Small game calibers

[Lupinus]

I'm really intereste in starting to hunt small game, from squirrls to coyotes. For some reason smaller things just interest me more then large game like deer. Right now all I have though is a 22LR and wanted opinions on what some other good calibers would be. 22-250, 22mag, etc, personaly I don't much like 17HMR. Basicly I want to stick with two or three (besides the 22LR) that would give me good range up to things as large are coyotes. Also would prefer something that isn't overkill or that would really tear up the meat.

 

[griz]

If youdon't want a 17 then pretty much any of the many 22s will have an application. The 223 is by far the most common and has the biggest selection of factory ammo. The 22-250 is a bit more powerful than that. The 22 mag rimfire is also common and useful, although I would suspect it would be on the light side for coyotes. Then there is that new 20 caliber, about which I know nothing.

 

[MCgunner]

If youdon't want a 17 then pretty much any of the many 22s will have an application. The 223 is by far the most common and has the biggest selection of factory ammo. The 22-250 is a bit more powerful than that. The 22 mag rimfire is also common and useful, although I would suspect it would be on the light side for coyotes. Then there is that new 20 caliber, about which I know nothing.

If you handload, I'd suggest the .22 Hornet. It can be loaded up to velocities high enough to knock down song dogs at over 100 yards and down to squirrel hunting velocities.

Personally, if and when I hunt coyotes, rarely on purpose, usually when I'm deer hunting, I use a deer rifle. For my truly small game I use three calibers:

1) .22 Long Rifle

2) .22 Long Rifle

3) .22 Long Rifle

There ain't nuthin' under the size of coyotes that the .22 ain't good at killin' to ranges past 50 yards. If you wanna stretch ranges on jack rabbits to 100-150 yards without handloading the .22 hornet, you could go .17 HMR or .22 mag. There are other center fires you can load down for small stuff, .222 for instance or even .223, but the Hornet with its smaller case would be more efficient. The hornet is the direction I'd go unless you want something REALLY funky like the .219 zipper or .218 bee. I had a friend with a .218 Bee that was always hunting for ammo and paid an arm and a leg for it when he found it. I'd handload the Hornet, though, even though it's easier to find. Handloading would bring out its versatility. Actually, for those reasons, I've thought often of adding a .22 Hornet barrel to my contender collection.

 

[Lupinus]

hornet sounds like it may be the way to go. Basicly I want something with the punch to knock down things at a bit longer ranges and things a bit larger then 22lr is good for.

I thought about 223 but I think that would be good for coyotes but smaller (squirles groundhogs etc) that it would be overkill.

 

[R.W.Dale]

Rember to check with your local game an fish commision, It's not legal to use a centerfire on small game in all states.

 

[Art Eatman]

I dunno. The Hornet has always been more of a woodchucks-on-down sort of critter, first used in areas where coyotes had not yet moved in. Eastern states, mostly. Same for the K-Hornet and the .218 Bee. Sure, they'll kill a coyote, but the hit better be near perfection in head or heart.

With a .223, you have a sure-enough "use enough gun" cartridge for coyotes. You're not limited to skunks and suchlike, and particularly less limited by distance. The .223 is good to 150 or 200, easily, on coyotes.

Take up handloading. You can always load down, if you really worry about "over-gunned". The nice thing about reloading is that used equipment is right at as good as new stuff. I'm using loading dies that weren't new when I got them in 1950. You can't wear out a press, and I've never had problems with used powder scales.

My 2¢,

Art

 

[22-rimfire]

I would think in terms of stretching the range out a bit on the 22LR with either a 22 WMR or 22 Hornet; and probably a 243 win. If you like the AR's, get a 223 also. I generally think in terms of three power ranges for game animals up to deer size: 22LR, 243, and 270.

 

[Gohon]

MCgunner is correct in that the 22 Hornet would be about the only thing that would come close to what you want but as mentioned also you will have to handload. I'm not sure I would consider the Hornet that consistent much past 100 yards except on a broadside shot but that's just me. The 17HMR is to small for coyotes in my opinion. I know there are some that will argue till the cows come home that it is okay but I've got two 17HMR's and I know better. I know a few that have used the 22 Magnum but I also consider that pretty weak on song dogs out past 50-70 yards and again that is with a perfect shot. Don't let anyone tell you all you have to do is take head shots. A coyotes brain is about the size of a golf ball and if you don't hit it you have a wounded dog running off with half the jaw missing. Personally if I were in your shoes and you already have a 22 LR, I would go with the 223. Use the .223 for coyotes, fox, and Bob Cats and the 22 LR for everything smaller. You would have all the bases covered then. If you just have to be prepared to shoot all size game when in the field, get a scoped 22 pistol and the 223. That's what I carry at times.

