shooting session and it ran flawlessly every time I used it. Because I never took it apart, I didn't even know the receiver was plastic. That was very interesting to learn, the faux metal receiver fooled me.
I owned one of these for years and my nephew has it now. It’s a tack-driver with the right ammo and I’ve put much food on the table with it. Has a fixed 4x scope on it which surprisingly holds perfect zero despite the rifle being somewhat flexible. Just a fantastic idea at the time and still better than many later offerings. They’re an iconic piece of industrial design if nothing else!
Entertaining and educational - the best of Forgotten Weapons videos. I love learning how different firearms function. The basic idea - firing pin hits primer which ignites powder, thereby causing it to burn rapidly and force the bullet down and out of the barrel - is simple and universal. The many different mechanisms men have invented to accomplish this seemingly simple set of tasks is fascinating.
I remember seeing the ad with the guy shooting blocks in Boy's Life magazine. As a kid I REALLY wanted one but my dad just wouldn't discuss buying a "plastic gun". Those things sold for around $100 at Kmart and Western Auto Stores and I see them now at gun shows for as much as $600. I don't see many of them SELLING for that but I sure don't see them for a hundred bucks.
My first rifle almost 50 years ago, and still have it. Thousands of rounds through it, utterly reliable, unbelievably accurate. A shame it's no longer made.
This was my first gun, it having belonged to my great grandfather. I still have it, and it's still my favorite rifle for pleasure shooting. An excellent firearm.
Finally some history on the rifle up at the lake cabin. Thanks Ian for speaking on this firearm that so many of us are familiar with but knew so little about.
My older brother bought a Mohawk brown in 1960. I liked it and after he moved away I bought an Apache black with a chrome barrel and receiver cover in about 1966. I was later able to acquire another Apache black with a broken stock. Not sure how they broke it but I was able to have a new stock put on it and still have both in good working condition. I told my two sons they can have them whenever they want them.
I love the nylon 66! And this has been one of my favorite episodes! I love seeing you so enthusiastic about this little gun. I have owned 6 over the years and regret ever getting rid of any of them. The Nylon 66 was the 10/22 of its time. These are such accurate simple little guns and as reliable as any semi auto.22 I've ever shot. I need to find another so I have one to leave each of my 2 girls.
The first rifle I ever owned was a Nylon 66 in Apache Black which was a birthday present from my father. It had a chromed barrel and receiver covering. I soon learned that the brown model was beter because when ever I went into the woods hunting squirrels they would see the shiney rifle a mile away and disappear. Other than that it was a very, very functional little plinker and was much admired by my friends. I still have it.
I always get excited when you showcase something I am familiar with and the nylon 66 is no exception however I am much more familiar with the lesser popular Nylon 11 bolt action as I grew up learning to shoot with one. As always, great in-depth information and content. Thank you.
I’m glad you mentioned the Nylon 11 bolt action. You are the only person I’ve heard of besides me that has one. I’ve had mine 52 years. I love it. It’s very accurate
I was using my fathers old .22 from the 30's. It was jamming left and right. So, I went to the local general store and bought a nylon 66 for 109.00. Over the three day weekend I put over 5,000 rounds through it. It jammed only once. After the weekend I Cleaned it and it was packed with spent powder. It was and amazing rifle. Wish I still had it. Loaned it out and It never came back.
The Cody firearm museum has a few Nylon 66’s on display. It’s a nice setup and goes into the history etc. These are still cheap if you can find one. Treasures. I got one a few years ago and broke it down to every part and cleaned it like new. Love shooting it. Has a factory scope. Not financial advice - but one (or more) of these is a great investment. Will be selling for $1000+ and more eventually.
Back in late '80s, I came very close to picking up one of these rifles as I was looking for a cheap plinker. It was essentially a toss up between the Ruger 10/22 or the Marline M60. The Remington 66 was a distinct 3rd choice. Wounded up getting the Marlin since the rifle had an 18rd tube at the time. When asked why I never got the Remington, I guess it came down to the nylon/plastic stock. I was a traditionalist and really favored wood. These days, I wouldn't have cared. Would love to get one of these in my .22lr battery one day.
Put up my old single shot and bought a nylon 66 when I was 16, stainless or chrome barreled, black stocked Apache model. Thing was somebody goofed. You pulled the trigger and it would empty 6 cartridges before you could take your finger off the trigger. So I swapped it for a standard version. It has never failed or jammed, super light and accurate. Always has been one of my favorite possessions.
I need to get one now. I still have my Marlin 60 My grandfather got for me (at KMart!) in the 1970s. She loads from the other end of course! Having both would be a nice compare and contrast. And one CANNOT have ENOUGH .22s!
ahhh Nylon 66, the revolutionary material that keeps everyone's automobiles held together. Such a revolutionairy material that no one has been able to properly replace for the past 40 years.
I have the Nylon 66 and the brown one called the Mohawk 10 c. They both are still fine. Bummer Mohawk had a 5 round mag. I found some 10 round mags recently The 66 was black and the 10 c was brown with an option in an ugly green.
