Vern Humphrey
Member
Here in the Ozarks, long shots (over 200 yards) aren't common. I prefer a .22 Hornet for coyote and fox, and reserve the .22 WMR for shots are 100 yards and less at crows and similar critters.
22 WMR?
- Thread starter 357smallbore
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caribou
Member
.22mag might be the best 150 yard rimfire out there for Fur........
Shoot a Wolf in their narrow chest broadside and a mag will exit, though not with a huge chunk flying from the exit, either out to 150, with solids..
Fur is 'shot' different than 'meats', as a bullet to the body will do just fine to get things started and not worry about ruining dinner. Up the kazoo ,as they run away, dont matter either, as the mag will disrupt the organs completely, and not exit out he 'front' of a Wolf, so a 'one hole shot' , and a gut shot isnt much of a mess and a real 'stopper' as wounded gut shot fur usually just creeps along after the hit...or just ear to ear with a Wolverine or Wolf inna snare or leg hold.....
Sorta makes me want to find a Winchester Pump M 61 and get with it.....a pump .22mag rifle just about cant be beat , hunting fur wize......
Shoot a Wolf in their narrow chest broadside and a mag will exit, though not with a huge chunk flying from the exit, either out to 150, with solids..
Fur is 'shot' different than 'meats', as a bullet to the body will do just fine to get things started and not worry about ruining dinner. Up the kazoo ,as they run away, dont matter either, as the mag will disrupt the organs completely, and not exit out he 'front' of a Wolf, so a 'one hole shot' , and a gut shot isnt much of a mess and a real 'stopper' as wounded gut shot fur usually just creeps along after the hit...or just ear to ear with a Wolverine or Wolf inna snare or leg hold.....
Sorta makes me want to find a Winchester Pump M 61 and get with it.....a pump .22mag rifle just about cant be beat , hunting fur wize......
G'dale Mike
Member
My volquartsen in 22 mag groups very nicely at 120 yards. Havent tried it at longer ranges
Shot a large marauding dog after livestock with .22 mag years ago. It put him down with one shot at 35 yds. Should work on coyotes out to 100yds. Only ones I have killed out to 100 yd. distance I used a 6.5x55 scoped rifle, which was probably over-kill.
cdb1
Member
If I ever buy another .22 Mag it will be a Volquartsen.
RetiredUSNChief
Member
I do.
I admit I'm a bit biased, as my first gun purchase way back when I was a teen was a Marlin 783 bolt action .22 WMR.
The round is a surprisingly flat shooting, hard hitting round out to 100 yards, no problem. Though I've never shot coyote, I have taken many a groundhog at that distance, and the occasional feral dog as well. And any number of squirrels at lesser distances.
Hoppes Love Potion
Member
I never tried .22 WMR in a rifle. We use it for concealed carry here in the tropics.
bassjam
Member
I've been impressed with the .22 mag ever since I watched a local farmer drop a 1,000 lb wild steer that had taken up residence in our woods with one shot to the neck from 40 yards. Inside of 100 yards, a .22 mag should do fine for coyote's as long as you do your part.
MacAR
Member
At one point in my life, I only owned 2 rifles - dad's '06 and a Marlin 22 WMR, I think it was a 25MN? Anyhow, that little rifle killed more than its share of tree rats, rabbits, groundhogs, coons, you name it. If it came around the farm and wasn't supposed to be there, it got a CCI 40grn HP put in it. For several years, I thought that the 'ol magnum wasn't much good for anything bigger than a coon. That all changed one day when I looked out the back door and saw 3 feral dogs raiding my chicken house. I reached behind the door and first came out with pap's single shot Winchester 16 gauge (only shotgun at the time), nailed the first one, then realized I was out of ammo! Grabbed the mag off the kitchen table where I'd laid it that morning and proceeded to drop the other two. One of them was shot at about 40 yards, a clean hit to the neck/shoulder area took him right down. The other was shot through both shoulders while running at a distance of about 80 yards. He also hit the ground dead. No finishing shot was needed for either of them, but the first one, hit in the side with an one and an eighth ounce of #6 shot, required a shot with the Marlin to finish him off.
So having related that little anecdote, I will say that I have complete confidence in the WMR as a varmint (ANY varmint) out to 100 yards, provided you do your part and make a good, ethical shot. Since that day, I have switched to the CCI Small Game Bullet, which I have found to give me deeper penetration and better expansion on heavier animals such as wild hogs and possums, but not so devastating on smaller game like squirrel or rabbit as the old HP bullet. It has also been my experience that when shooting larger animals with the WMR, the best thing you can do is a head shot, but failing that, second best is to break the shoulder joint( or joints, in this case more is better). That way they will at least be anchored, if not dead, by the time you get up to them. I've killed exactly 3 'yotes that way, and numerous hogs, 90% of which dropped immediately, didn't struggle, and were dead by the time I walked up to them. Perhaps a bit wasteful if you're going to eat what you shoot, but quite effective if you aren't concerned with meat damage. The same theory also works well when applied to the '06 or .30 WCF and whitetail deer.
