Turkey with a 22?

J

joehr

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Fraser Valley, B.C.
What are peoples experience with hunting turkeys with a 22lr? 22 is my only option at the moment. With good shot placement and shots not exceeding 50 metres will it be enough to take down a big gobbler?
 
I dont know about BC, but here in Bantario, you can't use any rifle to hunt gobblers. Shotguns and muzzleloading shotguns with shot size 4 5 or 6 only.
 
In BC you can use rimfire. I don't know if I would use a .22lr though. I shot to the vitals with a .22 is not going to cut it, IMO. You would need a head-shot and the .17HMR might be better suited to that sort of accuracy. Not to mention the Turkey's prediliction to head bobbing. Makes for a very difficult shot. Having hunted for turkey here, I can tell you that every shot counts. A miss might be your only chance that day, so why risk it. Use a shotgun.
 
From what I have seen killing barnyard gobblers with a .22 a body shot is not an option. Turkeys shot this way tend to take run long distances or take flight you really need the bullet to behave like a "controlled expansion" bullet, only shells we had any luck with were Winchester Power points which were actually developed for the Aussies to shoot 40lb wallabies with, they mushroom and wreck vitals better then anything else we tried, even with the pp's we still had quite a few runners. I wouldn't shoot a wild turkey with a .22lr.
 
joehr said:
someone else in my group will be using my shotgun so i'm stuck with a 22. What bullet type would be recommended?
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Well thats stupid, tell that person to go get a shotgun and then go turkey hunting.

This will probably be your closest ammo to shotgun shells, but they are not very well spoken of and you might have to be 5 feet away from the turkey. ENJOY

rimfire%20shotshell.jpg
 
All in all you should really try and get a shotgun. Even a .410 would be better, or by a lot of .22lr ammo and practice, practice, practise for those head shots. Try different ammo till you find the one that your .22 likes the best. That it will shoot the tightest groups with, then practice. and maybe you will get good enough to be lucky. You will only get one shot at one.
 
I would only use the 22 Winchester mag for body shots (or head if confident). Very popular cal in the USA for turkey.
You can get 50 grain federals that would do very well on expansion on body hits without ruining a lot of meat.
Otherwise 22lr in 40 grain CCI Stingers, they expand well and imagine would do a gobbler in quick.
 
7mmlefty said:
I would only use the 22 Winchester mag for body shots (or head if confident). Very popular cal in the USA for turkey.
You can get 50 grain federals that would do very well on expansion on body hits without ruining a lot of meat.
Otherwise 22lr in 40 grain CCI Stingers, they expand well and imagine would do a gobbler in quick.
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We found that the stingers tended to start expanding on the feathers and so penetration was limited.
 
.22 turkey

CCI Velocitors should get the job done and penetration will not be an issue. Head shots inside 40 yards are not out of the question just study the head structure and practice the shot, its not an emu its a 20lb bird. I'm sure thousands have been poached with a .22 around here where we wish we could use a rimfire.
Good Luck
 
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