22mag squirrel hunting

[kingcheese]

I'm taking a friend squirrel hunting this year and he is dead set on using a 22mag, so can anyone recommend a round that won't just blow up the squirrel, i use a 17HMR, and I've seen what that does, and a new gun isn't an option yet, so looking to make the 22 closer to the power range of 17

 

[303tom]

Ain`t nothing wrong with using .22 WMR solids on squirrels............

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/31...ire-wmr-40-grain-total-metal-jacket-box-of-50

 

[Naybor]

I've used a .22 LR or .22 Mag solid point for years on squirrels with good luck.

For safety's sake, always try for a head shot and have a tree limb as a background. If you miss without a background, that projectile can go for at least a mile if a .22 LR and even farther if a .22 Mag.

 

[JEB]

cci FMJ or HP are exellent for squirrels and are all i use. if using a HP, make sure you stick to head shots only or you will destroy a lot of meat.

 

[MCgunner]

Heck, I've hunted 'em a lot with shorts. CCI CB shorts are silent and deadly, but might lack a little range if hunting tall pines. I've shot a lot of squirrel with a CCI .22 CB short, like shooting 'em with a pellet gun except more bullet and less noise.

Go with solids, should be fine. I shoot 'em with solids in .22 LR with less destruction, so the mag should be no different. Sure, overkill, but heck, I've shot whitetail with the 7 mag before.

Now days, I like using a good, accurate .22 caliber pistol. Rifles seem like cheating.

 

[One_Jackal]

When squirrels are in the top of the trees a 22 is about the only way to bag a squirrel. The average tree is around 100 feet high. Unless you are right under the tree you are looking at a 60 yard+ shot.

 

[kingcheese]

The average tree in your woods might be a 100, the areas i hunt are about 30-40ft, 20yard shot is typical, does anyone make a subsonic for a 22mag? Seems kinda contradiction if they did but i would buy it, i already use aguila sss in my 10/22

 

[stalkingbear]

Since I'm a HUGE fan of .22mag and have a few rifles so chambered, it's about all I use when small game hunting. A FMJ bullet out of a .22mag performs exactly (and leaves a wound channel) like a hv.22lr hp. You just have more penetration and range.

 

[gbran]

One other benefit of the wmr, is with a good scope, you can take much longer shots. Much flatter trajectory too.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

The friend just needs to make head shots.

 

[Sav .250]

The friend just needs to make head shots.

Very true!

 

[MtnCreek]

Heck, I've hunted 'em a lot with shorts. CCI CB shorts are silent and deadly,......

As a kid growing up, a lot of times friends I hunted with would take a shotgun. I would always get more with CB longs (the longs fed through my rifle). Pop one then hit a cutter call and they would calm right down.

As said above, the mag has more range than a lr. Shooting up is not much of a concern, but it gets dangerous when you reduce the angle of your shot.

 

[ZeroJunk]

I never was any good at shooting a squirrel in the head. For one thing the little suckers are never still for more than a couple of seconds. And a 1 inch target at 100 feet or so with no rest is hit or miss for me.

A shotgun works fine, but it is noisy. A 22 Mag is going to scare eveything around as well.

Like everybody said a 22 subsonic hollow point, short hollow point or CB is better for the job. And, you can shoot them right behind the shoulder, kill them quick, and not lose anything you were going to eat anyway.

 

[JEB]

One other benefit of the wmr, is with a good scope, you can take much longer shots. Much flatter trajectory too.

that is one of the two big factors that i really love about the .22 mag. the other being accuracy. maybe i just havent ever gotten my hands on a really good .22lr, but i have never found a .22lr that can even come close to my mag in accuracy, especially at anything past 50 yards.

 

[jrdolall]

22 mag works well for me with Squirrels. If we are hunting really mature trees then the .22 is a reach for me. Standing on a slope, free hand, 5 seconds tops and out of breath because I am old and fat. A body shot with the mag is quite effective and a lot easier than a headshot. I don't recall the last time we had a squirrel rib BBQ.

 

[MCgunner]

The average tree in your woods might be a 100, the areas i hunt are about 30-40ft, 20yard shot is typical, does anyone make a subsonic for a 22mag? Seems kinda contradiction if they did but i would buy it, i already use aguila sss in my 10/22

Folks tend to think where they hunt is the only habitat on the planet. I've hunted east Texas a lot where the pines are tall, but I grew up in live oak where the oaks spread out and don't grow so tall. They give squirrels highways to run, the limbs being horizontal. These live oaks range from 20 to 40 feet or more, but no where near as tall as those east Texas pines and, of course, not as straight. You won't find yourself in a climbing tree stand in a live oak, LOL.