That was my first rifle. I am now 75 and as I recall got it when I was 13. Still have it but haven't shot it for years....my other guns are more capable of course but lots of good memories of that 66. This video may encourage me to get it out and renew our (friendship) ;-) I😂 never had it misfire and was easy to maintain. I remember the ads when a guy took 3 of the 66s and shot a new worlds record of thousands of aerial shots over 3 days and only 4-8 missed. I do admire the engineering of the day that created it and tested (I am a retired engineer).
Mine is in the safe. I shoot it frequently. It fed us during the hard years! It was new in the summer of 1966, purchased from the Coast To Coast store for $49.99. I can still hit a pop can repeatedly at 100 yards. It is hands down my favorite firearm.
I inherited my grandmother’s Winchester model 74 made in 1940. She carried it in her saddle holster on a 200 acre cattle range. I understand it had a unique history that Winchester through the US Govt loaned about 600 of these rifles to the British underground. Some were equipped with scopes and were to be used as sniper rifles should the Germans set foot on British soil. It still shoots well and is very accurate. Perhaps some time you could do a vid on it. Thanks.
This rifle I will never forget. I had one in the low 1980's on a cattle ranch near Yucaipa, .ca. This was the most accurate weapon I have ever owned or used. The property we used was chock full of rattlesnakes and ground squirrels. I bagged quite a few squirrels at 100 plus yards no scope. The forearm was not as strong as I had hoped as I had to use it on my horses head when he was acting up and I broke the forearm of the rifle. My horse was just fine and stopped acting up for the moment. Many good memories from that time and with that rifle. Bets ammo was cci stingers or Remington yellow jackets. This was during the .22 lr ammo wars for who could get the most speed in a round.
I wanted this gun so bad when I was 13 in the eighties my best friend and neighbor had one and it was the funniest toy we ever shared we shot a milk carton of .22lr every day that we bought from the tru value hardware store for about 2 bucks
I've had all 3 versions years ago and loved them. I did a lot of snowshoe hare hunting with them, but in the end got rid of them all in favor of a Ruger 10/22 for the ease of reloading while hunting. Man, was I stupid! I should never have sold them!
About 15 years ago I bought one of these from an old lady at an estate sale. It was laying among a slew of daisy and crossman airguns. I honestly thought it was a slick .22 pellet gun, at least until I got it home. Paid $15 for it. I went back the next day to make an offer on a wrought iron base coffee table and I met the old lady's son who was distraught because he feared his mother sold the rifle by mistake. Long story short, I returned the rifle and got the coffee table for $20 as well as a shooting buddy who's accompanied me on many outdoor adventures.
I got the green one from a junk pile in a hardware store in the mid 60s. Took it home and found that it was an excellent rifle and have fired hundreds of rounds through it over the years and it has never jammed or misfired.
Haven't seen these in years. Back when I was a kid one of the old timers at the range had one of these and an XP-100. Looked like something from the future.
i have one my dad bought me back in the late 70's.. its still unfired and sitting in the original box.. i didnt want it so he was going to take it back but he didn't..found it in cedar chest when he died..
When polymer framed handguns started to appear on the market, I'd say "I don't want any plastic guns." Big talk coming from a guy whose first gun was a Nylon 66. I loved that gun and I still own one.
I spent 12 wonderful years in Alaska during the 70's and 80's. I saw a ton of rusty, beat-up Nylon 66's in trucks, boats, float planes and snow machines still shooting and functioning just fine.
the first rifle i ever shot and the first rifle i was given at age 15 in 1985 an now i have all but one of the line of rifles and even a couple of the clones from argentina!! nylon 66 in my opinion is one of the best 22lr rifles every made!! i wish i could even guess how many thousand an thousands of rounds i have put through mine
I bought a new Remington Nylon 66 at a K-Mart in Richardson, TX for $36.00 in 1971or 1972. I shot thousands of rounds thru it and so did my son. It was a great gun.
My dad got one when he was in his early teens. I shot it throughout my childhood. Great rifle. My brother has my dad's rifle. Then my brother bought me a knockoff he found in a gun store. The knockoff is not as good. I don't shoot it anymore because of how frustrating it is. But my dad's original Remington is still great.
Great video!! I have the mohawk, Apache and the black diamond. I hope to eventually find the senica green one. Only around 3000 of the green one were made. Fun gun to shoot.
I always wanted a Nylon 66. But traded a Marlin 66 for a plastic stocked Remington BOLT ACTION rifle with a 4x scope. I consigned it at a local gun shop and received $300 for it. I was told it was a rarity, but I had my eye on another firearm so it wasn't that important to me.
I bought a knock-off version of this rifle at Kmart for $100 in 1987. My first brand new rifle. I shot it so much that by the early 90's this semi auto occasionally became a three round burst, and it had to be retired for safety. When the bolt handle broke I replaced it with shaved down tooth brush handle. I came home for Xmas leave during Infantry Basic Training and was amazed at how light this was compared to the M16A1.
Most reliable guns I and my brothers ever owned. It just shot no matter how many rounds you put through it. 40 Years latter it was having issues so I completely dismantled and cleaned it. It looked like asphalt/road tar in the innards of this rifle. Cleaned it up and it'll probably work flawlessly for another 40 years. Yes, they are that reliable. BUT, never try a scope on them. The receiver has a metal shroud where the scope mounts that moves all over the place. I would get the scope sited in, load another 14 rounds and the scope was not sited again.
