After finding a store that sells ground buffalo, my wife asked me if I would consider hunting for wild meat -- preferring a gamier taste to regular beef. Naturally, I'm totally against the idea. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Anyhow, I've been browsing Ian's ".22" thread and browsing rifles and on the search for information about small game hunting.

So to my point...does anyone here hunt for their food pretty routinely? Not just during deer season or elk, but go out on a fairly regular basis for rabbit or other small game.

Also, I've been on the search for a .22 wmr and without spending Ian's budget on a rifle, I'm leaning toward getting another marlin 872vs. While I have a personal tendency toward this caliber because I feel it's a bit more versatile, I'd like to know your thoughts about this vs. the .22 lr (and also the 17 Hornady or any other relevant caliver).

Thanks all. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

If you're looking to plink and hunt small game then a .22 should do you just fine. It's been an effective game dispatcher for many, many years. Poachers even use it to take deer.

The .22 is a very accurate round. And you won't have any problems dispatching any small game with it. Rabbits and squirrel can easily be taken with the .22. However, they can get pretty old if you're eating them on a regular basis. However, if you're looking to cut your teeth for a season or two before moving onn to larger game then it's a good way to go about it.

Cost wise it is about the cheapest to shoot. For plinking I pick up 550 round bulk packs for around 10.00 dollars give or take. I own 3 .22 rifles, and 4 .22 pistols and they all digest the bulk packs pretty well. My hunting ammo generally runs me about 5.00 dollars for 100 rounds; cheaper if I can find a good price on it in bulk.

The .22 wmr, and .17 are going to cost you a bit more pricewise to shoot. However, .17 has come down in price a lot. And you're not really going to see an advantage of the .22 wmr over the .17. Plus I personally think that the .17 damages the meat a little too much.

I really think that the advantages that the .22wmr and .17 have are in distance shots. Out of a rifle I consider the .22 to be a 75 yard round. Some types of ammo shoot very well out to one hundred yards or so, and a lot of others are good inside of 50 yards. So if you split the difference you've got 75 yards. You'll do a little better with the .17 and wmr. But it'll also cost you more to shoot.

As far as a rifle goes. You can get a marlin model 60 for about 100.00 dollars. Or a ruger 10/22 for about 150.00 dollars. I own neither but they both have good reputations. And they won't break the bank if you find that hunting isn't your game. In addition your rifle can really get knocked around and beaten when hunting.


Hope it helps
Jerry

I'm starting to consider this with even the .22 mag. The added velocity will have an impact on how much meat is left. How much of an impact, I'm not sure.

What leads me toward the mag is it's use in deterring coyotes or larger mammals. For a while, this will be my only rifle and I'd like it to be as versatile as possible...without going overboard.

Thanks for the input so far. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

(I hate to re-use a reply, but this comment was also brought up in my thread on Rat Chat and I'm anxious to continue discussion on this point) <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Head shots. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

The .22 mag will be a better round for farther distances and/or larger game such as coyotes etc.... Both the .17, .22lr, and .22 wmr will dispatch larger game such as deer if you do your part right. However, with some of the newer .22lr loads such as the velociter you're really getting an awesome round that falls somewhere in between a varmit round and a small game round.


Personally I try for head shots all the time. Firstly, it's more humane for the animal and it put them down quickly. Secondly, it doesn't damage the meat.


Peace
Jerry

I can hunt all year round ,I mean to and ejoy the meat and we have amazing fish and game walking distance from my house but I still don't do it. I want to but I
have a hard time getting around to it. I don't own my own 22 but I do have a
nice oldschool Parker Hale built enfield in 303 for deer ,elk ,moose, bear(yech)
and even buffalo on private land. If I had a 22 I could hunt these awesome prarie chickens which are evrywhere in summer and even better than chicken. Saskatchawan is actually 2 thirds covered with water and has some of the worlds best freshwater fish. We had nice fried perch last week but we bought it from a supplier.

Unsub - sounds cooool! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I just checked out the springfield pilots rifle that is a single shot 22/410
that looks nearly perfect and it folds up.

I've got one. I found it several months ago at a local gun shop, I got it out of lay-away last month. It's a pretty sweet shooting gun. The .22 is accurate enough. However, I haven't had the chance to try the .410 gauge yet.

There's a reason that professional hunters take enough gun and take a heart/lung shot when presented. More humane, given the larger size of lethal target area. Greater odds of putting the creature down. The amount of meat you lose on a good shot is really minimal.

Here's a link about it that might be of interest if you haven't seen it: Springfield Armory M6 .22 and .410 survival rifle

neat combo..
ok which is true?

Is it..
you can fire .45 Colt out of a .410 barrel ?

or

you can fire .410 shotshell out of .45 Colt barrel ?

i forget..