# .22 handgun for small game



## KBSPEED

Wondering if anyone uses a .22 handgun for squirrels and or rabbits. I had a guy I worked with that bought a ruger and absolutely loved it for suirrel hunting. Said he would never go back to a long gun. Wondering what other people have and what they like. 

Thanks for the help


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## ENCORE

Browning, Buckmark
I checked both before I bought. Glad I bought the Browning!


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## tstu2

Ruger Mark I

Old, but still working without flaws.


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## Frantz

I love the Buckmark with the heavy barrel. Extractors are a little weak for the high velocity ammo, but the standard stuff kills a small critter just as well.


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## rosharb

Smith & Wesson 617 works great.


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## Jr.BowmanMI

The ruger single six is a dandy gun.


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## john warren

yup love my buckmark. though recently i've been thinking about a single six with a long barrel,,, just looks fun to shoot.
i don;t think you can go wrong with any quality .22 pistol, assuming you spend the time to learn to shoot it.


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## Quack Wacker

Smith & Wesson No Bull Automatic 5" barrel with a red dot scope, it is alot of fun.


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## old professor

The best small game .22 that I have ever shot/owned was a Ruger Mark I Bull bbl with a 3 power scope. Killed rabbits on the run and squirrels with that combo. If I were putting a sight of that gun today, I would use a reflex red dot , rather than a conventional scope. I also like the Ruger Single Six for its dual cylinders 22/22 Mag.


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## ridgewalker

_I have used the Ruger Single Six for some time and love it._


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## polskagunner

ruger mark 3


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## thundrst

It looks like you have a beagle or 2. I would NOT recommend trying a .22 pistol while hunting with a good beagle. You will not be able to hunt rabbits with a shotgun the rest of your life! You'll get hooked. Instead of having your dog bring the rabbit around once, shooting once, and that's the end of the chase cause you waxed the rabbit within 15 minutes of jumping it; you'll end up shooting 9 or 10 times, listening to your dog circle the rabbit 3 or 4 times, and have an hour of fun (in addition to having a rabbit that you can eat all of the meat without worring about chipping a tooth on shot).

I just wouldn't do it. It's like smoking or even drugs. JUST SAY NO!:lol:


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## fsutroutbum

Ruger long barrel single six. Interchangeable to chamber regular or mags. I love it. Make hunting tree rats a blast


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## KBSPEED

> It looks like you have a beagle or 2. I would NOT recommend trying a .22 pistol while hunting with a good beagle. You will not be able to hunt rabbits with a shotgun the rest of your life! You'll get hooked. Instead of having your dog bring the rabbit around once, shooting once, and that's the end of the chase cause you waxed the rabbit within 15 minutes of jumping it; you'll end up shooting 9 or 10 times, listening to your dog circle the rabbit 3 or 4 times, and have an hour of fun (in addition to having a rabbit that you can eat all of the meat without worring about chipping a tooth on shot).


I have a .410 handgun that I rabbit hunt with now but would really like to try it with a .22 handgun with a red dot scope. Last year I used my 12 gauge twice and the race was over right away. I could really care less about shooting rabbits I would rather listen to them honds for an hour.

Thanks for all the input so far!!!!!!!


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## Mich. Buck Wacker

Jr.BowmanMI said:


> The ruger single six is a dandy gun.


 
I'll second that.


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## thundrst

I have one but only shot one woodcock with it, no rabbits. Sounds like fun though. I used a Ruger Mark I with open sights on rabbits (when I had hounds). I also quickly changed over to using long rifle hollow points. Seems like overkill but I found that on running rabbits, the automatic is nice, and with the hollow points if you hit them anywhere they will expire very fast. I even hit one in the ankle once & it bled out very fast. With the dogs you wont lose any even with solid tips, but in my experience they always ran farther with the solid tips. The only one I "lost" was one that I hit in the ear after shooting high on an attempted head shot. My buddy got it a little later & it had a fresh .22 cal peircing in the middle of its ear! Good Luck with whatever you choose & enjoy the beagle music!


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## Bountyhunter

I like my Mossberg 500 20 gauge with a shot size of 6 or so. Multipurpose weapon.