The first rifle I ever bought with my own money, around 1983. I was in the Air Force, and we lived surrounded by a forest, in the U.P. of Michigan. Thanks to humans killing off or driving off almost all their natural predators, the forest was getting decimated by these little red squirrels - only slightly larger than a chipmunk, but voracious and rapidly reproducing, they were tearing up the trees like a school of piranhas. The local forestry service therefore declared that it was "open season" on red squirrels, 365 days a year, 24/7. "Please, hunt as many of these damn things as you like." So, we did, a bunch of my service buddies and I. The Nylon 66 was perfect for this task, accurate and durable, and I had a lot of fun with it. To be honest, while I don't know for sure how many red squirrels I killed, these "after work expeditions" out into the surrounding woods kind of lost it's appeal to me in a couple months... and I've never hunted since. If I needed to for food, I certainly could - don't get me wrong; I understand the appeal and enjoyed a lot of the process myself, but I discovered it's just not for me in terms of a recreational pastime. I don't begrudge anyone who does hunt, and will fight to defend hunters rights, and I know we were "doing good" ecologically in our wholesale slaughter of these rapacious little squirrels (and providing a feast to a lot of ground scavengers in the process)... but I decided it was just not my thing. We would cut off the tails and keep them as trophies, and I still have a sort of mummified red squirrel tail on my memorabilia shelf. Loved that rifle, and wish I hadn't sold it. I keep a 10/22 for plinking these days, and spent a lot of money on after-market accessories and parts for it... but I wander the local gun shows to this day, with a pocket full of a couple hundred bucks, earmarked for another Nylon 66 should I see a decent one on a dealer's table. Great video, and sorry this turned into an essay - lots of old memories and nostalgia associated with this one. 👍🙂
Oh. Additional comment. Mine is Apache black. Whenever I have see brown I thought they were odd. I have always wanted a lever action. Again, great video. Thank you. P.S., ref earlier comment, in 1974 I was 8. When I would hear that the M-16 was a Mattel plastic rifle in my 8 year old brain I included my lovely Nylon 66. When the Zombies arrive, I want my Remington Nylon 66 and Ruger 10 .22. I have a fascinating story about getting a free Ruger 10 .22.😢
I have two if these, for something like 50 years. I've put tens (maybe hundreds) of thousands of rounds through them I love these little rifles. Thwey have never (not once) let me down.
I bought my nylon 66 in the summer of 1967 thanks to my grass cutting money i saved up. What an experience as a kid with my first 22lr rifle. I still have it.
...my landlord bought one way back. It was a jam-o-matic. He busted it and threw it into a bonfire. Me old man had a '50's Remington Speedmaster take-down with the tube mag in the buttstock. Could not fire three rounds before it stove-piped in the bottom eject....Bro sold it, did'nt even keep it as a family keepsake...
I once had one as a kid and would walk the neighborhood with it shooting squirrels. The cops stopped me and thought it was a pellet rifle so nothing was said. Knowing what I know now me and my parents would have been locked up had they actually taken it from me to inspect it lol.
My dad bought one of those for me when I was 11 or 12. He kept it when my parents divorced a few years later and I never found out what happened to it.
When I was kid in the early 60's this was my dream gun. I even had a coffee can labeled "gun fund" into which I would put my meager cash flow. Unfortunately, my financial discipline was never a match for my weak will power and I would always spend my savings on frivolous things , therefore I never did get one.
It may be cheap to make and god it is, but try to find a clean one, the last Nylon 66 I saw that was in good shape like the one here the price tag was $1800. I did get to shoot one way back in the 1964 time frame, one of my Uncles had one it was his barn gun, and when he died in 1986 that gun was in very very sorry shape. Barrel rust and corrosion. My guess is that the reason the ones in really good shape command such high prices is that there are so few of them around that are for sale.
I know it’s not a rare gun but still very cool to see a gun my dad owns that I didn’t know anything about.
I'm kinda surprised it flew under my radar. Though granted, WHO KNOWS how many semi-auto .22 plinkers are out there? But this one seems QUITE unique. Looks like a pain in the butt to strip and take care of, but well given it pre-dates the Ruger 10/22 by 5 years, I think it's pretty darn good!
... Also... I wonder if back then in the late '50s that professional shooter broke that .22lr record on 2" cube blocks, he casually had drinks at SOME point while shooting for 8 hours. Maybe start at noon, get 4 hours in, start with the drinks, 4 hours later he's feeling pretty buzzed and then they head out for drinks probably without washing their hands after handling probably lead-bulleted .22lr for hours lol
Man there really does seem to be something beautiful about the '50s in America. Yeah sure, it 100% had its issues, and we have our issues today what with feminism and BLM and LGBT stuff tearing the West apart, but A LOT about the '50s, I like. And I'm hopeful that some good traditional values of the era will come back as the Overton Window keeps swinging :)
@@normanmccollum6082 Irony is all that stuff "tearing the west apart" are actually concerted efforts to heal a country that was deeply broken and divided in the beloved post-war era. Segregation & Jim Crow were still alive and well, feminism just beginning to blossom after women's suffrage, and homosexuals were living lies everywhere.
