Rimfires and rabbiting

Accurate and silent

For reliable accuracy, I currently shoot an Anschutz bolt-action .22LR, which is fitted with a sound moderator. I carry my spare magazines in a clean, dust-proof container and I prefer to use Winchester subsonic bullets. The scope is a Hawke Sport HD 3-9×50. For night-time work, I use an LEDray Tactical 700 that sits on top of the scope without hampering performance or manoeuvrability when shooting from inside my truck or from the sticks. This is essential when I want to move around safely without accidentally knocking anything.

After shooting this rifle for a few years, it fits like a glove. With spare magazines at the ready, it makes for relaxed shooting zeroed in at 50 paces, and I rarely shoot a rabbit at more than 70 paces.

Once you are ready to go rabbit shooting with a rifle, you need to decide which style to adopt.

• Do you want to hunt from a vehicle or quad using the vehicle as a hide?
• At night with a lamp or nightvision equipment?
• Stalking with a set of sticks?
• Inside a natural hide ambushing the rabbits as they come out to feed?

Daylight shooting

For me, however, nothing beats daylight shooting when the rabbits are feeding eagerly. Sitting motionless, the first rabbit presents a safe shot. With the sound moderator dampening the noise, the rabbit drops. Sometimes a few of its fellow feeders can be shot before they realise that something isn’t right and head for home.

The rimfire must account for millions of rabbits each year across the UK.