Ultralight 22 revolver?

[musher]

I'm not sure if this belongs in handguns or hunting. I thought maybe handguns would get a bit more play...

I just got back from moose camp last night. As usual, it seems the target species was making itself scarce while other critters acted as if they had a get out of jail free card.

After watching the 10th or 11th grouse walk past my moose stand, I started to think about a really light 22 revolver. I left my ruger automatic at home because it's too heavy to pack around with my rifle and assorted moose disassembly gear. Also, I'm not wild about shooting off regular 22 lr because of the noise.

But I got to thinking. If I could set myself up with a really light revolver loaded with 22 CB rounds, I figured I could whack a grouse when the opportunity presented itself without worrying about the noise. An ultralight gun would be easy to pack and a whole lot easier to shoot than a wrist rocket.

So the question is, can anyone recommend a really light 22 revolver that would be accurate enough to take grouse with a head or neck shot at 15-20 feet or so with subsonic or CB ammo? I'm thinking something like the Smith & Wesson scandiums in a J frame 22.

Any suggestions?

 

[BGH831]

Oh God Bless Scotland

Oh god bless the sensible scots!! They belive the use of a suppresor/silencer is considered polite :banghead: subsonics in a through a silencer are supposed to produce nothing but the noise of bullet hitting hide. But alas we live in america and can't spend the money on the legislation.

 

[musher]

Ya, but then I'd have to carry the can. I'm pretty lazy and looking for quiet, accurate AND light.

 

[Moonclip]

S&W 317 only weighs like 10oz I think. J frame 22lr snub.

 

[Onmilo]

I have a 317 Airlight trail gun.
3" barrel, fully adjustable sights, 8 shot, 13 ounces loaded, a gift from my wife.

It is no where near as accurate as my Model 41 but it will kill ptarmigan out to 25 yards or so.
Any time I go hunting/camping where nobody pisses themselves because I have a handgun, this is the one I pack.

A very good choice and I love my little lady for buying me mine.

 

[22-rimfire]

Yep... S&W Model 317 Airlite fits your description with a 3" barrel. Retails for $658. Also offered in 1 7/8" model with a retail price of $603. The 351PD is a 22 magnum version ($647). I also have been considereing one of these as I really like the 22 revolvers.

 

[PaladinX13]

Even with CB caps won't the sound scare away game though?

 

[GEM]

You can do better than the MSRP on the Smiths. I had a 317 and wasn't in love with the trigger. I decided not to play with it.

Taurus makes some lightweight 22's also. However, if you want really compact and cheaper - the NAA's with a longer barrel and sights might work, like the http://www.naaminis.com/bwmm.html

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Have you considered developing a light, subsonic load for your rifle, and adjusting it to hit at say, the top of the bottom double-thickness cross-hair? Two or three such rounds in a shirt pocket would be exactly what you want, and fired from a rifle barrel probably wouldn't be all that loud.

 

[XLMiguel]

I have a S&W 317, IIRC, I paid $339 for it last year (I got it at Galyans, $50 off, when they got out of the handgun bidness). I was underwhelmed with the trigger pull, so I got a Wolff spring kit from Midway (less than $9) and replaced the trigger and hammer spring (took about an hour or so, I had never done it before). It made a big difference. The trigger just keeps getting better with use. As noted, it isn't a match pistol, but potting small game out to 25 yards should be quite doable.

 

[musher]

I was looking at the sw 317, but wondered about it's accuracy. If I could get one at 400 or so, it would probably be worth the experiment.

As for subsonics in the rifle, I hadn't really considered it, but might do a bit of playing around with that too. Anybody got any subsonic loads for a 338 win mag?

thanks for the suggestions.

 

[cookekdjr]

Musher,
You may want to consider a "child-sized" rifle such as the crickett, scout, or papoose. they are very small, but the longer barrel length would dampen the sound of a cb cap to nearly nothing.
Also consider a Ruger MK series with a Pac-lite aluminum barrel. You may have to hand-cycle the action with low-power loads.
Just a couple ideas, not sure how they will work.
-David

 

[hightech]

model 34 & 35

You may want to look around for a model 34 [4 inch] or model 35 [6 inch target model of the 34]. Both are J frame and resonable in price.

 

[waterhouse]

It's not a .22 revolver, but have you considered a pellet gun? I have a Tempest and it is more than accurate enough to hit a bird in the neck at 15 feet. We put jelly out on the deck in the evening and see how many wasps we can hit at about that range. I can't hit them every time, but a wasp is a lot smaller than a bird head. Plus they are really quiet and fairly lightweight.

 

[BluesBear]

I wouldn't trust a CB cap out of a handgun powerful enough to kill a grouse.
All they will do to a Crow at 10 yards is pi$$ if off.

 

[Jet22]

I have a 317 3" with adjustable rear and regular black ramp front sight (I think all they make is the green fire sight now) and like it a lot. When I bought it they brought one out of the back and I tried the trigger and it was bad so I took the display model that had a nice crisp trigger. I have never done any trigger work and it is fine. It is a difficult gun to shoot accurately because it is so light...but it can be done. You really have to follow through with this gun.

I agree with bluesbear...why would you want to shoot light loads? If you want something quiet(er) try subsonic pistol target loads. I shoot Winchester hollow points mostly. In my tests they expand very well at the velocity that the 3" gun delivers. The noise of a gun usually dosen't spook game anyway...scent does.

The only bad thing I have to say about this gun is that the finish does not hold up (I have carried this gun for about 3 years). It has a clear coat that scratches easily and then allows the aluminum will corrode.

Another gun to consider is the Ruger Bearcat. I have an old model and it shoots great. On the down side, you can only carry 5 rounds in it safely with the hammer down on an empty chamber and it is a lot slower to reload. Its a little easier to shoot accurately (for me) but is still a tough gun to shoot compared to a model 17 or 18 Smith. A new model Bearcat is safe with 6 rounds.

 

[popeye]

If you're in the market, I've got a 2" 34 no dash SB for sale. LN no box.