Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Small Game What gun do you use to rabbit hunt with?

The "A" Team

I use an old Winchester 74, 22 short only, semi auto.. GOTTA HIT them in the eye!

Ruger 10/22, Savage .410 and a Rossi Lever action loaded with 38spl's

Almost always a .22 rimfire handgun.

browning citori or a remongton 870 both in 20 gauge. citorp skeet/skeet 870 mod. choke i shoot high brass #4 and #6. when there's snow on the ground and i'm screwing off it's ruger 10/22.

crock pot rabbit w/ bbq sauce

I've used a Winchester 9410 Traditional since I picked one up in 2003 from a Winchester rep. We hunt over 3-4 beagles and there's nothing like shucking a lever at a running cottontail. I just wish I had a 9410 Packer Compact for hunting in very cold temps when a shorter LOP would help with all the extra layers of clothes. We took 14 cottontails in temps hovering around 0 yesterday. It was -15 on the truck's thermometer as we headed to our hunt. PA rarely gets that cold anymore.

savage mod 23A .22lr

Robster - What kinda range you get w/the Thompson Center Encore you use? Has me curious! Love all the pics, what a diverse group of weapons used by everyone!

Chrissum, I have not maxed out the Encore yet. I usually only take close shots as I am more interested in running the dogs than shooting rabbits. but max I have taken is 25 yards.

Thanks Robster, I'll look into one of these in the future!

well i use a 300 rum but i shoot them at 500+ yards been known to shoot rats that come to the feeder also really great practice

....My favorite rabbit guns are, a Franchi AL48 20GA with an improved cylinder choke and #6 or 7&1/2 shot, if I'm using a rifle it'll be my Remington Nylon 66 (very fast handling snap shooting gun), or either of two Remington 550-1 auto loaders in my safe. 22's my not always bring home a heavy game bag but the thrill of a bunny dropped on the run with one is great stuff!

TTT

When its spring and summer, I use a Mossberg 500 in 20 GA, #6 shot and a IC choke tube.
In the winter though, I switch to a Ruger 10/22.

Oh my God! Al Gore is right, it's global warming.

I use a 36 year old Ithaca/SKB Model 100 SxS 20 gauge, Mod and Full

I was actually suprised to see how many .410s popped up. I've taken -a lot- of cottontails with a mossberg .410 3 shot bolt action full choke. It's what I reach for when I go out for rabbits.

I take mine home and eat them. I've seen many a braggart with a 12 gauge, leave his kill behind because there was nothing left. It just doesn't take much to kill a rabbit. I've often cleaned them and only found one or two pellets in them.

If you're using a full choke, be sure and let them get out there a bit. It gives the chance for the pellets to spread out. If you're having trouble getting through the brush don't be afraid to use as big as number 4 shot. I use 6 in open fields, 5's in tall grass, and 4 in the brush. Make sure you get high brass.

The down side ... If you're hunting in a group, the guys with modified or cylinder 12s might get more rabbits close in. But look at the quality of the meat when it's all said and done.

I prefer to hunt alone or well spread out, but close enough to easily see everyone.

In the end, you'll get more rabbits when you figure out what range the gun of choice performs at it's best.

Have fun.

Wow!! I must say there's some VERY skilled handgun hunters here.

Anyways for me it's gotta be my Mossberg 500A. I prefer anchoring them while running and the 12 gauges does that job beautifully.

I use...

A 50-70 Sharps...



A 44-40 SRC...



A 10 gauge Westley Richards...



A 38-40 SRC...



Montana Centenial 1886 45-70...



Colt SAA 44-40...



1873 Winchester in 38-40...

[img]http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee202/bridgershooters/100_0527.jpg[/img]

Even a full auto M-16...

[img]http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee202/bridgershooters/100_1850.jpg[/img]

Never a .22, and I must have 20,000 rounds of ammo for one. I even own 5 .22's, I just don't use them for rabbits.

For cotton tails, its a scoped .22 rifle- Ruger 77/22vbbz or a 17 HMR, also a heavy ruger, at times we do it with a .22 sixgun. Always head shots ( I like the meat too much to ruin any of it)
Love seeing pics of other Montana boys using all kinds of stuff... obviously lots of head shots cause you are going to eat them too...
Ingwe