Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Product sources Handgun recommendations

Looking for an acreage management pistol as lugging around my shotgun and 10/22 is a pain. Was thinking a .22 pistol would be the best bet to dispatch of any issues I encounter. I have ZERO experience with handguns except target practice with friends' guns. Any advice on caliber, brand, and any other useful information to consider would be very much appreciated. A friend recommended a ten shot .22 - says he enjoys his a lot - think it's a Walther.

Thanks in advance for the help amigos!

TJ

TJ what is the purpose (goals) of the weapon ? Rats , beaver etc or self defense or recreational shooting (targets). Is it just for your use ?

Thanks Eric. Self defense from Raccoons that are destroying anything not made out of grass, wood, dirt, or air. Seriously, I need something handy to dispatch of them once I trap in cages. Ideally I'd love this gun to fit in my pocket, if possible. I want something small and cheap to shoot but also want to be certain I am humanely dispatching them. I was hoping a .22 appropriately placed would suffice...is it enough calibur?

Also, I want Amy to combat her innate fear of handguns. I also would like my kids to at least be familiar with the weapon and attain some knowledge, and perhaps they will use for target shooting at some time when they get older.

I really like the looks of the Walther P22, seems like a more compact model, too. Anyone have an opinion?

A 22 really is a bb gun on steroids. Not to mention the rounds can travel very far. I carry a 38 bull nose revolver I love for convience. Fits right in my pocket.

I don't see why a .22 properly placed wouldn't do the trick. Maybe two shots just to be sure before trying to grab a coon from a trap. Years ago my uncle did that (not sure what he used to kill it)he ended up with rabies shots as a reminder to make sure its dead first.

If you do decide to go with a semi-auto .22LR pistol make sure you function check it with the type of ammo you decide to go with. A .22LR is a very dirty cartridge, and in blow back type applications (like most all .22LR semi-auto guns, can foul the action. I stick with CCI ammo for most all my .22 guns.

For a reliable .22LR pistol, I like the Ruger Mark III and 22/45 pistols. Since you already have a 10/22, check them out, they come in many different variations and I'm sure one will fit your need. The browning buckmark is another good one to consider.

When working in the back of my property I carry a Ruger GP100 in 6" Stainless (.357mag). It holds up to the weather very well and has plenty of power and accuracy for raccoon, hog, bobcat, and coyote.

For the reasons in this paragraph I'd have to suggest a single action revolver,imho there isn't a safer handgun to learn on then a good single action.I'm partial to colt and ruger but something like this should suffice http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2012/09/07/ruger-single-nine-22-magnum-revolver/

A good single action takes a lot of the fear out of firing,you have to actualy cock it when ready to fire,vs something like a semi auto where a second shot can come about by accident.

Either a Ruger mark 3 with a target (bull) barrel, or a Smith + Wesson model 41 would by my choices in a .22

Gun forum site recommended Ruger Mark III and the Browning Buckmark. I was looking at something smaller...maybe those two guns only appear to have longer barrels. I like the compact look of the Walther - anyone own one of those?

Good idea on the single shot...but I don't think I'm going to spring for two guns, and this will primarily be for my use.

Come on TJ don't buy just one...The second ammedment tells us; The right to bear arms....Plural...

Sheesh! Be careful!



Be careful. We have a lot of fruits and nuts that get caught in frosts this time of year. The fruit ferments. The bears eat the fermented products. It causes bear hangovers, and they become very unpredictable.

A cork gun is probably enough to contain them.

But then, don't forget Larry the Cable Guy's idea of the "right to bare arms!"



No handgun required. Just a little deodorant is probably all that is needed to prevent serious issues.

Crazy Ken

First not an expert on this topic.

Here is my choice in a small auto 22.

http://www.browning.com/products/catalog...id=408&bg=x

Have seen some negative comments on the P22 with ammo and jams. Not what you want with inexperienced operators.

Same with other autos - great if you can operate them but a plain old revolver (wheel gun) is best imo for inexperienced users. On that front you might want to look at S&W Model 43 - good for small hands. When carrying keep the pin unchambered (hammer on an empty chamber).

.22 is more than enough. My grand dad used to shoot his cows right between the eyes with a .22 and down they would go right there on the spot. So if he could take out a cow I am sure you can take out a coon!!! I had a Mark 111 long john I called it. It had a 10 inch barrel I loved that thing. It had a red dot scope on it and I could hit stuff at 50 to 60 yards with it. Except it didn't fit in my pocket very well I had a colt .22 I really liked also. For what you want to use it for almost any .22 would work I think. You going to be up close and personal most of the time if there in a cage. Buy what you think you will like and let us know how it works. Good luck and take them coons out!!!!

I strongly suspect Ken has gotten into said fermented fruit a little early today...guess it is almost 5:00 PM out there!

Ruger Mark I is what I carry in my Mule, and it's easily 30 years old. Blued/Bull barrel, and has humanly dispatched several pests.

No kick, and the bull barrel makes it stable for kids.

Gun shows, if available, make any of the Mark models affordable to buy and shoot.

