Registered: Jun 2017
Location: Michigan
Posts: 178

I'd like to keep a 22 pistol for the times when I want to shoot out a coon, among a few other critters. I'm not well educated when it comes to guns I've always kept things simple and cheap. A 12 gauge takes care of most my needs. But right now I want something easy to carry, and quick to access. Any opinions I'd appreciate. Thanks

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Registered: Feb 2015
Location: NW Arkansas
Posts: 1108

I bought a heritage 22 pistol ($99 at at Atwoods) had a mount for a laser put on it and it's a really nice pistol for coon hunting. Total cost was less than $200. Now this is a cheap pistol but it's very accurate and don't mind banging it around in the timber. One thing to remember is that it will be loud. I use shorts and go to long rifle if the coon is really high. My dogs don't seem to mind it much.

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Tom Wood

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Registered: Jun 2017
Location: Michigan
Posts: 178

Tom, sounds like something worth looking at.

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Registered: Jun 2014
Location: Louisiana
Posts: 3369

There might be some people in America that can knock a coon out with less than 40 shots with a pistol, I just haven't met them yet. LOL

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Donald Bergeron

Last edited by shadinc on 09-02-2020 at 12:44 AM

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Registered: Jun 2017
Location: Michigan
Posts: 178

Yeah I kinda wondered that too. Maybe I should just buy a $140 plinkster. A pistol would be easier to conceal on my golf cart. I'd shoot more porcupines than coon also.

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Registered: Jan 2005
Location: NE Indiana
Posts: 589

Shadinc is steering you right here for sure!!

A pistol at ranges of more than 25 feet is an experts game and even more so at night, with a light and an extreme upward trajectory..

Only one I'd consider would be a Buckmark or Ruger semi auto with a long barrel and a scope.. And I believe you would still be cussing it most every time you used it.

Traditions crackshot with a leupold rimfire scope on it.. Small, light, break action and will shoot like a laser beam..

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Registered: Feb 2015
Location: NW Arkansas
Posts: 1108

Well guys I am not an expert pistol shot by any means but when you put that laser dot right on that coon that cheap heritage pistol will hit him. Always used an iron sight rifle and it takes less shots with the pistol. Before you knock it you need to shoot one. You will be surprised.

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Tom Wood

Last edited by Preacher Tom on 09-02-2020 at 03:02 PM

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Registered: Aug 2003
Location: Yadkin County NC
Posts: 1657

Years ago I had the brilliant idea that I was going to hunt with a pistol. Got a H&R 22 revolver with a 12" barrel and put a 2.5 power scope on it. Just because I'm stubborn I made it one whole season. Try climbing one of these hills and holding steady with a scoped pistol. Move around until you find a rest and you can't see the coon. Where do you carry a scoped pistol? Came to the conclusion it's easier to carry a rifle with a sling and a lot more accurate when you are winded. also quieter when starting young dogs.

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: AUBURN, IN.
Posts: 1706

I used a BUCKMARK with a scope and lazier worked good --BUT like they have said it was LOUD --Here in INDIANA too many homes in the woods --expect to see a lot of flashing red lights --lol lol

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Registered: Mar 2014
Location: Wichita Falls,Tx
Posts: 453

A laser will make everyone a more accurate shot. JesseJ

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Registered: May 2009
Location: Perkinston, Mississippi
Posts: 221

quote:

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Originally posted by yadkinriver
Years ago I had the brilliant idea that I was going to hunt with a pistol. Got a H&R 22 revolver with a 12" barrel and put a 2.5 power scope on it. Just because I'm stubborn I made it one whole season. Try climbing one of these hills and holding steady with a scoped pistol. Move around until you find a rest and you can't see the coon. Where do you carry a scoped pistol? Came to the conclusion it's easier to carry a rifle with a sling and a lot more accurate when you are winded. also quieter when starting young dogs.

---

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Registered: Aug 2006
Location: milan,mi
Posts: 1378

Ruger mark II with target or bull barrel will make you an expert marksman in no time. Lazer grip sights will earn you sniper status. Lol

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Registered: Feb 2014
Location: Iowa
Posts: 29

Like anything you want to do you need practice, so get practiced up before you go to the woods.... If you are of the elderly persuasion like myself Optics go a long way.

I use a S&W 22-a pistol with a Romeo 5 optics. Works well for me.


