Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Small Game Ok What to replace 22 lr

Just popped a squirrel yesterday with my Contender Carbine with a 22" MGM barrel in 38 Special.

I also have a 22 Hornet barrel that works great with reduced loads using Speer 46 grain flat points and unique powder.

223

use 7 to 8gr of unique and any bullet from 40gr to 60gr.

I've had lots of fun with these.

if not 22 cal,

got to go with 38 spcl

RWS Diana model 48 177 or 22
Weihrauch barrel cocker like HW85 or 95 ( fyi Beeman's are made by Weihrauch)

.32 , .36, .40, .45 cal flint lock. Buy 3f black powder and flinter. Make sure the frizzen/ fence has high carbon steel that creates white hot branched sparks ( not cooler, yellow, straight sparks).

Spider XL (64" length) takedown recurve bow (from southwestarchery.com. ~$150), 35-40# draw weight.

Cast bullet reduced loads from one of your centerfires, but younneed need primers and powder.

Patience. We'll get 22 rimfire ammo again. Just remember who the gougers are.

Friend of mine when I lived in Montana had a couple Hornet's. All we shot out of them were cast bullet's. I wouldn't mind having one now but I'd have it opened to a K-Hornet. Then move the headspace to the shoulder! With my friend;s we managed to split a lot of necks!

Here in Alabama law forbids using centerfire rifles on small game. If hunting on your own property no one would know, but on public land there's always the possibility of coming across a game warden. Unless the law has changed, centerfire handguns are okay, so one of those .45-70 pistolas are legal, but not a handloaded rimfire equivalent centerfire such as a Hornet. Stupid law if you ask me.

To conserve .22 long rifle I'll be using my PCP air rifle some and need to get the Beeman R1 springer going again. And there's always the shotguns.

either a 22 cal springer pellet rifle or 17hmr or if'n ya like scatterguns the 20ga with 6 shot and full choke.
Big Ed

Got enough 22lr to last me becuase i dont need to blow thru it. If i wanted an alternative i would get a mould for the Ruger 308 scout rifle and fling cast at the critters.

I feel sorry for the young folks who didnt prepare for whatever reason.

I agree that if .22 goes out, so will primers.

My backup is airguns. Been hunting with springers for a long time, and now looking forward to getting my first PCP in a few weeks.

Kentucky has similar restrictions. From last season's rules:

24SMALL GAME HUNTING and TRAPPING
LEGAL SMALL GAME HUNTING EQUIPMENT and METHODS
Hunters may only use the follow-ing to take small game during the fall and winter seasons:
• A rimfire gun or rimfire handgun
• .410 gauge handgun
• Muzzle-loading or breech-loading shotguns no larger than 10-gauge. Breech-loading shot-guns must be plugged to hold a maximum of three shells (two in magazine and one in chamber)
• Lead or non-toxic shot no larger than No. 2
• Muzzle-loading rifles
• Archery or crossbow equipment
• Pellets fired from .177, .20, .22 or .25 caliber air guns
• Falconry
• Slingshots with manufactured hunting ammunition
• Dogs may be used to aid in the hunt

It's killed a bunch of projects I'd had in mind. I would love to use a downloaded 223 rifle on squirrel, or use my 1894 loaded with 38 SPC to take. . . well, whatever.

I’d go back to my Sheridan .20 - probably took more small game before I was 10 years old than I have in the last 40. So many rabbits - my mom used to get upset at all the ziplock bags jamming up her garage freezer. Lol. She got good at steaming them, pulling the meat & making tacos.

I would stick to air rifles, The variety of quality game killing air rifles is amazing and not just for small game.

I can load my 204 ruger down to 22 mag velocity’s .

Impossibru. You can get 22 even now. If 22 is scarce then so are primers.

I like my 17 Hornet

How about this? .36 RB over 15-30gr FFF.

now that is a cool old gun Pappy

Brand spankin’ new. Just off the boat from Italy.

Exact replica of a Cook underhammer; legal in international competition, which it will never see in my hands! Maybe squirrels, and definitely rabbits, if I can ever find one.

Sling shot and a rock. If you can't find 22lr in the future, you aren't going to be able to find anything else either...

What would I do, what would i do, let me think................

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/12061610/29

Check out some of the “catapult” guys on the FIELDSPORTS CHANNEL. Those guys are killer-dillers. Some of their slingshots look like they stole them from the Bat Cave, and cost like it.