Is there a .22LR pistol you recommend for humane dispatch?

surrealone

surrealone

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With respect to big game (specifically deer in my case) hunting in NC, as I understand it, we can legally use our CC handguns for humane dispatch only during gun season (i.e. the only season for which they're legal). Thus, unless I'm packing a black powder pistol in addition to a black powder rifle ... during black powder season, only a .22 rimfire pistol may be used for humane dispatch. (And, similarly, only a .22 rimfire pistol may used for such during archery season.)

With that in mind, does anyone have a small, LIGHTWEIGHT, accurate, .22LR pistol to recommend for such? BP season is nearly over, but I plan to add a xbow to my arsenal, so I'm thinking ahead to next year. Size and weight matter a lot to me, her hence my reluctance toward revolvers, Bond Arms' derringers, Ruger Mark II/III/IV's, etc. Accuracy also counts, hence I shy away from a LCP 2 chambered in .22.

I'm finding this particular blend of small, lightweight, and accurate ... to be a challenging mix, but ~someone~ has to have come up with a .22LR that meets these, by now. I don't do much with .22's, so I'm hoping one of you fine folks can share your experience/knowledge!
 
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Yeah..."humane dispatch"...

Imma "humane dispatch" the next deer that hits my car with a 230 grain .45 caliber Gold Dot.

Stupid deer.

As for a .22 LR for this, I'd go with something small and flat. In a hunt, you're already carrying a rifle/shotgun and who knows what else. You don't need anything fancy, large, or heavy.
 
RetiredUSNChief said:
Yeah..."humane dispatch"...

Imma "humane dispatch" the next deer that hits my car with a 230 grain .45 caliber Gold Dot.

Stupid deer.

As for a .22 LR for this, I'd go with something small and flat. In a hunt, you're already carrying a rifle/shotgun and who knows what else. You don't need anything fancy, large, or heavy.
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I know from personal experience that a Ruger LCP2 is tough up close and personal ... to aim at something moving that's the size of a deer's ear-hole. This is specifically because its sights suck rocks and also because the long-arse trigger pull doesn't make it any easier due to sypathetic muscle movements in the hand.

But it's small/flat and light. Just not accurate, or perhaps I'm just not accurate with it.

@Burt Gummer:
Ok, I LOL'd at your suggestion initially because it looked huge in the image, but then I dug into it ... and it just looks big ... while being small. Still, 7" long is longer than I think is reasonable to lug, but dang it's super lightweight, likely due to the simplicity of it. (The loading process doesn't bug me in the slightest.) If only it were a bit shorter, it'd be perfect!

@Radar:
  • The SR22 is an interesting suggestion, but it's bigger AND heavier than I'd like it to be.
  • The S&W 43c is a little bigger than I'd like, but the weight looks really good. I bet the sights suck, though. :( Still, it's a top contender based on your recommendation, right now -- assuming I like the sights and trigger pull when I take a look at one.
@chiefjason:
The Taurus 942 is bigger and heavier than I'd like. Were it a bit smaller/lighter it'd be a contender, as it looks like it might have decent sights.

@Tim:
The Ruger MK 22/45 LITE is WAY bigger and heavier than I'd like.


I'd really like 5.5" or less in OAL and under 14oz unloaded. The flatter, the better, but I can live with the right wheelgun. There's the rub in this -- tradeoffs make it difficult!

Also, thank you all for the suggestions. This is exactly what I need since I'm .22-stupid. Please keep them coming!
 
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I practice humane dispatch with shot placement the first time. There’s the rub.

A gun for dispatch imo shouldn’t need to be terribly accurate as it should be used on a down animal up close. If it’s not down, your primary weapon should be the dispatch weapon. In my opinion of course.
 
Burt Gummer said:
I practice humane dispatch with shot placement the first time. There’s the rub.

A gun for dispatch imo shouldn’t need to be terribly accurate as it should be used on a down animal up close. If it’s not down, your primary weapon should be the dispatch weapon. In my opinion of course.
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This, too, has been the case for me. (Basically, if I'm not sure of my shot, I don't pull the trigger.)

However, age is taking its toll on me, and I acknowledge that one can only have a perfect 'one shot, one kill' record for so long. Moreover, I'm a gun hunter planning to transition to archery, and it's archery season (where tracking tends to be a norm, I'm told) I'm chiefly worried about.

