Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Trapping Trapline guns

A High Standard Sentinel has served me well for many years.
It's beat and ugly but still shoots great.

This^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

While I won't argue with not caring about cosmetics on the trapline, the last thing I want is a cheap or unreliable gun that'll jam. I know of two Heritage Rough Riders that had the hammer cam worn off and wouldn't stay cocked. Due to the sloppy tolerances I have seen several other cheap revolvers ice up and jam that way, regardless of being degreased and dry lubed. Same with a Marlin 39 rifle when the extractor failed to work and I had a casing stuck in the chamber with a very lively wolverine in a foothold.

I am not much of a catch pole guy but have had to do it out of necessity a few times due to having cheap trap guns with me. Hopefully this stainless Single Six I got last year holds up as well as I am expecting it to.

Sometimes I want to stand back farther than birdshot allows.....

I have a Ruger lcr 22 that rides around in the front pocket of my bibs. Has accounted for a few dozen wolves, bunch of yotes, grouse, and whatever else I don't use a pole on. Hard to beat it for ease of carry and reliability. In the early season when the bears are still around I carry something heavier.

Savage Rascal

LCR is near perfect in my mind.

I used a S&W model 63 or my Browning Buckmark. Figured I bought em to use them. We only shoot the coons in the live traps. A 220 conibear takes the shot out of play. We gave up foothold traps years ago. Buddy will catch close to 800 coon in 10-14 days coming up here shortly.

Savage youth single shot 22. Its prolly the rascal model dinny mentioned. Has the accu-trigger which is absolutely necessary for shots within 6’.

Well, mine my screw up the next time I cock it, but if it does, I'll just go back to the truck and get another gun. After all, the target isn't going anywhere.

I never had any specific trapline guns, just used what I had and as I could drive right up to most sites it wasn’t an issue. 22 rifle, 12 gauge for game birds of opportunity and a 222 in case something pulled out and took off as I drove up.

I started out carrying a Marlin 39, it got heavy so at twelve years old I sold enough furs early in the season and convinced my father to take me to town so I could by a pistol. I chose a used Taurus 96 Target .22 LR revolver with 6" Barrel, he purchased with my fur $, probably the best shooting pistol I have ever owned! I then purchased a used Winchester 9422M (.22 Mag) for my sled/trapping gun in Alaska, couldn't argue about the dependability, abused it bad... I also utilized a Ruger Mach II Target .22, still the one I prefer and carry

H&R 929 9shooter that I bought with a missing grip and a bent screw for $40.00. Found a new set of grips on Gunbroker and got a screw from the hardware store. Good to go.

I, also, carry a H&R 929 with some wood grips I modified to fit.

Smith 63, Ruger Single-Six, Smith 317 are the first that come to mind...probably have used others as well.

Ruger Mark II .22 6" works well

I always carried a 22 revolver to start. But a few times I had opportunities at animals that weren't in my traps. So I started carrying a 22 Rifle. The one I had was a BL22. I kept it loaded with short solids.

Do you carry your Ruger MKII in a holster or just in the backpack?

Other than the handguns mentioned when I ran lines out of a canoe I had a single shot shotgun,12ga cut to 18 1/2 in to pot a duck or goose but mostly the barrel was loose in the bottom of the canoe, and I used it to bonk critters in the trap on the head. Never shot any fur with it. Broken down it fit in a backpack nicely for travel, held off a bear once with it while my wife packed our gear in the canoe to leave the sight to the bear, threatened a couple of would be robbers into thinking taking my stuff wasn't that smart of a decision and they left quietly. For some reason Manitoba and I weren't a good fit.

I have a 3 digit Ruger Bearcat that is my do everything small handgun........