Firearm for Rabbit Hunting
11-27-2019, 03:36 PM
#21
Super Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Trumbull County, Ohio
Posts: 9,520
lets face it NOT all hunters are experts with guns, ammo, or safety!
excitement effects many in many ways, so judgement calls can happen in seconds and well, mistakes can be made
MOST have NO business shooting large caliber rifles at small game IMO and from ALL my yrs of experience
again, can it be done, and safely done, YES< I will not say it cannot,
but that doesn;t make it right in my eyes at all
nor should be recommend on forums, where , face it, idiots can read and think GREAT I don;t need a 22 my "x" CALIBER DEER RILE WILL WORK JUST FINE
I have had bullets shot near me, over me under me, around, me f, and even rained down on me
from accident's, folks that didn;t look past there targets in the field before
excitement effects many in many ways, so judgement calls can happen in seconds and well, mistakes can be made
MOST have NO business shooting large caliber rifles at small game IMO and from ALL my yrs of experience
again, can it be done, and safely done, YES< I will not say it cannot,
but that doesn;t make it right in my eyes at all
nor should be recommend on forums, where , face it, idiots can read and think GREAT I don;t need a 22 my "x" CALIBER DEER RILE WILL WORK JUST FINE
I have had bullets shot near me, over me under me, around, me f, and even rained down on me
from accident's, folks that didn;t look past there targets in the field before
Everything bolded has nothing to do with the firearm choice. And is a problem with a pellet gun or a .50bmg.
So, yes... It's more of a problem with a more "powerful" rifle. But the rifle still ISN'T the problem. It just isn't.
And again: where do you draw the line? I can kill any deer on the planet with a .30-30. and I can apply literally every argument you just made to anything bigger than a .30-30. plus, there are lots more hunters in the woods during peak deer season days than there ever are for small game. So.... It must be wrong to use a .30-378 on deer. For every reason you just listed.
At this point you either have to agree that everything over a .30-30 is wrong for deer. Or admit that there has to be some wiggle room in your opinion on small game choices .....
-Jake
-Jake
11-27-2019, 03:39 PM
#22
Super Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Trumbull County, Ohio
Posts: 9,520
lets face it NOT all hunters are experts with guns, ammo, or safety!
excitement effects many in many ways, so judgement calls can happen in seconds and well, mistakes can be made
MOST have NO business shooting large caliber rifles at small game IMO and from ALL my yrs of experience
again, can it be done, and safely done, YES< I will not say it cannot,
but that doesn;t make it right in my eyes at all
nor should be recommend on forums, where , face it, idiots can read and think GREAT I don;t need a 22 my "x" CALIBER DEER RILE WILL WORK JUST FINE
I have had bullets shot near me, over me under me, around, me f, and even rained down on me
from accident's, folks that didn;t look past there targets in the field before
excitement effects many in many ways, so judgement calls can happen in seconds and well, mistakes can be made
MOST have NO business shooting large caliber rifles at small game IMO and from ALL my yrs of experience
again, can it be done, and safely done, YES< I will not say it cannot,
but that doesn;t make it right in my eyes at all
nor should be recommend on forums, where , face it, idiots can read and think GREAT I don;t need a 22 my "x" CALIBER DEER RILE WILL WORK JUST FINE
I have had bullets shot near me, over me under me, around, me f, and even rained down on me
from accident's, folks that didn;t look past there targets in the field before
Everything bolded has nothing to do with the firearm choice. And is a problem with a pellet gun or a .50bmg.
So, yes... It's more of a problem with a more "powerful" rifle. But the rifle still ISN'T the problem. It just isn't.
And again: where do you draw the line? I can kill any deer on the planet with a .30-30. and I can apply literally every argument you just made to anything bigger than a .30-30. plus, there are lots more hunters in the woods during peak deer season days than there ever are for small game. So.... It must be wrong to use a .30-378 on deer. For every reason you just listed.
At this point you either have to agree that everything over a .30-30 is wrong for deer. Or admit that there has to be some wiggle room in your opinion on small game choices .....
-Jake
11-27-2019, 04:04 PM
#23
Super Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Trumbull County, Ohio
Posts: 9,520
And to be clear.. I'm not recommending a .30-30 for rabbit. I'm just saying it's not wrong to use one if somebody chooses to.
Back to the OP:
yes, any .30-30 load to the head will do the job, probably without much damage to most of the fur. And yes a 12ga would be better. But will do more damage.
-Jake
Back to the OP:
I've currently got a .30-30, and I'm going between that and getting a 12 ga shotgun to use. Would a 150 grain reduced load, like the Rem managed recoil, to the head of the rabbit do the job without making something nasty of the meat? Or would the 12 ga with #6 shot be better/how much impact would it have on the pelt?
Thanks!
Thanks!
