They are very useful for pest control inside buildings, ( think haylofts) rats, english sparrows, even pigeons at "flashlight after dark" ranges. Useless as any possible load could be for shooting "at the range" !
.22 Birdshot is MUCH more effective ( better patterns) out of a smoothbore gun. I have a .22 smoothbore, it can cleanly kill sparrows / starlings at about 50 feet. A normal rifled bore spreads the shot in a spiral, 15-20' is about as far as it is useful out of a rifle. It is not humane to use on grouse, rabbits or feral cats. It will not normally operate a semi. Clean the rifling well with solvent and a wire brush after shooting birdshot out of a .22 rifle.