For those of you who hunt squirrel/bunnies with a 22 long rifle pistol. What is the maximum effective kill range for a 22 rimfire from a handgun.

What barrel length do you prefer? I am wanting a barrel for my Contender and have no experience with rimfires in a pistol.


Thanks,

I have the super 14" on my 'Tender...I have sniped skirrels at 80yds with a good rest...skirrel was graveyard dead when I got there, matter of fact, I think he was dead before he hit the ground... I think the barrel length will be a personal preference and you won't go wrong with any length...KRal

Try and keep it the same lenght as your big bores, that way you have a cheap practic tool.

When I used a rifle, I could hit them out close to a hundred yards if I would go for a body shot.

I use my 10" barreled contender in 22 now. I like the shorter barrel verses the 14" I have to say I am no where near as good a shot as others with a handgun and now am maxed out at 50 - 60 yards. Even then I go to a body shot. A couple days ago I traded for a burris scope and did some switching. I was using a leupold 2 power but you really need more than that for longer shots. Now it has a bushnell 2 x 6 and I'm looking forward to trying for some longer range again. With whatever length barrel I would use, I think that I would still try to find a tree or something to use as a rest. Barrel length won't affect accuracy and very little velocity on a 22. I think the 22 has enough power that the max range is what ever you can hit a vital area.

I would have said about 65 yards, which has been my maximum in 50 years, but KRal says he's done 80 yards, sooo...
I use barrel lengths from 5 1/2" to 14", depending upon the gun.I can tell a "significant " difference with the 14". Terminal effect is also significantly different using hollowpoins, but obviously at the expense of meat loss.
With the smaller prairie dogs, about 75 yards has been my "maximum". I intend not to wound game.

Basically, I was stating that a small critter could be effectivley taken at 80yds with a 22lr and a good rest....but, "good" rest are few and far between in field conditions. With that being said, normally my shots are less than 30yds and a 40+yd being few and far between because of limbs obstructing the bullets....KRal

I've taken many at 75-80 yards with my 10" contender topped with a 3x9 Burris handgun scope. At some point between 80 and 100 yards the bullets (depending on what you're shooting) will transition from supersonic to subsonic and at that point accuracy goes out the window. I've been shooting them for the past few years with an open sighted gun and 30-40 yards is about my maximum. The Aguila Super Extra hollow points are outstanding and the Winchester Super-X HP's are also very good from my guns. From a short barreled revolver I prefer the Aguila because they are softer lead and expand better. I've never had any luck accuracy wise with the hypersonic loads or any truncated cone 22 projectile.

Maximum range...I've taken squirrels to 85yds w/ a Contender .22LR. That was with my 14" SSK .22LR topped w/ 7X Burris, ranged and dialed in elevation. That barrel is a super, super shooter!!!

I do very little squirrel hunting since I don't eat them. Whe hunting w/ friends that do eat them, I'll knock down a few with either the SSK barrel mentioned or my Super 14 .22 Magnum topped w/ 4X Tasco Pro Class.

Most recently I used a Savage Striker .22LR w/ 5X Burris. I believe it has a 10" barrel.

Dan, you're missing out...there's nothing like squirrel and gravy with homemade biscuits...mmmm...my mouths watering just thinking 'bout it!

Amen brother KRal. Yummy!!

I'm waiting for my 17HM2 barrel to show up, I decided to give it a try. I hade a contender barrel in 17HMR and the accuracy wasn't what I hoped for but from what I've read the HM2 is more accurate and flatter shooting than the 22 match so we will see. I have a 4x leupold to start with to put on it and depending I may switch to a variable.

Rod, I've heard reports that the HM2 is a tack driver....

I have several honeyholes just laced w/ big grey and fox squirrels. Just are not my flavor...it's a shame as they are about the only thing left...predation has knocked down the rabbit, grouse and pheasant populations.

