.22 for Grouse Recommendations?

Where I hunt them,they are usually running in the bush or flying.I therefore use a 12 G.shotgun.For the odd one sitting on the ground,simply shoot a tad high.
 
H4831 said:
I hope no one talks him out of getting a bolt action.
A bolt action with a good, micrometer adjusted aperature, mounted close to the eye.
The Browning T bolt has been mentioned a few timew, and it sure is a great little rifle. It's been so long since I've handled one, that I forget what kind of magazine it has. A tubular is not a handy mag. I am absolutely amazed at the accuracy of my little Henry lever action. Had it to the range the other day, with a 4x Bushnell 22 scope on it, trying out three kinds of ammo. There was a slight change of impact with the different brands, but the groups from a solid rest at 50 yards, would have gotten 4 out of five grouse heads. But, the Henry has a tubular mag, which I am not fond of.
For grouse hunting, no mag could beat the detachable clip, that most older bolt action rifles had.
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My wifes T-bolt has a five shot removeable magazine. Its a blast to shoot, very quick cycling with the straight pull bolt. Hers is an old one though, it may have changed wit the new models.
 
I've made a list of 4 suitable rifles (all mentioned within this thread) and will give it to the family to make their final decision. When they decide on which one to get I will report back here and update everyone.

Thanks to everyone for all their suggestions!
 
H4831 said:
Are you Kidding? The man wants to make head shots with a 22. Not point a shotgun in the direction and blow the bird apart.
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huh? that is a retarded reply. I use a shotgun for grouse hunting and never have I "blew a bird apart" The trick is having the right choke and aiming just above the head, no pellets in meat!
 
northwoodslivin said:
huh? that is a retarded reply. I use a shotgun for grouse hunting and never have I "blew a bird apart" The trick is having the right choke and aiming just above the head, no pellets in meat!
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In the original post it was obvious the man was looking for a challange and a skillful way of hunting grouse.
Please don't use such terms as "a retarded reply."
 
Tomorrow I will be going shopping with one of his sons (not really a gun person) to make the final purchase. It's his father and the family's money, not mine, so the son will make final decision on the purchase. Wish me luck and I will report back tomorrow with hopefully a new rifle for a good family friend.

Thanks again for everyone's input. In my last post I thought I had narrowed it down to 4-5 rifles but the number expanded again as I did more research so thanks for "broadening my horizon" on what is a good head-hunting grouse gun.

Cheers :D
 
The way you have handled this post is excellent.
What ever rifle you buy, you, as the knowledgeable gun person really should make the final descison.
Bear in mind the two most important features; the sights and the trigger. Any of the rifles, even much cheaper ones, will group good enough, if they were held in a mechanical rest and discharged. But grouse heads or necks, will be missed many times by a 22 with a creepy, heavy trigger. It is safe to dry fire some 22 rifles, while others, usually cheaper ones, can be damaged by dry firing. If at all possible, try the trigger at the gun store.
The other vital point to consider is the sights. The iron sights that most 22 rifles come with, are very inferior and hard to use, if expecting to hit small targets. A good micrometer adjustable aperature mounted as far back as possible, is a good sight, along with a suitable front sight, is completely adequate for hitting teh head or necks.
If I were you I would seriously consider a low fixed power, not over 4x scope, designed for a 22 rifle. Bushnell make one with a ¾ inch tube that would be great for it. They come with mounts that usuually slide right onto a modern 22 rifle.
Best part is the price will be in the range of half of what a good aperature, iron sight would be.
 
Logan_Lamothe said:
12 gauge to hunt grouse, kinda like dynamite and pitch fork for fishing.
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Ya, but when the opportunity presents it's self, I would much rather have a 12 gauge and a very good chance of taking my game, then to take a chance with a .22 and miss, or a wimpy .410

Who ever said shooting a grouse on the wing with a 12 gauge was not a challenge? It is! Just as much, if not more a challenge then it is to take a duck on the wing.
 
H4831 said:
In the original post it was obvious the man was looking for a challange and a skillful way of hunting grouse.
Please don't use such terms as "a retarded reply."
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Oh relax, I wasn't implying that you are retarded. It is a challenge taking a grouse on the wing with a 12 gauge, would you argue that point?
 
Many 22LR on the market today are junk. They tend to jam, fail to fire, and fail to eject and extract. Many brands use stamped metal parts rather than machined parts. I have a Marlin 39A lever gun that I paid over 600 bucks for and it is garbage, I had to completely rebuild the rifle before it would shoot, extract and eject. Even now the bolt fails to go 100 precent into battery. If you want to avoid these problems I would buy a CZ 22LR they are accurate and they shoot. Do an internet search on 22LR rifles. In spite of what many posters have said about a auto Ruger, I would avoid any automatic 22LR they all jam all the time, unless you find the kind of ammunation that your particular rifle likes. I personaly do not want a 22 rifle that I have to hunt for and try out different brands of ammo just so the rifle will not jam. I want my 22 to shoot every brand. a MANUALY operated bolt action is not as prone to jaming as a automatic and is more accurate from the get go. If I had it to do all over again I would buy a Weatherby X XX (Pricey) or a CZ
 
Next time the topic of wanting a rifle came up, I would try and steer the conversation towards what type of rifle he used to use, or was his favouriite as a youngster etc. For example my first rifle was a Cooey model 60, which I still own, and was bought used in 1986 (for $40.00 I might add). If life ever saw me and that rifle separated, then I know that if I recieved one as a retirement gift, many memories would come back. Just a thought, perhaps a restored classic with some custom engraving work etc would mean a lot.
 
Never understood all these poo pooing of semis, when it comes to accuracy. My experience with 22 semis says otherwise.
 
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