I realize this post is old, but cool to keep going. I have literally killed thousands of rabbits with 1/2oz 7.5 shot over beagles, with an old Stouger SxS. You can't afford good dogs with out reloading for 410 and 28ga.... Have killed piles with 5/8oz 20ga also... rabbits die easy, no need to for a blunderbuss.

I know this is a shotgun forum - but - I absolutely agree with you. I have been hunting rabbits and squirrels since I was eight with .22s. First it was with my Marlin 39A and for the last 40 years with a Ruger Mark series and as soon as they came out, with an Aimpoint on the top.

Less destroyed meet;
Cheaper to shoot;
Lighter weight to carry in the field.

Surprisingly to some, when hunting rabbits with a group driving the field, I generally get more shots and bring home more rabbits than the guys with shotguns.

My biggest concern with using a .22 for rabbits (especially running shots) is safety. Where I hunt, it is usually public land where other hunters could potentially be just out of sight behind some brush but well within .22 range. Not to mention roads, buildings, and livestock that all could easily be within .22 range of where I am hunting. Trying to keep track of all of that when a rabbit flushes and make sure the shot is in a safe direction at the same time is a tall task where I hunt. Shotgun is much safer since max range a pellet will travel is around 300 yards compared to up to a 1 1/2 miles for the .22.

If shooting a sitting rabbit with a .22, I can see where you can ensure that you have a suitable backstop or direction of fire much easier than when the rabbit is running. Also, if you are out west somewhere where your closest neighbor is 5 miles away, there are very few roads or buildings, and there is no public land/public hunting then it would be much easier to ensure a safe shot on a moving rabbit. But where I hunt anyway, I would have to pass up a lot of shots with the .22 that I can take safely with the shotgun.

Fun, isn't it?

Not only that, it makes a really good shot out of you. Very few people I knew used shotguns for rabbits. Most used rifles, a few used pistols. I used a K22 Smith & Wesson most of the time.

I use a Mod 12 Winchester in 28ga for rabbits. I load 3/4oz #6 and it works well. No complaints here.

3 inch #6 with open choke.

I killed my first squirrel with a .410 out of an old junk car in a grown up junkyard my uncle's dad used to own. A 3 inch #6 with a full choke. Might have been a 20 yd shot, but it's been 30+ years. He was up on the driver's side head rest.