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## KBSPEED

I have a super commanche .410/.45. I like it but it is awfully loud and you get only one shot. I have knocked numerous rabbits over with it and they get back up and take off. The ones that I have taken with it their is only a few bb's in the rabbit. Maximum range is pushing 25 yards and seems that the majority of rabbits that my dogs run back are out farther than that.

The best thing about the handgun is put it in the holster and forget about it until the rabbit is up and running.


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## micooner

Ruger Mark II or III with the target barrel absoulty the best


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## Mickey Finn

Ruger single six here as well.


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## thundrst

KBSPEED said:


> I have a super commanche .410/.45. I like it but it is awfully loud and you get only one shot. I have knocked numerous rabbits over with it and they get back up and take off. The ones that I have taken with it their is only a few bb's in the rabbit. Maximum range is pushing 25 yards and seems that the majority of rabbits that my dogs run back are out farther than that.
> 
> The best thing about the handgun is put it in the holster and forget about it until the rabbit is up and running.


You'll really like the .22 handun then. Quiter and can shoot way further. I'v shot many over 40 yards & a few over 70 (mostly luck at that range, but with hollow points and dogs, I never lost one). Good luck & if I were you I'd get that handgun soon, if the polls are right & the Dems take over, they could enact stricter gun laws at various levels. (Just MHO).


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## A-plus

I am addicted to hunting small game with a 22 handgun. Over the years have used High Standards, Ruger automatics and Single Sixes, S&W K-22s and Contenders. Rabbits and squirrels with a pistol are just about the most fun you can have hunting. A few friends and I have had some tremendous squirrel hunting over the years using pistols. We always strive for headshots and the first person to hit one elsewhere has to buy lunch.


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## bbutler

Beretta Neos 22 Is an awesome gun for small game.


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## timberdoodle528

I have a Browning Buckmark Contour that I absoulutely LOVE for small game. 

I went from a .410 to a .22 hand gun for a couple reasons. #1. If your out hunting for most of the day hiking through the woods, crawling over blowdowns ect... having a pistol is way easier than lugging around a shotgun.
#2. I don't really like to eat a lot of rabbits, and doesn't bother me much if I don't bring home my limit.

It's a lot of fun to target shoot too. The grips are great. I picked up and held a lot of guns when I went out shopping for one, and as soon as I picked up this one, I knew it was perfect.


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## drdnewcomb

timberdoodle528 said:


> I have a Browning Buckmark Contour that I absoulutely LOVE for small game.
> 
> I went from a .410 to a .22 hand gun for a couple reasons. #1. If your out hunting for most of the day hiking through the woods, crawling over blowdowns ect... having a pistol is way easier than lugging around a shotgun.
> #2. I don't really like to eat a lot of rabbits, and doesn't bother me much if I don't bring home my limit.
> 
> It's a lot of fun to target shoot too. The grips are great. I picked up and held a lot of guns when I went out shopping for one, and as soon as I picked up this one, I knew it was perfect.
> 
> Ditto on on this one. The grip on the gun is awesome. Keeps your hunting spots from getting decimated too quickly too. Last year we were limiting out with our shotguns. The handguns slowed down the kill rate but having a lot more fun and the dogs are getting a better workout too.
> 
> Put a red dot on mine this year and can't wait to try it. The main difference overal I've noticed is that the rabbits don't topple over when you nail them. They may actually keep going for a while with no indication that they've been hit.


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## 22 Chuck

Ruger Mark III-Hunter 6 7/8" barrel w/ Millet red dot.


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## TrekJeff

I went out with my .22 Beretta and loved it. Ya just have to keep in mind the backstop if shooting at a squirrel that's elevated...just like with a rifle


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## Beagle

I have beagles and love to hunt with my Buckmark.

Usually, I am not trying to kill a lot of rabbits so I am not really trying hard to get into position for a shot, but the hand gun makes it very challenging so it adds that element back in. 

Another real fun thing with rabbits is recurve and judo tip.... A BLAST and very safe for a larger group.

I do not use it for squirrels as I prefer headshots for ease of cleaning the squirrels.


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