 

[MCgunner]

If you just have to be prepared to shoot all size game when in the field, get a scoped 22 pistol and the 223. That's what I carry at times.

Me, too. I like handgunning squirrels, but hitting a cotton tail on the fly would be a might difficult. Another possibility is the Savage 24V in, say, .223 over 20 gauge. Shotguns make good squirrel and rabbit gitters. I prefer to give the squirrel a break...LOL...but rabbits are a lot easier to take when they jump and you have a scatter gun. I've never bought a 24V, but back in my youth I really, really coulda used one. I was forever jumping rabbits and having to take what I could get for a shot with a .22. I missed more often than not unless I had enough time to get on 'em. Didn't often get that much time before they hit cover. But, I usually hunted with a .22 'cause shooting squirrel with a shotgun just felt like cheating.

 

[mp510]

For squirrels, I would recommend using a .410 shotgun, 6 shot, 3" shells.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

My cousin had a Savage Model 24 when I was a boy -- I liked it, but you were limited to iron sights. Scoping it would pretty much limit the usefulness of the shotgun barrel.

Of course in those days, I had 20/10 vision, and open sights were no problem at all.

 

[Terrierman]

I varmint hunt with my terriers. Coons, possums, groundhogs, armadillos, and if I ever see one around here, fox!! I carry a .22 Walther TPH for coup de grace work and a .22 WMR 77/22 All Weather with a 2x7 Leupold Compact. I'm very happy with that combination for what I do. So armed, anything coyote sized or smaller inside 100 yards is in danger. Though I must admit, the thought of a 77/22 in .22 Hornet is intriguing!!

 

[Geno]

Here is my partial list of ACTUALLY USED calibers from my own vault

In Rifles:
.22LR in many Ruger 1022 HB, Kimber SVT and an old Marlin
(The Marlin was the most accurate)
.223 Rem in a Rem 700V (52 & 53 Gn HP)
.22-250 in a Rem 700V (52 & 53 Gn Hp
6MM Rem in a Rem 700V (75 Gn HP)
.257 Wea Mag in Mark V, 26" Deluxe (100 Gn Spire Boattail)
.270 Win in a Wea. vanguard VGX (90 Gn HP Speer Hot Core)
.300 Wea. in Wea Mark V Fibermark (150 Gn Spire boattail)

In Pistols:
T/C Contender
.22LR MATCH 10" bull barrel
.223 Rem 14" ported bull barrel (52 & 53 Gn HP)
.30-30 Win Ported 14" (130 Gn HP)

T/C Encore
.223 Rem 15" (52 & 53 Gn HP)
7MM-08 15" (120 Gn HP)

There. That is what I have bought SPECIFICALLY for small game, including varmint.

Doc2005

 

[M.E.Eldridge]

For varmint shooting, I use a nice .222 Springfield bolt gun that I got with a scope at a pawn shop cheap. It works fine and I can get 1.11 inch groups with it according to a digital caliper, though I think the cartridge is much better than that. Especially if it is being used in one of the new, supper-acurate varmint platforms available today.

I've heard doof things about the 7mm-08 Weatherby rifles and the cartridge would be useful for coyotes, hogs, and other varmints at long range. It would also have applications as a mule/white-tailed/black-tail deer and possibly elk cartridge(I'm a bit iffy on this).

A .22 Hornet would also be a great choice. It would do limited damage to fox hide while still have a coyote killing puch upto 100 yards, which in my experience seems to an average distance for shots around here in central Ohio, where farmers fields and woodlots predominate. Out West in open country, like New Mexico or Texas, I would assume you would have longer shots to take, so a larger caliber round might be in order.

If you can, I would try to use various rifles in different calibers that you might be able to borrow from your relations with other hunters.

 

[bowfin]

I find it ironic that there is only one post so far mentioning the .222 Remington. Twenty-five years ago, it would have been in every post. I don't think coyotes and small game have evolved that much since then, so it must preferences.

Actually, you have to look pretty hard to find a new rifle chambered for the little cartridge, but I think it is more accurate and easier to reload than the .22 Hornet, as well as more powerful.

 

[1911 guy]

Another vote for .223 Remington.

