Small Bore for Small Game

[WrongHanded]

I've decided the time has come to get a scoped rimfire rifle for small game. Probably mostly rabbits and squirrels.

I was thinking a Tikka T1x, but they're not available in left handed. Perhaps that's not a big deal though. A right handed gun would certainly be preferable for my wife (I'm sure she'll use it, at least for plinking).

I know a lot can be done with .22lr, but I've also heard good things about .22 mag.

So I'm pretty open to suggestions. I'd like to hear some thoughts from seasoned small game hunters.

 

[Fyrstyk]

The .22 LR is or can be more accurate than a 22 mag. The mag has velocity and range advantages, but if only going for small game like squirrels and rabbits, the .22 will do the job at the ranges that the game is normally encountered (10-75 yards)

 

[horsey300]

I've decided the time has come to get a scoped rimfire rifle for small game. Probably mostly rabbits and squirrels.

I was thinking a Tikka T1x, but they're not available in left handed. Perhaps that's not a big deal though. A right handed gun would certainly be preferable for my wife (I'm sure she'll use it, at least for plinking).

I know a lot can be done with .22lr, but I've also heard good things about .22 mag.

So I'm pretty open to suggestions. I'd like to hear some thoughts from seasoned small game hunters.

Ambi side charging msr? Dunno if that's available commonly for a rimfire....

 

[Howland937]

Savage makes their mark 2 in left-handed models. Different variations, not very expensive...and from what I've seen after 50 rounds, accuracy won't be a problem. Get one for you and one for your wife.

 

[12Bravo20]

Ambi side charging msr? Dunno if that's available commonly for a rimfire....

I use Ambi charging handles on my AR's to include my 22Lr

 

[Armored farmer]

As far as .22lr vs. .22 magnum, I have thoughts......
If you are hunting small game for the table or freezer, i would stay with a .22lr. It is much quieter, and i have seen my magnums remove an off-side leg or destroy too much meat. I would suggest a rifle capable of shooting. 22short, long, and long rifle. It's pretty fun to zero in on a squirrel or rabbit and zap them with the *pop* of a .22short.
If you are wanting to hunt varmints up to coyote size, and not use the meat, I would choose .22magnum. They do a surprising amount of damage imho.

 

[Navy87Guy]

My KelTec SU-22 is a tack driver x- and it has a rail for optics. Light, easy to handle. You can get 10-, 15-, and 25-rd magazines. The picture shows 15-rd mags - one in the mag well and another “stored” in the stock.

 

[WisBorn]

Savage has some nice options in left handed model rimfires. I know that they many not have the aesthetics of other manufactures, but are accurate.
Safe Shooting!

 

[cougar1717]

but I've also heard good things about .22 mag.

I may be wrong about this, but I think you are referring to the 22mag's superior ammo cost, the superior number value when group size is measured, and superior percentage of hunting loads compared to match loads offered.

At least it was featured in "The Day of the Jackal," right!

Really... who would even want a 22LR when it offers more accurate ammo choices... or subsonic to hyper velocity ammo choices... or inexpensive ammo choices

Kidding aside, CZ 512's are discontinued but still available in 22LR or 22mag. The LH 452's are gone (22LR and 17HMR), but maybe a LGS has a used one. Tbolts are what they are. 10/22's or clones are available, with as many mods as dollars that a person is willing to spend. If it's a discussion on the use case for a 22mag........ a person really will just have a specific need that the caliber meets because it doesn't have nearly the versatility or product offerings of 22LR.
If you don't want to keep anything you hunt, then 17HMR or even 17WSM may be an option if "extreme expansion" is okay.

 

[Varminterror]

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed small gaming in my free time with rimfires for many years, and have equally enjoyed the hobby of trying out various rimfire cartridges and rifles.

I’ll echo the comments of others to say the 22wmr is a bit disappointing in terms of accuracy for the increased ammo cost, for the increase in ballistic performance. Alternatively, for most small game, it’s progeny, the 17 HMR, tends to be similar in terminal performance, but more accurate downrange. The 22WMR isn’t bad, but it’s not great. If I were to only have ONE rimfire, it would be a 22LR. If I were to only have TWO different rimfire cartridges, it would be a 22LR and a 17WSM, with a distant second place for that higher powered role going to the 17 HMR. The 17WSM offers significantly greater terminal performance than the other rimfires, which I believe DOES cross the line into legitimacy as a coyote calling cartridge, as well as offering substantially increased range for smaller small game hunting. Mine is a Savage Bmag, which I appreciate because still feels like a “light gun,” not a centerfire rifle wrapped around an underpowered rimfire cartridge. It’s light and handy, but it outreaches any of my other rimfires with ease. It’s not a centerfire, but it’s substantially a “gap gun” standing between the other rimfires and centerfires.

 

[Sneakshot92]

I've decided the time has come to get a scoped rimfire rifle for small game. Probably mostly rabbits and squirrels.

I was thinking a Tikka T1x, but they're not available in left handed. Perhaps that's not a big deal though. A right handed gun would certainly be preferable for my wife (I'm sure she'll use it, at least for plinking).

I know a lot can be done with .22lr, but I've also heard good things about .22 mag.