-Jake
11-27-2019, 04:25 PM
#24
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 2,743
I suppose your distance argument has some merit...sorta ... Maybe.... But not really
Everything bolded has nothing to do with the firearm choice. And is a problem with a pellet gun or a .50bmg.
So, yes... It's more of a problem with a more "powerful" rifle. But the rifle still ISN'T the problem. It just isn't.
And again: where do you draw the line? I can kill any deer on the planet with a .30-30. and I can apply literally every argument you just made to anything bigger than a .30-30. plus, there are lots more hunters in the woods during peak deer season days than there ever are for small game. So.... It must be wrong to use a .30-378 on deer. For every reason you just listed.
At this point you either have to agree that everything over a .30-30 is wrong for deer. Or admit that there has to be some wiggle room in your opinion on small game choices .....
-Jake
Everything bolded has nothing to do with the firearm choice. And is a problem with a pellet gun or a .50bmg.
So, yes... It's more of a problem with a more "powerful" rifle. But the rifle still ISN'T the problem. It just isn't.
And again: where do you draw the line? I can kill any deer on the planet with a .30-30. and I can apply literally every argument you just made to anything bigger than a .30-30. plus, there are lots more hunters in the woods during peak deer season days than there ever are for small game. So.... It must be wrong to use a .30-378 on deer. For every reason you just listed.
At this point you either have to agree that everything over a .30-30 is wrong for deer. Or admit that there has to be some wiggle room in your opinion on small game choices .....
-Jake
WHY do you think they limit rifle caliber size, or type of gun used in many urban area's where populations are higher with humans and more houses and such?
there have been many studies done, and most show , things carry less as far thru game and less likely to hit a NON desired target
same reason many indoor shooting ranges have limits on size(yes there targets are ONLY designed to handle"X" size)
but that still shows the different in what it takes to stop larger faster more powerful bullets
I fully agree a gun is ONLY a tool but that brings it back to the right tool for the job being asked, NO reason to have over kill, you use a high power impact tool to tighten bolts, you stand a GOOD chance of snapping there heads off
or strip treads and so on
so, again,
I wouldn;t give a NEW shooter a 50BMG to learn to shoot with'
I wouldn't tell one to use one to shoot small game, EVNE thought IT can be done
I have shot MANY very small things with my 50 bmgs, from up close to far away
but I wasn;t using it to hunt with on small game, even though I could hit them!
even with low recoil rounds , hunting heads and so on, its WAY Over kill and can travel WAY pasty many targets, MAYBE a new be, wouldn;t think it would
and this is MY larger concern, MOST hunters are super avid shooters and experts on firearms and bullets
if you were honest, you would know that its honestly a smaller percentage of folks that take.MAKE the effort to become well versed on guns and bullets and shooting
the average guy shoots seldom,
so STATING< a 30/30 or a .308 is OK to be using to shoot rabbits, is just plain silly and IMO< leading to possible dangerous conditions for OTHERS or the shooter
all the more so if,a LESS than experienced reader reads the tread and thinks, WELL IT Was stated "X" it is OK to do so
we live in a very strange world anymore where most folks LEARN things, or THINK they are learning things by reading stuff online and NEVER verifying if its GOOD info or BAD
so I don't condone posting things of such
I couldn;t tell you how many things I heard shooters/hunters say in my gun shop over the yrs I had it, that was shocking, that they THINK they knew was OK
so, I maybe see tings from different side of things, based on HOW many folks I dealt with on a daily basis, and tried my best to correct so they would be safer for ALL
11-27-2019, 04:28 PM
#25
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 2,743
And to be clear.. I'm not recommending a .30-30 for rabbit. I'm just saying it's not wrong to use one if somebody chooses to.
Back to the OP:
yes, any .30-30 load to the head will do the job, probably without much damage to most of the fur. And yes a 12ga would be better. But will do more damage.
-Jake
Back to the OP:
yes, any .30-30 load to the head will do the job, probably without much damage to most of the fur. And yes a 12ga would be better. But will do more damage.
-Jake
even with reduced recoil loads, its stands a LOT larger chance of a poor shot happening and RUINING a the whole pelt
same thing, I wouldn;t suggest telling someone to use a 20 lb sledge hammer to hammer in roofing nails, even though it can be done? LOL
more likely to make a mess of roof IMO, and god help you if you hit a finger by accident HAHA!
11-27-2019, 04:31 PM
#26
Super Moderator
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Northern California
Posts: 18,382
The OP is either going to use his 30-30 or not. If he uses the 30-30, it should only take him a few rabbits to figure out if that setup is going to work well for him or not. Best case scenario, he doesn't have to buy another gun. Worst case scenario, it will take a lot of rabbits to make a stew. 
