Grouse gun during elk rifle season

wildcat33

WKR
Joined
Feb 17, 2015
Messages
1,213
Location
CO
I've been thinking about picking up a 22 revolver to carry with me during the elk rifle seasons here in CO. I see more grouse elk hunting that I do grouse hunting and every time I do I wish i had a 22 with me. I shot one in the neck a few years ago with my 308 - and that was very effective, but probably not recommended under most circumstances.

1. Say one has a revolver with subsonic or CB ammo, whats the general opinion of the noise it creates on disturbing animals? If there were elk around that you didnt know about and shot a 22 pistol, would that spook them off and clear out the area or would it just be another sound in the woods?

2. For those of you already doing this, whats your go to revolver? Seems like the S&W 317 would be just about perfect but awful expensive. SP101 is what Ive been thinking about - a bit heavy but probably pretty accurate. Any other ideas?
 

UtahJimmy

WKR
Joined
Jul 6, 2016
Messages
884
Location
SLC, UT
My buddy carries a Ruger single six with him on the rifle elk hunt. Not sure even subsonic ammo wouldn't push elk out if they were within earshot.

During my cow elk hunt last year I wished I had my bow with me to shoot some grouse with a judo. Got me thinking a slingshot would be the way to go. Light, quiet, and cheap, you'd just have to be decent shot! I think that's what I will be carrying with me when I take my wife on her first rifle deer hunt this year.
 

pods8 (Rugged Stitching)

WKR
Rokslide Sponsor
Joined
Mar 12, 2014
Messages
3,840
Location
Thornton, CO
Oh I've thought this one over some... Ideally I'd like a suppressed rugar 22/45 lite but I don't want to deal with the tax stamp. I've carried my bull barrel 22/45 along and harvested grouse successfully, that is a ~2lb gun. Can't say 22/45 lite's haven't tempted me but its a decent amount of $$$ to save 1/2lb. If if the tax stamp issue goes away I will likely take that plunge though.

Most revolvers aren't any lighter. I am curious what accuracy folks get at 10yd from stuff like the ruger SR22 that is pretty light, 17oz IIRC. One thing I plan to check out next time I go past the gun store is the north American arms mini revolvers, most are snub nose point blank self defense guns but they make a 4" and 6" barrel version as well, I'd like to get one in had to see how it feels (wear medium gloves so might have a shot at fitting one in hand okay). I've seen okay accuracy reports from the longer barrel ones at 10yd (the shorter ones are spray/pray). These mini revolvers are like 10-12oz so they've caught my interest some but I also have to question if its worth it versus the 2lb 22/45 I already have...

Sound: I have been meaning to test out some subsonic stuff in my pistol (accuracy/volume) but haven't been to the range in a while. I am guessing it might not cycle my semi-auto fully but not a concern to me taking a grouse shot if I have to manually rack the round out. I shot a grouse with a high velocity round last year on the back of a ridge while my partner was a couple hundred yards away on the otherside of the ridge, he heard nothing. However a camp a couple hundred yards away on the same side of the ridge as me did hear the shots (they thought they were distant rifle shots and we had just dropped another elk and they were jealous since they slept in :p). So I'd choose wisely on when to shoot normal 22 to when you don't think there are animals within 1/4mi or so. The reduced velocity might change that but I haven't tried yet.

Also as noted above a slingshot is a solid consideration and one I'm practicing with but need to tighten up my accuracy before I'd use one over a pistol.
 

cjl32

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 31, 2016
Messages
144
Location
MS
Pack Rifle Kit

I keep one of these disassembled in my daypack while hunting elk or mule deer. If I come across a grouse in a location and at a time I can shoot plus it sits there long enough for me to assemble the rifle, then we will have grouse for supper that night. It only takes a few seconds to put together and I keep a few CB longs or subsonic .22's in my front pocket for those situation. I went the lightweight auto pistol route for several years but this little rifle is so much easier to shoot accurately plus its less weight than any 22 pistol i have.
 

