Lightest 22lr for a pack gun?

Suther

Suther

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I want a light 22lr to be my pack gun, for popping grouse ect with quiets when out big game hunting.

The hope is to get something capable of a head shot on grouse at 50m, otherwise it's all about weight. It'll spend the vast majority of its time in or on my pack, so weight is critical.

Chiappa little badger and Norinco jw15 are the two that jump out at me, but I'm not certain what either weigh, or if there are other options that are particularly light that I'm not thinking of... (savage rascal might be another option depending on its weight? I have to buy one for my kid soon anyways...)

So what say you? What are the lightest 22lr rifles and what are their pros and cons?
 
I don't have one but the badger is probably the easiest to pack and carry. 10/22 takedown is a option to. Still by the time u break it out the grouse will be gone and murphys law will present you with deer.
 
The Little Badger seems to get a lot of praise these days. There was a thread about them somewhere on here and it was nothing but great comments. The folding aspect is a nice bonus too for shoving into a pack.

As for the Savage Rascal, they're definitely on the small and light side. However they're also meant as a rifle for kids. I don't know if you're a small or a big guy, but if you're bigger, the LOP might make it uncomfortable to shoot overtime. If it were me, I'd be going for a folding rifle with an adult LOP.
 
Little badger X1000
Best little gun in my opinion.

The AR7 is also a fun little semi auto if you wanted a plinker too, but the Little badger is king in my books.

The big thing with the little badger other than its size is the trigger is so light and crisp that it is a pleasure to shoot.

Mate it with CCI Quiets and it can be an absolute blast.
 
Just back.

Little Badger out of included bag 2 lb 15.3 oz.
Little Badger inside included bag 3 lb 3.6 oz.
 
nick237 said:
Magnum research 10/22 is much much lighter then the rest
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????
Magnum research 10/22 = 4.25 lbs. / 3.5 lbs. (model dependant)
Little badger = 2.93 lbs.
Marlin Papoose = 3.25 lbs.
Henry AR-7 = 3.5 Lbs.
Ruger 10/22 takedown = <5 lbs.
Savage Rascal = 2.66 lbs.
 
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AR-7 is light, and packs small, but is less reliable and way less accurate than most....survival gun for "just in case", that's about it.
 
I’d take a papoose over an ar7 any day. Ar7 was a novelty it was neat but not overly useful.I didn’t like the little badger I can see why people would though but not for me thanks. I’d choose a mag research over a take down 22 it’s too hinky and not as accurate weighs more. Never handled a rascal yet. For the take down features I’d rather just compromise and have the assembled lightest shortest most accurate rifle and to me that’s hands down the magnum. I have a soft spot for rugers. The papoose is pretty darn good though I must admit
 
10 22 with synthetic stock is pretty light , small fixed power scope no folding or putting together when you need it quick. nylon 66 is light but I suppose not as common to find one.
 
Daver_II said:
????
Magnum research 10/22 = 4.25 lbs. / 3.5 lbs. (model dependant)
Little badger = 2.93 lbs.
Marlin Papoose = 3.25 lbs.
Henry AR-7 = 3.5 Lbs.
Ruger 10/22 takedown = <5 lbs.
Savage Rascal = 2.66 lbs.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the list of weights, its really helps narrow my choices.

So the Rascal is the lightest of the lot, followed by the little badger (and those two are the only ones under 3lbs). Interesting. I planned to get a Rascal for my kids soon, so maybe I'll do that before I decide if I want to try the badger. I have seen at least one person on here who uses a rascal for the purpose Im looking for due to its weight...

Im surprised the Marlin is lighter than the AR-7. Looks like I'll be getting a papoose if I want a semi then, I didn't really like the looks (or reviews I've seen) for the AR-7. I don't like the 10-22 my buddy has, so I wouldn't get a takedown for more money and more weight compared to the alternatives, and the idea of spending whatever a Magnum research costs for a gun that'll likely not get much use but get beat up sitting on my pack doesn't seem like a good idea either...

Mr. Friendly said:
consider the Buckmark Rifle.

I've always thought it would be an excellent bush rifle.

or perhaps a .22LR Mare's Hand that you can keep in a hip holster. :cool:
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at 4.5lbs each, those options are too heavy for my purpose. Although they both sound like a fun time in their own right!


So looking at the list from Daver_II, what are the opinions on these various guns accuracy-wise? While I want the lightest thing possible, half a pound isn't enough to make me pick a less accurate gun... So what sort of accuracy do people get with their Rascals, Badgers, Papoose, and AR-7s?
 
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Savage has a $50 USD rebate on the Rascal right now until the end of the year, makes it pretty cheap. Nice little gun with adjustable peep sights. Definitely too short of LOP to shoulder but I can get a good cheek weld on the stock.
 
Suther said:
I want a light 22lr to be my pack gun, for popping grouse ect with quiets when out big game hunting.

The hope is to get something capable of a head shot on grouse at 50m, otherwise it's all about weight. It'll spend the vast majority of its time in or on my pack, so weight is critical.

Chiappa little badger and Norinco jw15 are the two that jump out at me, but I'm not certain what either weigh, or if there are other options that are particularly light that I'm not thinking of... (savage rascal might be another option depending on its weight? I have to buy one for my kid soon anyways...)

So what say you? What are the lightest 22lr rifles and what are their pros and cons?
Click to expand...

Making head shots at 50 meters will require a pretty accurate 22 that can shoot about 1 in or better off bags. That will leave you some room for an imperfect rest while hunting and some error for distance estimation. I use a customized CZ 452 Scout with a lightweight carbon fibre stock and a Leupold 2-7 x 28 rimfire scope for grouse. The Scout can shoot MOA at 50 yards but I usually aim at the base of the neck when I am shooting from that distance. It fits well in the back storage compartment of my quad.
20171114_194153.jpg
 

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Kody said:
Making head shots at 50 meters will require a pretty accurate 22 that can shoot about 1 in or better off bags. That will leave you some room for an imperfect rest while hunting and some error for distance estimation. I use a customized CZ 452 Scout with a lightweight carbon fibre stock and a Leupold 2-7 x 28 rimfire scope for grouse. The Scout can shoot MOA at 50 yards but I usually aim at the base of the neck when I am shooting from that distance. It fits well in the back storage compartment of my quad.
View attachment 129800
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I need that stock for mine :)
 
Hey Suther, you reload don’t you? Have you considered loading some mouse farts? They’re about 3.5 pounds lighter than a 3.5 pound rifle :p

What’s your hunting rifle caliber?

Most of the loads I’ve played with aren’t great for “grouse head shots at 50 yards”, but if you play with them a bit, you can find some great loads. I’ve got one shooting 1/8” groups at 25 yards...

Just a thought. I’d rather pack a few grouse rounds in my pocket than another rifle on my back.
 
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