Long barrel 22lr pistol

[Hannibal]

I've been thinking I might like a long barreled. 22LR pistol to pack in the squirrel woods. 9 1/2" or so. Just wondering if anyone here has had experience with one and what your thoughts/likes/dislikes are?

Thanks for looking.

[Rockingkj]

Used a Ruger single six with the long barrel for pistol silhouette competition. Dandy accuracy. I have seen the new Heritage Rough Riders with long barrel but had no experience with those.

[TD1886]

Used a Ruger single six with the long barrel for pistol silhouette competition. Dandy accuracy. I have seen the new Heritage Rough Riders with long barrel but had no experience with those.

During my teens I hunted squirrel with an early Ruger Super Single Six with 6.5 inch barrel. I was one of the most accurate 22 single actions I've ever owned. Got quite a few squirrels with it. I don't think you need a really long barrel. The very short barrels you have aim precisely.

[Texas by God]

Long ago I sent a 6-1/2” Ruger SSM to Ruger to rebarrel with a 9-1/2” barrel.
It turned out that I didn’t like it as well as the shorter barrel.
I also shortened a 9-1/2” Single Six to 5-1/2” for a cousin on the High Plains.
He still has it decades later.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[buckwheatpaul]

I have a Ruger Stainless Hunter with 7.5" bbl...it is wickedly accurate...easy to scope if ya need to as well!

[BamaNapper]

Years ago I hunted squirrels with a 12" scoped contender. Deadly accurate, and I preferred to take head shots when I could to keep from tearing up the meat. Sadly, while I still have the gun, it doesn't get taken out nearly enough. Thanks for reminding me it deserves a trip to the range.

I remember one morning I was doing pretty well. The guy I was hunting with commented more than once that I was doing better with the pistol than he was doing with a 12 guage.

[beemer]

I had a single six with the 9 1/2" barrel, got rid of it and bought a 5 1/2". What I wanted was the 4 5/8" The longer barrel did shoot very well but I find barrels longer than 6 1/2" a pain to carry.

[uscra112]

Long barrel has the advantage of sight radius if you're using irons. Scoped, no advantage except slightly higher MV.

[Hannibal]

That's what I've been trying to decide basically. Either a scoped pistol or a long barrel pistol is going to be harder to carry so that's probably nearly a wash. I'm just not sure which I would like shooting better. A long barreled revolver has a unique appearance so I don't know. I'm on the fence over it.

[gloob]

I wonder if the need for hearing protection disappears at some point that's still practical for a pistol?

22LR is the only thing I shoot without ears, but that's out of a 18"+ rifle barrel. I tried it once out of a 5" pistol. Instant regret.

[Mk42gunner]

I never had one of the 9½" Single Sixes, but I did have a 7½" Colt .22. Fun to shoot, but a PITA to carry. I would figure out just how you are going to carry it in the field first.

I am somewhat in the same boat, I have an 8 3/8" K-38 that is begging to be taken after squirrels, but strong side belt carry is pretty awkward with anything over 6". Crossdraw or even shoulder holsters aren't all that common for the smaller framed guns either.

This all presupposes that you can still see the front sight clearly, I am getting to the point that I can't.

Robert

[Nobade]

I used to hunt squirrels with my competition gun, a Buckmark Silhouette. Super accurate and long enough to shoot from the creedmoor position in the field. Something you generally don't want to do with a revolver.

I have a Crickett bolt action pistol now, it was cheaper than another Contender barrel and is also very accurate. Haven't tried hunting with it yet, maybe I'll remember this fall. It has a rifle scope on it, so it's shot close.

[Rapier]

If you can shoot a revolver well, the NR-9 can be one of the true bargains in revolvers. Simple to do a trigger job. If you do not change sights settings regularly, the aluminum body rear is serviceable. You can replace the rear with steel adjustable sights, the Standard Auto target undercut partridge fits the NR-9 front
For large hands, the Packmeyer Signature grips increase the grip size quite nicely.

The 10" bull barrel Contender shoots better than most rifles.

[TD1886]

I wonder if the need for hearing protection disappears at some point that's still practical for a pistol?

