22 shot shells

jumpingjackflatch

CGN Regular
Rating - 100%
6   0   0
Location
Ontario
I was wondering if .22lr shot shells, "rat shot", can be used in any .22 rifle. Are these cartridges tough on the barrel?
What types of shot shells are available? I've read about them but have not seen them on the shelf.
 
Yes but in a rifled barrel they spin out in a doughnut pattern you can check for videos on youtube. They are best in a smooth boar .22 rifle.
Are these cartridges tough on the barrel?
not particularly

I have seen .22 "rat shot" in two forms one is a crimped cartridge the other has a breakaway plastic shot holder.

I have also seen this in pistol calibers in the states 9mm and 45acp.
 
You can get the 9mm and 45 acp shot here, no problem, some of the site sponsors have it.

9mm flobert is actually interesting because it is a small RIMFIRE cartridge for rifles that therefore have no limit on magazine capacity :)

the 22lr shotshells aren't great for rats but they are awesome for pidgeon or seagull problems in large buildings.
 
They won't damage your barrel, however they are really not much good for anything but small rodents and pigeons in a barn. They are not powerful enough to penetrate a wall or a piece of plywood.
 
Two kind are readily available: crimped (federal/rem.) and plastic tip (CCI). The plastic tip ones go further as it takes less energy to break the plastic than it does to open/break the crimp. They work well in bolt actions, but not so much in a lever guns.
 
9mm flobert is actually interesting because it is a small RIMFIRE cartridge for rifles that therefore have no limit on magazine capacity :)

Ok... but you'd need a repeating firearm chambered in 9mm flobert.

Two kind are readily available: crimped (federal/rem.) and plastic tip (CCI).

Winchester makes crimped type as well.
 
Last edited:
22 shot shells ive used have been highly underwhelming.
i wouldnt shoot anything past 5-10 feet with them.
i always thought of them as a shell that they pulled the lead off of and put a pinch of sand in then crimped them back closed.

9mm and 45 can be picked up at most gun stores, again highly underwhelming results with them.

more of a novelty round.

97E26878-E59A-4ACC-9C08-DF54D8D35952_zpsyyyjeckg.jpg
 
Cci plastic cup ones are the best of them. I use it for shooting sparrows around barns. They won't cycle my semis but my pump is great gun. I also shoot flying grasshoppers with them. Wish I had a smooth bore pump. It's #12 shot so don't expect much or any real ranging hits. Shot a big farm rat once with it and I swear when it turned it actually growled at me. Switched to hp shorts and never had a rat move since
 
I was wondering if .22lr shot shells, "rat shot", can be used in any .22 rifle. Are these cartridges tough on the barrel?
What types of shot shells are available? I've read about them but have not seen them on the shelf.
Used them in the barn for birds and rats. No further than 20'. Was told here that they would suck for shooting grouse in the trees.
Only used them in rifled barrels without issue, just sold the bolt gun last year and it still looked new.
 
Last edited:
Ok... but you'd need a repeating firearm chambered in 9mm flobert.

lol, my first thought too.

Pretty much anything a .22shotshell is good for, a pellet gun seems to do better at.
I can see the bigger cal ones being useful for snakes.
 
Had a squirrel get in the house a few years back, shot at it 3 or 4 times ( rifle) just pissed it off more had to cap it with ordernary 22 ( one shot job done !) Didn't Even Pierce the drywall or ceiling tiles left marks that look like fly sh## ! Pesky squirrels !!!
 
I've shot the birdshot/rat loads a few times, first for the novelty of them, then to B.S. my friends with my marksmanship on aerial targets, by hitting dragonflies and bees on the wing. More than half the fun was letting them know at the end that I was using shot loads.
 
You need a smooth bore .22 for these to be effective and they work well on small birds and rodents out to 20-25'. Most people who say they're useless are using them with rifled barrels which causes the shot to spin and results in very poor patterns which is the equivalent of using birdshot in your 12 gauge slug gun with a rifled barrel...pointless.
 
Ya kinda figured that the shot was getting dispersed , but I was in the heat of the hunt ( them little buggers can and will make some allfull messes ) don't know of any Specific guns in 22 that are smooth bore unless the barrel has been shot out . Vellodogs and gallery rifles are few and far between .
 
Back
Top Bottom