I grew up hunting in the oaks and .22 CB short was a real squirrel getter. Up in those pines, shots can run 50 yards and the LR was much better. ,22 mag is overkill and the ammo a might more expensive, so I've never used mine for squirrel, but it ain't like it can't be done or even that it's a bad choice. I just like to be a little more quiet.

I know of no subsonic .22 mag, but Winchester Dynapoint is pretty weak compared to CCI maximag. I have my reloading/chronographing notes boxed up in storage waiting to move, I hope soon, so I don't have the numbers handy, but the ammo is so weak it sometimes doesn't work the action in my semi auto Remington 597 magnum. It chronographs significantly weaker than CCI maximag, but it's still a bit hotter than most any hyper-velocity .22LR and is pushing a full 40 grain bullet. In a bolt gun and in sold point, this might be the ammo of choice for squirrel if it's accurate in your gun. I had no complaints with the stuff for accuracy.

 

[Sniper66]

The 22 Mag is a bit of overkill for squirrels, but if your buddy is set on using it, go for it. As others have said, try your best to shoot head shots. Almost all of mine are head shots, but you just have to be patient and wait for the shot. The 22 mag will allow you some longer range shots, but makes head shots a challenge. But, even if you hit him in the shoulder, you'll have most of the good meat left. That's what happens to me when I shoot a bit too low with my 17 HMR.

 

[barstoolguru]

we use 20 gauge shot guns

 

[Cluster Bomb]

no matter the round, 17, 22, 22wmr, do head shots. no matter what your shooting. Any cal will ruin meat.

 

[wankerjake]

I agree, shoot them in the head. The 22mag about takes the head clean off, but you don't waste anything. Body shots are brutal, however, in my experience.

 

[MCgunner]

we use 20 gauge shot guns

Cheater

BTW, area 51 is in the Nevada desert as i recall. Squirrels in the cactus out there?

 

[EmG]

really average tree is 100 ft thats some pretty tall trees, average tree in my area and anywhere I have hunted is about 30 feet! a power pole is only about 25 ft, your trees are 4 times taller than a power pole ???? really??? i guess its possible but you must have some unusually tall trees in your area!

 

[MCgunner]

that is one of the two big factors that i really love about the .22 mag. the other being accuracy. maybe i just havent ever gotten my hands on a really good .22lr, but i have never found a .22lr that can even come close to my mag in accuracy, especially at anything past 50 yards.

My old Remington M512X shoots 1.5" at 100 yards with Federal Bulk Pack. My .22 mag Remington M597 shoots 1.5" at 100 yards with CCI maximag. Difference is I have to dial the scope up big time on the .22LR to group on the bull. The .22 mag shoots dead on at 100 and a bit over an inch high at 50. So, if the mag were dialed at 50, I wouldn't have NEAR the hold over at 100 yards that I need for the .22LR.

That old gun, I got it for my 9th birthday 51 years ago, still shoots one hole with RWS target at 50 yards. Never tried it at 100. The RWS Target is a lower velocity load and time of flight would best be measured by a calender at 100 yards. LOL It is one helluva accurate rifle, though, and it's taken a truck load of squirrel over the years.

 

[rcmodel]

My personal view is I can kill more squirrels with .22 HS Short, Long, or .22 Standard velocity LR.

The .22 Mag is too loud, and a tree full of squirrels will soon be devoid of squirrels after the first shot.

Sub-sonic doesn't scare them out of the trees.

Plus the matter of "I shot a .22 WMR up in the air, to come down I know not where" in a 1 1/2 mile impact area, which is totally out of your sight, or control.

29 grain Shorts and 40 grain standard velocity LR don't go nearly as far when shot at near vertical angles up in trees.

rch

 

[bob barker]

really average tree is 100 ft thats some pretty tall trees, average tree in my area and anywhere I have hunted is about 30 feet! a power pole is only about 25 ft, your trees are 4 times taller than a power pole ???? really??? i guess its possible but you must have some unusually tall trees in your area!

Have you ever seen a coastal pine tree? I have 3 in my back yard 75ft-90ft. I live in Houston. This is pretty much the norm.