What is the best 22LR hunting round (Brand, bullet wt etc) For small game

peterem

peterem

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Hey there,
I typically dont do any small game hunting, its not my thing, but this year will be different & I will be shooting something other than paper.
I will be doing grouse / rabbit hunting, using a 22LR which I am reasonably accurate with when shooting paper, hunting is different so I seek advice.

1) What is The best 22LR for hunting (via rifle, its a lightweight carbine) I found it to be pretty accurate shooting simple lead round nose thru it but....
just in case ya wondering, I would be going for partridge or rabbit, NOT deer, moose, hippo or bear. & at a range of no more than 25 yards.

A) I keep hearing that the copper wash stuff is bad for the barrel
B) I have heard that the brass plated stuff is also bad for the barrel.

This is new to me, I didnt think that fouling the barrel with copper was likely on 22LR (Is this a legit concern)

2) Should I be using hollowpoints or regular round nose (or something else)

3) Subsonics? Im guessing slower is better in this case?

4)Any specific brands or bullet wt to get (or avoid)

Anything would be useful... I typically dont do small game stuff, but with moose tags in my area tough to get, I need to find other ways to have fun.
 
The best 22LR is the one your rifle shoots with the highest accuracy..
I think after that it is personal preference.
I've shot small game with all kinds of 22LR ammo, hollow point and round nose.
I prefer the round nose for grouse and most bunnies
Anything bigger than that I might use hollow points but really , if the ammo is accurate and 40ish grains.... a well place shot is lethal just the same.
Hollow points can cause more meat damage so this should be factored in when making the choice of shot placement on whatever small game it may be. Overall though, buy several brands , types in small quantities and shoot them in your rifle. The most accurate one is the one you should be hunting with.

in my opinion anyways...... other's may not share it.
 
CCI mini mag round nose usually perform well but as 45 suggests you can try different rounds and see what your gun likes.

I like CCI quiets for shooting grouse up close with the little badger.

The simple lead round nose you are currently getting good results with should be fine.

Copper wash won't hurt you gun. Target shooters like to keep a consistent fouling of the barrel and only clean when accuracy drops off and would avoid the cheaper copper washed ammo that a hunter might prefer.
 
Lots of good info already, I don't have a lot to add except my small game rifle is the 10/22. I've shot a lot of different brands but mine likes American Eagle, round nose for all its shooting and hunting needs, even better than cci and that may be a first on CGN. I've never had copper wash issues.
 
For many, many years my goto 22 lr round for small game is the cci subsonic 40 grain hp at 1050 fps. Honoraby mention/ backup load are the cci subsonic standard 40 grain at 1080 fps.
 
Across a bunch of 22s,, if I had to bet on affordable stuff shooting ot would be America n Eagle. CCI Subic sonic is kindacool up to25 yards or so. You wpm’t heat anything but the hammer drop. Remington Target always seems to shoot.
 
Whatever shoots best in your gun for small game. Stuff like raccoons and the like I’d probably go for a head shot if I could if not something like a Cci velocitor that will open up pretty good.
 
When game hunting, I would suggest avoiding hollow point bullets, which can really mess up your meal. When I was doing pest shooting, OTOH, we came to prefer high velocity hollow points for their terminal effectiveness and flatness of trajectory. However, and as has already been stated, you will need to work out what your rifle shoots most accurately.
 
dan belisle said:
There used to be 22 ammo with a flat point bullet, truncated cone I think it was called. I know on game you could hear the difference when it hit, seemed to kill better on rabbits, skunks, badgers etc. No idea if anyone is loading it anymore, but might be worth a look. - dan
Click to expand...

There still is, my Tikka loves it too. I had heard that SK was discontinuing it, but I still see it around here/there.

https://sk-ammunition.com/new-products-introducing-sk-flatnose-match-and-flatnose-target/
 
peterem said:
Hey there,
I typically dont do any small game hunting, its not my thing, but this year will be different & I will be shooting something other than paper.
I will be doing grouse / rabbit hunting, using a 22LR which I am reasonably accurate with when shooting paper, hunting is different so I seek advice.

1) What is The best 22LR for hunting (via rifle, its a lightweight carbine) I found it to be pretty accurate shooting simple lead round nose thru it but....
just in case ya wondering, I would be going for partridge or rabbit, NOT deer, moose, hippo or bear. & at a range of no more than 25 yards.

A) I keep hearing that the copper wash stuff is bad for the barrel
B) I have heard that the brass plated stuff is also bad for the barrel.