I'd like to keep 10yds between me and the animal should I need to dispatch it. Perhaps I'm being overly cautious...
 
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Heritage Revolvers have a $30 rebate right now. They are also on sale at Palmetto and KY gun. A barkeep would be small. Accurate at 10 yards, idk. If I wanted accurate, I’d go with a Ruger 22/45 lite with a red dot

Also something to think about, I carry a backpack when I go hunting so a little bit heavier and larger pistol wouldn’t be a problem.
 
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Dale Gribble said:
Have you considered a handgun chambered for .22 Magnum?
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I'd prefer not to have to stock a round I don't already stock, so no, I hadn't considered a .22 Magnum.

Burt Gummer said:
I linked one above, he laughed at it.
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See above as to why -- my laughter was at the photo but when I dug into it, I was impressed. Super light weight!
 
Another vote for the SR22 from me, you won’t get much smaller or lighter with any semblance of accuracy.

I have a couple Heritage SA’s, but they are quite heavy for what they are.

The NAA series of 22lr and 22mag SA’s work great, but you gotta be close. Tiny grip and tiny sight radius don’t leave much room for error.

If you find yourself closer to the coast Brother, you’re welcome to try a few of mine.
 
Crankbait said:
Heritage Revolvers have a $30 rebate right now. They are also on sale at Palmetto and KY gun. A barkeep would be small. Accurate at 10 yards, idk. If I wanted accurate, I’d go with a Ruger 22/45 lite with a red dot

Also something to think about, I carry a backpack when I go hunting so a little bit heavier and larger pistol wouldn’t be a problem.
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The Barkeep: 6.38 inches, 25oz unloaded, and no sights to speak of from the look of it. I don't know if I could shoot it at a small, moving target (e.g. deer head of downed deer trying to get up) accurately.



JoeAz said:
Sr22, it is only slightly bigger footprint than lc22

View attachment 545088
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Helpful image. 1.2in difference. Reads worse than it looks. Plus, one gets real sights on it. I've added it to the contender list. Thank you for that, because I wouldn't have without the image.
 
surrealone said:
I know from personal experience that a Ruger LCP2 is tough up close and personal ... to aim at something moving that's the size of a deer's ear-hole. This is specifically because its sights suck rocks and also because the long-arse trigger pull doesn't make it any easier due to sypathetic muscle movements in the hand.

But it's small/flat and light. Just not accurate, or perhaps I'm just not accurate with it.

@Burt Gummer:
Ok, I LOL'd at your suggestion initially because it looked huge in the image, but then I dug into it ... and it just looks big ... while being small. Still, 7" long is longer than I think is reasonable to lug, but dang it's super lightweight, likely due to the simplicity of it. (The loading process doesn't bug me in the slightest.) If only it were a bit shorter, it'd be perfect!

@Radar:
  • The SR22 is an interesting suggestion, but it's bigger AND heavier than I'd like it to be.
  • The S&W 43c is a little bigger than I'd like, but the weight looks really good. I bet the sights suck, though. :( Still, it's a top contender based on your recommendation, right now -- assuming I like the sights and trigger pull when I take a look at one.
@chiefjason:
The Taurus 942 is bigger and heavier than I'd like. Were it a bit smaller/lighter it'd be a contender, as it looks like it might have decent sights.

@Tim:
The Ruger MK 22/45 LITE is WAY bigger and heavier than I'd like.


I'd really like 5.5" or less in OAL and under 14oz unloaded. The flatter, the better, but I can live with the right wheelgun. There's the rub in this -- tradeoffs make it difficult!

Also, thank you all for the suggestions. This is exactly what I need since I'm .22-stupid. Please keep them coming!
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The 942 is 24 oz loaded and J frame size. I can hit a plates at 50 yards with it. Anything smaller/lighter will be an NAA or something with a polymer frame or twice the price in a lighter metal.

My P322 is 17.5 oz unloaded.

Anything I have had to dispatch with a pistol has been at contact distances. That's maybe 3-4 times in over 20 years.
 
Walther P22 is a sweet little gun, newer ones seem to be more reliable from the inter webs.
 
