Chiappa Little Badger

[Troublco]

Anyone have one of these?

I saw pictures of them when they were introduced, and got to handle one a week or so ago. I'm just curious if anyone has one, or has shot one, and their opinions from actual use. I'm thinking of getting one to throw on the tractor so I have a cheap little utility gun along when I'm out on the property a half mile from the house, and to be honest looking at it kind of made me feel like tinkering with it a bit just for fun (because I don't already have too many projects and too little time).

[Great-Kazoo]

Outside the utilitarian look, i'd spring for a lever gun in 22 or 22 mag. You have more at the ready follow up shots as needed. IF you like to tinker, there's a guy who took his beater 30/30 (IIRC) and turned it in to a side folding truck gun, retaining the stock furniture.

[DeusExMachina]

My 22mag Little Badger is the most fun I've had for under $200. It was my first break open (I now also have a 300BLK Handi Rifle) and I was shocked with the accuracy. The trigger is great (seems to be a trend among single shots?) and the sites, while crappy, surprised me.

I tossed my Sparrow on it and it's very quiet and pleasant to shoot. It'll be a backpack gun alongside my PMR.

The sights are kind of junky, and the little plastic shell holder is junky too. Don't really like the plastic pic rails, but I just put some covers on them.

[Troublco]

Outside the utilitarian look, i'd spring for a lever gun in 22 or 22 mag. You have more at the ready follow up shots as needed. IF you like to tinker, there's a guy who took his beater 30/30 (IIRC) and turned it in to a side folding truck gun, retaining the stock furniture.

I have a Marlin 39M and a selection of other .22s, and I don't really want to beat any of them around. I've thought about getting one of those Mossberg .22 levers with the AR type furniture for this, but don't want to spend $400+. Usually one shot at a time works for what I need, and I use .22 shotshells quite a bit to limit any collateral damage when I shoot diamondbacks near any of my animals. I'd like something small, simple, and cheap, plus the Badger just seems to beg for customization. I've seen some interesting pictures of what folks have done with them online, and I have a few ideas of my own.


My 22mag Little Badger is the most fun I've had for under $200. It was my first break open (I now also have a 300BLK Handi Rifle) and I was shocked with the accuracy. The trigger is great (seems to be a trend among single shots?) and the sites, while crappy, surprised me.

Glad to hear that about the trigger. I was wondering if I was going to have to smooth it out.

[SAnd]

I bought a 22lr version last Friday so I can't speak from a lot of experience. I bought it knowing I was going to tinker on it. The trigger has really nice smooth clean break and at a touch under 3 pounds maybe a little on the light side for my taste. It isn't all that compact when folded because it is about 6 to 7 inches across. I have already fitted a -A2 pistol grip to mine and have a wood forend mostly done to replace the lower and side rails. Due to eye problems the sights won't work for me but I had already planned on putting a spare red dot on it. My butt stock wiggles and the adjustment is already as tight as it will go. I was planning to putting something on it to have a better cheek rest so I'm not worried about the wiggle. So far I'm really happy with mine and feel it was a bargain.