.22Lr Decoying?

[shropshire dan 467]

Aup chaps, just wandering anyones thoughts on using a .22lr with the trusty cocker spaniel to decoy some pigeons and crows just to try something different. Has anyone tried this method and how do you get on?

Atb

Dan

[Bunny Boiler 177]

Pigeons dont always land... A shot gun is going to be the best method. Certainly dont rim fire them if they're in trees... Why would you want to over shotgunning anyway?

[shropshire dan 467]

I'd never shoot into trees matey.

The main reason really is I suffer with a bad lower back with and with the recoil of my 12g it gets a lot worse. I'm looking at getting a .410 pump in the future but not just yet. Thought I'd just try my hand at decoying with rifle and saving a money on shells in the meantime

Atb

Dan

[Bunny Boiler 177]

Consider a 20g. Try it before you buy it. I've read somewhere about the chrono, recoil, and spread patterns of .410's over 20g and the 20 is far superior to the 410 without much more "hmph" behind it. Of course, its all relative, but you would be surprised.

[shropshire dan 467]

Cheers mate I will try one out. Can you shoot game (pheasant/duck) with .22lr?

Atb

Dan

[Bunny Boiler 177]

You can shoot anything. The question really is "is it legal?" and "will it kill it?". Its up to you whether you shoot it at the end of the day. The question I propose back is, do you think we would shoot those animals with a shotgun, if a rifle was the better tool for the job?

Edited December 5, 2013 by Bunny Boiler

[paulus 26]

does your ticket not say vermin and ground game

[compoundarcher 35]

thats air rifle territory not 22lr with the ricochet risks and is it on your ticket? if so a 17hmr would be my choice...use the aftermath to stuff your cushions

Edited December 5, 2013 by compoundarcher

[shropshire dan 467]

The ticket says vermin and ground game. I understand pheasants are better with a shotgun but whilst rabbiting if a pheasant pops up I'd probably shoot it with .22lr. I wouldn't shoot at anything if I wasn't confident of a humane kill

[andyf 144]

Be very careful with richochet's, shallow angle shots along the ground at a soft target like

a pigeon will have them 'pinging' off all over the place.

But if your happy with the ground your on carry on, I think you'll get fed up before the dog does.

AndyF

[shropshire dan 467]

Cheers andy. I may just give it a couple of goes see how I get on. The dog has never worked with rifles but is great with the shotguns so will be interseting and also helpful to get him used to close range rifle work

[Chid 6,487]

just use 24g carts in your 12g , hardly any recoil off them imo

[shropshire dan 467]

Can you get 24g 6's?

[Bunny Boiler 177]

I think you can get 24g 6 1/2's. Depends on your gun shop. But as said, a 20 would work well too. 26g might be a bit more common.

[Chid 6,487]

Can you get 24g 6's?

i use 7 1/2s more than ample for decoying