.22 RF hunting rounds...

[ironglow]

   Just for the fun of it let's pick ONE .22 LR round as the best general hunting round.

  We must consider of course, power, accuracy, dependability (fewest misfires), and cost ( so we can afford to enjoy them)...

      Here's my choice .........CCI MINI-MAGS.....What's yours ?

[popplecop]

Really depends on which rifle I'm using.  I use the CCI SGB in my rifles where it is one of the most accurate rounds.  In one rifle it's the Federal bulk HPs that Wally World sells.

[woodchukhntr]

I look for the round that gives the best accuracy for a reasonable cost for each gun.  The CCI SGB works well in my current batch of rifles for a squirrel/rabbit round.  The CCI Stinger is my choice for woodchucks in my Biathlon Basic.

[mcwoodduck]

I have 6 .22 LR rifles and 5 handguns so each shoots something a little better.
Most are set up for the Remington 36 Grain hp Golden bullet.  I do get about 5 misfires out of the big box of 525.  I do not remember ever having a misfire on a CCI product.  But I look at it misfires as good training to clear a firearm.
Depending on what I'm hunting also would depend on the bullet.
If I plan on eating it.  I usually go with a 40 grain standard Rem. Golden Bullet.  As they kill well and do not destroy a lot of meat.
If I am riding the back yard of pests then CCI CB longs.
IF it is a coyote I will use a super sonic hollow point or one of the 60 grain Aquilla rounds. Again depending on around the house or out in the field.  The big 60 are really quiet out of my CZ 452 Lux. 
And my Walther TPH that goes for walks with me gets CCI stingers.

[Ranger J]

Too many choices, too many choices!  Back when I was a kid and shot a lot of 22s we basically had three choices, a short, a long, or a long rifle.  The brand name didn't matter what I was looking for was a cheap bullet.  The second gun I actually bought was a Sears auto that fired these three bullets interchangeably.  I got this gun because it was cheap (I think you are beginning to see a theme now) and it reminded me of a Remington rifle one of my uncles had that I often borrowed.  I put a cheap 4X scope on it and I was set to terrorize the local squirrels.  I usually shot shorts in this gun because they went for about 50 cents a box then and they were quiet enough that you could usually get multiple shots at squirrels.  Of late I have switched to long rifles as the shorts have almost disappeared off the shelves and I can now get bulk long rifles cheaper than I can get the shorts.  Although I have several 22 autos now that old Sears gun is still my favorite.

RJ 

[flyboy]

For years, my go-to accurate, ultra reliable choice has been the CCI Mini Mag.

[bscman]

Minimags are a great choice, but not my first choice for hunting.

First choice would be American eagly 38gr. HP's...a brick of 400 is $10 locally, and darn near as great as Mini-Mags, but with less cost. It's rare that I even get 1 dud per brick (vs. 5-10 for federal bulk and remington GB bulk).

Around the farm I LOVE CB Longs. Nice, quiet, and fairly accurate to 25yds. Great for taking out small pests without disturbing the animals.

The largest game I've taken with the 22lr was a bobcat last year. I used Aquila Super Maximum Hyper Velocities out of one of my bolt guns (chronied 1,810fps muzzle with a 30gr bullet). It is advertised as the fastest 22lr available--beats the stinger!
Shot was 35yds, cat dropped without knowing he was ever hit.
I bought 'em locally for $19.99 a brick of 500. Not many rifles shoot these well.

Aquila has a new round called the "Interceptor" which is advertised as the fastest, most powerful 40gr 22lr on the market.
Those in the know, CCI came out with the velocitor which is pretty much a stinger with a 40gr bullet. For the a while it was advertised as the most "powerful" 22lr on the market....the inerceptor now has it beat. Either are a GREAT round for the larger of the small game.
Both carry a real punch at all ranges, and are pretty accurate out of my rifles.

[ironglow]

 Haven't physically seen or tried the Interceptors yet, but from the pictures they look more like an SGB point rather than hollow point.The SGB, especially at that speed should be OK..I wonder how the accuracy holds.
   Although the Stingers don't quite group with a Mini-Mag, in some of my rifles they are quite close. The Velociters are VERY close in accuracy to the Mini-Mags, but after using them on groundhogs, I consider them closer to the .22 Mag than to the .22LR.

