gopher hunting with .22

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notyalc

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I'm heading out to take the lives of some gophers and was just wondering what would be the best ammo to use for a .22? And what kind of .22 ammo do you get the best results with?
 
doesnt matter. short, long, long rifle all worked for me as a child, and now just buy whatever is available for the best price... unless you are going for long distance.
 
use whatever cycles reliably in the 10/22 for you. last time i used federal bulk pack HP's

they work, but often they will run back to their holes and die there.
 
any 22 bullet will take them apart,mushrooms are good but they are more expensive,if your going to shoot alot of gophers, just buy a case when it's on sale.
 
I buy a box of most brands of High or "hyper" velocity and try them in my diff. .22s, and then buy bricks of what is most accurate. The CCI Seg. Hollow pts. shoot best of the 1600+fps types and expand well. These tend to wound less and you don't have as much holdover for those shots at 100 yds. or more, even 50 -75 yds. the diff. in drop is substantial esp. on gophers on all fours. None of my guns are semi's however, so i don't know how my choices would work in the 10/22.
 
CCI Segmented turns them inside out. The two downsides are the price, and coming out of my rifles (10/22's), they are noticeably inaccurate at all ranges when compared to mini mags, or the ilk, but ymmv. Anyways, if you hit them, they'll die in a messy way.
 
I used Winchester Expert, Hi-velocity HP's last year. Couldn't get them this year around home so I got a brick of American Eagle. No two rounds went the same place. Switched to Cyclones, much better, but expensive. I have settled on Winchester Target bulk packs. Got me 300+ so far this year in gophers, but the dang things still get back to their holes. I know they ain't coming out, but they get in there.
Lots of times they are just plugging the top of the hole, pull them out and check. Head/neck shot and still got back in!! I'd switch to the 22mag but I'm not ready to buy another gun this year just for gophers. Now coyotes.....
 
My experience is exactly opposite, the Federal American Eagle stuff is wonderful but the Winchester bulk threw shots all over. Every gun will have a few it likes and a few it doesn't, all you can do is buy a few different boxes and find out what shoots, then go from there. Great excuse to shoot more rimfire!
 
Camp Cook said:
Stinger's or Velocitor's...
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This is what I use along with CCI segmented HPs. I notice the Velocitors do the least damage of the 3 though. They seem to pass through like the gophers aren't there. Better than any cheap .22 round though. In their defence they smack Badgers noticeably harder than any other .22lr I have used.
 
B said:
This is what I use along with CCI segmented HPs. I notice the Velocitors do the least damage of the 3 though. They seem to pass through like the gophers aren't there. Better than any cheap .22 round though. In their defence they smack Badgers noticeably harder than any other .22lr I have used.
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I have the exact same experience with Velocitors. American Eagle are my perferred rounds. The Yellow Jackets are the best for anchoring gophers but its so dirty and unreliable.
 
notyalc said:
so i guess the only way to lay them right out and not have them go back into the hole with a .22 is to pull a head shot?
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Good luck with that using a 10/22

I use Remington "Cyclone" HP's (still have 13 bricks left ;)) and they work great for me out of my '86 Squires Bingham. Dirty ammo yes...but they are consistant.
As a matter of fact I went out today for the first time this year and one I shot that I managed to hit its head took the whole top of the skull off. I *LOVE* Cyclones but yes, they are becoming very expensive now. I priced a case out last year and it was $330 then. I can't imagine what places are gouging for them now.
 
notyalc said:
so i guess the only way to lay them right out and not have them go back into the hole with a .22 is to pull a head shot?
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Just make sure that the .22 is a .22-250 :p turns gophers into soup, No running after being hit regardless of where the hit is.

head shot with a .22 at any realistic distance shooting gophers is pretty tough unless you have a real good rifle with optics and using good ammo.
 
I would certainly like to know what a "realistic distance " is....I shoot out to 200 yards with my .22 using Winchester 333s....The old Mossy 144 lsb does the job fine. Head shots are easily attainable at all distances using a good scope and within a persons shooting ability . All it takes is practice and a steady hand.
 
I have used CCI Quick Shok with great success along with AE hollow points.
Each gun has its preferance, but my last Sako Fin Fire digested anything and everything.
All you had to remember what the point of impact changed with different brands of ammo.
So, it is best to have to clips loaded with choices of ammo and have at 'er !!!
Really there is no secret to killing these lil vermin.
Some will scurry off after being hit and die in their holes.
Others will die in the air as they are cart wheelin'
Just make sure you have a good supply of ammo with you.
2 bricks lasted about three days of shooting back in 02 and on one field we shot for 4 hrs and didnt move more than 150 yrds from the truck.
Of course your results will vary.
I have shot them out to 100yrds (paced) and its all about windage and elevation , you really kneed to know where your gun is shooting and how good you are with it.
Enjoy you trip to the land of Stubble Jumpers ;)
Rob
 
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