Hunting with .22WMR

[goosegunner]

I use a marlin 882 for waterfowl and other small game. And I love the rifle, good accuracy and ergonomics. I have tried only cci maxi-mag +V ammo, as this is the only ammo I can get at the local gun-shop, while this is a accurate round (from my rifle) and exelent for making holes in paper and old beer- cans, the bullets are not what I want for hunting; They totally destroys crows and crow-size birds.even larger birds, like cormorants, large ducks and geese, are left with potatoe sized exit wounds and lots of wasted meat at distances under 100 meter.

So my question is:
(1) Will a .22wmr fmj bullet reliably kill a goose, rabbit or comorant, at 20 to 150 meter?
(2) Is there any .22wmr bullets with a more controlled mushrooming and less fragmenting?
(3) How can I find out how different bullets perform (By test-shooting on someting other than wild-life.) The medium fired at must simulate both bones and soft tissue. What materials will tell wich bullet is better for my purpose?

 

[cratz2]

I've probably taken more animals with my 882SSV than probably the others combined. I had a Bushnell Dusk and Dawn 4-12x scope on it for several years that served perfectly well but now that we moved into a house that allows shooting pretty much anytime I want, I got another Burris 3-9AO compact - I was pleased with it on my Howa Ultralight 243.

I've taken oodles of crows, many racoons and I think 8 or 9 coyote with it. Mostly using the Winchester Supremes. I take care with my shots and unless I've about 95% sure of them, I'll pass. I can't imagine taking a goose at 150 yards with one but if you can place your shots within 3" or so at that distance, I guess there's no harm in trying. No one knew what cartridges would take what game at what distances until they (or others) tried. I've taken crows at close to 150 yards but probably never at or past 150 yards. The crows were done as population control/crop protection so a slightly less human kill might have been justified... not that that ever happened. With geese, I'd probably try 75 yards until you are completely confident at that range. Geese usually don't take off when people are within 75 yards so it should be easy enough to set up such a shot unless you're shooting across a waterway.

 

[Greybeard]

Unfortunately, geese (or other "migratory" birds) can not be legally taken in this country with anything except a shotgun, so I suspect you may not be getting a lot of individual feedback ...

Some good info. may be gleaned from http://www.22ammo.com/22mag.html

If inclined to "experiment" on the real thing, I'd probably start with something like the 50 grainers, then maybe CCI's 40 grain copper coated solids if fragmentation is a problem. I suspect you can make a perfectly good chest shot on a goose with the solid bullet and he may still get up and fly a little ways before realizing he is dead ...

 

[redneck]

Take a look here : http://www.remington.com/ammo/rimfire/22wmammo.htm

I would give the pointed soft point a try if I were you. Offers expansion over a fmj, but shouldn't be explosive like the TNT's loaded in the CCI maxi mags, or the V max loaded in the remington premiers.
The remington JHP's might do the trick too. They seem to be aimed at controlled expansion since the V-max in the premier is designed to fragment.

 

[ENC]

I have used the Winchester supremes and I like them alot. I haven't ever blased waterfowl for legal reasons, but if I were I would inclined to take headshots myself. Kinda a hit or miss deal and you don't ruin as much meat. I think I could reliably hit a target the size of a cormorants head at 50-75 yards.

 

[goosegunner]

Thanks for replys,

I have ordered soft points from remington and RWS, can't wait till I get them. But how can I test them? A accuracy test will be simple but what about expantion and fragmentation, would it be ok to test on wet paper (phone-books)? or do I have to use expensive hi-teck stuff like ballistic-gellatine or soap?

 

[redneck]

You might turn up some ideas for that if you do a search on ballistic testing, or something like that. Probably a lot of information back in the archives of TFL.

Jugs of water might work, I've also seen people use various types of fruit (watermelon, apples etc.)
If it passes the accuracy test, why not just give it a try hunting? If the point of impact is close to the other stuff you were using you could load the CCI behind the soft points in case you need a follow up shot.

 

[fish4fun]

Ive done this with plenty of pellet guns as a younger kid but never tried it with anything larger. But I used to save all the candle wax from a burnt candle, or just used candles that werent used and shot into them. So a suggestion might be to melt a bunch of candle wax together and shoot into that. Just make sure that when you do its all melted together to get the true effect. Make sure its hardened also. Then also this way you can always melt it all back together once youve shot it.

 

[danurve]

goosegunner perhaps this will help out;

From left to right fired into a stack of soaked phone books.
Win 34gr Supreme - Rem 40gr sp - Win 40gr hp

The supremes imo have an evil disruptive property to them, many a possum can tell no lie.
The sp's don't seem to expand like a centerfire sp would, perhaps unless they hit solid bone. However they penetrated the furthest and were quite accurate.
The Win 40gr hp is the ticket for larger critters, but for saving small game they can make a mess.


edited to add;The soaked phone book test works however at the end of the day you'll have a pile of stcky mush.