I agree about traditional values returning; too many modern Americans are comfortable trading liberty & integrity in exchange for snake oil from fascist politicians and literal Nazis- something the "greatest generation" is rolling over in their graves about.
Probably a better place at that time, maybe? Though racial discrimination is worse than today, the entire social climate, like the ones you mentioned, is even worse than back then.
The thing about .22 is how much more I prefer the .22WMR over all the other rounds. I have a bolt action Marlin .22wmr and a 6shot revolver chambered for .22wmr and I LOOOVE those two guns! I love them so much. The bolt action is SOOO on point that I can shoot a penny through the scope at 30-40 yards every single time. I've shot so many rabbits with it that the number must be over 100 by now. I do it everytime I grill in the back yard, I go ahead and pop a few rabbits to clean and throw on top of the charcoal. Then my .22 revolver I carry in my truck for emergencies. Revolvers are about as reliable as it gets, especially in 22wmr. And again it shoots so straight for a pistol. I have bigger, much MUCH more powerful and expensive guns but you can't go wrong with the .22mag for plinking and small game hunting.... BUT THEN of course they had to up the price of bullets.. Now for the last.. eh 15 years? It's been kinda silly to shoot .22mag because they are nearly the price of 9mm rounds! So I bought a 22LR cylinder for my revolver directly from the company that made the gun. I even got some cool etchings on it. But I only use that for plinking. Then I return it back to the .22mag cylinder in case of self defense. Although that's only if I don't have my 9mm on me. I keep that on my person, where the .22WMR revolver stays in the truck.
Anyways... I'm gunna be honest guys I'm rambling and forgot my original point. Lol sorry for wasting y'all's time.
@@normanmccollum6082 you should shut off Fox news, the world will make a lot more sense.
Ian, another interesting fact about the Nylon 66. In the early 1960s, Remington also sold chainsaws. One year they had a promotion that each dealer got a Nylon 66 to give away as part of the chainsaw marketing. At the time, my dad worked at an Oliver tractor dealer in Bristol, VA that also sold Remington chainsaws. I would go there after school and cleanup the shop, hustle parts and generally make a nuisance of myself. One year just before Christmas, Mr. Hull, the owner, called me into his office. He reminded me that I was too young for him to hire and pay me, but he said nothing prevented him from giving me a gift. He gave me the Nylon 66 that had been sent to him for the Remington chainsaw advertising campaign! One proud youngster! I wouldn’t begin to guess how many rounds have gone through that barrel, how many black walnuts have left the trees because of it, how many squirrels and rabbits were brought to the table (along with a few ruffed grouse!), but it still shoots better than these old eyes can see and still gives enjoyment through its memories and through watching my children and grandchildren enjoy it.
Thanks for dredging up some old, pleasant memories.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful story with us! What a wonderful gift!
The chainsaws and guns were split off ages ago, but I have a Remington saw in my garage right now.
I grew up in Johnson City, and I always wanted a Nylon 66 when I was a child.
In 1960 I was 12 years old and had "my" rifle (a JC Higgins single shot that cost around 12 dollars.) My friend down the block got one of these and I rather envied him.
My father didn't believe in semiautomatic guns for kids so I had to keep on envying him. By the way, for means of comparison, $49.95 would buy a three speed "English racing" bicycle in those days. I did own one of those and paid my half of the cost by mowing lawns.
Man, imagine getting a rifle as a gift from a random person nowadays. Golden times, indeed.
The Nylon 66 was very popular with the Eskimo's and Inuit in the artic regions of Alaska and Canada because of its extreme cold weather reliability and the fact that the plastic stock would not warp in those very low temperatures.
I knew a guy in the '80's who ran a trapline in northern Minnesota. He said he had replaced (under warranty) two or three 66's. I don't remember that he directly blamed the cold; I guess he may have been saving a few rounds of .22 by butt-stocking his catches.
My brother and I each got the 66’s somewhere mid 1970’s great rifles for early teens. I slipped and fell on some wet rocks and the butt-stock hit a rock and knocked a hole in it. The factory replaced the entire plastic and it was good as new. It’s even stamped on the barrel with a certain mark that it had been reworked. Still have it and love it.
These things are simple, but a blast to shoot. My father bought one for my grandmother before we inherited it and going out with her and plinking around was just so fun.
This rifle is actually surprisingly relevant right now because of 3D printed firearms and some of the similar design challenges they share. You can even print in nylon if you really want to.
You really do have to want to print in nylon to actually do it, though.. 😂
@@iskandartaib Won't even work as printed nylon potentially. Part of the strength is the high pressure injection molding process itself. It creates singular uniform monoblock piece of polymer.
That is why even say injection molded ABS and layer printed ABS are not of similar strength. printed is always weaker since it isn't uniform dense, pressure formed part. It inherently has structure layers and thus structural breaks.
@@aritakalo8011 What if one uses graphene or carbon fiber to print? Would it at least stand the pressure of a .22?
