Keystone Arms Chipmunk

The History of Keystone Arms

The story of Keystone Arms goes back in the year 1994 when father and son Bill and Steve McNeal first came across a Chipmunk .22 caliber rifle. They were intrigued by the firearm and became interested in purchasing the rifles from the manufacturer which later grew into an actual offer of purchasing the company that manufactured the Chipmunks. However, after the plans to acquire the manufacturing company fell through, they embarked on a different path and decided to create their own firearm.

In 1996, the McNeals officially opened Keystone Arms as a family-run business, with only four employees on the team. Despite starting off as a small company with limited production capabilities, they successfully managed to manufacture 4,000 units of their signature Crickett rifle within the first year of production.

Their efforts didn't stop there. The company experienced significant growth, leading to the acquisition of two key businesses in 2007 when they acquired the Rogue Rifle Company in Oregon originally known for producing the Chipmunk rifle that had inspired the McNeals and also bought the Revolution Stocks – a company that supplied the KSA with stocks upon which they built their rifles. These strategic acquisitions marked a significant milestone in the company’s journey. Keystone Sporting Arms moved to a larger facility in Milton, Pennsylvania, in 2008. This allowed them to increase their annual rifle production to around 60,000 units.

Today, Keystone Arms has about 55 employees and mainly focuses on making small-bore Crickett Single Shot rifles and Chipmunk adult pistols, as well as replacement stocks and precision barrels. The company is staying focused on their core products while production is growing steadily.

Keystone Arms Chipmunk Rifle Review

The Keystone Arms Chipmunk is a bolt-action, single-shot rifle primarily designed for young shooters. It features a blued steel receiver and a hardened alloy, nickel-plated steel bolt with a large single locking lug running along the length of the bolt that aligns with the right side of the action's housing. Contrary to the Keystone Arms Crickett model which is supplied with a polymer cocking knob and polymer front sight, the Chipmunk uses a metal cocking knob and front sight. Another difference is the choice of stocks and configurations, as the Chipmunk is only available in wood and laminate stocks with two deluxe stock variants made from walnut. Otherwise, the rifles are mechanically the same.

The receiver comes with holes that are drilled and tapped, ready for attaching a scope. Unlike typical bolt-action designs, the Chipmunk is not designed to automatically cock when cycling the bolt, neither on opening nor on closing. Notably, the rifle has a separate cocking knob that must be pulled back prior to each shot to cock the firearm – the same as on Crickett.

The preset trigger pull of the rifle is around 2268 grams (5 lbs). Chipmunk is also equipped with a fixed front sight and an adjustable one at the rear. The safety feature is a small knob at the front of the trigger guard that works by locking the bolt via a rod, extending through a hole in the chamber's bottom. The barrel measures 409 mm (16-inch) in length, with a rifling twist rate of 1 per 406 mm (1:16 inches). The Chipmunks are backed by a lifetime warranty.

Figure 1: Keystone Arms Chipmunk Rifle, chambered for .22 LR (Source: https://kineticarmoryllc.com/keystone-sporting-arms-chipmunk-deluxe-22lr-bl-walnut/)

Keystone Arms Chipmunk Calibers

The rifle can be chambered for the following calibers:

• .22 Short

• .22 Long

• .22 LR

Keystone Arms Chipmunk Variants

The rifle is available in the following variants:

• Keystone Arms Chipmunk Black Laminate

• Keystone Arms Chipmunk Camo Laminate

• Keystone Arms Chipmunk Walnut

• Keystone Arms Chipmunk Walnut Left Hand

• Keystone Arms Chipmunk Deluxe Walnut

• Keystone Arms Chipmunk Deluxe Walnut Special Edition (Gloss)

• Keystone Arms Chipmunk Brown Laminate

The receiver of Chipmunk rifles comes with three holes for optics mounting purposes, two on the front and one on the rear end of the receiver. The rear hole is mostly used to accommodate the rear peep sight which comes with the rifle.

Figure 2: The receiver of Keystone Arms Chipmunk rifle, chambered for .22 LR (Source: https://www.gunsinternational.com/guns-for-sale-online/rifles/rifles---youth/keystone-chipmunk-deluxe--22-lr-single-shot-16-125-quot--00008bsc.cfm?gun_id=101280008)

Scope Mounts Interchangeable With Keystone Arms Chipmunk

Rifles That Have One-Piece Scope Mounts Interchangeable With Keystone Arms Chipmunk

For one-piece mounts to fit on a rifle, mounting surfaces on these rifles must match in every dimension.

Rifles That Have Two-Piece Scope Mounts Interchangeable With Keystone Arms Chipmunk

To meet interchangeability conditions, two-piece mounts must match in all dimensions except the B distance. B distance can vary because two-piece mounts can be installed and adjusted closer or further apart.

Unfortunately, we cannot provide you with the list of interchangeable scope mounts for Chipmunk rifles. Should you happen to own this rifle and would be willing to share with us more information regarding scope mounts interchangeability, we kindly ask you to contact us at info@optics-trade.eu

Thank you for your help!

Best Scope Mounts for Keystone Arms Chipmunk

Detachable repeatable Scope Mounts for Keystone Arms Chipmunk

If you are planning on putting a scope mount on your Chipmunk rifle, you might consider this Picatinny rail manufactured by the American company EGW. It is made of high-quality aluminum and can be mounted on the front 2 holes of the receiver with a centerspread of 16.91 mm.

Click here for EGW Picatinny rail

Help Us Build Our Riflescope Mounts Database

If you happen to own this or any other rifle, we would appreciate it if you could help us expand our database by sending us some photos of the rifle receiver (the bare mounting surface of the rifle without the scope mounts installed). For your help, our company offers a fair return in terms of practical rewards.

Please send us an email for more information. You can contact us here: info@optics-trade.eu