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Uncle Fester
Posts: 1,644 Senior Member
.22LR for hunting?
Uncle Fester
Posts: 1,644 Senior Member
This year, I am going to try for Spring Turkey on a plot of public land. While I am out scouting this month, I decided to take my Browning T-Bolt .22LR to dispatch any squirrel or rabbits I might stumble upon.
Because the People's Republic has a dizzying array of laws related to where, when and what you can use, I decided to call the State Game Warden to confirm I wasn't inadvertently going to wander into a shotgun only spot (or worse bow only). During our conversation, he mentioned that rimfire pistols are legal during small game season.
1) does anyone use rimfire pistols to hunt?
2) if so, what do you hunt and what range do you limit yourself to?
(Note: we aren't normally allowed to carry pistols while hunting)
Because the People's Republic has a dizzying array of laws related to where, when and what you can use, I decided to call the State Game Warden to confirm I wasn't inadvertently going to wander into a shotgun only spot (or worse bow only). During our conversation, he mentioned that rimfire pistols are legal during small game season.
1) does anyone use rimfire pistols to hunt?
2) if so, what do you hunt and what range do you limit yourself to?
(Note: we aren't normally allowed to carry pistols while hunting)
Replies
That is terrible- what communist state do you live in? We are allowed to wear a pistol on our side anywhere in SC while hunting or fishing and while traveling to or from hunting or fishing.
Life member of the American Legion, the VFW, the NRA and the Masonic Lodge, retired LEO
Shot them out of a tree after being treed; run into them in a cornfield and shoot em; and one time I went in a culvert under Inter state 94 and shot a big one face to face in there.
The dogs had run him in there and would not go in after him, once was enough of that, though.
Hunted squirrels with it, too, I limited range to about 15 yds or what ever height a tree was.
Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.
Nothing sweeter than a .22LR Lever Gun and I will have one someday. Probably a Henry.
Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.
I was gifted a little Winchester 1890 and it is one super accurate pump rifle. I have found the Winchester .22WRF ammo available but a bit more expensive than .22LR
The only thing that it has killed in many years is a opossum in the back yard.
Preferably the right side.
Only Head Shots! 'Cept we use only muzzle loading pieces!
As for .22's and hunting, if you place a .22LR in the right spot animals up to deer and feral hog size will drop on the spot or close-by usually. You've simply got to get a good brain shot placement. In my wildlife management activities here in Plantation Country several times I've culled out a wounded deer with my Winchester Mod 52 using Long Rifle rounds. Busted a few hogs, too, but these are harder to drop. Normally I've simply gut-shot feral hogs letting Nature run Its course. And before you jump to critical thinking about this "gut-shooting", do your research and you'll see that these animals are the Radical Islamic Terrorists of the natural environment.
I've shot a few coyotes with .22 LR from a rifle and it works just fine, especially from a semi auto and rapid fire if close. Head shots to the base of the ear work wonders on putting them down and so does a shot to the base of the skull from a quartering away shot.
And woodsrunner's advice on feral hogs is on the money. They need killin' bad!
For a hog facing you with head down, draw an imaginary X across face from ears to opposite side eyes and shoot at the line intersection. Also shots to eyeballs, and base of skull work, and directly into the ear canal, too. And if no good shot is presented and you have a semiauto, then hose them down.
― Douglas Adams
Location?
Trying to get out for squirrels before Spring.
Wish I knew how....I can start this computer though. I don't own a camera.
Usually distance is "self defense range", with no more than 25-yards standing, not supported shots, mainly due to the low-light conditions in which the prey is usually observed on the field. For this, I usually practice at the range with a picture target of the animal.
All the times the handgun is employed as a short-range secondary weapon next to a most of the times scoped .22LR rifle, since this wary critters usually show themselves at ranges over 55 yards, and usually won't present a full body target while roaming in steep, rocky terrain with some brush cover. They are also sighted with the same HVHP ammo used in the rifle.
Target practice is paramount; know your equipment and personal limits and learn to properly calculate ranges to avoid a hunter's nightmare: Not making a clean shot.
A rifle will almost always be a better tool for the job, but with adequate training, you'll be able to enjoy small game hunting with rimfire ammo in the proper situations.
Hunting mostly rabbits and squirrels, at no more than
80 yards.
Try CCI Stingers, 1600 FPS...