# .22 LR a coyote rifle?



## Militant_Tiger

I recently got a 10/22 and i was debating with my friend adam whether or not it could drop a coyote. Im fairly sure that with a hollow point to the head or heart it could but i wanted a(some) second opinion(s)

Tiger


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## Longshot

I wouldn't, but that's me.


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## sflem849

Of course you could use the 10/22 but it sure wouldnt drop them on a regular basis. I am not big on traking...so why would I use an underpowered rifle. But I have used it and it has slowed them down.


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## stevepike

I would only use it at close range/where you can make a head shot.


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## Nodak Duke

Not enough power in my opinion... :sniper: I guess it all depends on how you plan on hunting them... (Calling or walking for them in draws or woodlines??) A lot of the shots that I get are at moving targets and they get out there in a hurry... It's just not fair to the critter to not kill them quick and humanely.


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## ND Five O

Yes, you can kill a coyote with a 22 LR. You could probably kill a moose with the same gun. In fact, a well-place rock from a slingshot could probably kill a coyote one in a thousand times. But why would you want to do it.

If your question is simply 'could a 22 LR kill a coyotes?", then the answer is obviously 'YES'.

If you're asking whether you should use the 22 to hunt them, that's up to you; but any proficient/knowledgable hunter will tell you not to do it. Unless, you enjoy watching animals suffer and, as mentioned before, you want to track an animal over long distances. Why would anyone want that?

Sure, you hear about how people "drop them in their tracks" with rifles like the 22 and 17 HMR, but I'd bet my left arm that there are 10 times as many where the animal wasn't "dropped in it's tracks".

Use the appropriate gun to dispatch game quickly and efficiently. You'll benefit yourself as well as the animal you harvest.

That's my opinion.
Kendall


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## Militant_Tiger

well thanks for the information, i will use my .50 cal for the yotes then.


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## mr.trooper

shure, go right ahead--since thats all youl have left of one...the head.

go buy yourselph a berret .50 BMG. you could use that for squirels to.


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## sdeprie

Hey, that's MY plan. Except I thought I would get an AR-15, then get the 50 ferret barrel to go on it.

A 22 LR probably would be sufficient if you used good discipline. If you plan to take a head shot, know exactly when you can make a head shot and only take the shot when you are sure of it. If your rifle won't put your shots on a dime at 100 yds, better not take that shot, 75 yds, 50 yds, whatever. Just like shooting 1000 yds at a deer, you better know what you are doing and do it right or not at all. Me? That 50 sounds about right, and I'll still have to limit it to about 50 yds. But that's just me.


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## SDHandgunner

Under certain circumstances yet the .22 LR with proper ammo will indeed kill Coyotes. However these circumstances are not often encountered in the hunting field, but rather many, many variables enter the equation.

If from a field shooting position you can keep every single bullet you fire in a group the size of a 25 cent piece. then at that distance you could count on your bullet finding its mark. If you can do this at 50 yards, but not at 60 yards, then you have a problem in that can you accurately tell the difference in the field between these two distances.

To add to this shooting an animal is totally different from shooting a stationary target. An animal is a living, breathing creature, and as such are never totally motionless for very long. If the Coyote turns its head as your shot breaks and you are trying to hit the brain for an instanious kill your bullet will be off the mark and as such have a wounded animal. With a centerfire cartridge with a fagile bullet you can get away with this as the higher velocity highly fagile bullet will cause much more damage. With underpowered cartridge shot placement is everything in that you can not rely on massive bullet expansion which causes more tissue damage.

When calling Coyotes I shoot off of a set of home made crossed shooting sticks. While these sticks are a great shooting aid in accurate shooting (at least for me) the level of accuracy I am capable of while shooting off of these sticks is no where near the level of accuracy my guns and I are capable off when shooting off of a bench.

In all honesty I would consider the .22 WMR about the absolute minimum I would attempt to use in the hunting fields when pursuing animals as large as a Coyote. The added performance will indeed make a difference. However I never have, and probably never will use a Rimfire Cartridge for the taking of Coyotes, as in my opinion that is what the centerfires are for.