I have been chasing them with open sights lately. Like Gary, 40 yards is about my maximum range with my 10" Contender barrel and less than that with my 5.5" Single Six. I have a scoped 14" .22lr barrel but have not taken any long shots on game with it yet. At the range it groups pretty well with Velocitors out to 75 yards with a good rest.

Do any of you use a 22 Mag? I would think it would give you another 50yds range and you could shoot FMJ to keep from blowing them up at close range.

My buddy Red just ordered a 17HMR MGM barrel in 14" I am waiting to see how it shoots. Find a high point and a stump you could put bags on and you could go to 150yds with it. You would have to have bino's or a spoting scope to locate them.

If you guy's want a shooting adventure come on down here and bring like 5000 round's min and we will go Nutra Rat hunting. I was doing some hog scouting the other day and saw about 100 in a 1/2 mile section. They will tote a 22LR off you need head shots or a 22 Mag. I use a S&W K38 and a 110gr JHP --Bang Flop-- I ran out of bullets last time I only brought 50 rounds. Em thangs is everywhere.

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/yt-UxCL1EYyqrI/nutria_hunting_in_louisiana/

I use the 'mag', but 60yr old eyes and open sites still limit my shots to under 50.

22 magnum shells are getting too expensive for my blood. I can load cast leads in my 222 Rem for pennies.

I've been comtemplating doing that with my Hornet. It's scoped so I could increase the range a little.

I have thought about cast in the BEE. I wounder if it's better buy 22 caliber bullets than to try and cast them?? I have heard the little bullets can be a real pain to get good ones.

Tigger:

I think your 218 Bee would make an excellent small game rifle with cast bullets. Very economical to shoot.

My buddy and I cast 22 bullets from pure Linotype. The molds fill out perfectly and bullets are top quality.

Currently, we are using Lyman and RCBS 22 bullet molds with excellent success in the accuracy department. Last month I just purchased a 22 caliber Lee 2 cavity 55 grain mold from Midsouth Shooters for experimenting with. It is listed as the 22 Bator mold.

Right now I'm shooting my Contender rifle in 222 Rem using cast linotype. Makes an excellent squirrel rifle and I get the same velocity as a 22 Magnum. I can load 50 rounds of 222 Remington cast for about $4.00 vs $10.00 for 50 rounds of 22 Magnum.

Interesting leverman.

Do you run a gas check with the linotype?

My BEE is a 1:14 twist so I will assume the bullet would have to be 50gr or less. I can stabilize 52gr flast base match bullets but when I cross the line at 55grs or a long ogive/boat tail desing it gets ugly. Looks like a shotgun pattern.

Tigger:

Yes, I run gas checks with my linotype 22 caliber bullets. I have cast bullet data from the Lyman cast bullet manual for the 218 Bee.

I would think the 1:14 twist would stabilize any bullet up to 55 grains but I could be wrong.

If your interested I could send you some of the 55 grain Lee Bator mold bullets lubed with a gas checked crimped on to try. Bullet looks like a Lee 113 FP/GC or soup can bullet as some call it.

The only thing you would need is a Lyman M die or Lee universal expander die to flare the case neck to allow for the .225 diameter bullet to seat into the case neck.

Just let me know.

I have a Sinclair expander die that would work to get the case neck flared. I also have the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook 3rd Edition. It only covers bullet weight up to 45gr for the BEE. I'm sure I could find data for the 55gr bullet.

Tigger:

If you would like to try some bullets just let me know. In the mean time I'll check to see if any of my buddy has a 45 grain mold.

Lyman does make a 44 grain mold for the 22 Hornet and 218 Bee. 225438 is the mold number from their website. Your 218 Bee could become a small game hunter.

leverman

I just put a remington 33 grain 22 mag right through the heart of a squirrel this morning with a blade a V sight Hertaige 6.5 I call jane. It made a nice hole in a nice hole out. Range was inside 5 yards though and I think it was a little too much boom because in between those two holes was an explosion of heart juice. He fell like he had been head shot.