When You Have The Wrong Gun

[DirtTime]

I went out this morning for a couple hours. The plan I made a few days ago to go out for ruffed grouse and/or pheasant got sidetracked. So, I just took the .22 out for squirrel. I came up over a steep grade that opens to a small clearing with a few scrub brush. Broke the plane and two rabbits took off like rockets. Even if I had the shotgun I would not have gotten a shot. Never saw a single tree rat. Figures, deer hunt they drive me insane. Hunt specifically for the buggers and they become ghosts at times.

Should have had the 12Ga, but I just really like hunting with my .22LR these days. Oh well, coulda, woulda, shoulda. Better to be out there on beautiful sunny day then sitting on the couch debating about it.

Edited January 16, 2017 by ....rob
spell check must be broken

[airedale]

Rob I have had the same thing happen to me many times when small game hunting especially when I am targeting squirrels I almost always use a scoped rimfire rifle and sure as heck I will flush a Rabbit or a grouse and be screwed with no shot taken because of the wrong firearm in hand. It bugged me so much that after thing about it long and hard I decided to try a combo gun, a gun actually developed for the situations mentioned above. I ended up with a little Savage 24  22 LR / 410 ga o/u early side button barrel selector model and it has worked out well for me, the only shortcoming is the pretty crude open sights making any long shots on squirrels pretty tough for my old eyes. I would like to get my hands on an early model 24 22 mag or 22LR / 20 ga for even more versatility.

Savage still makes a version of the 24 with a synthetic stock but for me it lacks the charm of the old models but it is still just as functional in the field.

My old 24, I had the barrels duracoated and refinished the stock with True Oil, the old girl never looked better.

Al

I almost always carry a varmint call with me when small game hunting this little "phantom" caller is light and can be carried in my pocket While not very loud it still sounds good and called this Coyote in to 30 yards, the little Savage 24 and a Brenneke 410 slug did the rest.

Edited January 21, 2017 by airedale

[Buckmaster7600]

My savage 24 in 22lr over 20 is perfect for those scenarios. It's not perfect for flying birds of running rabbits or pin point squirrel work. But it does everything.


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