Okay, now that Christmas is past, I'll post a few observations on the Unique semi-auto .22s I own.
The Unique
49 is the predecessor of the more commonly known (but still not very common here in the US) X-51 bis. Unique actually made other semiautomatic 22s before the 49, with massive tubular receivers, but they are really rare over here. The only one I’ve ever seen was beautifully finished and somewhat reminiscent of the old Winchester 74. Anyway, Unique
probably started production of the 49 in 1949 and improved it in 1951, changing the name to the X-51. I would guess that production stopped in the mid 80s. The two are very similar in design and appearance, with the biggest difference being the X-51's single-shot bolt hold-open devise. A small knurled knob visible on the right side of the lower receiver can be turned out to automatically hold the bolt open after each shot. Pushing the knob downward allows the captured bolt to move forward to strip and feed the next cartridge for the next shot. It is soundly designed, very well made, and novel, but I've found little use for it on my rifles.
These rifles were no doubt influenced heavily by the Winchester 03/63 design. The bolt and op rod designs are very similar, but, of course, the Unique uses a detachable box magazine, while the 03/63 design uses a tubular magazine in the butt stock. Incidentally, the magazines, both 5 and 10-round, for the 49 and 51 are interchangeable…and nearly unobtainable. I paid over $125 for one 10-round magazine from New Zealand about two years ago (The third rifle I bought, I did so solely for its original magazine). On the positive side, some of the other Unique magazines, primarily those for the company’s pistols, will interchange, though the angle of the floor plates will not look exactly right. The Unique op rod does not rotate to lock the bolt back for cleaning and/or transport, like the 63, something I always wondered about. The Unique has a more traditional looking hammer, in contrast to the triangular 63 hammer that straddles the magazine tube. The Unique rifle is also more petite, weighing about a pound lighter than the 63.
Like the 63, the Unique is precisely machined entirely from steel bar stock, the fit and finish of which may be even better than the Winchesters. Polishing and bluing on my examples is also very good, probably about 400, maybe even 600, grit. The 49 and 51 also feature a small cocking indicator that protrudes slightly into the front of the trigger guard. Triggers are the equal of the 63…meaning heavy and creepy.
The barrels are very good with smooth bores, and these rifles really do shoot well, if one can overcome the heavy and inconsistent triggers. Like most take-down rifles with two receiver halves, a tight take-down screw will usually produce the best accuracy. On the other hand, I have found reliability to be better, almost perfect, in fact, with the take-down screw not so tight on these rifles.
Looking at a reproduction catalog from the 70s, the rifle was available in a variety of iterations, including a military-like carbine and even a look-a-like of the famous MAS/ FAMAS bull pup.
Interestingly, I now own three X-51s, and very few of the parts will interchange, including stocks. This indicates to me they are essentially handmade and likely explains why they are no longer produced. Two of my rifles have about 22” barrels, one with a threaded muzzle, and the third, a fully engraved version, has a 20” barrel. There are some other quirky things about these rifles. For example, the flats on the top of the fore stocks are angled at about 60 degrees, something that drove me crazy when I restocked my engraved model. Also, the op rod has a peculiar little doglegged piece screwed to its end to prevent it from rotating. I think Unique could have taken a more elegant approach.
Notwithstanding all the quirkiness, though, I consider the X-51 to be the finest semiautomatic .22 ever made. To me, it combines the petite elegance of the Browning ATD with the timeless and rugged design of the Winchester 63, all while being the equal of either in fit and finish with the added convenience of a detachable box magazine.
I hope this helps.
TBR
You have to look for the mag release notch in the right location on the magazine body. I have no idea for which pistol they were made, but they will always be 10-rounders...long enough to fit the length of the entire pistol grip. I will bet you'll never find another 5-rounder; I've looked for 20 years, and that's why I nearly bought that 49 out from underneath you...just for its magazine! Just so you know, the original 10-rounders look completely different than the pistol mags. I'll try to post some pics for you.
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