Brian

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Registered: Apr 2015
Location: church hill tn
Posts: 5632

IMO, the noise factor from a pistol is the biggest draw back. I own several target 22 pistols, but carry a 22 rifle coon hunting. You lose a lot of velocity from a shorter barrel 22 pistol and you do not have the sighting radius of the longer barrel 22 rifle. I used to carry and use a 22 pistol coon hunting, but could not stand the noise if you had to shoot multiply times, sound like a war zone shooting the pistol. Dave

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Last edited by Dave Richards on 09-02-2020 at 07:46 PM

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Registered: Apr 2013
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 30

22 Heritage pistol. Old knock off of the ruger single 6. Best value hands down. Takes a bit to get used to it but I hide hunt and that’s the only thing I carry. I’ve killed everything but COVID with that pistol. From coon to fisher, trapped coyotes to bear, Think it was under 200 and the thing takes a beating.

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Registered: Aug 2005
Location: Port Washington, ohio
Posts: 191

Try a Henry mini-bolt. It is light, small and accurate.

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Registered: May 2015
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 56

I’ve used both a cheap revolver and a Browning Buckmark ll. It’s handy having a sidearm. These days I use a rifle when hunting alone. If I’m with my young hunting partner I gladly let them tote the gun.

With the new optics these days I think you’ll have lots of fun knocking them out with a handgun.

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Ron Hamby
Lonesome Kennels

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Registered: Dec 2019
Location: Everywhere
Posts: 1058

Got one with a red dot scope 10 in barrel. Normally out with first or second shot. Friend uses a 3 inch s.w revolver with lazer grip . He will pow,pow,pow but he gets them what youwant to spend makes adifference. Saw these at Rural king . don't know if they still sell them


https://www.impactguns.com/bolt-act...21400019-40001/

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Registered: May 2019
Location: Ohio
Posts: 45

When I was a kid, all the old time coonhunters in my area carried a Stevens single shot pistol. They sold back then for under $5. Wish I had one now!

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Registered: Nov 2004
Location: tennessee
Posts: 856

As far as pistols for coonhunting it’s hard to beat a ruger. They make the mk IV in several configurations. The mkIV light is nice too it with a laser not a red dot and you have a nice small lightweight package. I k ow people who put scopes on them but my opinion the laser is 10x better. No real aiming involved especially when foliage is thick ams you only have an eye you don’t have to take yore eyes off the coon.. Just put the dot where you want to hit. As mentioned earlier another downside to pistols is the noise they are louder. You can always put a can on one and the noise is dramatically reduced. If you go with a can on one I would just carry a rifle like the cricket, papoose , wildcat or the like. They are not any heavier than a pistol with a can and not much longer.

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Registered: Jan 2006
Location: WV
Posts: 821

Through the years I've used everything from rock to a 12 gauge shotgun to get a coon out of a tree. A few years back me and a few hunting buddies had the idea we were all gonna get pistols to coon hunt with. Most got the Ruger auto's and I went with the Browning Silhouette simi auto with the longer barrel and a red dot scope. That thing shot extremely well, (when you could hold it steady). But be advised, if you don't have some sort of rest to lean on to steady your shot, then I recommend taking a lot of ammo with you, lol. That fad only lasted about one year and we all went back to our rifles. I have a Rossi RS22 simi auto, with a 10 shot clip and a 4 power scope on it now. It's short, light weight and extremely accurate. It's just a whole lot easier to deal with and you don't spend near as much on ammo. There's many small rifles on the market but I settled on this one because of price and durability. It's a little over $100 and well worth it. You don't have to worry about banging it around at that price. Pistols are fun but I like to get in there, dispatch the coon and get out and with a pistol, it's not likely that will happen, JMO.

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Registered: Nov 2011
Location: Alabama
Posts: 690

Make sure you have lots of shells!

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Registered: Feb 2015
Location: NW Arkansas
Posts: 1108

Don't shoot many coon but decided I would shoot one last night. One shot, one coon. Now it's not always that good but been a long time since it took more than 3.

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Tom Wood

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Registered: Jun 2014
Location: PA
Posts: 1731

In my opinion, pistols are great until you actually start shooting coons out. I had the same idea once, that I would buy a nice pistol to start toting around with me in the woods. I could never find one that was accurate enough at long ranges or wasn't totally cumbersome to lug around.

About the best one I found was the Keystone Sporting Arms Chipmunk .22LR Pistol. These are the same fellas that make the famous "Cricket" .22 Rifles for kids.

The Chipmunk pistol was a tack driver but had its down falls. The pistol is larger then what you would expect, so no holster would fit it. Too big for a holster and too small for a sling.

Also, it's a bolt action single shot, so make sure you've got an extra shell in your teeth, ready to chamber at short notice.

I'm still lugging around my old Marlin .22LR I've had since 13. Tride and true, even if it is heavy.

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Last edited by Corey Gruver on 09-03-2020 at 03:50 PM

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Registered: Feb 2014
Location: Iowa
Posts: 29

Another offering is a Tradition's Crackshot or a Chippa Little Badger, they are not pistols, but very light weight rifles, great triggers and have picatanny rails for whatever you wish to strap on top of them..


brian

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