Davebuech

WKR
Joined
May 16, 2016
Messages
694
Location
Rocky Mountains (SLV) Colorado
I've got a Ruger single six that I sometimes carry for grouse if one is spotted on the way to, or from, camp. I wouldn't use it while actively hunting in fear of chasing off any elk or deer within earshot. Like Utah Jimmy says, a slingshot is good option if you want to get one silently while hunting...or throwing a rock!
 

JWP58

WKR
Joined
Nov 21, 2013
Messages
2,090
Location
Boulder, CO
Slingshot and a 00 buck pellet. Deadly.
That or a pump Crossman Pump Pellet pistol.

I was going to suggest a slingshot and ball bearings.

But if you're going to use a .22lr, checkout the CCI Quiet loadings.
 
OP
wildcat33

wildcat33

WKR
Joined
Feb 17, 2015
Messages
1,213
Location
CO
Oh I've thought this one over some... Ideally I'd like a suppressed rugar 22/45 lite but I don't want to deal with the tax stamp. I've carried my bull barrel 22/45 along and harvested grouse successfully, that is a ~2lb gun. Can't say 22/45 lite's haven't tempted me but its a decent amount of $$$ to save 1/2lb. If if the tax stamp issue goes away I will likely take that plunge though.

Most revolvers aren't any lighter. I am curious what accuracy folks get at 10yd from stuff like the ruger SR22 that is pretty light, 17oz IIRC. One thing I plan to check out next time I go past the gun store is the north American arms mini revolvers, most are snub nose point blank self defense guns but they make a 4" and 6" barrel version as well, I'd like to get one in had to see how it feels (wear medium gloves so might have a shot at fitting one in hand okay). I've seen okay accuracy reports from the longer barrel ones at 10yd (the shorter ones are spray/pray). These mini revolvers are like 10-12oz so they've caught my interest some but I also have to question if its worth it versus the 2lb 22/45 I already have...

Sound: I have been meaning to test out some subsonic stuff in my pistol (accuracy/volume) but haven't been to the range in a while. I am guessing it might not cycle my semi-auto fully but not a concern to me taking a grouse shot if I have to manually rack the round out. I shot a grouse with a high velocity round last year on the back of a ridge while my partner was a couple hundred yards away on the otherside of the ridge, he heard nothing. However a camp a couple hundred yards away on the same side of the ridge as me did hear the shots (they thought they were distant rifle shots and we had just dropped another elk and they were jealous since they slept in :p). So I'd choose wisely on when to shoot normal 22 to when you don't think there are animals within 1/4mi or so. The reduced velocity might change that but I haven't tried yet.

Also as noted above a slingshot is a solid consideration and one I'm practicing with but need to tighten up my accuracy before I'd use one over a pistol.

That mini revolver looks pretty sweet - 4.8oz. I wonder how far I could hit with that thing. Most grouse are pretty darn close, maybe 10-15yrds most if they go up a tree.

NAA-BWL – North American Arms

I had all sorts of trouble with sub-sonic in my Ruger Mark I. I tried CBs as well but that went about as you would expect - poorly.
 
Last edited:
OP
wildcat33

wildcat33

WKR
Joined
Feb 17, 2015
Messages
1,213
Location
CO
I was going to suggest a slingshot and ball bearings.

But if you're going to use a .22lr, checkout the CCI Quiet loadings.

Anyone with slingshot experience care to weigh in? What model, how much does it weigh, how accurate is it, does it take a lot of practice?

Sounds childish to use a slingshot, but I think the idea has merit.
 

pods8 (Rugged Stitching)

WKR
Rokslide Sponsor
Joined
Mar 12, 2014
Messages
3,840
Location
Thornton, CO
That mini revolver looks pretty sweet - 4.8oz. I wonder how far I could hit with that thing. Most grouse are pretty darn close, maybe 10-15yrds most if they go up a tree.

NAA-BWL – North American Arms

I had all sorts of trouble with sub-sonic in my Ruger Mark I. I tried CBs as well but that went about as you would expect - poorly.

The one you linked 2" barrel I've read poor accuracy on, they are a close quarter secondary carry gun for point blank use in design. The 4" and 6" some folks start reporting acceptable accuracy but there isn't a lot out there on them since folks aren't target shooting them typically and reporting back. I want to get one in hand to see what it feels like.