@@aritakalo8011 That's why people anneal their parts
@@RandomiusBronius fiber infused filaments are already a thing
I used to have one of those Remington Nylon 66 rifles which had the Kodiak brown stock. (They came in either a black or Kodiak brown colored stock). As many rounds as I put through it (either in target practice, or shooting small game), I never had a problem or malfunction with it. Great little rifle.
Fantastic video. Thank you for featuring this amazing rifle. My dad had a couple for many years. A lot of cottontails, jackrabbits, prairie dogs and tin cans fell to this rifle! Loved it.
God bless all here.
I had a Nylon 77, the "clip " fed version. Super reliable, lightweight, cheap. Loved it.
Was waiting for a long time for Ian to review a Nylon 66. A 1972-manufactured version was one of the first firearms I was introduced to at 13, along with a Charter Arms production AR-7, when my older cousin took me plinking for the first time. Both of them have since come into my possession. I've long since sold the AR-7 but I've held onto the Nylon 66. It's a great plinker with the same weight as a Crossman pellet gun.
I have my dad's Nylon 12 bolt-action, tube-fed rifle. It is known in the family as "Plastic Rifle", and it has always been a favorite to bring to shooting days. Over the 60 or so years that it has been in the family, it has been THE most reliable firearm in the arsenal. I can't say enough good things about it.
I have one still with the original box and all the paperwork. Note: do not completely disassemble this rifle without fully understanding how it works. It comes apart extremely easy with pins but there are several parts that need to be realigned with springs before putting the pins back. It literally takes 2 people or an original builders jig (i doubt they exist anymore).
When I was 14 my dad gave me one off these with chrome. It was crusty and crunchy in every way imaginable but it was still my first guns and the very first one I took apart and cleaned. I've used it for a decade now and I love it to death. Very cool to see a whole video on it by one of my favorite channels :)
Thank you Ian. I received mine as a hand-me-down from an older cousin who got it as a hand -me-down from his dad. This is the gun my grandfather taught me to shoot on and I put (no exaggeration) thousands of rounds with one. It was indestructible. And a 13 year old me tried. It was such a joy to shoot and very accurate. Thanks for doing this one. Hit me in the feels pretty hard. I don't comment much but this was really cool.
Your comment was my favorite here! My first gun was (IS!) a Marlin model 60 my grandfather bought for me (at Kmart!). in the 1970s. I have "better" guns today, but NONE are as TRULY valuable as my "60". You have a cool story! Guns like this are MAGIC. You NEVER forget your FIRST! 👍😊👍
I want to thank you for showing this rifle. This was the rifle my dad taught me to shoot on. He gave me this rifle, in Apache Black on black, when I was 12 and we went out to shoot it a few times. Just plinking empty soda cans in the woods. I really loved this rifle, it was so accurate and so easy to shoot. It was interesting to see you take it apart. I never took mine apart because I basically just cleaned the barrel and chamber after every shooting session and it ran flawlessly every time I used it. Because I never took it apart, I didn't even know the receiver was plastic. That was very interesting to learn, the faux metal receiver fooled me.
I owned one of these for years and my nephew has it now. It’s a tack-driver with the right ammo and I’ve put much food on the table with it. Has a fixed 4x scope on it which surprisingly holds perfect zero despite the rifle being somewhat flexible. Just a fantastic idea at the time and still better than many later offerings.
They’re an iconic piece of industrial design if nothing else!
Entertaining and educational - the best of Forgotten Weapons videos. I love learning how different firearms function. The basic idea - firing pin hits primer which ignites powder, thereby causing it to burn rapidly and force the bullet down and out of the barrel - is simple and universal. The many different mechanisms men have invented to accomplish this seemingly simple set of tasks is fascinating.
I remember seeing the ad with the guy shooting blocks in Boy's Life magazine. As a kid I REALLY wanted one but my dad just wouldn't discuss buying a "plastic gun". Those things sold for around $100 at Kmart and Western Auto Stores and I see them now at gun shows for as much as $600. I don't see many of them SELLING for that but I sure don't see them for a hundred bucks.
Really fascinating gun. With more people looking to design 3D printable 22s, revisiting it is a great idea.
My first rifle almost 50 years ago, and still have it. Thousands of rounds through it, utterly reliable, unbelievably accurate. A shame it's no longer made.
This was my first gun and I LOVE it! Such an amazing gun.
same here! still have it.
This was my first gun, it having belonged to my great grandfather. I still have it, and it's still my favorite rifle for pleasure shooting. An excellent firearm.
I've retained mine for 50+ years now. What a great birthday gift from my dad .
Finally some history on the rifle up at the lake cabin. Thanks Ian for speaking on this firearm that so many of us are familiar with but knew so little about.
My older brother bought a Mohawk brown in 1960. I liked it and after he moved away I bought an Apache black with a chrome barrel and receiver cover in about 1966. I was later able to acquire another Apache black with a broken stock. Not sure how they broke it but I was able to have a new stock put on it and still have both in good working condition. I told my two sons they can have them whenever they want them.
I love the nylon 66! And this has been one of my favorite episodes! I love seeing you so enthusiastic about this little gun. I have owned 6 over the years and regret ever getting rid of any of them. The Nylon 66 was the 10/22 of its time. These are such accurate simple little guns and as reliable as any semi auto.22 I've ever shot. I need to find another so I have one to leave each of my 2 girls.
