How far will a .22 LR kill?

Big Bad

Big Bad

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I grew up with the warning on boxes of .22 ammo saying "Dangerous up to one mile," then with the improved velocity rounds that changed to "Dangerous up to 1 1/2 miles." Words to live by.

This is about a 10 year old video, but it does remind us that the often discounted .22 round just keeps going and going. NB: Being from the US, the boys concentrate on self defense issues but of course we don't care about that in Canada.

 
I worked in a small private slaughter house back in the 1980ties . they had ballpein hammers a sledgehammer and an old Cooey single shot 22 on the wall . they had to purchase ammo from the government to use in the 22 . I might have a round of it kicking around . it was just a lead round nosed bulled . kind of a weird configuration I had nor have ever seen again . I dropped a couple or steers with that 22 . not a nice place to work .
 
cement head said:
I worked in a small private slaughter house back in the 1980ties . they had ballpein hammers a sledgehammer and an old Cooey single shot 22 on the wall . they had to purchase ammo from the government to use in the 22 . I might have a round of it kicking around . it was just a lead round nosed bulled . kind of a weird configuration I had nor have ever seen again . I dropped a couple or steers with that 22 . not a nice place to work .
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I've seen horses shot with a .22. Make an x , base of ear to opposite eye. Intersection drops them instantly.

Grizz
 
Grizzly Adams said:
I've seen horses shot with a .22. Make an x , base of ear to opposite eye. Intersection drops them instantly.

Grizz
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A little off topic from "how far will a .22 LR kill?" because putting down livestock is done at close range BUT it still proves the often underestimated lethality of a .22lr.

In my younger days growing up on a farm I put down many cattle using a .22lr hollow point. As you say, an X intersection from ear to opposite eye and they drop like a ton of bricks. No suffering. As humane as it could possibly be.

I know I would never want to be hit with a .22lr even from a long ways away.

 
Maybe is lost to history, but was a teaching point in 1980's Hunter Safety course in Saskatchewan - I used to deliver that course, back then - a long documented "ricochet" was from a .22 Short - was apparently in the order of 1,500 yards (a mile ?) to the point of final impact. I am not finding that report just now, but Internet "legend" holds that only about 10 ft-pounds energy needed to "take out an eye" ...
 
I know a fellow who killed a full grown cow moose with a 22lr with a 60yd shot into the hind end. The cow only went 45ft and lasted about 65 seconds.. 22lr is nothing to fool with
 
I forget the name of the documentary (?) or maybe it was a movie ? About the attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan - I believe it was / is a true story.
.22 pistol, round ricocheted off the car as Reagan was being shoved into car by Secret Service. Bullet was flattened like a little frisbee. Entered him under his left arm, between ribs and into his lung very close to his heart. Didn't even realize he'd been hit but started feeling "ill" soon after. Almost no bleeding. Took him to Hospital, going downhill fast, Doctors were stumped until one finally noticed a little red spot under his arm. Almost lost him. A .22 ricochet. Quite the "eye opener" for me - good thing for "new" shooters to see to realize the "forces" they're "playing with".
Another little "story" that I've heard and tend to believe: there's been more moose taken with .22 than with any other caliber - maybe an exaggeration on numbers but I believe its quite possible though not humane.
I have a .177 "springer" airgun rated @ 900 FPS, I actually think that thing could penetrate a human skull @ close range (not that I'd ever try that).
 
cuslog said:
I forget the name of the documentary (?) or maybe it was a movie ? About the attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan - I believe it was / is a true story.
.22 pistol, round ricocheted off the car as Reagan was being shoved into car by Secret Service. Bullet was flattened like a little frisbee. Entered him under his left arm, between ribs and into his lung very close to his heart. Didn't even realize he'd been hit but started feeling "ill" soon after. Almost no bleeding. Took him to Hospital, going downhill fast, Doctors were stumped until one finally noticed a little red spot under his arm. Almost lost him. A .22 ricochet. Quite the "eye opener" for me - good thing for "new" shooters to see to realize the "forces" they're "playing with".
Another little "story" that I've heard and tend to believe: there's been more moose taken with .22 than with any other caliber - maybe an exaggeration on numbers but I believe its quite possible though not humane.
I have a .177 "springer" airgun rated @ 900 FPS, I actually think that thing could penetrate a human skull @ close range (not that I'd ever try that).
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Yes Reagan's attempted assassin used a .22 revolver, did that to Reagan, and gave one of his staff, a Mr James Brady, permanent and severe brain damage, plus wounding 2 Secret Service staff. Brady's family became antigun crusaders after that and the Democrats used their influence and the sad story to pass a landmark antigun law in the US. Let's not be that guy.
 