I'd stich with the .22 LR for squirrels, but go with the .223 for 'yotes and woodchucks. Much more range, wider selection of reloading components to match your rifle and heavier bullets available for coyote sized varmints at longer ranges. .22 Hornet is a good round, but you're limited to 45 grain bullets, only a few powder selections in most manuals and an effective range not much more than 100 yards.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I varmint hunt with my terriers. Coons, possums, groundhogs, armadillos, and if I ever see one around here, fox!! I carry a .22 Walther TPH for coup de grace work and a .22 WMR 77/22 All Weather with a 2x7 Leupold Compact. I'm very happy with that combination for what I do. So armed, anything coyote sized or smaller inside 100 yards is in danger. Though I must admit, the thought of a 77/22 in .22 Hornet is intriguing!!

The Hornet is like a red-headed woman, exasperating, intriguing, interesting, but never boring. Mine is a Kimber M82 and the saga of making that rifle shoot 0.5" groups is a long story.

 

[mbt2001]

A great small game round is the .38 special, either from a carbine or revolver. It is quite a bit more powerful than the .22 so it can be used on a larger variety of game, however it would require you to make headshots on rabbit and what not, so that meat wasn't lost.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

A great small game round is the .38 special, either from a carbine or revolver. It is quite a bit more powerful than the .22 so it can be used on a larger variety of game, however it would require you to make headshots on rabbit and what not, so that meat wasn't lost.

I have killed a lot of small game with the .38 Special -- usually fired from a .357. I like a 148 grain hollowbased wadcutter loaded ahead of 2.7 grains of bullseye. This smacks squirrels and rabbits with authority.

 

[Terrierman]

The Hornet is like a red-headed woman, exasperating, intriguing, interesting, but never boring. Mine is a Kimber M82 and the saga of making that rifle shoot 0.5" groups is a long story.

One of my good buddies has a Kimber in .22 LR that is a very nice piece, as I'm sure your M82 is. I have to admit to what in is starting to look like a Ruger addiction though. Single Six, Mark II target model, M 77 RL in .270 (tang safety), 77/22 in .22 LR blue/walnut and the 77/22 WMR All Weather. I like them all and consider them equal or superior to most of the competition (after a bit of breathing on a couple of them) Man, we are practically neighbors. When I get that red head I'll be sure to ask you what you had to do to get it to shoot. I had a fun time with my .270 but it's a real nice one now so I kind of know a little bit about what you might be talking about.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

One of my good buddies has a Kimber in .22 LR that is a very nice piece, as I'm sure your M82 is. I have to admit to what in is starting to look like a Ruger addiction though. Single Six, Mark II target model, M 77 RL in .270 (tang safety), 77/22 in .22 LR blue/walnut and the 77/22 WMR All Weather. I like them all and consider them equal or superior to most of the competition (after a bit of breathing on a couple of them) Man, we are practically neighbors. When I get that red head I'll be sure to ask you what you had to do to get it to shoot. I had a fun time with my .270 but it's a real nice one now so I kind of know a little bit about what you might be talking about.

I have two Kimber M82s, one in .22 LR and one in .22 Hornet. I also have a Ruger 77/22M in .22 Mag. All three are tackdrivers.

My point with the Hornet is, you have to really work to develop a load for them. My approach is to use the Lee Collet Die -- this ensures there is no stress on your brass once it's formed to your chamber. I put two washers on the shell holder, which causes the die to activate early -- sizing only about the first 0.2" of the neck. I fill the case with Li'l Gun and seat a Hornady V-Max well out. The .35 grain V-Max has a very short nose, but the same shank length as heavier bullets -- this makes it possible to seat the bullet to touch the rifling and still have a short enough OAL to feed through the magazine.

 

[LAK]

Seeing as you already have a .22RF for small game, I would pass on the .22 magnun RF and step up to a .223 or .22-250 for versatility. Both have a wide range of factory loading available if you do not handload.

A good choice for these fast numbers might be the pointed solid bullet loads to limit pelt and or meat destruction. I can not remember which custom ammo maker; but I recall coming across one on the web some time ago offering ammo - many popular small and medium bore cartridges - loaded with Barnes pointed solids.
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http://ussliberty.org
http://ssunitedtstates.org

 

[kennyboy]

.223 is good for coyotes and groundhogs. .22 mag is good for rabbits and squirrels under 100yds. Over 100 yards, .17hmr is suitable. Centerfires on squirrels and rabbits will cause much more meat damage, but a kill is more certain.