In terms of Centerfires you can pick up a NEF Handi Rifle quite reasonablly if price is an issue. While these guns may be a little crude to some they do have a good reputation for producing quite good accuracy. In addition this level of accuracy with the NEF Handi Rifles can be easily improved on by the owner without too much effort or expense.

Good luck in whatever you choose to use. I personally feel the Coyote is a very deserving adversary, and as such demands to be treated accordingly which IMHO includes using the proper guns n loads to dispatch them quickly and humainly. Yep some Coyotes just seem to refuse to die, and the proper bullets needs to be used to convince them otherwise.

SD Handgunner


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## sdeprie

See? That's what I meant.


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## TheEnd

i have a 10/22 all hoped up with a kidd trigger and bull barrel i can shot dead on balls accurate at 200 yards the funny this is u can count to 5 then see ur bullet hit (its fun tho) i would only recommend the 10/22 for snoshoes! (who cares if u hit one!!


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## Militant_Tiger

How in the heck do you know where to aim at 200?


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## TheEnd

put it this way with my gun u put the crosshair on it and its there even at a 100 yards its a flat shot little or no drop


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## Militant_Tiger

Do you have it sighted in for 100? Because at 100 it should drop about 13 inches. At 200 yards a minimag will drop 36 inches.


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## sdeprie

You tell im, MT.


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## TheEnd

u might not get what im saying its all in the gun my 10/22 has a target barrel 20+ inches and weighes more then my remington .338 ultra and i have it sighted in at 100 yards so i can shoot any thing withing 200 yards accuratlly but the probblem is it has to stay still and wait for my bullet to hit it :beer:


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## Militant_Tiger

I fully believe that it could shoot a decent group at 200, I've seen it done with many such setups on rimfirecentral.com, however I'ven ever seen anyone shoot even at 100 without a substantial holdover.


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## TheEnd

ty for your good reply because most people dont believe me because it sounds ridiculous :beer: :sniper: :evil:

:withstupid:


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## Militant_Tiger

No with a scope and a good aftermarket barrel you can hit large targets at 200 with the 10/22, im still wondering about the holdover though.


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## sdeprie

They used to shoot 1000 yd matches with a 45-70, with black powder loads. THAT would be quite a trajectory, something like a mortar shell. Good shooting, my friend.


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## the_rookie

it would be great if you could post some of ur 200 yard groups? that would be great to look at


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## People

I would say you can. There is not much power there like every one said bigger is better, but on coyotes who cares? Well I will tell you softies do. People who have never had to put down a animal what has been hurt by the coyote.


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## mr.trooper

sdeprie said:


> They used to shoot 1000 yd matches with a 45-70, with black powder loads. THAT would be quite a trajectory, something like a mortar shell. Good shooting, my friend.


Hey hea, i saw an old western movie once with something like that. the guy had an old 45-70 lever action and was hole up on the side of a cliff. when the bad guys came down the canyon, he was picking them off at over 1,000 yards; So far away that the report wasnt even reaching them. :lol: THATS some good shooting.

But seriously, if you keep it short, and buy some hot CCI loads or somethng, i bet you could take a Yote with a .22lr. Where i hunt, a shot of 75 yards is RARE AS RARE. im seriously considering buying a guile suit, because its so stinking hard to get that close to an alert Yote.

forgot whatever company it is, but they make a 60 grain bullet for the .22lr that the CLAIM has 24 inches of penetration at 200 yards (in ballistic jellie). IF they are even 1/2 that good ( say, 12" of penetration at 200 yards...) they i would CONSIDER using them. but i think ill stick with my 7.62x39. i SERIOULSY love that round. im cosidering buying a new manucature Enfield jungle carbine chambered for that round (takes AK mags :lol: ) should be a good hunting rifle. sort of like a bolt action 30-30 that you can buy a 75 round drum for!