So I'm pretty open to suggestions. I'd like to hear some thoughts from seasoned small game hunters.

What's your price range?

 

[WrongHanded]

What's your price range?

I hadn't really given that too much thought. I don't need anything particularly fancy (such as a custom or semi-custom gun). I just want something good quality and precise enough that with my mediocre marksmanship, I won't be able to tell. But if I had to put a price on it, I'd say $500 or less for the rifle alone.

As for chambering, thank you all for the input. I'll go with .22lr.

 

[I6turbo]

I hadn't really given that too much thought. I don't need anything particularly fancy (such as a custom or semi-custom gun). I just want something good quality and precise enough that with my mediocre marksmanship, I won't be able to tell. But if I had to put a price on it, I'd say $500 or less for the rifle alone.

As for chambering, thank you all for the input. I'll go with .22lr.

CZ made these two Left Hand 452s, the Lux (with iron sights) and the American, for several years but discontinued them 3-4 years ago. They still show up on the auction sites from time to time, and in the occasional LGS, but finding one at a LGS is probably much less likely. The American shows up more frequently than the Lux. Mine both shoot very well, just like most 452s, and are of excellent quality like all 452s.

 

[FL-NC]

A 22 mag will wreck a squirrel. If it were me, I would just get a 10-22 and a 4x scope. 11% of the world is left-handed, and most of them probably use "righty" guns. I know the military only issues "righty" guns, and the lefties do OK with them.

 

[Sneakshot92]

I hadn't really given that too much thought. I don't need anything particularly fancy (such as a custom or semi-custom gun). I just want something good quality and precise enough that with my mediocre marksmanship, I won't be able to tell. But if I had to put a price on it, I'd say $500 or less for the rifle alone.

As for chambering, thank you all for the input. I'll go with .22lr.

Maybe i'm a tad biased but the Henry lever action 22 is one nice shooter. Great for lefties too!
Just be sure you don't accidentally end up with a youth model.

 

[Varminterror]

I'll go with .22lr.

I apologize, I responded above with the assumption you already owned a 22LR rifle. If I’d realized that were not the case, then my response would have been far more succinct:

Buy a 22LR!!!

 

[MrShooter]

I have a Ruger American 22 lr, it has bolt action and a 22" barrel. The stock sights have a green fiber optic front that's really nice. I have a 3-9x40 scope on mine and she's a tack driver. Great for squirrels! You can find one for under 200 too. Plus you can't beat Rugers customer service.

 

[WrongHanded]

I apologize, I responded above with the assumption you already owned a 22LR rifle. If I’d realized that were not the case, then my response would have been far more succinct:

Buy a 22LR!!!

That's still what I took away from your original post. The rest was still pretty interesting.

 

[ontarget]

Maybe i'm a tad biased but the Henry lever action 22 is one nice shooter. Great for lefties too!
Just be sure you don't accidentally end up with a youth model.

Yeah. I accidentally ended up with a Henry youth model. Turns out though it's actually quite comfortable to shoot. I'm 6 feet tall and don't mind a shorter stock on a low recoil rifle. Thumpers are a different story.

 

[Sniper66]

OK..at age 73 I'm a well seasoned small game hunter. I've been hunting squirrels and rabbits for 60+ years. I've killed 100s of them. A large majority of them have been with a .22LR. I've owned single shots, lever actions, bolt guns, and semi-autos. Also killed lots of birds with head shots along with rats, possums, coons, armadillos, skunks, feral cats, coyotes, etc.; all with a .22LR. By all means, buy a .22LR. But, don't stop with one. My oldest nephew is 65 and he is a lefty and has killed almost as much game as I have and didn't buy a left-handed rifle until he was getting ready to retire. Bought a CZ....a 455 I think. Nice gun, very accurate, but he is equally comfortable with all his righty guns. Don't limit yourself to one gun, try lots off them. But, for your current circumstance, I'd go with a lever gun. Probably a Henry unless you can find a good condition Marlin 39A

 

[WrongHanded]

So, having decided I'd definitely got with .22lr I told my wife to go see what kind of a deal she could get on a Tikka T1X MTR (she works for a place that sells firearms). I went to take a look at some of the options you guys have suggested, but there's limited stock available right now what with the panic buying. So we'll see what she comes back with.

Now, any scope suggestions? I'm thinking Leupold VX Freedom Rimfire in either a 3-9x40 or 2-7x33. Good choice, or is there something better? $250 seems like it should get me enough scope.

 

[army_eod]

I find my 10-22 is surprisingly accurate.

 

[Bartojc]

IMHO the .22 is the correct choice given your criteria, and most of all you did not own one already. For me I owned 4 (maybe5) .22 rifles already when I went looking for a lever rimfire. I settled on a Henry in .22 magnum. The only reason I chose mag was because I did not have one and the odd chance I wanted a little more pop.

-Jeff

 

[12Bravo20]

Everyone should own a 22lr or three (or more) along with at least one 22 magnum.

 

[WrongHanded]

I do actually own a .22lr, but it's a Henry AR-7. And not exactly easy to be accurate with. I seem to be able to get groups around 1.5" at 25 yards with it. But it's more of an emergency gun than anything else.