I appreciate the lethal potential, but isn’t this moot in most circumstances shooting on level ground as the .22lr round will hit the dirt due to gravity in under 300 yards?
 
cuslog said:
I forget the name of the documentary (?) or maybe it was a movie ? About the attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan - I believe it was / is a true story.
.22 pistol, round ricocheted off the car as Reagan was being shoved into car by Secret Service. Bullet was flattened like a little frisbee. Entered him under his left arm, between ribs and into his lung very close to his heart. Didn't even realize he'd been hit but started feeling "ill" soon after. Almost no bleeding. Took him to Hospital, going downhill fast, Doctors were stumped until one finally noticed a little red spot under his arm. Almost lost him. A .22 ricochet. Quite the "eye opener" for me - good thing for "new" shooters to see to realize the "forces" they're "playing with".
Another little "story" that I've heard and tend to believe: there's been more moose taken with .22 than with any other caliber - maybe an exaggeration on numbers but I believe its quite possible though not humane.
I have a .177 "springer" airgun rated @ 900 FPS, I actually think that thing could penetrate a human skull @ close range (not that I'd ever try that).
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Nothing inhumane about it with proper shot placement. Not advocating for doing it, just pointing out that a properly placed .22lr shot will result in an instant kill. I think the problem is that there are plenty of people who wouldn't wait for the opportunity or have the ability to place the proper kill shot.
 
obsessed1b said:
I know a fellow who killed a full grown cow moose with a 22lr with a 60yd shot into the hind end. The cow only went 45ft and lasted about 65 seconds.. 22lr is nothing to fool with
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At first, that sounded absurd. But reconsidering - rip out the femoral artery in hind leg with that shot - a very difficult shot to make on purpose, or a very lucky shot - either will do - will bleed out massively - no doubt animal goes unconscious in the time frame that you mention.
 
And of course there's that famous story of the hunter that shot at a moose from 200 yards away. Hit it in the nut sack. Moose was getting a drink in a creek, and sucked up so much water it drowned.
 
jacotsmith said:
I appreciate the lethal potential, but isn’t this moot in most circumstances shooting on level ground as the .22lr round will hit the dirt due to gravity in under 300 yards?
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They were shooting the pine board at 400, got 2 hits, so no, not if the muzzle is elevated. I hear tell of regular target shooting at 400 too, so it wasn't a stunt or a fluke.
 
Big Bad said:
Yes Reagan's attempted assassin used a .22 revolver, did that to Reagan, and gave one of his staff, a Mr James Brady, permanent and severe brain damage, plus wounding 2 Secret Service staff. Brady's family became antigun crusaders after that and the Democrats used their influence and the sad story to pass a landmark antigun law in the US. Let's not be that guy.
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It was a nut case woman that had the gun, I did not remember that the wound in RR was a ricochet, But I an sure that they knew he was wounded long before arriving at the hospital, But it has been long time.
I sold a little 22 cooey to a older native gentlemen one time, his old one was shot out, so up grading to a better old one , was his moose gun.
He told me you have to sneak up on them and shoot them behind the ear, which I found worked 100% on cows. Never shot a moose.
He also had no use for the young guys , run a round in new trucks and shoot from 100 yrds away and can't hit #### ( his words) He would have been 90,if I remember , nice old fellow.
 
Potashminer said:
At first, that sounded absurd. But reconsidering - rip out the femoral artery in hind leg with that shot - a very difficult shot to make on purpose, or a very lucky shot - either will do - will bleed out massively - no doubt animal goes unconscious in the time frame that you mention.
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Would not have believed it either except I was around for the aftermath. Moose ran 6-7 steps then started faltering and dropped over. My guess was femeral artery was severed by the minuscule little bullet... not likely to happen again in 1000 tries but the right shot in the right place even the little 22lr can kill a moose as quickly as most magnums..
 
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