But, im rabling, so i better stop.


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## Militant_Tiger

> forgot whatever company it is, but they make a 60 grain bullet for the .22lr that the CLAIM has 24 inches of penetration at 200 yards (in ballistic jellie).


Yeah I have shot those, really low powered rounds with a round nose tip, they also tumble when shot from most guns. These I would not reccomend for coyote.


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## mr.trooper

AHHH ok. if thats the case, then its a no-go.


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## cord14

have shot one 50 cal black powder using power belt aero what a hole neadless to say it droped in its tracks.


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## Gohon

Militant_Tiger said:


> I recently got a 10/22 and i was debating with my friend adam whether or not it could drop a coyote. Im fairly sure that with a hollow point to the head or heart it could but i wanted a(some) second opinion(s) Tiger


Aren't you the same fella that chided a guy for asking about using cb caps for light bird control with "it is utterly stupid to even attempt to kill anything with cb caps"? Using a 22 LR for coyotes is not the way to go.

Jerry


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## honker

i say use the .22 i have killed alot of fox and coyotes with mine at 25-150 yards
:sniper:


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## Plainsman

Hey Tiger, don't believe everything you read. The 60 grain bullets are slower at the muzzle, but the increased ballistic coefficient gives them more energy than other (even fast) bullets at 100 yards.

They are made by Aguilla, the same company that makes the Super Collibri. You are right about them tumbling. About one out of six or seven tumble in my new rifles. They do better in an old Remington single shot. They have some trouble feeding in my Ruger 10/45 handgun, but do not tumble and are super accurate.

I still have about 1000 rounds left, but don't shoot them much. I got them from Cabela's for I think about $28 for 500. If you have an old rifle put a tight patch on, mark the cleaning rod at the back, push the cleaning rod in for one full turn, mark at the muzzle and remove the rod. You can then measure your twist. One turn in 12 with the low velocity would be needed to stabilize the bullet.

Kind of an intriguing round, but I would not recommend it unless you had one of those old tools that lets you file the nose flat, and hollow point.


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## Militant_Tiger

> One turn in 12 with the low velocity would be needed to stabilize the bullet.


They make barrels just for it actually for the 10/22 and they are 1 in 9 twist.



> Hey Tiger, don't believe everything you read. The 60 grain bullets are slower at the muzzle, but the increased ballistic coefficient gives them more energy than other (even fast) bullets at 100 yards.


No, I actually shot them myself. Still have a few boxes downstairs. I found them to be dirty, not very accurate, and they gummed up my magazine. This probably explains why I still have a few boxes left. If you can get the round there I'm sure it will have more energy that most 40 grainers, however you may as well be lobbing a mortar, as the trajectory will be near impossible to figure out. Perhaps if you build a rifle just for these it might work, but I would hardly consider it worthwhile.



> Kind of an intriguing round, but I would not recommend it unless you had one of those old tools that lets you file the nose flat, and hollow point.


To me its just another sales gimmick, just like their super fast super max rounds that pattern like a shotgun. Aguila seems to go for oddity rather than quality in my experience.


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## Plainsman

MT


> Aguila seems to go for oddity rather than quality in my experience.


Ya, I kind of feel that way also. I think they are trying to fill some niches they must think exists.

The 60 gr shot very good in my handgun, as I said, but the long bullet jammed often, as it entered the chamber. The bullet shears lead when entering the chamber.

The trajectory is not bad at all. As I said it has a better ballistic coefficient. That is why many snipers have started using 175 gr SMK in their 308 in place of the 168 gr SMK which has been the standard for many years. Lower velocity at the muzzle, but more energy and strikes higher at 1000 yards.


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## Brad.T

> There is not much power there like every one said bigger is better, but on coyotes who cares? Well I will tell you softies do. People who have never had to put down a animal what has been hurt by the coyote.


