Match .22LR for Hunting?

[Puncha]

I know that the recommended small game/varmint round is a high velocity .22LR with a hollowpoint projectile. However, in the case where HV hollow points are simply not available, .22 magnum rounds are unavailable due to lack of local demand and suitable centerfire rounds like .22 hornet are simply too expensive, how would match grade .22 ammo do for killing vermin, pests or harvesting game animals under 30lbs in weight?

In other words, if CCI minimags or Remington yellow jackets are not available for sale, how would the following competition grade 40gr solid nose standard velocity rounds do?

1) RWS R100 or R50
2) Eley Club Extra or Eley EPS Semi-auto Match
3) Lapua Midas L or M
4) CCI green tag or pistol match
5) Winchester T-22 target
6) Remington "Kleenbore" (comes in green boxes with white lettering)

Ranges will be from 50-70 meters.

I pose this scenario because my country has just legalised the hunting of vermin such as rats, crows...etc. Each carcass can be turned in for US$3.50 at designated animal control offices. Also, as match shooting was the previous predominate use for .22 pistol and rifles, almost no high velocity or hollow point ammo was imported.

 

[koja48]

My round of choice for cottontail bunnies has always been a .22 solid. Using the same on a critter weighing 30 pounds would be best-applied as a head shot, IMHO.

 

[JohnBT]

I agree.

Some folks have been known to drill their own. Gently.

www.eabco.com/holoptr.html

 

[22-rimfire]

You will be fine with standard velocity 22 ammo that you are used to.

 

[MCgunner]

On squirrels, I've used a LOT of CB shorts. Plenty for a squirrel, doen't carry as far as a LR (safer in the woods), and is so quiet, you can often take out several squirrels in a tree while the others sit around wondering what happened to their bud, heart attack or something. My little Remington bolt gun is amazingly accurate with them and about every other ammo I've fired in it.

Rabbits die a little harder than squirrel and I'd prefer a HV hollow point like CCI mini mags on 'em. Jacks are tougher than cottontail, but they die easily with a hollow point. Most of my small game hunting is has been east Texas squirrels, though. If I know I'm going after bunnies, I usually have a shotgun, unless I'm shooting 'em in the headlights (legal on private land in Texas) and then it's often with a .38, though sometimes I've used a .22 handgun.

Now, I've killed cottontail with solids, but if they're running and have their adrenalin up, a hollow point will anchor them quick in my experience. I've had 'em run a ways with a good solid body shot from a .22 solid. That's when I started deciding hollow points were better on rabbits. Sitting, a head shot from a solid is not a problem.

 

[Puncha]

Have any of you guys tried using a PISTOL and .22 standard velocity ammo to hunt:

1)Rats or similarly sized animals at about 25 yards?
2)Crow sized birds in trees at 20-30 yards?

I know that the standard tool for airborne feathered pests is a 12ga shotgun fitted with a tight choke and 1 1/8oz loads of #6 or #7.5 birdshot but is it possible to bring down a crow or similar bird IN FLIGHT using a rifle firing standard velocity .22s?

 

[koja48]

Bunnies & gophers, but at closer range. For critters I wasn't planning to eat, I'd opt for hollow points & shoot center of mass, rather than at the head.

 

[eliphalet]

Shot plenty of Rabbits and ground squirrels as a kid with 22 longs because they use to be cheaper than Long Rifle. The bullets your speaking of should be fine on smaller critters. One of 30 pounds I would take greater care with shot placement.

I have killed rats with CB's at 6 or 700 FPS, and 14 Grain pellets at 700 FPS
Crows can be tough if not hit perfect, I have had them fly away after being hit with 22 LR and have had them fall DRT with a pellet gun.

 

[MCgunner]

Have any of you guys tried using a PISTOL and .22 standard velocity ammo to hunt:

1)Rats or similarly sized animals at about 25 yards?
2)Crow sized birds in trees at 20-30 yards?

Should be fine, works on squirrels. I love squirrel hunting with a handgun. I've shot crows and rats dead with a Benjamin pellet rifle, squirrel, too. Had a rat problem some years back and used to us rat shot on the back porch to good effect with my .22 revolver. I have cats, now, that help keep 'em in check.

 

[22-rimfire]

Puncha; I'd avoid trying to shoot crows on the wing with a 22. It is too easy to make a mistake relative to your "backstop". A mile is a long way. I actually take great care when shooting squirrels in trees due to the backstop issue. The squirrel is not worth accidentally hurting someone over.

 

[Savage Shooter]

yes its possible hard but possible i ONCE shot a bird out of the air with my marlin 60 I was hunting birds for our cats and a bird flys up and I instictevly swung like I had my shotgun and before relised what I was doing I had shot the bird and it was loaying on the ground. i wouldn't advise this i luckly had a hill infront of me so the bullet wouldn't have gone anywhere had I missed. it would be easier to do with a crow but not that much.

 

[ArmedBear]

You get PAID to shoot crows?!?

I'm envious!

 

[Bartkowski]

I would shoot them. With smaller animals it won't be a problem. With animals around 30lbs you should try to shoot them in the head.

 

[koja48]

You get PAID to shoot crows?!?

In that case, I missed-out on some potential $$ on the depredating flying coyotes this year.

 

[Puncha]

Koja and ArmedBear,

Crows are NOT where the money is. They're smart, they fly and a good shotgun with reliable birding ammo is needed. RATS are where the $$ is.

Once you locate a good spot with a rat infestation, set up the kill zone warning tape with the supervision of an auxiliary police officer and find a decent spot to shoot from, you're all set. A family friend with his beat up CZ 452 bagged about 30 rats last night shooting at 3 different locations. Each rat only nets about US$2 in local currency but it beats burning up $30 in shotgun shells and only netting 2 or 3 crows.

 

[Geno]

Good deal! I would be cashing-in...soon!

I use Remington Thunderbolts for nearly all of my hunting...varmint hunting. In my Ruger 10/22HB, I was able to maintain MOA groups. Yes, that rifle was esceptionally accurate.

I have made dozens of 1-shot-head-kills on ground hogs, crows etc out to 175ish yards. In each case, because the shot was so well made (not to brag), the animal dropped where it stood/perched. The name of the .22LR game is accurate groups, and accurate placement.

See which ammunition will group .5" or smaller at 50 yards and sight-in. Good luck and post some pics!!!

Doc2005

Edit to add:

Did I mention we want some pictures? This is a cool thread!

 

[308win]

If rats are worth $3.50US I would be getting bait and a bunch of sticky paper; shooting them is way too inefficient. We used to get $.50 for a groundhog.

 

[Wheeler44]

Puncha, see if you can find Blazer .22lr. Some folks say that they are the same as cci green tag. I don't know about that but they deliver consistent accuracy in most of my .22s. They will bring down any rat or crow that I've ever seen. Good hunting to you.

 

[koja48]

An airgun would greatly increase the profit margin per rat. We don't have many around here & I'm glad of that, however.

 

[HB]

All ammo is certainly suitable so long as it's accurate in your gun. I wouldn't shoot a .22 into the air but any of the choices are more than suitable for rats and pest birds. Good luck and have fun.


HB

 

[Sebastian the Ibis]

.177 pellets from an RWS or other quality air gun is more than sufficient for rats and squirrels, A head shot at backyard distances will take care of possums and feral cats. So any .22 should be more than adequate. Usually I'd recommend a little ethylene glycol anti-freeze, but that just makes mammals disappear - you need bodies.