I havent hunted small game in years (which is a shame)
when I started hunting deer I pretty forgot everything else.
I was thinking of buying a new small game gun.
Kinda like to stick with pistols.
Any recommendations?
I know a lot like the MK series of rugers.
But I was thinking revolver possibly (that way I could shoot anything out of it including plinking with 22 shorts)
Let me know
Please feel free to post your fav gun.

If money isn't a barrier, you will not find a finer 22 than a Freedom Arms M97 in my opinion. Perfect size and shoots amazingly well. You could always get a second cylinder for shorts I guess. I wouldn't want to soot up my LR cylinder with them personally otherwise...

GS

Ruger single six OR single 9 6 1/2 or 7 1/2 in. With the money saved between it and a F.A you can scope it, do a trigger job, and buy a lot of overpriced .22 ammo.

I just recently traded a single six for a 22/45 for the purpose of small game hunting. I put a red dot on it and sighted it in. I've been very pleased with it so far. The Mark III and 22/45's IMO are the 10/22's of the pistol world. They're so many after market parts that you can customize one about any way you would want it. Good luck in your choice.

I have a MkII 22/45 Ruger with a mini reflex red dot on it and it shoots lights out.

I like my Taurus 990 and 992,excellent shooters. I have since put Simmons reddots on both of them.

I have a 22/45 hunter that I have been killing squirrels topped with a browning halo type site. Gun is nice needs a trigger job. Love my single six 22 convertible. . Not as accurate as my 22/45 . I am currently in search of a single six hunter in 22lr /22 mag have been hunting for one going on 6 months now.

S&W M617 22lr in 8" Full under lug barrel. 10-shots and smooth as silk and superbly accurate enough for Squirrels and such! I love that quote from Outlaw Josey Wales!!

I think you'd be better off sticking with the LR and forget about the shorts, etc. If you want a 22 LR / 22 Magnum then there is really only one option if you expect top accuracy and that's a FA. The Ruger single sixes will come with a mag cylinder but I haven't seen one yet that would shoot worth a flip. For a more reasonable price it's hard to beat a Ruger semi

My Ruger SS with 22mag will take fox everytime at seventy five yards

Ruger is supposed to announce the 22 LR GP100 at the Shot Show in 2015. I believe the barrel length is supposed to be 5 Inches. You can get a Weigand base for the GP100. Add a 30mm MatchDot II, and you should be set.

Bob

If you like me in PA, we cannot hunt small game with semi auto .22's....the only semi's allowed are shotguns. My preferred handgun for small game is the Savage 501 Striker topped with a 5X Burris.

I have squirrel hunted with handguns since 1960, using multiple examples of Ruger Single Sixes, FA 252 and 97, Ruger Mk. I and II's, S&W 17, and T/C Contenders.
If one is limited to a revolver or single shot, as in Pa., the FA 97 is the best of the lot in my opinion, but personally, I have been satisfied with most of my Single Sixes, too. The one shown in the second photo below is equally accurate with the LR or WMR cylinder, if one shoots the unobtainium Winchester .22 Mag JHP ammo.




In my opinion, the very best bang for the buck is the Ruger Mk. II or III series. I have seen nothing else giving equal value. I prefer the Mk. II.



I have used and on occasion continue to use iron sights for small game hunting, but all my serious squirrel guns wear Leupold scopes

i have found that my single six is as accurate as i am. then i only use iron sights. i have so much faith it the gun that its my answer to" if ya could only have 1 handgun?". this is also so my woods bumming, snowshoeing,canoeing,tin can gun. having said that i think if i was to have a dedicated small game handgun i think w would go with T.C.

Festus, You have received a lot of great advice. While I haven't been hunting squirrels quite as long as 500WE, I have spent a ton of time hunting them since 1970. In a single-action, the FA is tops. However, the Mark III offers great value and makes for a dandy small game pistol. Currently I have a Mark III from Volquartsen Custom (Deluxe conversion) that shoots like a laser beam. With either an Ultradot HD Micro or scope, this is impressive squirrel medicine. Having said this, I also have a match chamber T/C barrel that will hold its own with anything. Several great choices at your disposal. Best of luck in your pursuit.

I own and use a single-six, along with an old K-22, 22/45, and a swap cylinder Taurus. It's usually the single-six that gets carried. (And, Mark, when you're older than dirt, like Ken, no one's hunted squirrels as long.)

Hmpff!!! Unfortunately, there's some truth in that.

I've got a MKIII Hunter (scoped now) that has never left me hungry. But I am thinking of having Jack do a 22mag for me, if I can find a steal on another frame. You guys weren't kidding, those freakin custom guns are ADDICTING!!!!