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Mathieu18 said:
Walther P22 is a sweet little gun, newer ones seem to be more reliable from the inter webs.
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I'm a Walther guy (and carry a PPS Classic for an EDC). I won't touch an old P22 with a 10ft pole because I've owned one and know of their past reliability problems. I should also note that none of my Walthers are Umarex guns. :)
 
chiefjason said:
Anything I have had to dispatch with a pistol has been at contact distances. That's maybe 3-4 times in over 20 years.
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Yes This^^^^^..I'm confused as to the Mission here. If you're standing over it LCP...if it's wounded and Moving, hit it again with the Primary.
 
I applaud any reason to get a new gun, however I too am a little confused.

if its still moving and I cant get to point blank range Im shooting again with bow/muzzleloader. You are gonna have a harder time hitting a moving head from distance with a pistol then you are hitting the vitals. Especially with the adrenaline flowing.

If you can walk up to it (aka some type of spinal shot) then a small 22 pistol like an LCP II would be perfect as would a sharp knife.
 
If you own a Glock 17/19/22/23/34 etc pistol and already have a holster for same then the G44 may be worth considering. This was a consideration for me when I bought one. Mine is plenty accurate for the task you are describing.
 
I never had to dispatch a wounded deer, but a 10 yard, .22 cal. 'dispatch gun' that's very small with decent sights to hit a moving head? Good luck.

The primary gun and .22 magnum for contact/dispatch distance suggestion seems like a good idea, especially if you're trying to hunt/travel light.

Would buying one or two boxes of .22 mag. (that will last forever) really upset your ammo stocking concerns?

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Shoot it again with your main gun. A wounded deer can be very dangerous. I have had wounded deer lie down as though dead but suddenly come very alive when I got near them. Those beasts can kill you quite dead. Getting close to a deer you know to be still alive to shoot it with a 22 handgun is, in my experience, not a good idea.
 
Ruger SR22. I've been very happy with mine. never needed it for deer, but it has dispatched many garden pests caught in a live trap. It's also wayyy more accurate than you'd think it would be. It shoots extremely well for me.
 
BatteryOaksBilly said:
Yes This^^^^^..I'm confused as to the Mission here. If you're standing over it LCP...if it's wounded and Moving, hit it again with the Primary.
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Well, it's a new mission for me, so your confusion is likely the result of my own lack of clarity on the mission. Core to this is that this very thread is the result of me trying to prepare for something I've never had to do or personally witnessed. My father and uncle, who taught me to shoot, were 'be sure of your shot before you take it' types, so that's what/all I learned with respect to hunting.

If a .22LR at 10yards for a headshot seems absurd to you gents who have had to perform this unenviable task, then I'll leverage/learn from your shared experience and reform my thinking such that it entails the primary weapon for a follow-up shot, if needed. Certainly, it'll impact harvest yield, but as a hunter there's an ethical duty to the animal that cannot be ignored (hence this very thread).


pigpen said:
if its still moving and I cant get to point blank range Im shooting again with bow/muzzleloader. You are gonna have a harder time hitting a moving head from distance with a pistol then you are hitting the vitals. Especially with the adrenaline flowing.

If you can walk up to it (aka some type of spinal shot) then a small 22 pistol like an LCP II would be perfect as would a sharp knife.
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Much appreciated input. See my response above (to @BatteryOaksBilly), as it applies to your input, as well. I had considered a knife in circumstances that permit, but I know that bleed out will be slower than shutting down the decision-making part of the animal with a round. Thus, while I carry several knives with different purposes while hunting, I see a knife as less than ideal for humane dispatch, hence the preference for a small .22LR.


jdgiii said:
If you own a Glock 17/19/22/23/34 etc pistol and already have a holster for same then the G44 may be worth considering. This was a consideration for me when I bought one. Mine is plenty accurate for the task you are describing.
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I'll backpack or pocket what I bring, so holsters are a non-concern (especially if SAO and hammer-fired ... or semi-auto and w/o one in the pipe), but thanks for thinking about the ergonomics and costs in ways that might let me keep them down!