22LR is the only thing I shoot without ears, but that's out of a 18"+ rifle barrel. I tried it once out of a 5" pistol. Instant regret.

That little bit of sound is still harming your ears. One of my best friends was a finish trim carpenter. After all those years of those pneumatic nail guns and stapler, that little psssh psssh, has totally ruined his hearing. My hears is shot, but I still wear muff when shooting all firearms and all calibers. I ever wear muff riding my riding lawn mower. Trying to preserve what I have left.

If you are a veteran and you have bad hearing especially witn tinnitus (most bad hearing has tinnitus with it) the VA will give you hearing aids and a disability benefit. Ask Larry Gibson, I believe that's what he said.

[vonfilm]

If you can shoot a revolver well, the NR-9 can be one of the true bargains in revolvers. Simple to do a trigger job. If you do not change sights settings regularly, the aluminum body rear is serviceable. You can replace the rear with steel adjustable sights, the Standard Auto target undercut partridge fits the NR-9 front
For large hands, the Packmeyer Signature grips increase the grip size quite nicely.

The 10" bull barrel Contender shoots better than most rifles.

Who makes this NR-9 revolver?

[MarkP]

I bought an H&R with a 12" bbl while in High School... dad signed the papers it feels a little nose heavy, I have holster for it and it carries pretty well. A friend bought a Ruger Gov't Model MKII auto I do not recall exact bbl length (10" I think) it was very nose heavy. These would have been available around 1988 or so.

[stubshaft]

I've taken my Ruger Mk V? sillywett with 10" Bbl. out into the boonies and I will admit it is a little nose heavy but DANG is it accurate! Truth be told the T/C Contender 10" is better balanced and I like shooting it but, the Ruger is just sooo much fun!

[rbuck351]

I have 3 of the Ruger MKI T pistols two scoped and one not. Two of the 6 7/8" barrels and one with the short bull barrel. They are all very accurate and are not overly long, balance well and are easy to carry.

I also have an early Walthers Olympic target pistol with a 9+ inch barrel that is very accurate but harder to carry because of length. I rarely use it.

[FergusonTO35]

Ruger is coming out with the Super Wrangler. 5.5 or 6.5 barrel, adjustable sights, steel frame, two cylinders all for a very reasonable price. That would be my first choice.

[30calflash]

10" contender isn't terrible in size. Mine is an octagon so the weight isnt bad.

8 3/8" Smith will fit a large frame shoulder rig, but loosely. Don't do a lot of jumping or wear a jacket over it and it's doable.

[Mk42gunner]

10" contender isn't terrible in size. Mine is an octagon so the weight isnt bad.

8 3/8" Smith will fit a large frame shoulder rig, but loosely. Don't do a lot of jumping or wear a jacket over it and it's doable.
I kind of suspected it would work, but the only shoulder rig I have found at anywhere near a decent price is left handed, and looks to be for a six inch barrel. Maybe I'll make my own.

Robert

[pworley1]

I have a 91/2" ruger that I carry as a cross draw that is a joy to shoot.

[Walks]

NR-9 is the Ruger catalog designation for the blue Super Single-Six with a 9 1/2" bbl.
The old 3-screw Single-Six with a drift adj. rear sight worked great for me as a kid back the 1960's. Later I switched to a MK678 MKII.
That's the Semi-Auto .22LR, 6 7/8" bbl with fully adjustable rear sight with under cut front.
Either one was light enough to rear on my pants belt, so the holster was belted high and slightly to the rear. That method of carry worked for me for over 30yrs.

[CaptREDD]

jes got a Ruger Wrangler wid 7.5" barrel in BLACK...put on a set of orphan Single Six grips...feels good in hand..."hangs" right to shoot....tree rats best be well hidden or very HIGH in their tree...I thhink it is a good piece for the price.



REDD

[oldhenry]

My days of hunting squirrels with a handgun are over. At age 83 (soon to be 84) I can't look upward due to neck surgery and my eyes are not as sharp as they were. My High Standard Supermatic with 7.5" bbl. is scary accurate, but I never took it hunting due to the size ( shoulder holster would solve that problem but would need to be a custom deal). So, my MKII Ruger with a 5.25" heavy taper bbl. did the job back when My neck & eyes would permit (my 4 5/8" light taper before they started putting MK on them did OK before the 5.25"). Gil Hebard sold those 5.25" heavy tapered bbl. Rugers for a short while & in my opinion is/was the perfect size.

