small game with a .22 pistol - then and now

[Chiefeis]

I'm a sucker for those glossy prepper/survivalist magazines. I think it's because I must enjoy being ticked off by dumbass "experts" who are getting paid to write that dreck.

Anyway, in a recent one was an article on optimizing the .22LR pistol. Hey, I have a nice .22LR pistol so I started reading.

Now, first problem is this expert apparently disagrees with the NRA and 99.9% of everyone I've ever known in that revolvers aren't pistols. Well, ok then. Let's get to the optimizations.

He had some interesting suggestions, mostly geared towards taking small game with his setup. But I got to thinking back, way back to the 70s when I was a young 'un. I'd go rabbit hunting with my dad's Ruger Mark I target model. No red-dot optics, no suppressor, no under-barrel mounted flashlight. Heck, I didn't even have one of those fancy tactical leg-rig holsters to carry it in - I just used my hands.

I seem to recall bagging a fair number of rabbits with just the open sights on the Mark I. Who knew I was doing it all wrong.

Apparently you can't really hunt rabbits, rats, muskrats, coons, etc. without adding $500+ in tactical toys to your pistol.

In the end I decided to spend $0 on upgrading my Mark I (yep, still using that same one my dad bought in 1961) and just enjoy taking it out and shooting bugs bunny's buddies with it. Call me old school, but I don't see the need to kit up like I'm going to war to hunt dinner.

[Ohio3Wheels]

Well said my friend.

Not a pistol but saw a guy at the range last weekend complaining that his AR15 was too heavy. Likely didn't occur that the 6 or 8 addons were most of the problem. I mean to each his own, but he had some brand of monster scope that I heard him say went to 24x.

Just don't see it .

Make smoke,

[GasGuzzler]

My 16" AR has a small scope and no adds and is heavy to me at 7.4 lbs.

BUT

I just refinished an early '70's Ruger standard for a friend and the red dot is coming off my 22/45 (to go on another AR build LOL) so I can carry it in the woods if I want.

I have a three screw Single Six (best .22 revolver ever) and my most funnerest .22 right now is my 1988 22" (long) barrel Marlin 60 that holds like a million shells. Its stock. It's probably the only gun I have that's not been modified and there's no reason to start.

To each his own. We all have our line.

Mine is painting overall or paint filling AR engraving. Looks as crappy as stick on fender portholes to me.

[Chiefeis]

Well said my friend.

Not a pistol but saw a guy at the range last weekend complaining that his AR15 was too heavy. Likely didn't occur that the 6 or 8 addons were most of the problem. I mean to each his own, but he had some brand of monster scope that I heard him say went to 24x.

Just don't see it .

Make smoke,

We call them tactitards. I know actual Tier I operators, and while they have a lot of add-ons they don't put them all on at once. They customize for the operation. Odd, I know. I mean, who doesn't want to hump 15 lbs of rifle all over creation?

[Chiefeis]

My 16" AR has a small scope and no adds and is heavy to me at 7.4 lbs.

BUT

I just refinished an early '70's Ruger standard for a friend and the red dot is coming off my 22/45 (to go on another AR build LOL) so I can carry it in the woods if I want.

I have a three screw Single Six (best .22 revolver ever) and my most funnerest .22 right now is my 1988 22" (long) barrel Marlin 60 that holds like a million shells. Its stock. It's probably the only gun I have that's not been modified and there's no reason to start.

To each his own. We all have our line.

Mine is painting overall or paint filling AR engraving. Looks as crappy as stick on fender portholes to me.

Yeah, paint filling is all the rage. Don't see the attraction myself, but I'm just a grumpy old chief. Biggest issue I see with all those add-ons for the AR platform is the change in balance. These guys almost always have a ton of stuff out on the business end. SMH.

[remus]

My first squirrel hunting handgun was a three screw Ruger Super single six that I bought in 1966. Didn't hunt squirrels with the 22mag, but the long rifle was good. Gun is still as it came out of the box, totally unadorned with any slick stuff. I still shoot it a lot but there aren't many squirrels here in Yuma Az. It's always a toss up when we go to the mountains, take the single six, or the model 18 for squirrels. Usually they both get took and both get used. The model 18 is unadorned also. Never had a pistol with a scope are anything on it, can't see the reason.