This is new to me, I didnt think that fouling the barrel with copper was likely on 22LR (Is this a legit concern)

2) Should I be using hollowpoints or regular round nose (or something else)

3) Subsonics? Im guessing slower is better in this case?

4)Any specific brands or bullet wt to get (or avoid)

Anything would be useful... I typically dont do small game stuff, but with moose tags in my area tough to get, I need to find other ways to have fun.
Click to expand...
Lead round nose... preferably in my book would be American Eagle.
One and done...again in my play book of choice.
Also because I have a couple hundred rounds in the locker.
Rob
 
Winchester PowerPoint was so good in so many rifles I own that I bought a couple cases of it, still using some. No idea if they still make it? If you think you want or need hi-velocity stuff, this would be my first suggestion, and my first choice for actual hunting.

I am also a fan of CCI SubSonic, find it's much more consistent than many other subsonic loads I've tried. I like the quiet option for around the yard control of small pests and it shoots quite well in a number of rifles.

But, honestly, I buy whatever is available on sale, and buy a bunch. The vast majority of my rimfire shooting is just offhand or kneeling plinking right off the back deck. I have targets set up permanently from 25 to 100 yards, and I always check the accuracy of whichever stuff I just bought a bunch of. I usually will have one or more guns that shoots any given load well enough. And who needs ultimate accuracy for casual plinking? If I know that this gun will shoot this ammo into no better than, say, 3 inches at 75 yards...well, okay, I don't look for 1-inch groups with that combo. If I can get close to that 3-inch grouping I'm still getting relevant experience and practice with it and still having fun.

And, of course, most of my targets are gongs or spinners or whatever. Still fun, still good practice, and a simple choice: either hit or miss. No measuring, no math, no running back and forth to the target, just lots of enjoyable shooting.

Anytime I'm shooting at a live creature, that is what I consider an important shot. I will be using a gun/ammo combo that I know will deliver the goods. That's probably 0.001% of the shots I take.
 
FLHTCUI said:
Lead round nose... preferably in my book would be American Eagle.
One and done...again in my play book of choice.
Also because I have a couple hundred rounds in the locker.
Rob
Click to expand...
I like the amer eagle stuff, but I think its a good time to pick up a few bricks. of the lead roundnose

I have a bunch of that copperwash CCI but been told the issue of copper fouling the barrel in the 22LR needs to be taken seriously.
Been shooting it out of my browning buckmark for a few years and not had issues, (That I know about) but I am certainly spooked


1725488591957.jpeg
 
jjohnwm said:
Winchester PowerPoint was so good in so many rifles I own that I bought a couple cases of it, still using some. No idea if they still make it? If you think you want or need hi-velocity stuff, this would be my first suggestion, and my first choice for actual hunting.

I am also a fan of CCI SubSonic, find it's much more consistent than many other subsonic loads I've tried. I like the quiet option for around the yard control of small pests and it shoots quite well in a number of rifles.

But, honestly, I buy whatever is available on sale, and buy a bunch. The vast majority of my rimfire shooting is just offhand or kneeling plinking right off the back deck. I have targets set up permanently from 25 to 100 yards, and I always check the accuracy of whichever stuff I just bought a bunch of. I usually will have one or more guns that shoots any given load well enough. And who needs ultimate accuracy for casual plinking? If I know that this gun will shoot this ammo into no better than, say, 3 inches at 75 yards...well, okay, I don't look for 1-inch groups with that combo. If I can get close to that 3-inch grouping I'm still getting relevant experience and practice with it and still having fun.

And, of course, most of my targets are gongs or spinners or whatever. Still fun, still good practice, and a simple choice: either hit or miss. No measuring, no math, no running back and forth to the target, just lots of enjoyable shooting.

Anytime I'm shooting at a live creature, that is what I consider an important shot. I will be using a gun/ammo combo that I know will deliver the goods. That's probably 0.001% of the shots I take.
Click to expand...

I feel like a repository for "old wives" with a big tail !! I appreciate these responses a great deal.

I hear that the subsonics are usually better for the small game (partridge and rabbit)
Its sooo funny, as going moose hunting, I usually ignore the pre season "game" and prefer to scout locations or cut shooting lanes.
So wading into a little 22LR action should be fun as it would appear that moose tags are going to be a thing of the past
 
I’ve used shorts to hyper stuff. Our rabbits are bush rabbits (snowshoes) so shots are short and anything you can do head shots will work. Jacks out in open are not always head shots so a lr hp works best. A one inch group at 50 yds will be adequate.
 
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