The first rifle I ever owned was a Nylon 66 in Apache Black which was a birthday present from my father. It had a chromed barrel and receiver covering. I soon learned that the brown model was beter because when ever I went into the woods hunting squirrels they would see the shiney rifle a mile away and disappear. Other than that it was a very, very functional little plinker and was much admired by my friends. I still have it.
I have one of these and it's in pristine shape. I love this little 22 rifle! Was wondering when you were going to get around to this, lol. Awesome!!!
Tried one of these at my gun club last year and been intrigued by them ever since. Thanks for the great backgrounder on em
I have one of these with chrome that I bought back in the 1970s. Still love it.
This rifle is like a discovery to me! It has intriguing design choices that capture my attention.
It’s amazing how they came up with these designs. It’s just blows my mind.
I own two. Loved them as a young teenager and still love them now
I always get excited when you showcase something I am familiar with and the nylon 66 is no exception however I am much more familiar with the lesser popular Nylon 11 bolt action as I grew up learning to shoot with one.
As always, great in-depth information and content. Thank you.
I’m glad you mentioned the Nylon 11 bolt action. You are the only person I’ve heard of besides me that has one. I’ve had mine 52 years. I love it. It’s very accurate
I was using my fathers old .22 from the 30's. It was jamming left and right. So, I went to the local general store and bought a nylon 66 for 109.00. Over the three day weekend I put over 5,000 rounds through it. It jammed only once. After the weekend I Cleaned it and it was packed with spent powder. It was and amazing rifle. Wish I still had it. Loaned it out and It never came back.
The Cody firearm museum has a few Nylon 66’s on display. It’s a nice setup and goes into the history etc.
These are still cheap if you can find one. Treasures. I got one a few years ago and broke it down to every part and cleaned it like new.
Love shooting it. Has a factory scope.
Not financial advice - but one (or more) of these is a great investment. Will be selling for $1000+ and more eventually.
We shot Rem 66s when i was a kid in the ‘60s. I still love it.
Back in late '80s, I came very close to picking up one of these rifles as I was looking for a cheap plinker. It was essentially a toss up between the Ruger 10/22 or the Marline M60. The Remington 66 was a distinct 3rd choice. Wounded up getting the Marlin since the rifle had an 18rd tube at the time. When asked why I never got the Remington, I guess it came down to the nylon/plastic stock. I was a traditionalist and really favored wood. These days, I wouldn't have cared. Would love to get one of these in my .22lr battery one day.
Put up my old single shot and bought a nylon 66 when I was 16, stainless or chrome barreled, black stocked Apache model. Thing was somebody goofed. You pulled the trigger and it would empty 6 cartridges before you could take your finger off the trigger. So I swapped it for a standard version. It has never failed or jammed, super light and accurate. Always has been one of my favorite possessions.
I had one of these when I was a kid. Awesome gun. Really accurate and held a shitload of bullets. I loved the back of the stock loading.
I had a 66 as a kid. Mine was black and chrome. My buddy had a Nylon 77 that was almost the same except it had a box magazine.
My first 22 rifle....countless hours popping off shots...mid 70's
Shoutout to the Klein screwdriver! Used for disassembly for decades
I need to get one now. I still have my Marlin 60 My grandfather got for me (at KMart!) in the 1970s. She loads from the other end of course! Having both would be a nice compare and contrast. And one CANNOT have ENOUGH .22s!
ahhh Nylon 66, the revolutionary material that keeps everyone's automobiles held together. Such a revolutionairy material that no one has been able to properly replace for the past 40 years.
I see you start with "ahhh" and I'm seeing this as an Orson Welles outtake in my head and it's awesome .
I feel like I've even seen glass filled nylon oil pans, probably stronger than the cast aluminum for that matter.
I have the Nylon 66 and the brown one called the Mohawk 10 c. They both are still fine. Bummer Mohawk had a 5 round mag. I found some 10 round mags recently
The 66 was black and the 10 c was brown with an option in an ugly green.
I had one when I was a kid, a great squirrel & rabbit rifle.
That was my first rifle. I am now 75 and as I recall got it when I was 13. Still have it but haven't shot it for years....my other guns are more capable of course but lots of good memories of that 66. This video may encourage me to get it out and renew our (friendship) ;-) I😂 never had it misfire and was easy to maintain. I remember the ads when a guy took 3 of the 66s and shot a new worlds record of thousands of aerial shots over 3 days and only 4-8 missed. I do admire the engineering of the day that created it and tested (I am a retired engineer).
My dad has one of these and its still his go to .22 rifle
Mine is in the safe. I shoot it frequently. It fed us during the hard years! It was new in the summer of 1966, purchased from the Coast To Coast store for $49.99. I can still hit a pop can repeatedly at 100 yards. It is hands down my favorite firearm.
i remember when i was 16, looking at magizine i cant remember, where these rifles were in the advert... i so much wanted one. nice to see one here.