*People* i've seen sheep torn apart. I've seen coyotes chase a deer in circles until it tired and barely made it away. I've seen the remains of fawn that made it to their second day of life only to have it sniffed out by a pair of coyotes. But i give the coyote more respect than any of the "trophy game" because i've done a lot of hunting of them and seen how much of worthy advisery (sp?) they are. So to answer you question i care very much about my shot placement and knockdown power and i would guess most of the other guys posting hear do aslo. I would suggest if you going to rip on somebodies game of choice to hunt you do in it a forum that isn't about hunting that particular game. :******:


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## Plainsman

Brad.T said:


> There is not much power there like every one said bigger is better, but on coyotes who cares? Well I will tell you softies do. People who have never had to put down a animal what has been hurt by the coyote.
> 
> 
> 
> *People* i've seen sheep torn apart. I've seen coyotes chase a deer in circles until it tired and barely made it away. I've seen the remains of fawn that made it to their second day of life only to have it sniffed out by a pair of coyotes. But i give the coyote more respect than any of the "trophy game" because i've done a lot of hunting of them and seen how much of worthy advisery (sp?) they are. So to answer you question i care very much about my shot placement and knockdown power and i would guess most of the other guys posting hear do aslo. I would suggest if you going to rip on somebodies game of choice to hunt you do in it a forum that isn't about hunting that particular game. :ticked:
Click to expand...

Let me agree with Brad on this one. Even animals we don't like should be put down humanely. Even though I was outlining some misconceptions about 60 grain bullets, I was not condoning them for use on coyotes, unless very close, like in a trap. If a 22 is the only thing you have be careful, if you have another choice nearly anything is better than a 22, excluding Daisy Red Rider of course.


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## outcast

i started reading this because i am haveing trouble with the coyotes killing animals around my house .i was thinking of useing a 22 because other than a 12gauge deer gun and two hand guns it is the only thing i have to use . so is the 22 really that bad of a choice for me?


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## marcus_rubbo

your deer rifle will work well for yotes


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## Remington 7400

> People i've seen sheep torn apart. I've seen coyotes chase a deer in circles until it tired and barely made it away. I've seen the remains of fawn that made it to their second day of life only to have it sniffed out by a pair of coyotes. But i give the coyote more respect than any of the "trophy game" because i've done a lot of hunting of them and seen how much of worthy advisery (sp?) they are. So to answer you question i care very much about my shot placement and knockdown power and i would guess most of the other guys posting hear do aslo. I would suggest if you going to rip on somebodies game of choice to hunt you do in it a forum that isn't about hunting that particular game.


I have also seen stock animals torn apart by coyotes, found the remains of fawns, and was forced to watch one of my friends best bird dogs get attacked and killed by a pack of coyotes(She was about 200 yards away, all I had was a .20 ga and dove loads).

That being said, I personally feel there is no logical place on the earth for coyotes. Everytime a coyote kills a deer, or turkey, or even a rabbit, that is one less animal we get to hunt. Coyotes, in my opinion should be shot on sight.

I'm not saying to use a .22 LR, what I am saying is that if all I had was a .22LR and wanted to hunt yotes I'd hunt them, but I would keep my shots under 50 yards and aim for the head. They are trash animals to start with.

I'm not saying that the .22 is the best coyote gun, a .22 mag or .22 hornet is better, with the .223 and .22-250 being ideal. But, then again, if it will kill a coyote, it can be considered a coyote gun.

We've killed quite a few around the farm, and our hunting land, most with a SKS because that is what I keep in my truck, some with a .357 and .45 ACP, because that is what I carry on the tractor, even some with a .22 LR beacuse that is what I usually squirrel hunt with. Very few coyotes have I actually killed with a true "coyote gun", but thats because most of the shots I get at coyotes and not while coyote hunting.

All of that being said, The .22 LR is not the best coyote gun, but if you want to use it, shoot a solid and aim for the head, keep shots under 50 yards and they WILL go down.


