peashooter85:Chiappa Little Badger ReviewI’ve probably only mentioned this only a few times but I am
peashooter85:Chiappa Little Badger ReviewI’ve probably only mentioned this only a few times but I am the proud owner of a Chiappa Little Badger, and since I’ve finally have some time off I figured it’s about time that I did a review on it. The Chiappa Little Badger is a tiny small caliber rifle that is marketed as a survival rifle. Small and compact, it would be ideal for backpackers and hikers who venture deep into the wilderness, bush pilots who have a risk of crash landing in the middle of nowhere, and any other Bear Grylls type adventurers who might need a small but handy weapon to put food on the table. They come chambered in three calibers, .22 long rifle (which will also chamber .22 short), .22 magnum, and .17 HMR. Apparently in Europe it also comes in 9mm Flobert, which is weird. While one who is desperately lost in the wilderness probably isn’t going to be killing a deer or a bear with it, it’s practical for killing small critters, providing just enough protein to keep one fed and alive. The most noticeable feature of the Little Badger is it’s size, weighing around 2.9 lbs with a barrel length of 16.5 inches and overall length of 31 inches. It’s so small and compact that it can easily fit folded up in a pack and would be very comfortable to carry, even trudging through thick woods on long wilderness hikes. The forward grip features four sets of picatinny rails allowing the installation of various accessories, while the rear grip has a rail for the installation of a pistol grip. The wire stock is adjustable for length, and features a device on which spare ammunition can be clipped. The rifle is a breechloader only, being loaded one shot at a time. Activating a lever in front of the trigger guard opens the action for loading. The action features an “semi extractor” which only extracts the casing enough for one to remove it by hand. When firing the hammer must be cocked for each shot. When uncocked the firing pin is recessed so it isn’t touching against the cartridge rim.Sights consist of M1 style rear peep and front sights similar to military sights used today. The rear sight doesn’t have distance increments, but is simply labled 1, 2, 2.5 and 3 from front to rear. Rear sight is adjustable for elevation and windage, and is very easy to manipulate.Perhaps the best aspect of the Little Badger is it’s incredible accuracy. Mine is in .22 long rifle. After doing some warm up plinking, I placed a target out on the range at 35 yards and fire three shots open handed. I was shooting CCI Blazer 38 grain ammunition, which is cheap .22 ammo with mediocre performance Here are my results, quarter for scale.I am amazed by the accuracy of the Little Badger in stock condition. I have considered mounting a scope or red dot sight on it, but with these results why should I? One of the factors that results in this performance is its trigger pull. For a cheap little .22 the Little Badger has an excellent trigger pull at 2 lbs. I love the sight picture and find it very easy to aim with and use.While the Little Badger is made for survival situations and is made to be lightweight and compact, it does so by sacrificing ergonomics. It’s not the most comfortable rifle although I don’t have a big problem with it. I have plans to wrap the forward grip with paracord to make it more comfortable. While it’s a small rifle and I’m a big man, I find it fits me fine when the stock is properly adjusted. The biggest problem is it’s weight, because of it’s light weight one may find it hard to hold it steady while aiming. While I myself do not have that problem, it can be a challenge for new and inexperienced shooters. For example, while I can shoot groupings the size of a quarter with it, my mom, who has only been shooting barely a year finds this rifle extremely challenging to use. Keep in mind this is a rifle made for the purpose of shooting small, fast moving targets. While some of the plastic parts may seem cheap, like the rails and the sights, overall the rifle seems well made and dependable. Regardless a company called Long Shot Manufacturing makes accessories specifically for the Little Badger, including metal rails and sights.Overall I love this little rifle. My dad periodically hosts steel silhouette target competitions (small caliber rimfire rifles only) for charity and I feel confident enough to compete with it using open sights despite the fact that my competitors will be using scoped rifles. I am also confident enough to use it for hunting and would be willing to rely on it in a survival situation. Of course I’m no Les Stroud type survivalist, but regardless it’s still a fun plinking rifle I enjoy owning. -- source link