I inherited my grandmother’s Winchester model 74 made in 1940. She carried it in her saddle holster on a 200 acre cattle range. I understand it had a unique history that Winchester through the US Govt loaned about 600 of these rifles to the British underground. Some were equipped with scopes and were to be used as sniper rifles should the Germans set foot on British soil.
It still shoots well and is very accurate. Perhaps some time you could do a vid on it. Thanks.
I still have an Apache 77 that I bought at K-Mart back in the late 80's. Someday it'll be handed down to my grandson.
This rifle I will never forget. I had one in the low 1980's on a cattle ranch near Yucaipa, .ca. This was the most accurate weapon I have ever owned or used. The property we used was chock full of rattlesnakes and ground squirrels. I bagged quite a few squirrels at 100 plus yards no scope. The forearm was not as strong as I had hoped as I had to use it on my horses head when he was acting up and I broke the forearm of the rifle. My horse was just fine and stopped acting up for the moment. Many good memories from that time and with that rifle. Bets ammo was cci stingers or Remington yellow jackets. This was during the .22 lr ammo wars for who could get the most speed in a round.
I still have mine and it still shoots great
Fascinating video and an ingenious design. Well done!
I wanted this gun so bad when I was 13 in the eighties my best friend and neighbor had one and it was the funniest toy we ever shared we shot a milk carton of .22lr every day that we bought from the tru value hardware store for about 2 bucks
His was solid black with a white diamond on the front hand guard we called it black beauty I don’t know if that was the name or just what we called it
I have owned one for 60 years, it is still a fine 22 rifle.
I've had all 3 versions years ago and loved them. I did a lot of snowshoe hare hunting with them, but in the end got rid of them all in favor of a Ruger 10/22 for the ease of reloading while hunting. Man, was I stupid! I should never have sold them!
About 15 years ago I bought one of these from an old lady at an estate sale. It was laying among a slew of daisy and crossman airguns. I honestly thought it was a slick .22 pellet gun, at least until I got it home. Paid $15 for it. I went back the next day to make an offer on a wrought iron base coffee table and I met the old lady's son who was distraught because he feared his mother sold the rifle by mistake. Long story short, I returned the rifle and got the coffee table for $20 as well as a shooting buddy who's accompanied me on many outdoor adventures.
I got the green one from a junk pile in a hardware store in the mid 60s. Took it home and found that it was an excellent rifle and have fired hundreds of rounds through it over the years and it has never jammed or misfired.
Haven't seen these in years. Back when I was a kid one of the old timers at the range had one of these and an XP-100. Looked like something from the future.
i have one my dad bought me back in the late 70's.. its still unfired and sitting in the original box.. i didnt want it so he was going to take it back but he didn't..found it in cedar chest when he died..
When polymer framed handguns started to appear on the market, I'd say "I don't want any plastic guns." Big talk coming from a guy whose first gun was a Nylon 66. I loved that gun and I still own one.
I spent 12 wonderful years in Alaska during the 70's and 80's. I saw a ton of rusty, beat-up Nylon 66's in trucks, boats, float planes and snow machines still shooting and functioning just fine.
the first rifle i ever shot and the first rifle i was given at age 15 in 1985 an now i have all but one of the line of rifles and even a couple of the clones from argentina!! nylon 66 in my opinion is one of the best 22lr rifles every made!! i wish i could even guess how many thousand an thousands of rounds i have put through mine
Notice that the stiffest tree is most easily cracked, while the bamboo or willow survives by bending with the wind.
I bought a new Remington Nylon 66 at a K-Mart in Richardson, TX for $36.00 in 1971or 1972. I shot thousands of rounds thru it and so did my son. It was a great gun.
My dad's 1st gun was a nylon 66 he gave it to me years ago. I still have it.
My dad got one when he was in his early teens. I shot it throughout my childhood. Great rifle. My brother has my dad's rifle. Then my brother bought me a knockoff he found in a gun store. The knockoff is not as good. I don't shoot it anymore because of how frustrating it is. But my dad's original Remington is still great.
always wanted that one, grew up with a JC Higgens single shot
Had one as a preteen, loved it. Sold it in 2012. T never malfunctioned.
I had one my dad gave me for Christmas in 1967 it was a great rife it was stolen in a house robbery in 1974.
I gave one of these rifles to my dad. They are fun for recreational purposes.
I've had my model 66 rifle since I was 14 and now I'm 63. I just cleaned it and will be taking it to a local gun range to shoot
Great video!! I have the mohawk, Apache and the black diamond. I hope to eventually find the senica green one. Only around 3000 of the green one were made. Fun gun to shoot.
I always wanted a Nylon 66. But traded a Marlin 66 for a plastic stocked Remington BOLT ACTION rifle with a 4x scope. I consigned it at a local gun shop and received $300 for it. I was told it was a rarity, but I had my eye on another firearm so it wasn't that important to me.
Neva thought I would Eva see one again used to love this little gun would still have it but for semi auto recall in australia
nice fun rifle, so much regret I didn't get one when I was younger
I bought a knock-off version of this rifle at Kmart for $100 in 1987. My first brand new rifle. I shot it so much that by the early 90's this semi auto occasionally became a three round burst, and it had to be retired for safety. When the bolt handle broke I replaced it with shaved down tooth brush handle.