[Rapier]

I have a Flap hip holster for a Contender 10" with a scope, a bit bulky, but intended for hunting not fast draw. I had it built by Gun Glove of Tampa, FL.

Henry, that getting old and having disk problems in the neck really sucks.

[rintinglen]

The 10" contender I shot was the most accurate 22 I have ever shot. Belonged to a Contender-junkie shooting pal who must have had a half dozen frames and lord only knows how many barrels. Shooting group after group of 1" groups at 25 yards with Remington target ammo was a real eye opener, but two daughters and a wife left little room in the budget for toys. Now, I'd be unable to duplicate that--sights have gotten blurry, but I'd still buy one if I found it cheap. A red dot or scope might make all the difference.

[fixit]

Don't overlook some of the h and r revolvers out there....occasionally one will show up at a lgs for a decent price, and they frequently shoot surprisingly well. Some of the older models were ridiculously light, but still good guns.

[hawkeye1]

For a long barrel, I have a High Standard Longhorn with 9 1/2” barrel. It is very easy to shoot well.

[Funky]

I had a Ruger SS in .32 with a 9 1/2" barrel, I used it for squirrel and rabbit hunting. It shot like a rifle, but I sent it back to Ruger and had them replace the barrel with a 4 5/8", I was surprised that they sent the original barrel back with the revolver, sure made it easier to carry. Good Luck Chris

[45_Colt]

As others have stated, a 10'" Contender in 22 LR. Either match or standard, with match being my 1st choice. With a T/C 2.5-7X 28mm, EER, Fine Duplex, T/C Rail Mount, Illuminated reticle scope on top, took a lot of game with it. Pop, and another one down...

45_Colt

[Kestrel4k]

I wouldn't part with my 10"bbl Ruger MkII; I have pretty strong hands & arms, so I don't find the balance objectionable.
I /really/ like how stable the muzzle is. :-)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/gfpectrtv0bxfit/IMG_6224a.jpg?dl=0

[Finster101]

S&W model 17 is a beautiful pistol and plenty accurate with an 8 3/8" barrel. Should have kept mine.

[colt45sa]

My S&W Model 17 has an 8-3/8" barrel and that's plenty long.

[Mr.doug]

High standard supermatic trouphy 7 1/4” barrel. Most accurate and balanced pistol I ever shot.
Worth the investment, and won’t devalue.

[fourarmed]

One thing to keep in mind about long-barreled handguns is, the bullet is in the bore for a much longer time. This means that follow-through becomes much more critical. That can offset the advantage of the extra sight radius.

[oconeedan]

I too, have a Ruger Mark II with a 10" bull barrel. I have fired a gazillion rounds through it, and it seems to be as accurate as the day it was born (late 80's). I have a Volquartzen rear sight, that imitates a Bomar. You may be able to mount a scope or red dot also.

[Rockindaddy]

Look for an old Stevens Tip-Down pistol. I had one years ago that was shot out. I sleeved it. Was a great shooter. Make a new 10" barrel for one.

[toxophilus]

My favorite long barreled .22 is this 8" Colt Trooper Mark III, it's very accurate and I still take it out on excursions ;)

323230

[Rapier]

The very best hunting handun I have run across is the Merril or XL by RPM if you come across one. I did not mention it before because Jim Rock whom bought Merril then redesigned the Merrill to be the XL (40) passed and the company is no longer around. However the guns still pop up now and again. A 10" barrel sits back in the action spo the chamber is at the rear of the grip, so the handling and feel is more like an 6-8". These are my XLs and Merrill guns and barrels. Grip angle is 1911. The safety is silent and is a spring loaded thumb depressed safety. Lock time is only about a 1/8" movement striker, premium barrel. Single shot barrel, hinged, cock on opening. Lock is a spring loaded sliding block on top rear. Drilled and tapped for a flat scope base. The 32-20s all have a .308 barrel.

A bit spendy.