[tn_junk]

60 grain Aguila. Little noise but a big thump when it hits.
Only problem I have seen is that my 1968 vintage Marlin 39A doesn't seem to stabilize them nearly well as my newer Marlin bolt action.

alan

[ironglow]

  In my several rifles, only a couple like the 60 gr Aguilas. If your rifle likes them, they may be a good short range choice..

[bscman]

  In my several rifles, only a couple like the 60 gr Aguilas. If your rifle likes them, they may be a good short range choice..

What he said.

Almost every rifle I've shot 'em through won't stabilize 'em worth a darn....lots of keyholing.
They also seem to be one of the most expensive rounds I can get locally...I don't see that as a loss, though.

[nilescoyote]

Federal gold medal match.

Ive tried all the different cci, remington, winchester, and cheaper federal rounds and this is the only thing I can find that will shoot accurate enough to make head hits on squirrels beyond 50 yards with out going to european ammo and the prices they ask for. A big plus is if i hit low there is little damage to the meat as this is not a HP.

[Glanceblamm]

I shot a bunch of those Federal solids when starting out. I could buy a 50rd cardboard box of these for 33cents locally. But even at that price I would still have to blow a hole through a penny now and again at point blank range in the soft dirt. These coins could then be sold by myself at School for a Quarter because they were so Cool In the meantime, I would gain enough money to be able to shoot the next weekend!

EDIT: Please Do Not Do This. Today's Penny Is Fragile And Will Shatter Or Tear. This Was A Dangerous Stunt That Very Well Could Send Fragments Into Your Eye!

Getting back to the subject though...I would rate the solid as the worst hunting bullet (especially out of a handgun) even on Squirrel type game cause they would often have just enough vitality in them to scramble on up to a twig where they would hang up before expiring. At other times, a lung shot Squirrel with the handgun may have the tendency to recover from the shock of the impact just a few feet above the ground and you may have to chase it around the trunk of the tree for a little bit before it would expire.

When the CCI mini mag HP became available at my local I started using them and never looked back. By the time 1974 had came around I owned my first WMR and discovered that the thing would not only kill the Squirrel, but also knock it completely clear of the tree for You! This was kind of expensive shooting though and my WMR was quickly reserved for Groundhogs and Red Fox. The .22LR remained to be my favorite and I had become proficient enough
In my stalking and shooting to take the head shots only so even the solids were ok.
My Final Answer Would Still Be The CCI mini-mag.

[flabbydan]

   I picked up a brick of the Interceptors at Cabela's for $24.99, hoping they'd be a cheaper alternative to CCI's Velocitor.  No such luck.  My CZ will put 10 Velocitors into about an inch at 50 yards.  The Interceptors produced almost 3 inch groups, with nasty vertical stringing.  If only I had chronographed those rounds.  I wonder if the stringing was a result of wild velocity swings.

   I know you can't judge ammo from its performance in only one gun, but I'm a little discouraged.    I have other 22's, but only the CZ is scoped.  Iron sights and my eyes just don't cooperate when I want to test the accuracy of a load.

   Winchester Power Points shoot well in my CZ (~3/4 inches at 50 yards), but I haven't hunted with them yet. 

   Federal bulk HP's from Walmart seem to shoot about as well as Mini Mags (1 to 1.5 inches).  The hollowpoints and solids (Mini Mag) seem to shoot about the same.

   PMC Moderators shot really well for me (1/2 to 3/4 inches).  I wish I could find more of them.  I've never hunted with this ammo--or any other subsonic load for that matter.  It's not because I feel it lacks killing power.  Most of my shooting is at paper targets, and I'm too lazy to adjust my scope for the different point of impact of the slower bullets.

   I've never shot a squirrel at more than about 20 to 30 yards.  In my opinion, it doesn't make too much difference in the velocity or the construction of the bullet.  At close range, a chest or head shot means a dead squirrel.  Then again, I don't have a whole lot of hunting experience.

[ironglow]

Nilescoyote;

   Have you ever tried the CCI standards? I can shoot minute-of-squirrel-head at 50 yards with them, and I am no competition shooter. I just go to my woods and  sit at the old, rusty bench bench I made to sight in.
  I don't know what Euro brands you tried, but shooting CCI standards or Green Tags and Eleys..my groups are interchangeable with on another. I have to label them right away, or half hour later I can't pick one group from the other.
  At least that's my experience anyway.