I came home for Xmas leave during Infantry Basic Training and was amazed at how light this was compared to the M16A1.
Have my dad,s tube in the stalk, brown , white it is gold.
This was my grandpas first gun, that he got when he was 13.
I still own and use my Nylon 66 from 1970.
Most reliable guns I and my brothers ever owned. It just shot no matter how many rounds you put through it. 40 Years latter it was having issues so I completely dismantled and cleaned it. It looked like asphalt/road tar in the innards of this rifle. Cleaned it up and it'll probably work flawlessly for another 40 years.
Yes, they are that reliable.
BUT, never try a scope on them. The receiver has a metal shroud where the scope mounts that moves all over the place. I would get the scope sited in, load another 14 rounds and the scope was not sited again.
I liked the Mrs. Robinson opener.
The first rifle I ever bought with my own money, around 1983. I was in the Air Force, and we lived surrounded by a forest, in the U.P. of Michigan. Thanks to humans killing off or driving off almost all their natural predators, the forest was getting decimated by these little red squirrels - only slightly larger than a chipmunk, but voracious and rapidly reproducing, they were tearing up the trees like a school of piranhas. The local forestry service therefore declared that it was "open season" on red squirrels, 365 days a year, 24/7. "Please, hunt as many of these damn things as you like." So, we did, a bunch of my service buddies and I. The Nylon 66 was perfect for this task, accurate and durable, and I had a lot of fun with it.
To be honest, while I don't know for sure how many red squirrels I killed, these "after work expeditions" out into the surrounding woods kind of lost it's appeal to me in a couple months... and I've never hunted since. If I needed to for food, I certainly could - don't get me wrong; I understand the appeal and enjoyed a lot of the process myself, but I discovered it's just not for me in terms of a recreational pastime. I don't begrudge anyone who does hunt, and will fight to defend hunters rights, and I know we were "doing good" ecologically in our wholesale slaughter of these rapacious little squirrels (and providing a feast to a lot of ground scavengers in the process)... but I decided it was just not my thing. We would cut off the tails and keep them as trophies, and I still have a sort of mummified red squirrel tail on my memorabilia shelf.
Loved that rifle, and wish I hadn't sold it. I keep a 10/22 for plinking these days, and spent a lot of money on after-market accessories and parts for it... but I wander the local gun shows to this day, with a pocket full of a couple hundred bucks, earmarked for another Nylon 66 should I see a decent one on a dealer's table.
Great video, and sorry this turned into an essay - lots of old memories and nostalgia associated with this one. 👍🙂
Oh. Additional comment. Mine is Apache black. Whenever I have see brown I thought they were odd. I have always wanted a lever action. Again, great video. Thank you. P.S., ref earlier comment, in 1974 I was 8. When I would hear that the M-16 was a Mattel plastic rifle in my 8 year old brain I included my lovely Nylon 66. When the Zombies arrive, I want my Remington Nylon 66 and Ruger 10 .22. I have a fascinating story about getting a free Ruger 10 .22.😢
I wanted one of these so bad when I was a kid.
I have two if these, for something like 50 years. I've put tens (maybe hundreds) of thousands of rounds through them I love these little rifles. Thwey have never (not once) let me down.
World record holder shot 100,000 tossed blocks without major issues!!😊
I'll keep my Marlin 60s, but I would love to have one of these.
I bought my nylon 66 in the summer of 1967 thanks to my grass cutting money i saved up. What an experience as a kid with my first 22lr rifle.
I still have it.
...my landlord bought one way back. It was a jam-o-matic. He busted it and threw it into a bonfire. Me old man had a '50's Remington Speedmaster take-down with the tube mag in the buttstock. Could not fire three rounds before it stove-piped in the bottom eject....Bro sold it, did'nt even keep it as a family keepsake...
I once had one as a kid and would walk the neighborhood with it shooting squirrels. The cops stopped me and thought it was a pellet rifle so nothing was said. Knowing what I know now me and my parents would have been locked up had they actually taken it from me to inspect it lol.
My dad bought one of those for me when I was 11 or 12. He kept it when my parents divorced a few years later and I never found out what happened to it.
"Commander Remington...
Execute Nylon 66!"
When I was kid in the early 60's this was my dream gun. I even had a coffee can labeled "gun fund" into which I would put my meager cash flow. Unfortunately, my financial discipline was never a match for my weak will power and I would always spend my savings on frivolous things , therefore I never did get one.
I bought a Remington 22LR in the 80s. It couldn't hit the broadside of a barn. The plastic receiver broke.
As I recall, the 66 was advertised in BOY'S LIFE magazine.
It may be cheap to make and god it is, but try to find a clean one, the last Nylon 66 I saw that was in good shape like the one here the price tag was $1800. I did get to shoot one way back in the 1964 time frame, one of my Uncles had one it was his barn gun, and when he died in 1986 that gun was in very very sorry shape. Barrel rust and corrosion. My guess is that the reason the ones in really good shape command such high prices is that there are so few of them around that are for sale.
I have the green one. They are fun to shoot.
You should do a video on the remington 7615 police, it’s got a interesting back story