At what distance would you sight in a small 22LR revolver, used for small game for the pot?

When you say "kit guns" I take it you mean the Model 34 Smith because that's what it's called. It's adjustable sights and the one I used to have and most Smith .22s for that matter are usually pretty good straight from the factory to and at 25 yds, which is perfect for squirrel. That'd be my "sighting in" distance. For more than that, just lift your front blade a very, very slight up-tick and you should be about there. I typically don't find any need to mess with the sights at all. I consider this largely trial and error and "seat of your pants" stuff until you do it enough to find a sight pic that works.

That's assuming a quality handgun. Some are all over the place and many don't have elevation adjustments at all. Windage only is adjustable and even that is crudely done. You know what I mean.

On accuracy I find .22s are a very mixed lot. And I say that having owned a Colt Woodsman, Colt Match Target, H&R Model 999 (I'm on my second), Browning Challenger II (two of them - one's sights are horribly off), a military WWII High Standard, Smiths of all sorts and probably others I can't remember. The Smith Model 41 in the longer barrel length is the most accurate of the lot. Like a small rifle almost. The Challenger II would be second if it had fully adjustable sights, but unfortunately none are available.

Btw, squirrel in my experience accounts for 90% of .22 handgunning. Some of the rest is the occasional cottonmouth moccasin or finishing rabbits. You could also use a .22 for a head shot on a snapping turtle for the pot, although there're other ways to do that. Anyhow, much of this type handgunning is done at point blank or such close range that sighting in is almost irrelevant.

My my S&W M63 is set up to land bullets just on top of the front sight at 25 yards. A little blade is used to hit out further.

I think this might depend on the ammunition.
My old K-22 would put Aguilla SSS 60 grain bullets into a 3/4" group at 50 yards, the sights were adjusted for that distance and that ammunition.
If I wanted to run Stingers, the sights might be set up differently.

25 yards isn't very far, and I'd probably consider the areas I hunt if I were you. In the woods 25 yards might be fine, in our ridge 50 is more appropriate for cottontail distance.

One of the kids on an adjacent ranch has a little AMT Automag in 22mag. That little pistol is accurate and effective *easily* at 75 yards, and if it were mine that's where I'd have the sights set.

There's just a bit of 'it depends' in the right answer!



Cheers
Tinker

quote:

a little AMT Automag in 22mag. That little pistol is accurate and effective *easily* at 75 yards, and if it were mine that's where I'd have the sights set.

I'd use only Win .22 Mag ammo in those. Original from the factory guns were known for not cycling well with other brands. That will be corrected I'm told in the new generation of AMIIs.

I expect head of piglet or body of rabbit to 50 yards

I have mine sighted in at 25 yrds, but it is used mostly as a backup or in thick brush. If I was going hunting solely with a 22 handgun I would sight it in at closer to 50yrds.

Both my Ruger MkII target and the Smith revolver are sighted in at 25 yards. I don't sit the bull on top of the front site though. I cut the bullsey in half for cent bull hits. It just works better for me for some reason. DW