11-27-2019, 04:54 PM
#27
Super Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Trumbull County, Ohio
Posts: 9,520
Again- where do you draw the line on what it's ok for somebody else to hunt with? If it's legal-it's legal. I've used options on both sides of the spectrum successfully for deer. And will continue to.
You're logic is exactly the same logic that libs use to try to justify gun control. An ar15 has more chance of doing more damage than a single shot 20 gauge. And since somebody somewhere may make a bad decision- we shouldn't allow ARs at all.
See how that works? It's the exact same reasoning. And I don't accept it.
So where do you draw the line on deciding what someone else should use? Again... Should anything larger than a .30-30 be allowed for deer? Because every point you made applies to that scenario. Anything bigger is overkill, has a higher risk of an "accident" and risks ruining meat.
I'm not going to use a .30-30 for rabbit. At least not any time soon. But could some one else? Absolutely.
-Jake
You're logic is exactly the same logic that libs use to try to justify gun control. An ar15 has more chance of doing more damage than a single shot 20 gauge. And since somebody somewhere may make a bad decision- we shouldn't allow ARs at all.
See how that works? It's the exact same reasoning. And I don't accept it.
So where do you draw the line on deciding what someone else should use? Again... Should anything larger than a .30-30 be allowed for deer? Because every point you made applies to that scenario. Anything bigger is overkill, has a higher risk of an "accident" and risks ruining meat.
I'm not going to use a .30-30 for rabbit. At least not any time soon. But could some one else? Absolutely.
-Jake
11-27-2019, 05:20 PM
#29
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 2,743
Again- where do you draw the line on what it's ok for somebody else to hunt with? If it's legal-it's legal. I've used options on both sides of the spectrum successfully for deer. And will continue to.
You're logic is exactly the same logic that libs use to try to justify gun control. An ar15 has more chance of doing more damage than a single shot 20 gauge. And since somebody somewhere may make a bad decision- we shouldn't allow ARs at all.
See how that works? It's the exact same reasoning. And I don't accept it.
So where do you draw the line on deciding what someone else should use? Again... Should anything larger than a .30-30 be allowed for deer? Because every point you made applies to that scenario. Anything bigger is overkill, has a higher risk of an "accident" and risks ruining meat.
I'm not going to use a .30-30 for rabbit. At least not any time soon. But could some one else? Absolutely.
-Jake
You're logic is exactly the same logic that libs use to try to justify gun control. An ar15 has more chance of doing more damage than a single shot 20 gauge. And since somebody somewhere may make a bad decision- we shouldn't allow ARs at all.
See how that works? It's the exact same reasoning. And I don't accept it.
So where do you draw the line on deciding what someone else should use? Again... Should anything larger than a .30-30 be allowed for deer? Because every point you made applies to that scenario. Anything bigger is overkill, has a higher risk of an "accident" and risks ruining meat.
I'm not going to use a .30-30 for rabbit. At least not any time soon. But could some one else? Absolutely.
-Jake
I am not trying to compare things to gun control and a AR being more deadly due to it holds more rounds!
that is nothing to do with this, or even a very comparable comparison
the difference is again, in HOW far the projectile can travel is my point
you want to debat if a 30/30 should be max, over larger calibers on deer
NO, again, NOT even the same league again, a deer is a BIG game animal not SMALL game
most all 30 cal rifle calibers are fairly close in power and speeds
BUt comparing a 308-30/30 to say a .22 rim fire, is a HUGE difference
in speed, and power and well, distance the bullet is capable to travel
which again brings me back to why they use lower risk weapons when hunting in more urban area/with less back stops and more people about!
due to the calibers they allow are less likely to travel
you can try and tell me a BAD hunter making BAD decisions will be the same with either type of rifle(22-308)
and yes and no is that answer
there both capable of killing for sure
so recommending a 30/30 or a 308 for small game is NOT a very good suggestion, like iot or not its a fact, based again on the balistics of the calibers, one will go farther and capable of doing mroe dmage period!
1 round in gun or 100, I don;t care, its CALIBER
and again why many places DO have legal size on weapons allowed to be used, in BOTH directions, larger and smaller calibers rules!
we BOTH agreed already it can be done and done safely if all things go right!
but again, the larger population of hunters are NOT gun experts, or shooting experts
so, IMO again, it wouldn;t be a smart caliber to be hunting rabbits with for the AVERAGE hunter!
its also a FACT, a 12 gauge with bird shot will NOT travel as far as any rifle you listed, and will loose energy FAST,m
so stating it will ruin a rabbit is NOT a fact nor even true, pending where and HOW its shot!
velocity and energy can make a huge difference in how and what damage is done to something shot!
and I do hope your taking this as a friendly conversation and no disrespect meant here, as that is how I mean this!!
as well as I hope anyone reading this learns some things and not just taking it as a arguments here! as I am not taking it or meaning it that way at all!
