What is the use of a .22?

[acosenza2]

I have been thinking, up until this point I have always thought of the .22 pump that I have as something to use for plinking but not much more. My dad has one, as did my grandfather, but to the best of my knowledge it never served a purpose other than introducing young people to shooting and to plink with. So, does a .22 serve a purpose other than that? I have seen some here with elaborate .22 set ups, but never really knew what they are used for. Hopefully this thread does not offend anyone, I am simply curious if I am missing out on something with the .22 that I have.

[Emptymag]

Small game hunting.


I'm betting they were used to put food on the table for many, many years before the term "plinking" was created.

[acosenza2]

Small game hunting.

Huh, guess I wasn't thinking of that. Can't really shoot a rabbit with a .30-06 eh?



You are probably right about them putting food on the table. My grandfather probably did do that, as they lived on a farm long before my time. Perhaps I should have thought through my question first.

[Delerius]

My mother in law uses a .22 with bird shot to keep the rats away...

[Kramer]

Can't really shoot a rabbit with a .30-06 eh?

You could, but what would be left after being hit by the '06? LOL

[knight0334]

You could, but what would be left after being hit by the '06? LOL

Maybe one of it's unlucky feet.

[acosenza2]

You could, but what would be left after being hit by the '06? LOL

You certainly wouldn't have to tenderize it

[saleen322]

I have been thinking, up until this point I have always thought of the .22 pump that I have as something to use for plinking but not much more. My dad has one, as did my grandfather, but to the best of my knowledge it never served a purpose other than introducing young people to shooting and to plink with. So, does a .22 serve a purpose other than that? I have seen some here with elaborate .22 set ups, but never really knew what they are used for. Hopefully this thread does not offend anyone, I am simply curious if I am missing out on something with the .22 that I have.

Speaking just for me, I have more .22s than anything else. Because I still compete some, I spend more time and money on .22s than any other guns I have. Whether you are talking about the Olympics or the Pan Am games, they are all shot with the 22LR. I new, good 22 competition rifle with sights, sling, etc are now probably north of $3000. I don't put nearly that much $ in anything else. For example, I bought an Anschutz 1413 about 17 years ago used for $800 with a redfield 3200. I could get over half of that now for the scope and I turned down an offer of $1000 for the rifle. Money aside, there is just something special about shooting a world-class target gun. It is like sex, it feels great but is hard to put into words to describe it!

[dteed4094]

Although unethical, I have known white tails have been taken and have heard of a large moose taken by a 12 year old Indian girl being charged. 22s are not toys and are more deadly than most people not familiar with fire arms think. They are fun and have killed a mountain of beer cans. Don't under estimate the 22 and don't shoot at anything larger than a coyote.

[CenterTree]

Small game hunting.


I'm betting they were used to put food on the table for many, many years before the term "plinking" was created.

Saw this guy in my yard last summer!!!



I use an old .22 rem rifle to RID my garden of hogs. Works well for me up to about 150 feet out.