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## Brad.T

*Remington 7400

You have lost all crediability and respect from me :eyeroll: *


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## Remington 7400

Hold on a minute Brad! I never said that I would choose a .22 LR as my choice coyote gun, far from that. What I simply ment was if all you have is a .22 LR and you have coyote problems, head shots at 50 yards WILL kill them. Its not the ideal weapon, its not one I would recommend for coyotes. But I would have given anything to have a scoped .22 the day my friends dog got attacked.

If you are hung up about my opinion of coyotes being trash animals, I appologise. Where I live coyotes are a nuiscance, they are looked upon with the same respect as rattlesnakes and copperheads. Bottom line they cause problems.

I do respect the coyote, and I believe as sportsmen we have the responsability to cleanly and quickly kill what we hunt. All of that being said, a CCI Stinger from a 10/22 at 30 yards will drill a hole clean through the skull of Mr. Songdog.


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## gaddyshooter

Maybe it is a regional thing. I have never personally hunted, or shot a coyote myself, but I know most of the landowner/farmers in the area where we deer hunt look at them as a nuisance. If they see them around their farm animals or whatever, they go out and shoot them with whatever gun was accessible. As long as they are dead, the method doesn't matter to them.


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## Gohon

MT, who started this thread is long gone but those that remember him also remember that he was just a kid and though he was full of himself most of the time he had little to no hunting experience. With that in mind I don't think it wise to encourage or even suggest to a new hunter the use of a 22 rimfire on coyotes no matter what the yardage and certainly not to call it a coyote gun just because that is all you have with you. Coyotes in my area have become a nuisance and have hurt the rabbit population and I do what I can to keep them thinned out but I wouldn't want to eradicate them to the point of non existence. They certainly haven't hurt the deer population though as my purple hull peas and okra from last year can attest to. I've never looked at anything as a trash animal, not even snakes which I hate but that is just me. Farm animals being killed by coyotes kind of goes along with the territory if that is your means of a living but there are ways to cope with that. Had a uncle that use to raise sheep. His solution was to turn three or four little donkeys out with the sheep. Those little guys were pure coyote terror and the coyotes knew it and stayed away. Anyway the point is the 22 rimfire should not be endorsed no mater the reason. At the least a 22 magnum should be the very minimum and even then that should be short range shooting.


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## deerhoof

I wouldn't use a .22lr either but, if the guy is an ethical hunter then he could benefit from using a .22lr. He could learn the disciplines of hunting all hunters should learn. First proficiency, practicing with ones weapon until it becomes almost an extension of themselves (corny, I know). Then camouflage, scent cover, wind direction, and etc.. I know I just mentioned a mere sampling but, one final thing; patience, it is one of my worst aspects of hunting, using a .22lr and having to wait for the critter to get in close and wait for the perfect shot (ethics applied) would aid in the endeavor of learning to master it.

And sorry, hate to say it because I hate the thought of an animal suffering but, a dead coyote is a dead coyote. My dad has always taught me to kill animals cleanly and finish them off quick if you didn't. But, when it came to groundhogs, coyotes, and other vermin, the gloves were off. :evil:


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## dusktalk

A few years back, my Dad was squirrel hunting (with a 22) and 3 yotes came over a ravine towards him and stopped when they saw him. He shot one in the head and flipped it backwards and it got up and ran off. He never did find it. I think it was only about a 40 yard shot...a 22 is not the best choice for anything bigger then a **** in my opinion.


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## jimpickens

The only time you should use a 22LR for yotes is if you are trapping them otherwise if you are going to use a 22 use a magnum or a 22hornet.


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## bmxfire37

my 30/30 is good for cyote....


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## KR

I realize this is a fairly old thread but I just had to chime in. (I came across your forum while researching different calibers of rimfire cartridges. Some hunters in my home state of Arkansas are having a dispute with game and fish about the wording of one the codes regulating caliber size on wild life management areas.)