Dan0311 said:
Would buying one or two boxes of .22 mag. (that will last forever) really upset your ammo stocking concerns?
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I know I have this tendency to stock a lot of anything I need to stock; it's the Boy Scout in me being prepared ... and a bit of OCD, too. So, yes, it's an issue ... mostly because I exhibit poor control when it comes to buying ammo when prices are reasonable. :)


Charlie said:
Shoot it again with your main gun. A wounded deer can be very dangerous. I have had wounded deer lie down as though dead but suddenly come very alive when I got near them. Those beasts can kill you quite dead. Getting close to a deer you know to be still alive to shoot it with a 22 handgun is, in my experience, not a good idea.
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Thanks for this input. My response to @BatteryOaksBilly applies here, too. I'm aware of the dangers of deer, hence my 10 yard thinking, and you've reinforced that. Like Billy and @pigpen, you've helped me reframe my thinking to what's apparently a preferred method -- which I didn't really consider because I've just never had to. :)
 
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surrealone said:
I know I have this tendency to stock a lot of anything I need to stock; it's the Boy Scout in me being prepared ... and a bit of OCD, too. So, yes, it's an issue ... mostly because I exhibit poor control when it comes to buying ammo when prices are reasonable. :)
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Lol, interesting. How many times do you estimate you will have to use a hunting, wounded deer dispatch gun? And how much ammo would your Boy Scout/OCD need for you to stock for a hunting, wounded deer dispatch gun?

( This issue may be deeper than you think! :D )
 
Any .22 will do. You will be standing close and administering a head shot.

.22 mag has been suggested and is an excellent choice.

If you are trying to head shoot a deer on the run, you haven’t put much thought into this whole thing.

Use your main weapon.

.22 can be used in simple dispatch at contact ranges.
 
Dan0311 said:
Lol, interesting. How many times do you estimate you will have to use a hunting, wounded deer dispatch gun? And how much ammo would your Boy Scout/OCD need for you to stock for a hunting, wounded deer dispatch gun?

( This issue may be deeper than you think! :D )
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Hopefully never, but I'm planning for the worst while hoping for the best, so perhaps a few times in my life.


I'd likely only ever *need* a box of 50. But I know I would buy a lot more than a box of 50. As an example, I use a whopping 1 or 2 of my .308 hunting rounds per year (1 per harvest, and I only harvest as many deer as I need in terms of meat), but in the first year of hunting with a .308 bolt gun, I bought 400+ rounds of the stuff and now have more than 1000. (Hey, it was there, prices were cheap, and you can't ever have too much, right? ;) ) I considered selling a lot of my ammo during the pandemic+BLM crazy pricing window, but it was more valuable to me sitting where it was and being mine than I felt the potential profit was worth.

Shooting friends wouldn't call me a hoarder, they'd just say I'm fairly well stocked. I'm sure some people here would say I'm 'low' because there's always someone with more. By comparison, my liberal friends would think I was a nutter if they knew how much ammo I stock and for how many guns, but I discount the opinions of people who don't own or who oppose guns, anyway, because it's generally uninformed. (500 rounds sounds like a lot to them, yet a MG or SMG will eat that on a casual range outing.)


Tailhunter said:
If you are trying to head shoot a deer on the run, you haven’t put much thought into this whole thing.
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I'd never do that. My concern is a downed deer that a) managed to run for a while (e.g. into brush), b) is tracked, and c) can't get up or run but whose antlers, teeth, panic, and situational awareness are all perfectly functional. Can't get next to that, and I'm not prone to firing a high-caliber round into the body at 10 yards. (An xbow bolt, sure, but it'd likely destroy the bolt and they aren't cheap. A black powder round ... hmm, no, I'd back off to 25 yds for that ... which is more time the animal is in pain.)

I've seen a deer run 40 yards from a field into brush ... on a shattered shoulder in a matter of seconds as the post-injury cortisol and adrenalin did their jobs. Thankfully it bled out on its run, so it went no further. But I sometimes imagine that animal with a broken limb (instead of a shattered shoulder) as the cortisol and adrenaline wear off -- unable to run more or get up, yet aware with working teeth and antlers. That's my originally-imagined mission scenario.
 
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Flashpoint said:
It's not small, but a PMR-30 is super lightweight, accurate, and 22 wmr.
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Umm, having fondled one in the past, it's entirely too large (but, indeed, it's light).

I texted the manager of my LGS for a price check on a black Ruger SR22 model 3604 (the threaded barrel model) and, for giggles, on a SiCo Switchback 22 to go with it since it can be short/med/long configuration. (It's tough to go back once you go suppressed. Heck, even my black powder rifle is moderated. Hint: SiCo Maxim50.)

