small game with a .22 pistol - then and now
Posted: 13 Feb 2016 16:56
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.
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.