gopher hunting with .22

Winnipeg Toymaker said:
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.
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You can shoot 1/2 MOA (really closer to 1/4 MOA for a center head shot and not a graze) at 200 yards with a .22? And hand held at that?
You must be the holder of a LOT of record shots then. I wasn't aware that the .22 held any of the accuracy records.
at 200 yards a .22 has about 40 inches of drop.....

Realistic with a .22 is inside 100 yards.
 
There have been threads on CGN showing the .22 hits at over 300 yards. regardless of bullet drop etc. I do not handhold my rifles but i used a bipod and/or sandbag as the rifle I mainly use weighs 8 pounds. I have shot this 144lsb extensively along with my Marlin 81 and a few people that have been out "crittering" with me, can attest that head shots are the norm....... at 200, a hit is a hit, as they make a very small target when they are laying, but much better when standing.. Do not underrate the .22 , as in the right hands, they can accomplish far more than we think. I have no "magic" but know the gun and its capabilities that it has allowed me to use. I do not believe that I ever stated that I shot offhand .The gophers head is about 1 1/4 -1 1/2 inches round and any hit in this area produces results. Every shot at 200??? not likely but some can be accomplished.
 
Winnipeg Toymaker said:
There have been threads on CGN showing the .22 hits at over 300 yards. regardless of bullet drop etc. I do not handhold my rifles but i used a bipod and/or sandbag as the rifle I mainly use weighs 8 pounds. I have shot this 144lsb extensively along with my Marlin 81 and a few people that have been out "crittering" with me, can attest that head shots are the norm....... at 200, a hit is a hit, as they make a very small target when they are laying, but much better when standing.. Do not underrate the .22 , as in the right hands, they can accomplish far more than we think. I have no "magic" but know the gun and its capabilities that it has allowed me to use. I do not believe that I ever stated that I shot offhand .The gophers head is about 1 1/4 -1 1/2 inches round and any hit in this area produces results. Every shot at 200??? not likely but some can be accomplished.
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I have hit a gong at 600 with a .17 hmr. I have seen gophers taken out with a .22 at 350 (took many shots since the gopher was well outside the view of the scope), but thats not an easy shot, and is like using a sling shot to kill it, not much power out that far. Getting a head shot consistent and on purpose with a .22 at 200 yards is hard to chew.
The scope mounts to compensate for 40+" of drop at 200 and then the what 80" of drop at 300 must look odd on your rifle. And then what scope are you using that allows this adjustment too?

Can you link me a couple of these threads? I can't seem to find one. You said you shoot them with a steady hand, thats where I got the hand held. Bipod makes things easier, but thats still a LOT of drop to be compensating for.
 
I prefer to use quick shok ammo because it doesn't ricochet, is hyper velocity, and feeds well in my 10-22.
 
If you are going for headshots, that means you've got to do experimentation with ammo to see what your rifle likes. If you can hit them in the head or chest every single time, it won't matter if you're shooting hollowpoints or solids.
 
Knowing your gun and the addition of a mili-dot scope can produce great shots. I never attempted shots at over 200 yards as I think it is a waste and hits would be few and probably wounding shots. I like the quick kill and that is owed to your prey no matter the size. As for the threads, I do remember it being a test on turkey carcasses at over 200.

As for bullet drop, it is no more difficult to allow for than shooting a target .223 at 1000 yards. Practice and gun knowledge play a part.
 
My first choice would be American Eagle 38gr hollow points, for accuracy at an economical price. CCI mini mags shoot great, but cost more and are also hard to get. Federal 36gr bulk is just fine, most boxes at least, and most I shoot are at a lot closer than 100 yards so accuracy isn't paramount, although it is fun to shoot some at 100 plus yards. I find it gets dicey for me beyond 100 yards (although I have no problem believing hits are made at 200 yards, it just needs really good conditions to not have the wind blow your bullet off target).
 
Winnipeg Toymaker said:
Knowing your gun and the addition of a mili-dot scope can produce great shots. I never attempted shots at over 200 yards as I think it is a waste and hits would be few and probably wounding shots. I like the quick kill and that is owed to your prey no matter the size. As for the threads, I do remember it being a test on turkey carcasses at over 200.

