Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Trapping Trapline gun

The only time I ever ran a trapline ( back in college..) I carried a 4" Colt Diamondback in .22

You still have it?

I used a stick, or a Bearcat 22, nothing biger than red fox when and where I traped, but 12 years ago I picked up a marlin md 27S in 32-20 Was an 80 plus year old Indians trapline gun built in 1914, Oct. barrel been shorten. his kids sold it when he died, boy if it could talk!Came out of the Daks in nY.

Nothing bigger than a coyote. Ruger Mark I I since I bought it in 1992

One that I carried quite a bit was an old Savage 99 take-down in .22 Savage High Power. That is certainly too powerful for trapped animals but I also carried a couple of the Marbles Auxiliary cartridges which allowed .22 Shorts to be fired in the rifle. Most of the time I used CB Caps with it. A fine combination that allowed me to have the power of the rifle if I needed it. That, of course, was some time ago...

When I trapped, decades ago, I carried this Model 34-1.

For years I carried a Ruger Mark I target model pistol (5.5" bull barrel) on the trap line. It was light and accurate as a rifle out to 50 yards (admittedly an optimistic distance on a trap line). Not so much to dispatch trapped animals (I hate to add bullet holes to a trapped animal), but more to collect small game I might come across and occasionally to take out a coyote or bobcat that was a bit "frisky" in the trap.

When hogs began to appear in our area, the .22 LR seemed a bit small particularly if the hogs were not trapped (yes, I did trap the hogs with snares). I began to carry a 4 3/4" barrel single-action in .45 Colt in a cross-draw holster on my left hip with the Ruger on my right side.

I'd sometimes compromise by carrying a 5 1/2" single-action in .32-20 alone instead of the Ruger and .45 (actually a bit small for hogs and a bit too much for small game, but it worked pretty much for everything if you were careful).

In truth, a handgun (or any gun) is not really needed on a trap line (or I should say is rarely needed)....but I've carried one so long I feel naked without something on my hip. I don't carry because I NEED it, I do so because I WANT to and can.

My son and I really like our Ruger SR22s. They are light, accurate, priced right and are not picky about ammo.

One of the big reasons I liked to carry a .22 as a trapline gun was that I was always encountering targets of opportunity on the line. Small tasty critters that would fit in a crockpot when I got home.

last few years, its been either a S&W 317 airlite, a walther P22 when i pack a pistol. last year the wife bought me a Ruger 22/45 lite for my birthday and i'm kinda diggin that one too.

when packing a rifle, its usually a nylon 66, or this old Garcia Bronco single shot skeleton-framed .22 ...

saddlering, I'd like to see pictures of the Marlin 27S if you still have i.

I used to carry a S&W model 63, now I have a Ruger Single Six with 4.5" barrel

I carried a model 17 smith .22 when I was in my Boat,land otter can get a bit spicy when in a mink set,or caught back by the hips in a snare.when I worked the streams I carried my marlin lever gun until 1 thanksgiving morning I had huge Brown Bear tracks following my tracks and working my mink cubby sets,I switch to my .338.

When I ran Snowmachine for marten,wolf and wolverine, I carried a 30-06. I also had a Bear tracks following my snow shoe tracks when I was checking wolf snares one year,luckily I viewed the sets from a distance. Bear in a snare not cricket.

S&W 17, but any .22 would have filled the bill.

been using an old single six, 22 mag cylinder but have been shooting subsonic 22lr out of it, swells the cases pretty good. My favorite is an old remington 510 targetmaster single shot. call me crazy, but I swear the rifle kills quicker, same shot placement, same bullet etc.

Interesting reading. Lots of S&W's that a new trapper probably hard to find or afford.
I'm not a trapper, but I think a ruger SR22 would fit budget & weight targets better. Lot lighter to carry than my 617 or ruger mk 2.

I haven't trapped in a long time but I trapped heavy all through the 70's. My trapline gun was a S&W K-22, I still have it and will never part with it.

I wouldn't either RWL, great looking K22

Great pistol for sure,,I went through the ice and lost mine and my boots,replaced it with a 617!

When I trapped I carried an H&R 929, served the purpose.

I sold a gun to my buddy who is a serious trapper, he said it is the best he's ever used - Springfield Scout o/u folding .22 RF / .410. He uses it for everything from shooting trapped wolves to potting grouse. Not a long range rig, but can be used even with mitts on because of the grip trigger.