No rush to buy, but this will let me plan. Thanks all!
 
surrealone said:
Hopefully never, but I'm planning for the worst while hoping for the best, so perhaps a few times in my life.


I'd likely only ever *need* a box of 50. But I know I would buy a lot more than a box of 50. As an example, I use a whopping 1 or 2 of my .308 hunting rounds per year (1 per harvest, and I only harvest as many deer as I need in terms of meat), but in the first year of hunting with a .308 bolt gun, I bought 400+ rounds of the stuff and now have more than 1000. (Hey, it was there, prices were cheap, and you can't ever have too much, right? ;) ) I considered selling a lot of my ammo during the pandemic+BLM crazy pricing window, but it was more valuable to me sitting where it was and being mine than I felt the potential profit was worth.

Shooting friends wouldn't call me a hoarder, they'd just say I'm fairly well stocked. I'm sure some people here would say I'm 'low' because there's always someone with more. By comparison, my liberal friends would think I was a nutter if they knew how much ammo I stock and for how many guns, but I discount the opinions of people who don't own or who oppose guns, anyway, because it's generally uninformed. (500 rounds sounds like a lot to them, yet a MG or SMG will eat that on a casual range outing.)




I'd never do that. My concern is a downed deer that a) managed to run for a while (e.g. into brush), b) is tracked, and c) can't get up or run but whose antlers, teeth, panic, and situational awareness are all perfectly functional. Can't get next to that, and I'm not prone to firing a high-caliber round into the body at 10 yards. (An xbow bolt, sure, but it'd likely destroy the bolt and they aren't cheap. A black powder round ... hmm, no, I'd back off to 25 yds for that ... which is more time the animal is in pain.)

I've seen a deer run 40 yards from a field into brush ... on a shattered shoulder in a matter of seconds as the post-injury cortisol and adrenalin did their jobs. Thankfully it bled out on its run, so it went no further. But I sometimes imagine that animal with a broken limb (instead of a shattered shoulder) as the cortisol and adrenaline wear off -- unable to run more or get up, yet aware with working teeth and antlers. That's my originally-imagined mission scenario.
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I really think you are over thinking this.

In reality you don’t need one. I have killed hundreds of deer, no pat on the back, I feed my family with them. I have never carried a .22 for that purpose.

Please worry more about accurate shots than what .22 you need.

Sure you’ll have a deer to run. Become a good tracker. Don’t push deer that have run after the shot and you won’t need that .22 for anything other than shooting tin cans.
 
Tailhunter said:
I really think you are over thinking this.

In reality you don’t need one. I have killed hundreds of deer, no pat on the back, I feed my family with them. I have never carried a .22 for that purpose.

Please worry more about accurate shots than what .22 you need.

Sure you’ll have a deer to run. Become a good tracker. Don’t push deer that have run after the shot and you won’t need that .22 for anything other than shooting tin cans.
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I probably am overthinking it. I'm prone to that...

I, too, feed my family with deer and have for years; we buy no red meat unless we specifically want a bovine steak or prime rib. Tracking's not an issue, I'm already decent enough at it, and I know better than to go leaping out of a stand or my sit right after a shot. I'm also a decent enough shot, I'd like to think, but true there's no such thing as too much practice.

The concern I'm preparing for is one I've never faced, however, it's been my experience as I age that things I was once quite capable of ... are things I'm becoming LESS capable of as the years roll on. Moreover, that sort of change is accelerating as I age. So, I'm trying to make sure I'm prepared.

Then there's the foray into xbow hunting I expect to make. Even the best of them (reverse draw xbows) don't produce a ton of energy on impact -- not compared to a .308 or a black powder rifle, anyway. I know not what to expect from xbolt hits or the cutting action from their heads, so I'd rather have a humane dispatch pistol on me and not need it ... than need it and not have it. You know?

NOTE:
I do, however, think others have obviated the idea that said pistol need not be super accurate since the primary weapon can be used for a follow-up shot on an animal that I reasonably believe poses a danger to get close to. That takes a lot of the decision pain regarding pistol model out of the equation, leaving it just to personal preference. That's not the outcome I had expected from this thread, but it's one I happen to like, as it certainly simplifies procurement.
 
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