alternatives to 22 rimfire

[hunter63]

Just seems that even smokeless powder for most any round is in short supply....or has been mentioned.
Haven't had to look lately.......
Sadly my local out let has given in to the evilness of shooty stuff, and turned into a shoe store.....on on-line or phone orders most likely be my new supply....along with the hazmat fee.....

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

Why would the trigger spring need to be heavier ? Maybe the hammer spring, but not the trigger spring. But I'm still thinking of a 22 underhammer where the trigger spring also doubles as the hammer spring.

I surely did mean to say "Hammer Spring" I would think it would be important to contain the primer.

[randyt]

Another thought for this thread - a 32 short or 32acp in a rifle or carbine, small, light projectile and reloadable !

years ago after 32 rimfire became scarce my father took a old stevens favourite in 32 rimfire and converted it to 32 centerfire, not sure which one. Fairly easy conversion according to him, relocate the firing pin and a little extractor work.

[xjosh40x]

A year ago when 22LR were so hard to find I bought a used 17HMR. It packs more punch without the one in your shoulder. And is still as quiet. With the ballistic tip ammo I've taken a 11 year old boy from church on a youth hunt and took his first doe at about 40 yards. She did run about 30 yards but with a clean shot taking larger game it will do the job. The ammo was easy to get. It is fun to shoot and is incredible accurate for a smaller round. And with a FMJ I can take rabbit and squrrrel without damaging the good stuff.

[hunter63]

A year ago when 22LR were so hard to find I bought a used 17HMR. It packs more punch without the one in your shoulder. And is still as quiet. With the ballistic tip ammo I've taken a 11 year old boy from church on a youth hunt and took his first doe at about 40 yards. She did run about 30 yards but with a clean shot taking larger game it will do the job. The ammo was easy to get. It is fun to shoot and is incredible accurate for a smaller round. And with a FMJ I can take rabbit and squrrrel without damaging the good stuff.

Please don't do that....a .17 has no business as a deer load.

Taking a youth hunting is a fantastic thing to do....Thank you for that.......but along with that comes the responsibility of doing the job properly.

Seems you got lucky, but use the proper tool for the job....unless there were no alternatives.

[kyratshooter]

Perhaps the dry up of rimfire .17 is also a blessing in disguise.

[Lamewolf]

Please don't do that....a .17 has no business as a deer load.

Taking a youth hunting is a fantastic thing to do....Thank you for that.......but along with that comes the responsibility of doing the job properly.

Seems you got lucky, but use the proper tool for the job....unless there were no alternatives.

And it may not even be legal ? I know here in Ohio its not legal anyway and this year we can hunt deer with rifles as long as its a straight walled cartridge.

[xjosh40x]

In Mississippi any firearm is legal beside federally regulated like full auto an suppressors. The boy is very small framed and new to hunting. He is raised by a single mother who wanted him to experience the southern tradition but didn't know how to introduce him herself. He is a crack shot. But the 243 and 20ga was a little tough on him. I knew the spot we went and where the deer come out most of the time. And with the ballistic tip and a solid shot he could take a deer. I really just wanted for him to enjoy the woods.

[hunter63]

I do commend you for making the time an effort in taking a young person hunting.....Don't take this wrong.
Just saying......

[xjosh40x]

I know fully the 17 was going to be a stretch to take a deer. I doubt any animal bigger than that 100 pound doe would have fallen. The boy is hitting his growth spurt and is wanting to go again this year and use his dads 270 that was left to him. I told him last year when we were cleaning the deer he made an excellent shot and anything less we would not have a deer. No offense taken as I would ask anyone else if a 17HMR would be a good idea but seeing I didn't have a .410 or 223 it was the next thing.

[kyratshooter]

What do you mean no .223??

Post 14 in the "bug out practice" thread says you have one.

"Besides I have a carry permit which I always have my weapon plus my AR15 I keep in my truck that would go with me"

What gives?

[crashdive123]

I don't believe Mississippi has any restrictions on caliber, but agree with H63 on not using it unless it is a matter of survival.

