22lr squirrel ammo?

[cougar1717]

I cant seem to get very close to them as its public land so they are very spooked. Its also part of the Appalachian mountains so I generally sit on a hillside and pluck them off kind of far. Now, when I'm home we tree them with a dog and generally shoot 30yards. Hill country I've found is a little hard to stalk effectively.

A HP isn't absolutely necessary for the application, but accurate ammo is. OP had asked about CCI's "quiet" offerings. They do have a purpose in terms of being used in short distances while not alerting neighbors with a loud report. It's just that most people do not have a rifle that handles 710fps with reasonable accuracy beyond about 25 yards. Additionally, I like the idea of the segmented 22LR, but my results have hovered in the 1.5" at 50yds range.

If you're looking for something to try, I would try a 50rd box of a quality subsonic hollowpoint - whether that is RWS Subsonic HP or Eley subsonic hollow (Lapua doesn't make SK subsonic anymore). If one of those do better than CCI SV, then great. If you end up liking the CCI SV better, then at least you know.

As for richochets through the treetops, that is definitely a "know your target and what is beyond it" situation that takes wisdom beyond forum wonks like me.

 

[crestoncowboy]

I've seen people just launch 22 without regard of where it lands. I personally only shoot where I know the bullet is going to hit the tree or ground after pass through. Where we hunt the bullet could fly that magical 1.5 miles stated on the box (that I very highly doubt btw) and still land on our land, but I'm still picky about it.

 

[Axis II]

I grabbed a box of subsonic hollow points 100rds for $8 and then segmented subsonic and hv segmented for $6 a box for 50rds. Trying them tomorrow and see what happens at the range.

 

[Axis II]

Well I purchased CCI subsonic HP, CCI subsonic segmented, CCI HV segmented and tested them tonight. The HV shot 5 shots in about a baseball at 50yrds, subsonic segmented shot pretty tight but they wouldn't extract from the chamber so I gave up on them. The subsonic HP shot decent but CCI standards still put 3 out of 5 in the same hole at 50yards. Im heading out in the morning and seeing how all the subsonic rounds shoot same POI ill give them all a try.

 

[Axis II]

Think I’m sticking with standards,

 

[FL-NC]

Aguilla or remington hp subs.

 

[SgtScrounge]

There's NO way on God's green earth that a .22 LRSV is going to ricochet off a squirrel's head at 50 yards. A bad shot is a bad shot. Quit trying to reinvent physics to cover for a bad shot.

This Marine agrees with that Marine.

 

[brewer12345]

Aguilla or remington hp subs.

Far as I can tell, aguila doesn't make subs with a hp bullet any more.

 

[FL-NC]

Far as I can tell, aguila doesn't make subs with a hp bullet any more.

Wow- better conserve what's left of that brick I bought years ago until I find a replacement.

 

[GooseGestapo]

I’ve shot hundreds, no, thousands, of squirrels with .22lr. Never had a ricochete. But numerous deflected rounds. After impact, bullet will exit at an angle. But, squirrels were quite dead!
Currently, I use .22 subsonic hp. Rem or CCI. Accurate and effective from my Uber accurate @50yds CZ452. One hole! <1\2”.
AFTER deer season ends Jan 14, squirrels are in danger!!!
Need to thin out the corn fed thief’s.

 

[brewer12345]

Wow- better conserve what's left of that brick I bought years ago until I find a replacement.

If you are dying to keep using them, I think they show up on gunbroker. They still make the subsonic solids. To be frank, the aguila subsonic solids and CCI SV work well enough as to terminal effect that I don't have any issues using them.

 

[WestKentucky]

I used a colibri shell today at about 20 yards. Squirrel was chewing up the plastic wheels on my old Weber grill. If that weak round will do the trick then any other 22 will do it. I have seen them come back to life though, usually isn’t pretty. Last one did that to me was with a 12 ga and #8 shot. First shot was to the top of a 60ish ft oak. Second shot was at 4 ft waist high off of the same tree. Ugly.

 

[Merle1]

I used a colibri shell today at about 20 yards. Squirrel was chewing up the plastic wheels on my old Weber grill. If that weak round will do the trick then any other 22 will do it. I have seen them come back to life though, usually isn’t pretty. Last one did that to me was with a 12 ga and #8 shot. First shot was to the top of a 60ish ft oak. Second shot was at 4 ft waist high off of the same tree. Ugly.

I've never used anything smaller than #6 - too many pellets to pick out otherwise!
For longer shots, I use #5 or even #4 for more certain penetration thru that tough winter hide......

 

[Casefull]

I shoot maybe 40 squirrels a year. Any junk 22 Ammo laying around works fine. Shorts, longs, long rifles. hollow point, target loads, sub sonic.

It's like a human taking a 155 through the stomach. They are a lot tougher than we are but they still die.

A lot of times I shoot through a couple of inches of tree to get to their vitals because all that's showing is hair. I have nothing against squirrels, it's my Chesapeake, Butch will not leave me alone until I bring the squirrel down from the tree. He tries to climb the tree like a bear but falls on his ass. I always shoot off hand at squirrels as it is good practice for big game season. About the same steadiness needed as an elk at 150 yards.

 

[Armored farmer]

There's no doubt that a squirrel hunt is good practice for a big game hunt. A good time to scout too for sign too.
Win/win.