223/5.56 vs 22lr/magnum for small animal control

CraigC said:

. I don't know how people come up with statements like "...223 ammo was cheaper and did a lot more". $9.49/50rds translates to $0.19/rd and that equates to $3.80/50rds.

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This also depends on locality. you can buy a 2000rnd case of cheap .223/556 for 180-90 bucks here, and .22 mag go for 15-20 bucks for 50.
granted you .223s will usually be fmjs, but I've seen hollow points for about that as well....maybe 230 or so.
Ordering IS an option, but your limited to when one of the stores orders.

personally for the expected usage I'd take a .22lr, but I think the .22mag and 17hmr also make good sense. I wouldn't choose a .223 for the expected task, simply because it's louder, and more powerful than needed. You CAN load it down, but why? if you need more energy than a rimfire, you've got your .45-70.

course this reasoning is just mine, and a big part of why I don't own a .223 anymore. so take it with a grain of salt.

Texasgrillchef said:

I am thinking 22lr might be my better choice. Better choices available in rifle selection and as far as what I can tell even in ammo selection.

Like I said 75 yards would be the max distance, and even then the mean average distance will be between 40-50 yards the vast majority of the time.

The right 22lr rifle with the right suppressor will make it quiet enough to use at night in the area I’m in without anyone really noticing.

Now just to consider what might be the best rifle. I don’t need huge magazines either. I never have a problem getting first shot kills.

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.22lr with the right AMMO, and you'll be pretty low key. Add a supressor, and your light will be more noticeable than the shot.

I live on about 100 acres in GA. 22 LR will kill all the small vermin like armadillos, possums, coons, etc. We do have an occasional coyote and wild dog. On them, I like to use 22 magnum.

223 is too loud and just too much gun.

I’m personally not to concerned about cost of ammo within reason.

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If your killing things it shouldn’t be that much of an issue. If you have to shoot to death 500 something’s a week (26,000 of them per year) you should seek other methods of killing them.

That’s about 3 an hour 24/7/365.

jmorris said:

500 something’s a week (26,000 of them per year) you should seek other methods of killing them.

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or you might just wanna move.....

I think .22 WMR is the perfect varmint control round. Enough oomph for coyote inside 100 yards and nothing crazy about it for the other stuff either. I live on 5 acres in rural Ozarks and mine hangs by the back door. Last customer was a feral cat that had been hanging around the place for a few days and actually came in through an open window that we let our cat use. There was quite a commotion over that one, our cat didn't want guests. Got my chance a couple of days later and took it. Was glad for the .22 mag as the cat was sitting in a brushy spot about 80 yards from where I could take a rest and all I could see was head. .22 LR would be OK too, but I truly believe .22 WMR to be a better choice for the job.

Used to be a .17 HMR fan and used a scoped Ruger Hunter Single Six for wandering around my small ranch . I have a .17 KHornet rifle which was just as quiet as that pistol and was a 200 yard+ reliable gun (instead if the 100 yard pistol) but not as handy. I used a .22 Jet 6" S&W with a 2x scope for a long period before that for the same purposes but the ranch was bigger-too loud on smaller place. Now I am back to .22 Mag, as it will take coyotes cleanly to at least 100 yards in a rifle. I used to use it as as a slaughter gun as it excelled in that use for livestock and is the choice of pros for that use around here. Now I use it as all around and keep an old Winchester 61 pump with a 4x Burris scope handy for "pests" and life is good. I prefer Winchester 40 grain Hollow points, they have allways worked on everything .

MihiT said:

I've dropped 50 pound pigs, maybe 35 pound goats, full size horses etc with the .22LR. The only limit is how far away you can place your shot.
The only thing I'd body shoot are rodents and birds, as anywhere is going to be fatal quickly. Given the option I always shoot the literal bull's-eye.

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That won't reliably kill a bull.The correct spot to shoot on cattle is 1 inch above an imaginary line drawn from eye to eye, and centered. I've killed cattle this way, and my son does it for a living. As Gordon said, .22 Mag. is the preferred caliber.