I don't know if a 22 would take down larry the cable guy

So THATS what the missed phone call was about.

Yes, a .22 is more than enough to dispatch a 'coon. Just shoot them about midway back on top of their head on a downward angle somewhere around between their eyes and ears and it's all over. You can use .22 shorts or low powered .22 bullets for that. I prefer lower power vs. higher power - less damage to the trap due to over penetration.

I've got 2 choices for ya. (well, there's way more than 2 but you'll get my dift.) None of the ones that I'll suggest will go easily in a pocket. Not the best way to carry, and a pistol that small shouldn't be used to teach a non-shooter how to shoot. Too many things could go wrong. (holding it too high, getting the web of your hand bit by the slide, etc., etc.)

Ruger Single 6. Single action, can shoot either .22lr or .22 Mag depending on what cylinder you put in. VERY safe to teach with, the gun will not fire if the trigger isn't cocked back first.

Browning Buckmark, Ruger 22/45, Ruger Mark III, or a Browning Hi Power in 9mm with a .22lr conversion kit.

I haven't held or shot one, but the new Browning 1911-22 compact looks like a nice one.

In any case, get a proper holster for it. They have clip on the belt ones too.

FWIW, a husband/father doesn't make the best teacher.......

It'd be best if you could find a handgun training class that is offered somewhere nearby that also includes practical use of the gun.

If nobody's used to firing a handgun, I'd opt for getting one that has an external safety like the ambidextrous safety that's on the Hi Powers. That way, you are used to flipping off a safety. If ever the SHTF and you are used to shooting one that has no manual safety (Glock, Springfield XD, etc.), and the gun that you grab has a one, you are going to wonder why it isn't firing when you pull the trigger.

Cody, give Larry a 3rd eye with a .22 LR and that'd "get 'er done"!

Oops, I forgot. It's best that you go into a store and physically grab them and see how they fit. everybody's hands are a different size, and some will fit just right, while others won't. The smaller ones require you to hold them without your pinkie finger on the grip, while the larger ones give you a good handful. Some pistols point differently than others.

A friend has two different Smith & Wesson M&P pistols. One a standard size, one a compact. While he can shoot both of them, the compact doesn't feel near as comfortable as the standard sized one. He has to really concentrate on the sights to hit with the compact one, where he can get off an accurate 2nd and 3rd shot with the standard sized one much quicker.

I've never found the tree here in Indiana that was tall enough to prevent a .22 from bringing down a coon'. Or Possum. Or, if the dogs were green or of questionable pedigree, a stray housecat. Plenty there to do the job.

Seriously now.... For versitility, I'd suggest a compact .380
Relatively economical ammo; mild recoil, but much more punch than a .22
Baretta 86 Cheetah (tip-up barrel makes loading/unloading the pipe a breeze)



Or, for basic field-trips, with good accuracy beyond 25'
S&W Model 41 .22

As I was reading this, I realized that I don't have any handguns anymore. I gave them all away. They just weren't very good for anything I wanted to do.

I have a number of "live" traps from squirrel size to groundhog/raccoon size. Generally, the contents are "dispatched" with a .22 rifle at close range to the back of the head. I've known people who have dropped the live traps into their ponds after they captured their prey.

However we look at this, be aware that it could be a controversial subject. Do it very privately.

My brother served as the long time mayor of a small rural town. As mayor, he was the grader operator, town manager, and many more things -- including animal warden. At one point in his animal warden capacity, he shot two problem dogs with a shotgun, and ended up on CNN and other national news outlets after a certain organization complained.

His answer to the reporters who chased him down was mostly bleeped. I think he served two more terms after that, but it was a hassle he didn't need or want.

Anyway, you shouldn't really need much more than a .22.

IMO, a .22 rifle is perfect. You really need nothing more than a single-shot rifle, which is very inexpensive. A rifle, compared to a handgun, is really more convenient and easier for this purpose. You can stick the barrel into the cage, and still not be so close as to worry about missing or getting bit.

I've done this many times, and I've never damaged a cage. The animals don't suffer - they are gone in an instant.

Thanks Ken...I have a 10/22 already, just a hassle to load it in the truck every time I head out to the farm. I see what you mean about the barrel length making it easier to stick into the cage and dispatch, though. Makes sense.

This is where something as simple as an old JC Higgins bolt-action single-shot .22 is great. I don't know what the regulations are in your state, but if you need to keep it cased, unloaded, and unable to shoot (such as with the bolt removed) during transport, this is an easy rifle to transport, load, and use. In this area, they typically sell for $50-100 at auction.

And, just thinking about it, I have owned a number of "huntsman" and "woodsman" .22 handguns. I haven't had one in many years. But they had fairly long barrels. I think the clips held about 10 shells. I'm guessing there are still a lot of them out there for reasonable prices.

Holy mackerel! After I posted above, I Googled the Colt .22 long barrel semi-automatic pistols of my younger days. I wish I'd kept a bunch of them. They are asking more than 10-20 times what the retail price was for a new one back in the '60s.