Mac
So having related that little anecdote, I will say that I have complete confidence in the WMR as a varmint (ANY varmint) out to 100 yards, provided you do your part and make a good, ethical shot. Since that day, I have switched to the CCI Small Game Bullet, which I have found to give me deeper penetration and better expansion on heavier animals such as wild hogs and possums, but not so devastating on smaller game like squirrel or rabbit as the old HP bullet. It has also been my experience that when shooting larger animals with the WMR, the best thing you can do is a head shot, but failing that, second best is to break the shoulder joint( or joints, in this case more is better). That way they will at least be anchored, if not dead, by the time you get up to them. I've killed exactly 3 'yotes that way, and numerous hogs, 90% of which dropped immediately, didn't struggle, and were dead by the time I walked up to them. Perhaps a bit wasteful if you're going to eat what you shoot, but quite effective if you aren't concerned with meat damage. The same theory also works well when applied to the '06 or .30 WCF and whitetail deer.
Mac
DM~
Member
I wouldn't have ANY second thoughts about using my 22 mag. on a coyote at 100 yards...
I can't even count how many critters I've shot with one shot kills on animals up to wolf size, do your part and it will do fine.
The 22 mag. I shoot mostly these days, is a Remington 597M. It's worked flawless ever since I bought it many years ago...
DM
I can't even count how many critters I've shot with one shot kills on animals up to wolf size, do your part and it will do fine.
The 22 mag. I shoot mostly these days, is a Remington 597M. It's worked flawless ever since I bought it many years ago...
DM
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midland man
Member
yep I own a henry golden boy in 22mag and it loves the federal 50gr loads and I love this rifle!
JFrame
Member
The 597 was recalled in .17HMR chambering.
If it was recalled for the .22WMR, I missed it...
.
Legionnaire
Contributing Member
My first 22WRM was a Savage 24, 22 Mag over a 20 gauge. It was a great squirrel gun, though heavy. I bought a Single Six convertible to go with it, and enjoy shooting the 22WMR cylinder way more than the 22LR. I eventually sold the Savage. Didn't miss the combo, but did miss the 22WMR rifle ... so I bought a Ruger 77/22 (WMR). It is a great walkaround rifle. Haven't taken much game with it, but it is a fantastic plinker.
I stocked up on 22WMR rifle ammo years ago when I stumbled into an estate sale. Still working through the couple thousand rounds I bought.
I stocked up on 22WMR rifle ammo years ago when I stumbled into an estate sale. Still working through the couple thousand rounds I bought.
DM~
Member
Like was said, the 17's were recalled, not the 22 mags...
I sighted mine in about 20 or more years ago, leaning off the back of a 4-wheeler, after I mounted the 7.5x Leupold that's still on it,
It's not "ammo" fussy at all, and I haven't had to touch the scope since...
DM
earlthegoat2
Member
I like .22 magnums and find the pump guns to be the best for myself. I do lust for a Model 61 but for 1/3 the price the Henry pump .22 mag will suffice. My Rem 597M works excellent too on hogs. I like quick follow up shots for my .22 mag hunting.
DM~
Member
I had a 22 mag. Henry, they are a dud...
I like Henry "Lever" rimfires and I have a few, but the mag. in a pump is just a poor design, as there's NO machinal advantage when pumping it, so in the mag. chambering, it's a herky-jerky pump gun.
They took their lever action and put a pump on it... it just doesn't work well...
Henry bought it back from me...
BTW, I'm told the LR models are much better because the LR is a much lower pressure round...
DM
jmorris
Member
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- Sep 30, 2005
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I think my 22 mags are my least shot firearms. If the stuff didn’t cost what it does and there were more accurate ammunition, that wouldn’t be the case. A .22 lr will do a lot that it will and the .22 Hornet leaves it in the dust on the other end.
I guess I still have them so they fill some void in my heart...
I guess I still have them so they fill some void in my heart...
T.R.
Member
100 yard target shot from a makeshift rest. 22 MAG is a keeper!
TR
Vern Humphrey
Member
I agree. I have a .22 Mag for turkey hunting, and that's about it.
ThomasT
Member
I have two 22 mags. Both Marlins. A 783 blue and walnut bought around 1982 and an 883 stainless/laminate bought used about 10 years ago for $140 OTD from a pawn shop. I really like the 22 mag round. My bud has killed several turkeys with his. We have both killed several armadillos.
I prefer the 40gr loads. I have had my best shooting with Winchester and Armscor ammo. The CCI 40gr loads shoot lower than the above loads at 100 yards. CCI doesn't seem as hot loaded as the Winchester and Armscor. Armscor also provides Fiocchi their 22 mag ammo. CCI plates my bore so that after 25 rounds the accuracy falls off at 100 yards until the barrel is brushed out. I like the real jacket you get with the Winny and Armscor ammo.
Sportsmans Guide had a sale on the Armscor for $5.65 a box. I bought 4,000 rounds to go with the 1,500 I already had on hand. So I'm good on ammo for a while.
I prefer the 40gr loads. I have had my best shooting with Winchester and Armscor ammo. The CCI 40gr loads shoot lower than the above loads at 100 yards. CCI doesn't seem as hot loaded as the Winchester and Armscor. Armscor also provides Fiocchi their 22 mag ammo. CCI plates my bore so that after 25 rounds the accuracy falls off at 100 yards until the barrel is brushed out. I like the real jacket you get with the Winny and Armscor ammo.
Sportsmans Guide had a sale on the Armscor for $5.65 a box. I bought 4,000 rounds to go with the 1,500 I already had on hand. So I'm good on ammo for a while.
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