As for bullet drop, it is no more difficult to allow for than shooting a target .223 at 1000 yards. Practice and gun knowledge play a part.
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A .223 will drop about 400" at 1000 yards. You need to have bases that will compensate for that.
You say you have never shot past 200, but you shoot up to 200. Now a head shot at 120 yards is WAY different then a head shot at 199 yards with a .22.

And now gopher kills at 300 is a test on a carcass at over 200 yards? which is it?
 
I never said I have never shot past 200. The range I belong to has a 200 yard limit. I set my scope to this distance and feel confident at this distance. I have shot .223 at 1000 yards at the St Charles Range and did quite well.

You said that you have seen shots on gophers at 350. I read the thread about shooting a LR at turkey carcasses at 200 plus yards.I believe it may have been 300 yards. It was a while since I read it. The pictures showed the results, I do recall the thread being about how dangerous a .22 can be at distance. and what kind of accuracy it held at various long distances.I will try to find it.

Head shots can happen at 200 and even 25 yards. Even a .223 at 200 can miss, cripple or hit . I am capable of this with both a .223 and .22. I said that I never attempted shots at gophers past 200 with a .22, I consider it a waste and too much of a chance to maim instead of kill.. and hits on them at 350....well......anything can happen. Past 200, I have taken shots with my .223 and .222 and .270....mixed results.
 
Ormachek said:
Here's the turkey thread

http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=504301&fpart=1

(the CGN thread just contained a link to that one)
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I do remember reading that now that I see it.

The gopher I saw hit at 350 with a .22 took probably 50 shots, was the dumbest gopher I had ever seen, stood there looking at where the bullets were hitting just inches away at times but just stood there till one hit him pretty good center mass (was watching through my scope) but the gopher ran a ways after being hit and stood back up bleeding, I turned it inside out with my 22-250 so it wouldn't suffer. I would think there was little to no bullet expansion at that distance.

If you make it this was Winnipeg Toymaker I'd love to go shooting with ya, maybe you could teach me a thing or two.
 
thanks Jeff000....If i get out that way i would enjoy a shoot. teaching???, I doubt I can teach anyone, most accuracy comes from practice, and a gun that suits you.. I am currently moving closer( 1/2 hr.away) to my gopher area. No need to go further. some local Farmers( i went to school with most of them) have heard I will be living there and some have asked that I shoot their land also. I shoot a lot( medically retired) and practice is relaxing. I range shoot outdoors also even during the warmer days of winter. The guns I have seem to have a mind of their own, I am just holding them right. I was a Cub Scout Range master, so many years of practice with many different makes and models of guns. Not the best shooter, but confident in what my capabilities are.
 
Well, gents, not to wave my own flag, but I have had centre body hits at over 100 yds with my .22LR. I don't think I would try anything out to 200, not sure they would hang around long enough to range them. However, that being said, I shot one at 164yds (took 6 shots, but the wind was blowing). I shot another at 140 yds "OFFHAND" took three rounds. However, bear in mind that I had been shooting about 6 hours that day, perfect conditions, ZERO wind and had been steadily practicing for about 2 hours a day for the preceding week. Do it today?? NOT A CHANCE!!

I rang a gong at 300yds but it took about 20 shots to do it. Once I had, though, I could ring it all day.

Toymaker, you are right. Know your weapon, practice, practice, practice.

I ordered so 110gr V Max's for my .308 and plan to give them a try. If I can hit gophers at 300yds consistently, then I'll be good for Deer and Moose. Hmmm Squirrel and Moose. (Insert Rocky and Bullwinkle joke here)
 
Always have been a knock 'em down...or leave them alone shooter. Hate seeing an animal suffer......Not all shots were perfect, but a follow up quickly stopped the suffering. the rodents , in the numbers they appear, need to be controlled but should be done in the most efficient manner possible. my opinion wholly.
 
Winnipeg Toymaker said:
Always have been a knock 'em down...or leave them alone shooter. Hate seeing an animal suffer......Not all shots were perfect, but a follow up quickly stopped the suffering. the rodents , in the numbers they appear, need to be controlled but should be done in the most efficient manner possible. my opinion wholly.
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I agree, there is no reason to make them suffer.
 
Any big game hunter or person in good conscience should do everything possible to end any animal's suffering when possible, asap, IMO... especially if you were the one to cause the suffering by taking a poor shot.
 
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