Using 22 vs 22 mag????

[Milt1]

22 LR. The best small game round in the world.

Totally agree!

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I have shot a lot of squirrels and a lot of .22 metallic silhouette. The 100-yard ram is the same size as a squirrel. So shoot enough silhouette to learn what a squirrel looks like at 100 yards.

Here's the trick -- zero at 75 yards (or at 50 feet -- which is the same thing.) Hold a tad low for close in shots, dead on for longer shots and at 100 yards, use the top of the thick lower crosshair as your aiming point.

With this approach, and an accurate rifle, you can take squirrels out to 100 yards with a .22 RF.

If you use the .22 Mag you can extend that range a bit -- out to say 125 yards. But how often do you get a shot at that range? And to do it, you need an accurate rifle and ammo combination, and you need to use solids -- as mentioned earlier, .22 Mag hollow points do too much damage to the carcass.

 

[22-rimfire]

22 LR should be plenty and a lot less noise than a 22 mag or similar. If you don't have an accurate 22 rifle, consider a scoped CZ. Half-inch groups at 50 yds are not impossible with most. Ammo choice is paramount.

 

[Clark]

I used to raise pigs. The guys that came to slaughter them would shoot the pigs in the head. If a 22LR bullet glanced off the skull, the pig would run and hide in my woods. I was always happy to see the 22 mag rifle come out, as they always penetrated the skull.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I used to raise pigs. The guys that came to slaughter them would shoot the pigs in the head. If a 22LR bullet glanced off the skull, the pig would run and hide in my woods. I was always happy to see the 22 mag rifle come out, as they always penetrated the skull.

And if I ever see a pig up in a tree, I'll be sure to use my .22 Mag.

 

[Sunray]

"...only birds you could legally shoot with a .22 rifle..." Depends on where you are. Just like everything else. We can shoot grouse on the ground with an air pistol or a .22 rifle. Doing it with .22 LR handgun would get you arrested.
A .22 LR will kill any of the small game animals you're hunting with no fuss. Cost you less too.

 

[MCgunner]

Turkey are legal with rifles here. I'd use nothing else, but not so much a .22LR. I shot one a couple of years ago with a .22 mag, though, and it penetrated right through and left a good exit hole.

 

[Clark]

I have seen grouse that have learned to avoid hunters and flush before you get within sight.
I have seen grouse so dumb deer hunters shoot them out the vehicle window with a handgun.
Grouse were always legal to shoot with a rifle in WA state. But if you shoot one with a 30-06, all the deer within 2 miles know where you are.

 

[DM~]

I'm loath to find .22 mag at Wallyworld, but I can get .223 every time I go

I'm always amazed that folks think IF they can't buy it from Walmart, then it doesn't exist!

These days, I see 22 mag. ammo for sale at numerous places, I just have plenty on hand so I haven't been buying any.

We have hunting seasons here where you can use a rim fire, but not a CF, the .223 isn't much good to have around then...

DM

 

[CraigC]

Sounds to me like the .22LR would be best option for the OP. However, generally speaking, the .22Mag is a fantastic field cartridge. Easily capable of small game and varmints out to 150yd, filling what I consider to be a significant gap between .22LR and .223. Not only in capability but in terms of rifle/ammo cost and recoil/blast.

I shoot 4" clay targets at 200 yards with a 22 LR. The round is easily capable of hitting and killing squirrel and rabbit at 100 yards if the shooter and rifle are up to it. I can buy 223 ammo cheaper than 22 mag. If the 22 LR isn't enough I say go straight to 223.

You must be comparing 20rd boxes to 50rd boxes? I'd love to know where I can get quality .223 for $10 per 50rds. Or a good .223 rifle for under $300.

I'm always amazed that folks think IF they can't buy it from Walmart, then it doesn't exist!

These days, I see 22 mag. ammo for sale at numerous places, I just have plenty on hand so I haven't been buying any.

We have hunting seasons here where you can use a rim fire, but not a CF, the .223 isn't much good to have around then...

DM

If you had been buying any, you'd know that the .22Mag has been extremely scarce the last few years and not just at Walmart.

 

[Clark]

Times have changed for rimfire price and availability.
https://ammoseek.com/ammo/22-magnum

 

[DM~]

Yes, 22 mag has been hard to get in the past, (along with 223's and just about everything else) but in the last year, I've seen it in quite a few different places, just NOT at those lower prices that we saw a few years ago...