I registered on your forum to make the point that you shouldn't underestimate the lethality of the venerable 22LR. Shot placement is critical of course, but then shot placement always is. Grizzly bear have been killed with 22LR. In fact, in 1953 a little old lady named Bella Twin killed a Griz with a single shot to the head (albeit at close range) with a 22LR. The bear's skull scored 26 5/16 putting it at the top of the Boone and Crockett's record book where it stayed for many years. It still ranks 30th in world. (Read about Bella's accomplishment on www.catfishgumbo.blogspot.com

While the 22 certainly wouldn't be my choice for bear, it's more deadly then you guys are giving it credit for. It's still allowed for hunting deer in some states. While I don't have the statistics to back it up my feeling is that more deer have fallen to the crack of a 22LR over the years then any other firearm.

Within its range a well-placed shot from a 22LR can, has, and will kill any animal that walks in North America.

PS - I'm not advocating hunting large game with a 22. More deer have probably been crippled as well as killed with the round. I simple wanted to raise the point that it is capable of more then you might think.


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## Fallguy

KR said:


> I simple wanted to raise the point that it is capable of more then you might think.


You are probably right. On the other hand, a coyote is capable of a lot more than people think too. Each hunter needs to decide what they think is morally correct. I would rather use more firepower and sew a hole than have an injured dog run off to die later.


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## KR

Granted Fallguy. No argument there. It's just that some reading this thread might be left with the impression that a 22LR has no teeth. I'm here to say that it has, and shouldn't be underestimated.


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## 308

People use to use 22lr.s on deer

The answer is yes, longest shot I would take would be 50 yards, hit it in the right spot its gonna die. You might have to do some tracking but so what. :2cents:


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## KR

Before the days when we had hunting regulations and market hunters ruled, the 22LR was standard equipment for many a deer hunter. A shot behind the ear will drop one like turning off a light bulb. Same applies with wild hogs.

Like I said before, it would not be my weapon of choice for game that size but a 22LR is perfectly capable of getting the job done.

Where is "Nodac Outdoors" anyway?


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## People

North Dakota


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## dfisher

I'd like to know what kind of ammo Tiger and The End are using in those .22 at that yardage to be so accurate?
Good gunning,
Dan


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## R y a n

KR said:


> I registered on your forum to make the point that you shouldn't underestimate the lethality of the venerable 22LR. Shot placement is critical of course, but then shot placement always is. Grizzly bear have been killed with 22LR.
> 
> ......It's still allowed for hunting deer in some states.
> 
> ......Within its range a well-placed shot from a 22LR can, has, and will kill any animal that walks in North America.
> 
> ......PS - I'm not advocating hunting large game with a 22. More deer have probably been crippled as well as killed with the round. I simple wanted to raise the point that it is capable of more then you might think.


Welcome to this forum KR.

Yes it is _*possible*_ to kill anything with any weapon. I'm sure we could take BB guns, sling shots, and blow guns and kill something with each of them given the right circumstances. If you are simply making the point that a .22 has the possibility of causing a lethal injury that is fine.

However if you are _*advocating*_ it's usage for taking anything more than a pest control/target plinking/starters weapon/small varmint hunting, you are going beyond your point.

Yes .22's have been used for years on all types of animals. Unless you are simply try to dispatch a pest, you should not be using them for any type of serious hunting of furbearer at long ranges under anything other than ideal conditions. That is the point of this thread.

Myself along with alot of guys on this forum grew up learning how to shoot with a .22 LR. The lack of recoil and seeing the effect it had on rodents and pop cans led many a youth to have a passion for shooting.

Just like Fallguy said, it has more to do with ethics and morals.... that is likely why many state agencies like Arkansas are no reviewing their current caliber laws. They are following a national trend to ensure the longterm longevity of the sport.

This topic was brought up by a pot stirrer that is no longer here. Consider the source and motivations of the original poster, and consider that this topic should probably be allowed to fade away....

Thanks

Ryan


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## Little Bobby

i dont care what anybody says you can kill a cyote with a .22 i do it but i always shoot for the faitl spots usualy the head and i use a hollow point high volocity just to be sure but you can kill almost anything with a .22 if you really want to


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