PD Hunting with 22 Rimfire?

[robbor]

I used a 22lr in wyoming. I did not get many because of the range and wind but it sure was fun. Get a decent mil dot scope and a chart and it will be lots of fun. I

 

[sscoyote]

Some of the most fascinating long-range shooting i've ever seen accomplished was with a kids 22 LR Marlin/3-9X Simmons plex reticle/Harris BR pod. We were coming back from an unsuccessful coyote stalk when i asked this kid if i could take a look at his rig. When i looked thru the reticle i approximated the X-plex post tip,PPT) at about 6 MOA @ 9X. Itold the kid if he cranked the power down to 3 it would probably net him about 18 MOA of trajectory compensation. We got set up off a PD mound and i lasered a gp. of dogs on a mound @ 290-something,been awhile can't remember exactly). The kid shoots at 1 and barely misses him. He readjusts the aiming point and nails this dog on the next shot. The dog rolls off the back of the mound and comes running back up, but heititates before crawling into the hole. This kid nails him again killing him, and rolls off the mound. The next dog comes up to the top of the mound to check out his wierdly-acting buddy. The kid nails this dog too after the 1st or second shot, and kills him 2. I couldn't ebeieve how effective the "system" worked. It helped that there was no wind that day. Stay tuned for a writeup on that in VH magazine soon.

 

[Zermoid]

Hey, I'm in Central PA and I've used 22LR for ground hogs, HP 22's usually blow apart hitting hog or ground but solids can easily bounce, sometimes like skipping a stone across a pond, you see a series of dust puffs. This is not a good thing.
Also used my 30-30 loaded with speer varminter 110 gr bullets, out to 200 yds was a killer! Kind of preferred stalking with the 22, great practice for Deer Season! If you can sneak within 25 yds of a groundhog you are good. It was easier before they required you to wear Orange though.

Pretty much do whatever is Safe, Fun, and Legal and you cannot lose.

 

[Scottymudguy]

Some of you fella's need to get back to the basic's....I live in Wyoming, my boys and I cannot wait for spring every year. We take 3 22's,1 ea)and 1 .223, the boys have a blast nailing those little fella's with their 22's and I have just as much with mine. We all ways end up setting up some soda cans or other highly technical targets and blast away, you know most of the time that .223 stays in the truck? Every once in awhile one of the boys will spot one just far enough out that they cant get it...then one of 'em will say make him do tricks. Other than that...yeah a 22 will do just fine....Basics guys...fun!!

 

[tuck2]

When I was a kid I was paid five cents for each prairie dog that I showed to one land owner. Some p dogs fell or got back into their holes when shot with a 22 but a lot did not. Back then a box of 22 LR 38 Gr HP ammo cost about 40 cents. I dident get to shoot p dogs in that pasture very often but it was always a money maker for me with my 22 with a 4 X scope when I did. In 1956 I got a Sako 222 Rem rifle with a Berlin Pecar 9 X scope but I still used the 22s for shots out to about 60 yards. I retired in 1997 and still used a 22 LR but it was with a Ruger 10-22T tuned up trigger, glass bedded thumb hole stock a Burris 6 X Target scope is on it. The other 22 I used was a Anschutz 1710 w/ a 4-12 X AO scope. I got a Kimber 22 WMR w/ a Leo 8X scope in the 80s for p dog shooting. Since Cooper came out with the 57 M LVT 17 HMR and 17 HM2 rifles the 22s stay at home when I go out for spring prairie dog pup shooting. For me, I live in prairie dog country, the rimfire rifles are fine prairie dog rounds, but they do have their range limits and that is where the bullet energy have dropped down to about 100 ft/lb of energy. I dont need to see any splatter factor or red mist but when I take out the 220 Swift or 243 Winchester varmint rifles each having a Leo 6.5-20 X scope I get some.

 

[Linefinder]

I've been busting pdogs for a few years now, mostly with a couple .223 Rems, and a 6mm Rem for the long range/tough wind days. I finally got around to taking my 10/22T on a hunt a couple months ago, and I doubt I'll bother with it again.

On a "decent" day,meaning not hurricane force winds), I seem to average about a 80-90% hit rate with the centerfires. With my 10/22T,accurate as all get out for a semi-auto .22 rimfire), I'd probably be overly optimistic if I claimed even a 10% hit rate. The ranges varied from about 75 yards to 125 yards, with the wind a typical,for these parts) 10-15 mph. While a steady wind can kind of be managed to some degree, the gusts that are more typical affect the .22 rimfire much more than the CF's. With the .22 LR, horizontal dispersion of as much as a foot at 125 yards wasn't uncommon, although the wind "seemed" to be consistent.

IIRC, I hit 3 pdogs with about 40 shots. One fell backwards, dead as a doornail. The other two made it back down their holes dragging stuff behind them. Ammo was CCI MiniMag HPs.

You can certainly kill them with a .22LR, but there's much more efficient tools out there.

Mike

 

[BigJim]

While I agree that the .223 CF is a lot more effective, has any one used a 22 mag on them and what were the results?


Jim

 

[Linefinder]

I've not used one myself, but I know a few pdog shooters whose opinion I respect say that the .22 Mag is a very effective "quiet" round out to around 125 yards or so. The guys that are serious about pdog control on private ranches almost always have one in their arsenal. After time and close-range use,,IOW, the dogs get educated to your presence, not just the bullet's "crack") the centerfires take over, but the .22 Mag is opined to be a very effective tool in the beginning stages of serious pdog control work.

Mike

 

[Atomic_Cowboy]

I have killed truck load's of PD using a 22 LR. I do prefer the higher velocity ammo but not absolutely necessary. I have also used a 22 mag personally I think it is a waste of money but it is effective out to about 200 yards. But there is something to the splat factor of a high power.

 

[Hammer]

Been known to take a few dozen centerfire rifles when I go prairie dog shooting.

Always take a 22 LR and a 22 WMR with me. More recently have added a 17 HMR and 17 HM2 too.

Also take a few handguns like Kel-Tec 32 and 380s, 1911 45s, and Colt SAA 44 and 45s. Really got to practice trigger control.

Usually find some small PD towns which are not worth the effort to set up for the centerfire stuff and shoot them instead with the rimfires and handguns. Have shot a lot of prairie dogs under 10 yards over a lifetime. Like to use a Stevens 30 single shot with its iron sights.

Also use the 22 LR for PDs intended for taxidermy.

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