.22 for rabbits

CottontailRunner · Post by **CottontailRunner** » Wed May 03, 2006 4:27 am

I am saving up for a Remington 597 in .22 long rifle. It's only the basic model (can't afford wood) it has the matte finish, 20" barrel, 10 shot clip, 14" LOP, and open sights. I am still looking for a scope...i want something low power-4X or less. It will be used for mostly rabbits and some squirrels.
What do you all think?

hounddog · Post by **hounddog** » Wed May 03, 2006 7:10 am

IMO I would not use a rifle to rabbit hunt with. Anytime you shoot into the ground there is the possiblity of hitting a rock or other hard object. I know a few people that use them, but I don't think the lose of someones life is worth it. Safety first!!!!!!!!!!!! Should make an awesome squirrel gun though.

hounddog
Jim Umbarger

Briarhoppers · Post by **Briarhoppers** » Wed May 03, 2006 7:48 am

IMO - you would be much better off to purchase a single shot 20 gauge. You can typically get a new one for about $80 or so. I'd also call around to the local pawn shops and see if you can't find a deal.

If you are running rabbits w/ dogs, this is a MUCH better choice for you. It would take a pretty unbelievable shot to consistantly hit a moving rabbit w/ a scoped 22. Also, 22 are not nearly as safe as the shotgun. Buy yourself a box of low brass 6's and roll a few rabbits!

Good luck!

Pete

Big Mike · Post by **Big Mike** » Wed May 03, 2006 12:45 pm

I agree with h/dog and B/hopper, I would not recommend using .22 for rabbits, not worth the risk of injury or worse to you or your dogs. I have been using a .410 for over 50 years, can't beat it.

CottontailRunner · Post by **CottontailRunner** » Thu May 04, 2006 9:24 pm

i have a savage model 220 in 16 gauge.(single shot) fixed full choke...was thinking about getting a smith to open it up to a mod.

Briarhoppers · Post by **Briarhoppers** » Fri May 05, 2006 7:45 am

16 gauge will work great - that is what my dad uses. A lot of those old single barrel shotguns have 28" barrels. You could have that gunsmith tak of 2 - 4" and open it to mod. and put the bead back on it. Then add a sling to it and you would be set.
-Pete

mundellm · Post by **mundellm** » Fri May 05, 2006 11:58 am

I not sure why everyone is against hunting rabbits with a 22. I hunt ground hogs with a 22 ...samething just bigger. Take only head shots at a sitting rabbit. Know your target and whats behind it. Dont take running shots with single projectile weapons. Would a shotgun be safer ...sure it would ...

I would never take a 22 out when hunting with dogs or jump shooting running rabbits.

How can you recommend hunting sqiurrels and not rabbits ....Squirrels are in the tree most of the time. So shooting in the air is safer then shooting into the ground if you miss?..i dont get that logic

I jot trying to start a flame war here ....just some common sense...depending on the situation either could be used

CottontailRunner · Post by **CottontailRunner** » Fri May 05, 2006 5:58 pm

where I hunt is is really thick(you can only see 5-10 yards around you) and the only way I get a shot is when the rabbit crosses the logging road, plus I only hunt by myself & with only one dog. So, the chances of me hitting the dog is out. And I can handle a weapon safely.....
Not pickin a fight, just posting my thoughts.

cabin fever · Post by **cabin fever** » Fri May 05, 2006 9:03 pm

Using a .22 for squirrels works great I've hunted them with a Thompson contender .22 pistol for years, makes it a bit more challenging, but it's pretty easy to sneak in on a squirrel cutting on nuts and wait for a good shot. Unless you are planning on sneaking up on sitting rabbits and shooting them I wouldn't recommend a .22. You would be lucky to ever find a moving rabbit in the scope let alone ever getting the cross hairs on it and hitting it. I would never use a .22 for rabbits for the safety reasons others have mentioned but if I was going to I would not have a scope on it.

Dave

huntinfool · Post by **huntinfool** » Sat May 06, 2006 7:28 am

I would tend to disagree with many of you on the safety issue. A firearm has never injured anyone ever yet, the person holding it did. A shotgun is every bit as dangerous as a rifle, in the hands of the wrong individual. Furthermore, you must consider the terrain and situation. I shot 6 rabbits last year with the .22, in 3 trips out hunting. I will take the .22 out when I care very little about shooting a rabbit, but want to get some work in for the dogs. When I'm wanting to shoot rabbits, I take the shotgun. Where I live, it's rolling hills, and I hunt almost all sidehills, if I'm carrying the .22, I hunt a sidehill. If the rabbit isn't sitting or uphill from me, I don't shoot. By shooting uphill, I'm always shooting into the ground. I don't shoot at them running flat out at all either. I will and have shot them hopping along though. I've never had any problem getting them in the scope running either, but don't shoot unless they slow down to a hop or stop. I take select shots, I don't throw lead. I will add that I never would take a .22 into public lands after bunnies, or when I'm near houses, and I wouldn't take more than 2 dogs good handling dogs, if carrying the .22, preferably only one dog. I would have taken the .22 out more last year, but the last time I took it, I saw about 5 or 6 rabbits, all flyers, and took the shotgun the rest of the year, wanted to put meat in the pot.

Four Oaks · Post by **Four Oaks** » Sat May 06, 2006 3:44 pm

Well I wouldn't use one. You are taking to many risks with ricochets. Plus it's a lot easier to hit a rabbit with 20+ projectiles than just one.

But if you think that you can hit a rabbit safely and cleanly, go for it.

huntinfool · Post by **huntinfool** » Sat May 06, 2006 4:41 pm

Four Oaks wrote:Well I wouldn't use one. You are taking to many risks with ricochets. Plus it's a lot easier to hit a rabbit with 20+ projectiles than just one.

I agree, it's easier to hit a rabbit with multiple pellets than just one bullet, BUT on the flip side of that, it's also much easier for one of those multiple pellets that isn't precisely aimed to hit something it's not supposed to also. Like I said when I'm wanting to bag rabbits, I definitely take the shotgun.

About ricochets, I wonder how far a .22 round actually travels after the ricochet. I can remember as a teen 15 or 16 years old, that a couple of friends and I were shooting into a frozen water fall out behind his house, and the bullets would only penetrate into the ice an inch or so, and shots off that were glancing would hit the rocks off to the side and fall to the bottom and we would pick them up. Really smart huh?

Young and dumb, but anyways energy is lost everytime that bullet hits something obviously, I just wonder how much.

Four Oaks · Post by **Four Oaks** » Sat May 06, 2006 5:52 pm

huntinfool wrote:About ricochets, I wonder how far a .22 round actually travels after the ricochet.

I wouldn't think very far, but you never know. It would all depend on certain things I guess.

Incahoots · Post by **Incahoots** » Mon May 29, 2006 3:50 pm

I use a Colt Trooper 22 lr with no problems. Alot of the statements about a 22lr being dangerous have been tested by Physics departments and have been disproven....

Here is one done by David Koltick, Physics Department, Purdue University

http://koltick.physics.purdue.edu/papers/impact_22.pdf

The bullets basically are stopped upon
impact because of the physical properties of the lead. For comparison, a low speed analogy might be an egg thrown against a wall.

THALL · Post by **THALL** » Mon May 29, 2006 8:10 pm

i personly only carry a .22 when alone.
anyone who has shot a .22 much at all knows it will ricochet, especialy on frozen ground. Most of my hunts are with buddies, my son, and 4 to 5 dogs. there is only a handful of people i would trust with a .22.