Desperately seeking info on the 22 smoothbore...

[Jerry Lester]

I'm getting ready to order a Savage GSB smoothbore 22 for shotshells. I'm planning on using it for busting some rats, and pigeons for a fellow in a huge old dairy barn.

I'm wanting to hear from"anybody" who has "any" experience with a 22 smoothbore. Even if you just know from hearing about somebody else's experiences with shotshells in the smoothbore's, I'd very much like to hear about it.

Thanks!

[olywa]

I special ordered a Remington bolt-action single shot .22 smooth bore for my Grandpa back in the '60s. He used it for pest control in his garden for years. I eventually inherited it. I've dropped an awful lot of starlings and sparrows with it over the years. It does a pretty good job inside 50' on still targets. I used to bust flying yellow jackets with it when I felt like burning some ammo.

The CCI ammo with the clear plastic shot protector seems to work a little better for me than the crimped stuff. Your mileage may vary though and it would probably be worth a little effort to pattern the different ammo brands. I believe there is some difference in the size shot that they use.

You can have a lot of fun with one of these if you don't try to exceed its' capabilities. I find that I switch back and forth between it and my Beeman R-9 air rifle for light pest control duties.

I've always wanted to pick up one of the Remington smooth bore pump .22s. They seem to make a special run of them from time to time.

[wild willy]

I have one of the savages used remington in the past like win shot loads one thing have to clean chamber every box of shells or so with the crimped shells or empties get hard to extract