Author Topic: Best rifle for small game  (Read 1739 times)

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Offline Pappymn

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Best rifle for small game
« Reply #-1 on: June 04, 2017, 12:33:27 PM »
I know we have some shooters here. Looking to get a rifle for small game. Thinking rabbits, squirrel, and whatever else might be wandering around.
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Offline teesquare

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Re: Best rifle for small game
« on: June 04, 2017, 01:56:00 PM »
.22 long rifle.

Buy a Ruger 10-22. There literally thousands of aftermarket customization parts. You can buy one that is a take down model, so it stores in a very compact space. Good for camping, travel etc.

Ammo is cheaper now than it has been in years as well. And - coincidentally, AR-15s are cheaper than I have ever seen them. One effect int eh change of governance via election I suppose. so while you are at it...consider a .223/5.56mm chambered black rifle. They are among the cheapest ( if not THE cheapest ) rounds you can buy and are quite potent for such a small caliber. Great for fox, coyote, ground hog etc....
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Offline DWard51

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Re: Best rifle for small game
« Reply #1 on: June 04, 2017, 02:22:54 PM »
X2 on the Ruger 10-22.  I've owned one since right after they came out.  Reliable, accurate, and just plain fun to shoot.  Ammo is easy to find again and prices are not insane like they were for a while when everyone was hording ammo.   Shot many a squirrel and rabbit over the years with mine.

Offline Sandman

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Re: Best rifle for small game
« Reply #2 on: June 04, 2017, 03:08:46 PM »
410 shotgun

Offline RG

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Re: Best rifle for small game
« Reply #3 on: June 04, 2017, 06:24:42 PM »
I'll pile on here also and recommend the Ruger. Low cost and it'll last forever.
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Offline TecCrash

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Re: Best rifle for small game
« Reply #4 on: June 04, 2017, 06:33:50 PM »
10/22 for sure..  my $149 kids model works as good as my $500 target version, and adding parts is a blast.  For a short range, the .410 mentioned earlier is a great choice in almost any gun.
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Offline ACW3

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Re: Best rifle for small game
« Reply #5 on: June 04, 2017, 07:27:56 PM »
Let me throw one more in for consideration.  A quality pellet gun.  Accurate, quiet and fun to shoot.  There are different shaped pellets for different kinds of shooting. 

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Offline DWard51

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Re: Best rifle for small game
« Reply #6 on: June 04, 2017, 10:45:36 PM »
Modern pellet rifles are totally different animals from when we were kids.  I have a Ruger Blackhawk Elite .177 I bought just for the heck of it a while back and this thing is fun.  Best part is a tin of 500 pellets is about $7.  I don't know about hunting rabbits with it, but it is a squirrel killer for sure.  The new ones are not as quiet as the old school pellet guns were.  The pellets in the new ones are hitting 1100 to 1200 feet per second and are breaking the sound barrier so you still get a rifle like "crack" when you shoot them.  Pellets are light in weight so the range drops off pretty quickly compared to a .22LR, but there is nothing wrong with a break action modern pellet gun either.  I paid $49 for my Ruger on a 1 day sale at Midway.  It was refurbished but came with warranty so for $49, I could not say no (normal price is $119).


Offline ACW3

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Re: Best rifle for small game
« Reply #7 on: June 04, 2017, 11:23:00 PM »
Modern pellet rifles are totally different animals from when we were kids.  I have a Ruger Blackhawk Elite .177 I bought just for the heck of it a while back and this thing is fun.  Best part is a tin of 500 pellets is about $7.  I don't know about hunting rabbits with it, but it is a squirrel killer for sure.  The new ones are not as quiet as the old school pellet guns were.  The pellets in the new ones are hitting 1100 to 1200 feet per second and are breaking the sound barrier so you still get a rifle like "crack" when you shoot them.  Pellets are light in weight so the range drops off pretty quickly compared to a .22LR, but there is nothing wrong with a break action modern pellet gun either.  I paid $49 for my Ruger on a 1 day sale at Midway.  It was refurbished but came with warranty so for $49, I could not say no (normal price is $119).



There are hunting pellets that are shaped to penetrate and come in different weights.  There are also other calibers available that give more "punch".  There are even models with built-in suppressors.  Unlike suppressors that require extra paperwork and a $200 tax stamp from the Government, they are not regulated with pellet guns and can be bought over the counter.  Pellet guns today are vastly improved over the pellet guns of old.

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Offline Old Dave

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Re: Best rifle for small game
« Reply #8 on: June 05, 2017, 12:34:03 AM »
Here is another vote for a .410 shotgun. Great hunting gun and safer to shoot as compared to a rifle when you consider the range. Would not work as well for varmint shooting but for harvesting something to eat, be hard to beat.
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Offline bspitt

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Re: Best rifle for small game
« Reply #9 on: June 05, 2017, 08:14:08 AM »
Another vote for a Ruger 10/22 semi-auto. It can be customized by the 1000's of aftermarket parts, but its pretty darn good right out the box.

If you prefer a bolt action - the Ruger American Rimfire take 10/22 magazines. These are great little rifles too. 22lr ammo had been pretty scarse, but it coming back around.

Offline Smokin3d

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Re: Best rifle for small game
« Reply #10 on: June 05, 2017, 09:43:20 AM »
17 hmr!!!!!!!!!! Has tack driving accuracy.
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Offline tlg4942

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Re: Best rifle for small game
« Reply #11 on: June 05, 2017, 11:56:35 AM »
Ruger 10-22 .      The 10-22 is a solid workhorse that won't let you down..     If you like playing around with upgrades and mods there are tons of them available for it as well.

I have a Henry lever action that is fun to shoot and does one thing better than the 10-22. If you get cheap bullets that tend to have ejection problems the lever action will solve that. I bought the rifle just because a friend gave me a huge box of Russian ammo that  jams in semi autos. It rolls right out of the Henry.

 
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