Great looking gun overall but I can't bring myself to buy a MK III with that godaweful chamber indicator.

I had a MKIII Hunter just like RT's that was a super accurate gun out of the box, but I traded it for a Colt Woodsman that was its' equal in accuracy with a whole bunch more sentimental value...

My FA 252 outshoots 22 rifles that I have shot and owned, but the MOA in 22LR may be my most accurate rimfire yet.

I have a Ruger Single-Six I added a custom Bisley style grip frame and fiber optic sights that makes a great small game pistol.



My eyes are not what they use to be, so most of my small game hunting now is done with a 10" T/C Contender chambered in 22 LR with a 4x Simmons, or a Ruger MKII with a red dot.

Not easy to do in TX!

Yeah I could do without the indicator on the MKIII also. But it's accurate enough, I'm willing to forgive that part, for now. If I can get a 22mag built, that MKIII may be going on down the road anyway.

It would cause mine to jam so I removed it. No problems after that.

Festus, for a small game gun (since you are not interested in MK pistols) you can't go wrong with a Single Six or Contender in .22lr or .22 Mag.

With the crazy price of .22 you may be better off getting a 357 revolver and load some light 38s in it!

I have at my disposal, a .22LR/.22Mag OM Single Six, 6.5" barrel. Cool revolver and shoots into 1.25" at 25 yds. with older 30 gr. Federal TNT. Shoots similarly with 40 gr. CCI .22LR MiniMag...can't explain that. I shoot the factory irons (big black front post, wide black rear notch) terribly. One of these days I'll get a set of real fine quality irons on it.

Closet queen that hunts once in a rare while is a Colt Diamondback 6", bone-stock and shoots around 1" at 20 yds. with CCI MiniMag.

Main gun is a heavily customized MKII. Shoots almost 3/4" at 50 with Green Tag and about 1.25" with CCI MiniMag. All VQ guts, custom 8" barrel with match chamber done from a blank by my local 'smith, 2-7 TC scope, Weigand base and Warne rings. Too heavy for my likes but accurate enough! I'm a southpaw though, and find the small left-side-only safety a nuisance. Something to think about if you're of the same persuasion.

.17HMR Contender barrel on the way courtesy of a fellow member...can't wait to see what this does as I think the Contender is the best hunting platform out there right now.

I messed with a bunch in my coon hunting days and the most accurate I ever encountered was a Browning Buck Mark. I've had some other fine shooting small game weapons ,but none as accurate

Look into a 41 Smith from the Custom shop. Nothing to do out of the box but go pick up what you just shot at.

Took mine out also, no problems.

Gary
Those are some healthy ones!

Have you considered single shot handguns? One of the most accurate guns I own is a T/C G2 Contender in 22 Hornet - 14"bbl. It will shoot inside a bottle cap a 100 yds if I do my part. 30 gr. Barnes bullets are very effective on ground squirrels out to however far you can hit them. With my older eyes I am good out to 150 yds or so. Rimfire cartridges in a handgun just don't deliver at longer ranges. The ground squirrels at the ranch I have access to are pretty savvy and it is hard to get inside 50 yds. Most shots are 50-150 yds. I use a Leupold 2.5-8x scope. The rig is easy to carry in an Uncle Mike's shoulder holster rig. I enjoy reloading the 22 Hornet and appreciate the history of both the cartridge and the T/C Contender platform. I realize that the Contender is generally unavailable since S&W bought out T/C, but I believe barrels are still available in a wide variety of calibers for the T/C Encore handgun platform. Not sure what your preferences are in the way of small game pistol hunting, but I find a day in the field with my T/C Hornet to be hard to beat! All the best which ever decision you go with.

Jim209

If a revolver is what you have your taste buds set for, there's nothing like a FA...

My small game gun, in addition to the .410 Encore is a Ruger single Six in .32 H&R Mag. I handload so I can tailor the rounds to whatever I want, hot loads or downloads. I have taken rabbit and squirrel with this one. Of course I like to do a little customizing. Sheep Horn grips made by Josh Jolley. http://rjhandcraftedknives.com/knives.htm

Steel grip frame and octagon barrel with steel ejector rod housing. Super Blackhawk style hammer. all of the gun work was done by Alan Harton. A premier gunsmith of Houston Texas. I highly recommend him.



Yes, I know I have the wrong ammo slide on the belt. I was too lazy to switch it out when I went out to hunt that day.

Spencer
Thats one purdy gun

x2

Everyone has given you great advice,try to pick up each one you think you may want or can afford,you will know it when you hold it !! Not my most accurate but my favorite is a SS super single six 5 1/2".