  Flabbydan;
                         (first sentence inaccurate; deleted)

   Being an old guy, I can well recall the first CCIs I tried..and as you said, for a favorite brand..I've never looked back.
   Yes; I shoot rimfire (my favorite) often and continually try others..but CCI still has the "Real McCoy".

         I believe CCI has opened up a whole new world for rimfires. Before CCI Winchester, Remington/Peters and Federal only had shorts, longs and long rifles (some HP).
  CCI blew that development rut away !  Now Aguila seems to be doing similar work.

[Oldtimer]

For many years, I have used Remington solids and HP's.  When I started out, I would buy Remington Rockets.  They came in a pack of 22, as I recall and were in .22 short.  I think the price was 15 cents a pack.  The pack looked like a pack of Chicklets.   I have tried the Aguila 60 grain bullets, and only one rifle, my BL-22, shot them well enough at the range they were made for.  I was really impressed when I shot a possum at 20 yards, and turned it 90 degrees at the shot.  I have also had good luck with CCI products.  I never had any gun, rifle or pistol that would shoot .22 longs worth a darn, and the CB longs don't seem to be much better.  The only ammo I had any trouble with was a Fillipino brand, Squires-Bingham.  K-Mart used to sell the brand, along with the rifles, many years ago.  The primer material was brittle and would break out of the rims, I found this out by pulling down some misfires.  The rifles were just barely OK, the main problem being it looked like the factory got rid of all its machining waste by putting it back into the rifles.  After a good cleaning, they would work well, and I bought several, cleaned them, and then resold them.  I have shot both Eley and RWS and they don't outperform quality American ammo, at least not in my collection, which does not include any target guns, except for a Ruger Mk 1, and it like American ammo, too.

[woodchukhntr]

Llike Oldtimer, I used to use the Remington Rockets as they were potent medicine on rats and starlings on the local dumps!  I had a Remington 552 (shorts, longs, LR's) that would hold 22 if I remember correctly.  A lot of rats fell to that rifle.  I think that I traded it when the days of the open dumps passed and I didn't need that much firepower any  more.

It find that it is necessary to try different loads in each gun to establish which performs best for each task that the gun is asked to perform.  Some types seem to shoot equally well in some guns, but the POI's are quite far apart.  My Biathlon Basic is one of the few that I have owned that have a similar POI at 50 yards for everything that I have put through it.  I mean that I could hit a soda can consistantly with a mixed batch of ammo.  Other rifles I have had reacted very differently, putting different loads 6 or more inches off the AP in different quadrants of the target, or missing it altogether.  Price isn't everything either as ironglow has shown.  A Ruger 10/22 from Chief AJ's workshop that I had shot the cheap PMC target ammo just as well as CCI Green Box.  It didn't like Remington Target at all, shooting Thunderbolt much better.

If I had to chose just one load for hunting, it would be CCI SGB's.  They have shot well in everything I have tried them in, have plenty of power for squirrels and rabbits, and work well on woodchucks if you limit them to 50 yd.  Over 50 yd., I would use Stingers, although I have not tried any of the new stuff yet since I have a .17 HMR for that.

[TX-Hunter]

Remington Thunderbolts or Super Colibri depending on the situation.

[flyboy]

   I picked up a brick of the Interceptors at Cabela's for $24.99, hoping they'd be a cheaper alternative to CCI's Velocitor.  No such luck.  My CZ will put 10 Velocitors into about an inch at 50 yards.  The Interceptors produced almost 3 inch groups,...


   I know you can't judge ammo from its performance in only one gun, ...

 Iron sights and my eyes just don't cooperate when I want to test the accuracy of a load.

 Winchester Power Points shoot well in my CZ (~3/4 inches at 50 yards)...., but I haven't hunted with them yet. 

 Federal bulk HP's from Walmart seem to shoot about as well as Mini Mags (1 to 1.5 inches).  The hollowpoints and solids (Mini Mag) seem to shoot about the same.

  

Yo, Dan:   Your experience matches mine to an amazing degree.  'Specially, the eyes!

