.22 MAGNUM HUNTING RESULTS

[TOP PREDATOR]

i don't know if i should ask this here or in the hunting forum, but since it is a rimfire, here goes.
i've been tinkering with 22 magnum, to use it as a varmint, turkey, coyote shooter from 50 - 150 yards or so. i've narrowed it
down to two ammo types - 40 gr. fmj for turkey (penetration) and 30 gr. hornady vmax for everything else.
shot at and hit a turkey yesterday with the 40 gr., 150 yards. unfortunately, it didn't seem effective,
and to my dismay had a bloodtrail, but no recovery. i don't know if i just nicked it or the 40's are ineffective
at that range. does anyone have good info and practical experience on effectiveness of 22 mag on what type of
game at ranges mentioned?

 

[Finris]

Re: .22 MAGNUM HUNTING RESULTS

The turkeys have feathers that inhibit shot from shotguns, that's why people use 10ga and 3 and 1/2 12ga to shoot them with. If you shoot them in the head your good. The deer it just depends on it. I've seen deer taken at 50 to 70 yards with the 22 mag.

 

[TOP PREDATOR]

Re: .22 MAGNUM HUNTING RESULTS

i wouldn't ever (in a hunting / sporting situation) use a 22 lr or mag for deer. i know they can do it, and i have in cases of an injured deer, however more effective means are usually available. let me edit to the original question, 22 mag. on coyote, turkey, woodchuck, (critter) sized game at 50 - 150 yards.

 

[fwdobserver]

Re: .22 MAGNUM HUNTING RESULTS

I have shot javalina with a 22 mag rifle using speer cci 40 grain solids at over 50 yards with good, not great results.
these are animals who weigh 35 to 60 pounds.
I have had to shoot them more than once on occasion.
head shots are iffey, some penetrate, most dont.
fun as hell, though.
bullet placement is always key

 

[TOP PREDATOR]

Re: .22 MAGNUM HUNTING RESULTS

we are starting to get a huntable population of wild pigs here in pennsylvania now, so that's good to know. i know bullet placement is the stuff on anything. i'm just concerned that when i place it from the 22 mag, if it's going to do what i expect, or ditch this idea and go back to the .223; i'm sure the next replies are going to be go to .223, 22 hornet and such, however, i like to get the most of what i got, and before i ditch it, making sure i'm not wasting time,
effort, and $. i like the idea of shooting squirrels with it, and if
"targets of oppurtunity" present themselves that i'm not undergunned.

 

[bigwheeler]

Re: .22 MAGNUM HUNTING RESULTS

150 yards is about 20 yards past where they really start running out of gas. We turkey hunt with them here as they are a lot lighter to carry than a 223 or 22-250.
I have never tried to down a turkey past 70 yards with one, big tough bird. do a
google search on retained energy and you will be surprised when looking at rimfires.

 

[fwdobserver]

Re: .22 MAGNUM HUNTING RESULTS

Its NOT or will ever be compared to a .223
its is better than a .17 for game over 30 pounds imho.
It is fun to carry around a lightweight .22 mag compared to a .223
much less exspensive to buy the initial rifle also. The savage .22 magnum I shot those javalina with cost me 210.00 and 90.00 for the scope.

 

[TOP PREDATOR]

Re: .22 MAGNUM HUNTING RESULTS

exactly why i like it....you can hunt squirrels, and if a target of oppurtunity presents itself, you can act on it. light, inexpensive. i'm just fishing around for real world experience with it as far as effectiveness. plus it's a little quieter than using centerfire when around semi-urban areas. perhaps i'll just limit the shooting at turkeys with it at 100- 125 ish yards, (based on data from big wheeler) hopefully i'll get some more tips, as i also believe that new hornady ammo is going to be great on the chucks.

 

[fwdobserver]

Re: .22 MAGNUM HUNTING RESULTS

Exactly. great "suburb" rifle round.

 

[fwdobserver]

Re: .22 MAGNUM HUNTING RESULTS

Back in South Africa, a guy we knew used to shoot Klipspringers and steenboks,(small antelopes) with a 22 mag rifle, i think it was a marlin, iron sights. From what I saw, he did pretty well.
One of our team asked him why he uses the 22 magnum instead of something with more range, power, he replied, becasue the 22 mag doesnt scare the herd, the report is low, so I can shoot a few animals before they all scatter.
I think that may work with Javalina as well.

 

[drmarc]

Re: .22 MAGNUM HUNTING RESULTS

My dad has taken coyote's on his farm with a 22mag that he straps to his tractor while working. Worked fine.

 

[steve123]

Re: .22 MAGNUM HUNTING RESULTS

I shot a coyote dead center in the chest with a CCI 40 gr hp at 110 yds and it just ran off!!Not enough energy left.I shot one at 45 yds and it still took a couple more to dispatch it.

Steve

 

[mrlhunt]

Re: .22 MAGNUM HUNTING RESULTS

Do yourself a favor, by a larger gun that will shoot larger bullets with more penetration. Shooting anything larger than small game with a .22 or .22 mag is iffy at best. At worst, you have alot of wounded game. I don't feel its worth making an animal suffer unncessarily by trying stunts with small rifles.
And I don't mean stunts badly, but that is what it is. 22's are best left to squirrels, small rodents, rabbits, plinking, and maybe turkeys that are close enough to be shot in the head.

 

[gremcat]

Re: .22 MAGNUM HUNTING RESULTS

Probably will get flamed for this but here goes, I have used a 93 fv .22 mag for culling whitetail this year. Heard it would be ok and it was. It was a very populated area so noise was a huge concern. I ended there with 7 whitetail all head shot.Not 1 went more than 5 ft Furthest was 75 yds give or take, Now the important part. Shot placement is the key with any gun. I always take all the time I need to shoot an animal. I have passed on more animals than I can count because I couldn't get absolutely dead comfortable. I have even let squirrels go becuase they didn't offer the perfect shot. If I wavered at all I let the deer walk. I would sometimes kneel in my tree stand and use the armrest for a rifle rest with my arm supported by the seat. SO it can be done. However, I will not and do not recommend using a under sized gun where a larger gun is available. If I had any other options I would have never used the .22 mag for whitetail.
As far as range I wouldn't attempt a turkey/coyote.other past 75 yds but that's just me. Oh, 1 more thing the vmax bullets are accurate as all get out but for more energy the larger hollowpoints are the way to go. All the way up to 40 gr if your gun shoots them.Size isn't a replacement for proper bullet placement either.

 

[TOP PREDATOR]

Re: .22 MAGNUM HUNTING RESULTS

good info guys. i just wanted to update my situation, i got a turkey at 95 yards
with it, using 40 cci fmj. went through quite cleanly, some meat damage, but not bad.
shot placement, as usual, is critical, and in the case of the turkey x10. seems that
if you use the fmj and don't hit a bone mass (wing pocket, back bone etc.) the bullet
is going to go through, the turkey will run off, and you hang your head.
i'm going to try some cci gamepoints on coyotes, as they are modeled after the tried
and true lead tip controlled expansion big game heads. ran them through the crony,
less fps (1829 avg) than the fmj (1910). nothing like the v max hornady 30 gr (around 2200).
more to come if you want it.

 

[mrlhunt]

Re: .22 MAGNUM HUNTING RESULTS

The .22 hornet is a good choice IF you insist on .22 caliber with a light report

 

[DFC]

Re: .22 MAGNUM HUNTING RESULTS

The old Winchester 40 GR HP works well in all my 22 mag's Best bang for the buck.