Even though I've been seeing it for some time, I only bought two boxes, because they are a brand I haven't tried before...

DM

 

[MCgunner]

Right now, the only .22 mag I'd like to find is Hornady CD for my little NAA Black Widow. I haven't been by Academy in a while. Even a standard Walmart is 20 miles from me, a super walmart 40, and anything else is 60 or more. The flip side of my location is that I can shoot wild hogs right off my back porch. But, Academy used to have the Hornady stuff and I'll get by an Academy eventually. If the .22 mag is coming back, maybe it'll be there. I've checked the LGSs around me and no dice, though I can get CCI for my rifle. Plinking with .223 is just as cheap and more fun, though. Another bonus to ..223 is I can reload it if it ever gets in short supply again.

I shot a squirrel once 5 years ago with the .22 mag. That rifle, a Remington 597 Magnum, is 1.5 MOA accurate out to 100 yards. I shot that turkey with the gun. That's all I've ever used it on other than targets. It's a cool gun to shoot, though. I traded a guy a small motorcycle for it that I didn't want around anymore. I got the better of the deal. I don't think I'd ever bought a .22 mag. Not much I would use it for that .22LR isn't more suited for and now that I have a .223, well, but I don't sell accurate rifles. I don't mind owning this little rifle, it's just a cool gun. The trigger was terrible, but Volquartsen fixed that. Now, it's delicious.

 

[Sav .250]

For what you want to do with it.........................22 LR.

 

[darkcloud]

22 LR is my 1st choice for what you are asking to do. Something along the lines of a CZ 452 or 455 with a good scope. If you decide you need more power and go with the 22mag consider using the 22WRF round in it for the smaller critters. It shoots with a bit heavier bullet than the 22LR and a bit more velocity than the 22LR giving very good killing power without lots of meat and hide damage like the 22 mag. If you need the extra of the 22 mag no issue! The 22WRF chambers just fine and is perfectly safe in 22 mag chambers.

 

[Sniper66]

I've killed every critter you listed in your OP wit my 22LR__lots of them. Some years ago I discovered the 17 HMR, have since bought 3 of them, and have killed every one of the species you listed with it too. The difference being I can kill them at longer distances and have fewer crawl-offs. The 22 mag is a fine round, but not quite as accurate as a 17 HMR.

 

[Charliefrank]

I've hunted many squirrel and rabbit with a 22lr. My particular rifle, Remington 581 prefers CCI Stingers. Try to keep to head shots though as they can tear up a lot of meat. Bigger critters /varmints I move up to my 22 Hornet.

 

[Armored farmer]

I've killed every critter you listed in your OP wit my 22LR__lots of them. Some years ago I discovered the 17 HMR, have since bought 3 of them, and have killed every one of the species you listed with it too. The difference being I can kill them at longer distances and have fewer crawl-offs. The 22 mag is a fine round, but not quite as accurate as a 17 HMR.

My old buddy has a 17HMR, he says the same thing. He prefers it over his .22s both mag and LR.

I have a nice .22mag rifle, but for small game hunting in general, I stick with .22lr.

 

[d2wing]

I refer my CZ452 22lr. for squirrels and edible small game. Shotgun for birds and 22 mag for critters like coons, woodchucks etc. 17 HMR is pretty much as good as a .22 mag, better according to some. I dunno.

 

[Clark]

I have ~~ a zillion rimfires; 17 M2, 17HMR, 22LR, 22 mag.

If I had to choose two it would be a custom 10/22 22LR and a stock Win 61 pump 22LR... and I would have to throw out some nice rimfires

 

[edwardware]

In my experience, 22 magnum will disappoint if you're planning on eating any small game you hit. On the other hand, there won't be much to dispose of. . .

 

[PapaG]

An awful lot of states forbid taking game birds with anything but shotguns, though some allow archery. Keep that in mind.

 

[Picher]

Don't know if you can still get .22 WRF ammo, which fits into a .22 WMR, but has lead bullets loaded to lower velocity. Should work well on small game.

 

[alsaqr]

i hunt small game with a scoped Ruger 10/.22. Often squirrel hunt with a scoped FN Browning .22 automatic chambered for.22 short.

 

[Glockula]

50 to 60 yards is .22 lr territory. The .22wmr will get you out further. Make you a better shot and a worse hunter