In my opinion the old humble Savage 24 might be the best all around general purpose critter-gitter.
I picked one out in 22WMR/20GA. The 22lr version would be cheaper to feed, but it's not exactly a high volume plinker. I can live with the added cost for a little more range.
Super handy rabbit gun too, shot if they're on the move, or poke em with the 22WMR if they're sitting still.

gotboostvr said:

In my opinion the old humble Savage 24 might be the best all around general purpose critter-gitter.
I picked one out in 22WMR/20GA. The 22lr version would be cheaper to feed, but it's not exactly a high volume plinker. I can live with the added cost for a little more range.
Super handy rabbit gun too, shot if they're on the move, or poke em with the 22WMR if they're sitting still.

View attachment 852058

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I always wanted one of those. The ultimate survival gun and cool as all get out to boot.

I just wish that Savage would start making the 24s the way they used to...

Boattale said:

I always wanted one of those. The ultimate survival gun and cool as all get out to boot.

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I got mine pretty recently for a very good price, I really wanted the 357Mag/20Ga with the nickled and engraved receiver, but it was more than I wanted to spend for a gun that'll go into brush and hang out in a closet by the back door.

I'll add my $.02...
ARs are cheap right now.
You cant kill varmints too dead.
I would get an AR, set it up with decent glass, add a good weapon light, two 20rd and two 30rd mags.
That rig should whittle down the pest population.

Honestly, for the critters you mention a good ole Ruger 10/22 is more than sufficient. Depending on range and your eyes pick you choice of irons, red dot or scope. No need to over think this one.

Texasgrillchef said:

Just curious in a 22mag rifle can you use 22lr?

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It won't kaboom but it's not a good idea. It's not like .38 special out of a .357.

Texasgrillchef said:

Distance needed is never more then 100yards if that. In the groomed areas, maybe 75yards max. On the “back country” I have way to many trees and bush and hills to go any further then maybe 50 yards before anything would be lost in the bush, a tree, or the ground of a hill.

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For what you describe here I use a 17HMR more than anything else. I would suggest looking at the Savage models with the rotary mags.

Texasgrillchef said:

Also what about 22wmr? Any of them interchangeable?

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.22WMR is .22 magnum

Personally if I was doing varmint control with what I have on hand right now, I would go with .223. Probably in a carbine length Handi rifle. Although a .22mag rifle would be rather nice instead.

You can shoot a field mouse with 22lr and have it mostly in 1 or 2 pieces.
Coons and opossums 22lr and 22 mag will keep them in 1 piece.
A solid hit with 223 will pretty much vaporize a mouse, on coons and opossums they can get blown a part with a good chance of meat spray and scattered bits.

748 said:

A solid hit with 223 will pretty much vaporize a mouse, on coons and opossums they can get blown a part with a good chance of meat spray and scattered bits.

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I see only benefits here...

Two Twenty Three Remington for the win!
No shovel needed.

Demi-human said:

I see only benefits here...

Two Twenty Three Remington for the win!
No shovel needed.

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Except the OP said that he has a dog or dogs and he doesn't like picking up scattered carcass on the ground because he dog(s) will want to eat the carcass.

I see no real benefit to the 223 in the scenario. Without knowing the terrain, you could have to worry about where the 223 bullet goes after it zips through a coon or possum. Even on 15 acres, you could possibly have neighbors close enough that a stray 223 bullet might make them a little nervous.

Personally, I'm a HUGE fan of the 22 mag for varmint control. I have one in a Ruger American Predator with the green stock. It's got a nice blued barrel and action and makes a perfect truck gun. I actually have a 22 suppressor, so it's even quieter when I shoot mine. But unsuppressed it's no big deal without hearing protection. A 223 would not be pleasant without hearing protection, ESPECIALLY in an AR platform.

The general rule of thumb is that a 22 mag has the same energy at 100 yards that a 22LR has at the muzzle. Nobody things a 22LR at point blank range is "too much" gun. A standard lead bullet from a 22 mag would be just fine for small animals inside say 50 yards. You wouldn't know the difference between it and a 22LR at those distances. Move to a hollowpoint bullet for larger animals or at distances at 100 yards or more. And while some claim that the 22LR is adequate out to 100 yards, that may be the case on paper, but real world isn't exactly the case. All my 22LR guns have pretty big groups when you go to shoot them at 100 yards. The 22LR loses velocity and starts to get affected more by wind the further out you stretch. The 22 mag is the perfect solution to me.