.22 for Grouse Recommendations?

[H4831]

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

No one ever heard of the mid quality, bolt action Winchesters or Remingtons of yesteryear jamming. When small bore (22) match shooting was in it's hey-day, like from after WW2 and fading out in the 1960s, good, light target quality guns were all over the place. They all had aperature sights.
At the recent Kamloops gun show there were several such rifles at really good prices. There were a couple of Winchester 69s and a comparable Remington, forget the model number, all looking like they came out of a show room. With them priced in the $225 range, you will absolutely get no better value on a good 22.
After the show a fellow showed me a Winchester 67, a single shot, with a good Lyman aperature that he had bought for $100. On top of that it was the short barrelled boys model! In solid, original blue, I almost cried when I saw it, to think I had missed it. This model, 67, was also well known in the shooting fraternity. They were head and shoulder over a Cooey, in qulaity.

 

[Nangisan]

I remember up north in ontario at my cottage as kids there were so many, and they were so stationary that we used to try to see which one of us could literally touch one before i would fly away. You could sit with a 22 and take ages aiming up there....

 

[northwoodslivin]

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

This is not true. My VERY first gun "Marlin Model 60" which is semi 22LR has NEVER EVER once jammed on me and I have shot thousands of rounds through it.

My advice, if you REALLY want a semi, get a Marlin model 60, they are not expensive, very accurate and NEVER jam, they eat any ammo you feed it, only downside is that it is tube fed, so no big 50 round mags.

 

[northwoodslivin]

I remember up north in ontario at my cottage as kids there were so many, and they were so stationary that we used to try to see which one of us could literally touch one before i would fly away. You could sit with a 22 and take ages aiming up there....

Shooting stick! Which is a MUST if you really want to smack some stationary grouse in the head with a rifle

 

[Rupert]

I'm back. So we went window shopping and figured that his father would really like the Browning T-Bolt. I'm waiting for the rest family to "ok" the price of the rifle (everyone's chipping in a little $) and things should be good to go!

Now to roll H4831's advice, any scope/optic suggestions?

 

[thebigslide]

For grouse a red dot or reticle sight will be best. You want a big sight picture and very little magnification.

 

[sherlockbonez]

I would prefer a bit of magnifications as their little heads are sometimes hard to spot.

 

[H4831]

I'm back. So we went window shopping and figured that his father would really like the Browning T-Bolt. I'm waiting for the rest family to "ok" the price of the rifle (everyone's chipping in a little $) and things should be good to go!

Now to roll H4831's advice, any scope/optic suggestions?

You made a great descision. As I said once, it's been a long time since I have handled one, so I'm not familiar with their configuation. However, most newer 22 rifles have two rails, designed for the mounts on a 22 scope to clamp onto. This makes an excellent set up, because the scope is easily adjusted back and forth to get the right eye relief.
For years Bushnell made a very suitable, bright , 4x scope with a ¾ inch tube, complete with mounts that slid over the rails on the rifle. Not sure if they still make it, or not. If they do, I think this would be ideal at a very reasonable price.
In other words, a fixed power scope of not over 4X with a ¾ inch scope tube and mounts that slide over and clamp onto the rails on the rifle, would be my choice.

 

[mooseman1]

ruger 96. best of both worlds lever, and clip fed. easier to unload.

this is the one that i'd pick ,the only down side is they are as hard to find as a needle in a haystack

 

[struff55]

in today's market with the quality of today's firearms a cz 452 and a 4x Leupold scope is at the top of the list.If the firearm can't put 5 shots into a 1/2'' group at 50yds it won't be of any use for grouse hunting .

 

[rookie wildcat]

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?

Sorry, I don't think it is. I was doing it consistantly since I was 13 with a 20 ga. You need to hit the skeet range a little harder. We now skeet shoot with a .410 and I would have no qualms of taking a grouse on the wing with it. But then again, I shoot fairly regularly. And when I really want to amp up the fun, we use .410's for ALBERTA SKEET SHOOTING! Gophers under 50 yds ONLY on the run. Now, that's snap shooting 'cuz them dang things change direction on a dime!! FUN TIMES!!!

 

[Sly Old Fox]

.22 LR for Grouse

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.

I'm with H4831 on this however one must be very careful bird with a rifle and in some areas, it is a no-no. Check your provincial regs.

 

[H4831]

There has been some confusion with provincial regs in the past. In Saskatchewan we shot grouse with a 22, only we called them prairie chickens and partridge.
Came to BC and found the regulations stated it was illegal to shoot partridge with a rifle. Took a while to realize that partridge meant Hungarian partridge, not the grouse that we called partridge.
Of course in Sask we didn't hunt deer, either. They were "jumpers."

 

[blasted_saber]

I'm with H4831 on this however one must be very careful bird with a rifle and in some areas, it is a no-no. Check your provincial regs.

You can use a .22 for grouse in Ontario

 

[yellowknifedave]

Another vote for a savage 24 in 22/20. If new is the goal, try a Baikal in 22/410, or if you can find them, 22/20

YKD

 

[mwjones]

Combo gun would be a good bet

If he's into grouse hunting, and you feel like doing a little hunting of your own, see if you can track down a combo gun. I've got a savage model 24 that i take to the camp in deer season for when the old farts are relaxing by the fire waiting for lunch/dinner/christmas It's .22 (short, long, long rifle) in the top barrel, and .410 in the bottom. I use the 22 for sitting birds and rabbits, and the .410 if they're on the wing or running. I also carry a round or two of middle of the road .44 mag just in case

 

[Rupert]

Hello again helpful hunters!

We bought the Browning T-Bolt this morning and now need to buy scope mounts and rings. The fellow at the store said it would/could take 3-4 weeks for delivery cause they have to order them from Browning. Any tips or advice on where to buy them that could be quicker would be really appreciated? (retirement party is June 10th)

Thanks again guys!

 

[Ahsan Ahmed]

If you've failed to locate the stuff in/around the GTA shops then suggest check with EllwoodEpps.com - I find that they almost always have most such items in stock.

 

[oaktree]

.22 Grouse Gun

aaa

 

[Can-down]

I think he'll be happy with the t-bolt!
Bummer about the base and rings... Browning should just include the bases with the gun as the gun is useless without them!
Try emailing Browning directly and explain your timeline and dissapointment that the retailer has a rifle for sale with no way of mounting a scope....
Good luck!