[Model 52]

A couple thoughts.

First, the OP's wording is a little quake so I don't know of he agrees or disagrees that revolvers are pistols. But the fact is that it was't until the Gun Control Act of 1968 that the ATF made a legal distinction between the two. The did so for the purpose of assigning points for importation purposes, using a different worksheet for revolvers than they used for pistols. In essence if it had a revolving cylinder it was a "revolver", while everything else (semi-auto, lever action or single shot) was considered to be a "pistol".

I'm not a fan of letting the ATF define anything in the gun community so I'm still just fine with calling a revolver a "pistol". It was after all the traditional term for a short firearm intended to be or able to be fired primarily one handed - the cylinder came along a lot later.

----

Second, I haven't shot a tactical rifle match in a few years, but I shot my first match in the late 1980s with a surplus M1 carbine I'd bought the day before, and zeroed that morning. I was basically filling space in thew week end between national match shoots. I got funny looks from all the AR-15 shooters, who at the time were into muzzle brakes, etc, and felt there was no way an M1 carbine could compete. But I took second place in the match, and the guy who one had an HK93.

I was a big fan of the M16A1 in my USMC days and I wasn't real happy to see the A2 show up as while it gained some effective range, the 1-7 twist precluded using M193 and M855 wasn't as effective at practical ranges. The net result was a heavier rifle that wasn't as nicely balanced. In any event, I eventually went to an AR-15 for both NM shooting and for practical rifle matches, but for the practical matches I stayed with the M16 and A1 style uppers and kept the weight down.

My most commonly used carbine was this more or less XM177E2 clone. It uses a 12.5" rather than 11.5" barrel to avoid all the complication of a SBR, and it's got a slightly heavier barrel profile for better stability in longer course of fire, but the focus is still on light and handy.



This was my other preferred carbine for tactical matches. It's sort of a mini-version of the slick side M16 with a fixed entry stock and a triangular hand guard but with a carbine gas system and 16" pencil weight barrel. With the stock side upper, it weighed 5.7 pounds with sling and empty 20 round magazine - about as light as you can get without going to a polymer upper or lower. I actually built as my baggage compartment survival rifle, with a .22LR conversion unit thrown in the case for both .22LR and .223 use.



In both cases, I'd get similar responses from shooters with M4geries who didn't think I could compete with no optics or other tactical do-dads.

The irony is that those folks with M4geries didn't have bad little carbines - until they hung 3 pounds of tactical crap on them and slowed them down.

[Bibletotingunslinger]

Chiefeis ,,,Thanks for your POST. My long barrel SA Revolver in 22LR has been on my side more than any other. I did have a holster made by a neighbor, back when I was skinny.
I will keep it till I die.
The most Under Rated tool.

[Ranch Dog]

I have a Taurus 25PLY, 25 Auto that I use for a small critter getter. More specifically, I run hold traps for raccoons were my whitetail feeders are and also along suitable areas in my bobwhite quail habitat project areas. The 25PLY is my dispatcher for sending raccoons to a better place.



The pistol is ideally shaped and suited for pocket carry and spends a great deal of time in my blue jeans. I load the cartridge with my cast bullet, the TL255-50-RF.

[Moon Tree]

Funny you should mention squirrel hunting with a .22 handgun. Squirrel season starts here in KY next weekend. A couple friends and I have an annual opening weekend squirrel hunt etched on our calendars. I usually come up with a "theme" for the firearms we'll use each year, like .22 rifles or .410's or .20 gauge shotgun. This years theme is any shotgun to gather meat and a .22 side arm. Rules are: if you take a shot at squirrel with the .22 handgun you get 1 point on your "man card." If you kill a squirrel with your .22 handgun you get 5 points on your man card. That would put even if I attend a ballet with my wife.

One of my friends doesn't own a .22 handgun (minus 1 point to his "man card" before he even starts). So, I'll be loaning him my Ruger Mark III. I will be hunting with my grandfather's S&W model 48, .22 mag with the 8 3/8 barrel. I've never hunted with that revolver before and am excited to do so this year. S&W is a sweet shooting revolver. I just need a squirrel to sit still within 25 yards.

I've probably take more animal with my Mark III than any other gun I own. First, I've owned it forever and it's always in the glove box of my truck for dispatching varmits of opportunity.