Interceptors run ~2 in. @50 yds.  from both my CZ  452 and my 77-22. Glad I only bought one box.

CCI mini mag and HP run 1-1 1/8" and Federales don't generally do as well, but adequately...better than Remmie Goldens.   Velocitors and Power Points do about 1- 1 1/4", and  Dynapoints were good, before they became rich man's ammo.

And, If'n you only gots a gun or 2, accuracy testing for them is the only thing that counts, regardless of opinions to the contrary.

It is a Fine and Pleasant Madness, so enjoy!

[ironglow]

  I've read the same thing about interceptors in other websites.

[dez]

Remington yellow jackets do the trick for me

[Brithunter]

I mostly use Winchester Sun Sonic hollow points as I normally shoot using a Sound Moderator (silencer) and until recently never found any of the hyper velocity ammo accurate, that is until a friend gave me some of the new Velocitors to try, in the 100 meter indoor tunnel range from a bench these shot groups of around 1 1/4" and we got the same results from 3 different rifles. Now if they can keep the quality up there I will buying some for use in the unthreaded rifles (no silencers). Mini Mags were awful accuracy wise as were Winchester Lazers and Remington Yellow Jackets.

[Moss88hunter]

CCI Stinger is by far my first choice. Reliable, powerful, accurate! What more can you ask for?

Evan

[ironglow]

Brithunter;
  Are sound moderators mandatory in the UK for .22  rifles ..or is it just the preferred way of hunting ? I can understand that subsonics are more effectively sound suppressed though..
    I often use either standards or subsonics, especially when shooting under 50 yards..

[Brithunter]

Brithunter;
  Are sound moderators mandatory in the UK for .22  rifles ..or is it just the preferred way of hunting ? I can understand that subsonics are more effectively sound suppressed though..
    I often use either standards or subsonics, especially when shooting under 50 yards..

   No only one of my five .22 rimfires is threaded for a moderator, the use of moderators and sub sonics is usually so we can take more vermin/game with less disturbance, it's not uncommon to take several Rabbits out of a group before they catch on what's happening. Sound moderators are also becoming very common for fox control (which is often done at night) and Deer Stalking. The use of sound moderators has grown on health and safety grounds as well as to stop noise pollution.

[ironglow]

  Yep !@ I wouldn't mind trying one..but that's a "no-no" here in the states..nothing says that laws have to make sense !...LOL

[woodchukhntr]

Interesting!  In Britain, where gun ownership is difficult, silencers are allowed because they work well , while here they are banned because they work well!

[Brithunter]

Hi All,

    Ahhh well the Polcie tried very hard to stop us shooters having sound moderators often erronously called silencers however after several Forrestry Commision rangers sued after getting hearing damage from Deer culling and a report from the Health and Safety Executive and reports from parts of Europe that the polcie were told that Sound Moderators would be granted upon request for vermin and der shooting on grounds of Health and Safety. There have been several little incidents with the Polcie putting stupid restrictions and stuff but mostly it's sorted and even sound moderators are being allowed for target shooting. As yet I have not threaded any of my centrefire rifles for sound moderators and do not have permission to have one as yet. I have even been thinking of making my own as they are quite expensive to buy.

[bscman]

  Yep !@ I wouldn't mind trying one..but that's a "no-no" here in the states..nothing says that laws have to make sense !...LOL

Not so.
In fact, there are only a handful of states that don't allow moderators....you just have to go through the appropriate channels to get one--which included a background check, fingerprinting, a $200 tax stamp to the bureau (ATF), and a few months of waiting for approval. Unfortunately for me, here in Washington they are legal to own but ILLEGAL TO USE!

[ironglow]

bscman;
  i guess I should have qualified my statement..but I meant anything less than having to go through hoops that are equivalent to keeping a full machine gun..

   From what I understand, if one does get a "full auto" permit and tax stamp and permit, one foregoes some constitutional rights..( unannounced searches etc.),
   am I correct in that ?

  As far as hearing loss, my hearing of the very high , squeaky sounds is fairly defunct. I never could hear those squeaky "alarm watches" that were once popular !
  ...Not since as a young soldier, I was standing between tank main gun muzzles about 15 feet apart...when both fired at the same time.

   I  lost my hat..but didn't realize till much later..what else I lost !....LOL