[xjosh40x]

I own a .410 but it stays with my parents as the only huntin diraa they have a larger caliber rifles and my dad is a big squirrel hunter I've left it with him. And yes a .223. I have an AR15 but the boy seems a little afraid of it. Mind you he was completely new to hunting and I was weary of him getting scared
Before we even started. Lots of guys use the .17 around here for deer hunting. I know a man personally that uses it and takes many deer but he always gets a head shot. He is the type who gets every inch of venison and he also tans hides.

[Old Professor]

Just because you CAN do something does not mean that you SHOULD do something! In the case of the .17, while it CAN kill a deer even a slightly off target shot means a crippled animal, possibly lost to suffer a lingering death. Poor sportsman ship IMHO. Robert Ruark, the writer on Africa, said it best. USE ENOUGH GUN!

[Lamewolf]

just because you can do something does not mean that you should do something! In the case of the .17, while it can kill a deer even a slightly off target shot means a crippled animal, possibly lost to suffer a lingering death. Poor sportsman ship imho. Robert ruark, the writer on africa, said it best. Use enough gun!

amen amen amen !

[Wildthang]

There is no replacement for the .22 caliber rifles and pistols. They are what most people learned to shoot with, and what most of us learned to hunt with. It is a good small game getter and makes minimal noise when fired which in some cases gives you another shot at another critter. Up to now they were the most economical gun ever to plink and hunt small game with.
Old men could hunt with them and small children could learn to shoot with them, the .22 holds a special place in firearms history. A good bolt action tube feed .22 is light, dependable, light ammo, and quiet shooting. The .17 is the only thing that comes close, but it louder and ammo is more exensive in most cases.
I also think the .22 mag is a great little round as well, but to me it is just another .22. So I am buying every box of .22 ammo I can get my hands on because I'll be dam if I'm going to carry a heavy shotgun just to shoot a squirrel or a rabbit with, when I can carry my light quiet shooting little .22 rifle and do the same job.

Okay Kyrat lets here it

[randyt]

I would be teed off if you had called me a old man LOL. Don't know if I had mentioned it but historically speaking a 22 lr wasn't used for hunting all that much at least my research shows that.

I've often wondered how many shots a woodsman of old would make in a lifetime compared to a modern woodsman. It's nothing these days to take a 50 round box of 22 lr out on a afternoon and plink away. I wonder how much shooting a woodsman done back when all they used frontstuffers.

[hunter63]

They didn't shoot all that much...unless there was something to shoot at...and something deserved to be shot.
I would mention a day at the range to MF and he would say....Why?...you don't know how it works.

To say nothing that maybe the average guy back then owned one maybe two guns.....

I get a kick out of the "air rifle: as a replacement....I don't know of a air rilfe that you can rip off 30 rounds at a beer can.

[Lamewolf]

Don't know if I had mentioned it but historically speaking a 22 lr wasn't used for hunting all that much at least my research shows that.

.

Umm, I beg to differ on that statement. My dad told me about his granddad teaching him to hunt using a 22 and a lot of the old timers used them because that's all they could afford. My granddad always had a 22 propped by the door on the farm so he could grab it and put meat in the pot whenever he saw a rabbit or squirrel in the yard. The 22 has been a steady companion for many in the hunting woods throughout its life and has probably killed more game than any other cartridge known simply because of its availability !

[Lamewolf]

They didn't shoot all that much...unless there was something to shoot at...and something deserved to be shot.
I would mention a day at the range to MF and he would say....Why?...you don't know how it works.

To say nothing that maybe the average guy back then owned one maybe two guns.....

I get a kick out of the "air rifle: as a replacement....I don't know of a air rilfe that you can rip off 30 rounds at a beer can.

I saw a fully automatic BB gun once that would shoot more than 30 rounds - probably more like 100 ! It was at an amusement park and looked like an old tommy gun and you shot at a paper target with a star on it, if you shot the star out, you won a prize. Probably wasn't powerful enough to kill game with, but my Benjamin 392 22 air rifle will put squirrels and rabbits down with ease ! But you have to load one round at a time and then pump it 8 times between each shot. But check this out: http://fullyautomaticairgun.com/