By trouble you mean it wouldn't cycle the gun right? Any issue with the shot going off/clearing the barrel though? That is all I'd care about for a 1 shot grouse situation, manually clearing the spent brass wouldn't bother me in that case.
 

pods8 (Rugged Stitching)

WKR
Rokslide Sponsor
Joined
Mar 12, 2014
Messages
3,840
Location
Thornton, CO
Anyone with slingshot experience care to weigh in? What model, how much does it weigh, how accurate is it, does it take a lot of practice?

Sounds childish to use a slingshot, but I think the idea has merit.

Folks that are good can cut cards and light match heads well beyond 10yd so the potential is certainly there. I'm just not there yet. :p I can dance around a 1" target at 15-20' shooting 44cal? lead shot but still get fliers. I want to consistently hit that target before fielding a slingshot.
 
OP
wildcat33

wildcat33

WKR
Joined
Feb 17, 2015
Messages
1,213
Location
CO
The one you linked 2" barrel I've read poor accuracy on, they are a close quarter secondary carry gun for point blank use in design. The 4" and 6" some folks start reporting acceptable accuracy but there isn't a lot out there on them since folks aren't target shooting them typically and reporting back. I want to get one in hand to see what it feels like.

By trouble you mean it wouldn't cycle the gun right? Any issue with the shot going off/clearing the barrel though? That is all I'd care about for a 1 shot grouse situation, manually clearing the spent brass wouldn't bother me in that case.

Subs simply dont have enough juice to cycle my particular gun, so I just had to clear it manually in that case but I could still feed from the magazine. The CBs were a different story. The short case required that I manually insert the round into the chamber, then clear manually - since the Mark I has no slide stop its a pain to work as a single shot. No problems with squibs, but then again I only fired about a dozen rounds one day to play around with it and get my young dog accustomed to gunfire. Both types of rounds were hearing safe if I recall right.
 

hodgeman

WKR
Joined
Mar 4, 2012
Messages
1,547
Location
Delta Junction, AK
I've killed a pile of grouse and ptarmigan with a Ruger Bearcat and CB caps. Noise is pretty minimal and it just works at typical grouse ranges of 10-15 yards. At 100 yards it doesn't sound much different than a breaking branch.

A CB cap in a rifle is even quieter.
 

GKPrice

Banned
Joined
Sep 27, 2014
Messages
2,442
Location
Western Oregon
sling shot works awesome - the pellet pistol isn't a bad idea at all - "most" of the time I doubt 1 or even 2 22LR shots would spook an elk but it's the "non most of the time" that's problematic I guess
 

trom2k

FNG
Joined
Dec 22, 2014
Messages
61
Location
Salt Lake City
Not sure what the regulations are in CO but I looked into this here in UT a few years ago and it was illegal to take/hunt game with rimfire cartridges. The Taurus Judge was on my list as it shoots .410 shells. Never did pick one up though. Looks like they may have removed the rim fire language but added weights and shot size requirements; "Ammunition for shotguns and handguns must be one-half ounce or more of shot that ranges in size from no. 2 through no. 8."


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
OP
wildcat33

wildcat33

WKR
Joined
Feb 17, 2015
Messages
1,213
Location
CO
Not sure what the regulations are in CO but I looked into this here in UT a few years ago and it was illegal to take/hunt game with rimfire cartridges. The Taurus Judge was on my list as it shoots .410 shells. Never did pick one up though. Looks like they may have removed the rim fire language but added weights and shot size requirements; "Ammunition for shotguns and handguns must be one-half ounce or more of shot that ranges in size from no. 2 through no. 8."



As far as I know taking grouse from the ground or a tree with a rimfire is legal take:

FOR GAME BIRDS (EXCEPT MIGRATORY BIRDS)
1. Rifles or handguns allowed for dusky grouse
and ptarmigan.
 
Joined
Jan 28, 2014
Messages
306
Location
Grand Junction, Colorado
I've been having the same thoughts and I think I'm going to carry a few sub-sonic or near sub-sonic Trailboss rounds chambered for my hunting rifle rather than carry a separate gun.

Find me on Instagram @jaramillo970
 
Top