Longer range .22LR shooting?

[Houseplant]

I'm pretty happy with my CZ452 .22LR and subsonic rounds up to 50 metres. I've read about people shooting rabbits and the like with these rounds up to 100 metres and further. How do you do it? It seems to me that the drop on these rounds is so great that you need to be pretty spot on with distance estimation? Also, what distance do you zero your scope? Cheers and sorry if this has been covered before.

[Scully]

I tend not to shoot at ranges where the point of impact becomes guesswork as most of my .22rf shooting takes place at night. This means around 80 yards max' for me.

I never push to extremes any ranges with regards to live quarry shooting, whether it's with my .22rf or my .243 Win.

There are plenty of tried and tested methods and techniques out there though, and some good websites with all the technical info' to help, but I'm not a fan of dropping rounds in akin to artillery shells. I want to ensure as much as is possible, a head shot each and every time and in the countryside without a range finder there aren't many indicators of reliable range distances out there at night.

[Houseplant]

That sounds sensible Scully, I'm really thinking of a maximum hunting range of 75 metres.

[Guest stevo]

Ive always zeroed my 22LR at 75 yrds with eley subs . Top of ears at 100 yrds . Practice on some paper and your soon see what your kit can do . And a max range YOU feel happy with .

[fortune]

It all depends on how good a shot you are. When I was younger and out with the 22rf after rabbits every day I could consistently head shoot them out to about 80 paces. As far as accurate range is concerned, one time I took the gun down on the military ranges and used it on the 25 yard range and then we went on to the 600 yard range. As you have said it is a case of drop, but once I had worked out how much elevation to apply (the bottom of the cross hairs at the lower edge of the tube were on the top of the target frame. So if I had used the cross hairs centre it probably was in the region of 10ft drop at 600yards.) These bullets were making a rough group in the black to the point that a person would have been seriously hit by every round. The 22rf has killed people as far as a mile away and has taken an elephant. These were flukes and the 22rf should only be used to take small game out to a range that you can accurately and humanely hit. The round has got plenty of power for any range that you are likely to be using it on.

[Grandalf]

Ive always zeroed my 22LR at 75 yrds with eley subs . Top of ears at 100 yrds . Practice on some paper and your soon see what your kit can do . And a max range YOU feel happy with .

I agree with Stevo (not always the case...) but in this regard he is spot on. 75 yards zero with eley subs gives about 2.5" needed at 100 yards. As he says 'top of the ears'. Beyond 100 I never take the shot. When it is windy I come down to 50 because these little rounds really get pushed about by the wind.

I have the same gun as you and it works.

[39TDS]

Get used to your gun and your sights, then lots of practice.

It's surprising how much difference the practicing makes.

[kent]

I use a 6x scope subsonic ammo and a 50 yards zero

Shot the same gun with the same ammo many years

I have known one or two old guys who are no longer with us do fantastic things with simple iron sights

Drop is irrelevant being able to call wind and range is the key

 

Look on it this way most cf rifles without being specific about details

Zeroed at 100 yards will be 9 " low at 300 yards. Wind fv 10 mph will be similar. Heck people often say on here they shoot foxes on the lamp under those conditions - I would personally not take that shot

 

22 rf 4-6 " low and 4 " 10 mph fv wind at 100 yards and some think it a bit special

 

Practice. Confidence and great familiarity it's not a special scopes and rangefinder windicator thing

[Zapp]

Ive always zeroed my 22LR at 75 yrds with eley subs . Top of ears at 100 yrds . Practice on some paper and your soon see what your kit can do . And a max range YOU feel happy with .

 

Same as this, although I use mildots too. As has been said, only shoot to what you feel comfortable with, taking into account light and weather conditions.

[oldypigeonpopper]

hello, have a look at the hawke rimfire scope zero at 50mtrs and has 75/100/150 mtr reticule points on glass

hello, have a look at the hawke rimfire scope zero at 50mtrs and has 75/100/150 mtr reticule points on glass

also look at a day/night vision range finder

[Houseplant]

Thanks for all the replies. I'll take on board what's been said about practice and getting to know the rifle.

[la bala]

I use Hawke scope, rangefinder, and downloaded the software. This is the reticle.

[kent]

I use Hawke scope, rangefinder, and downloaded the software. This is the reticle.

That reticule confuses the heck out of me and wont work with all the different brands of ammo, winds and contours. It really honestly don't need that but a lot of the other. The theory is you just do that set up and go get on with it? Yeah

[kenj]

I agree with 39TDS, practice makes perfect. I own and regularly shoot a Magtech 7002 .22 semi auto, not a rifle noted for it's accuracy, but plenty of practice on paper with the first zero at 30 yards firing RWS subs effectively gives me point and shoot to 70 yards and beyond with a bit of hold over. I rarely take head shots on rabbits, the chest offering an unmissable target with the desired result. I will not attempt a shot beyond 40 yards without some support of the rifle. The Magtech has been giving me so much sport lately, that my CZ452 HMR has been staying in the cabinet. This was my latest outing. http://www.urbanfieldsportsman.com/index.php/ice-cool-rabbit-cull/

[la bala]

That reticule confuses the heck out of me and wont work with all the different brands of ammo, winds and contours. It really honestly don't need that but a lot of the other. The theory is you just do that set up and go get on with it? Yeah

The scope is zeroed at 50 yds kent, after that its just using the incriments as shown.Used with a range finder it works for me.Like you say, would re-zero for different ammo, but i only use Winchester. If you live anywhere near Fenland i am happy to take you out and show you this setup.

[welshwarrior]

Practice practice experience then some more practise, I shoot less now than when I was younger so have lost a fair bit of the ability but the Desmond is very underrated by many.

[kent]

The scope is zeroed at 50 yds kent, after that its just using the incriments as shown.Used with a range finder it works for me.Like you say, would re-zero for different ammo, but i only use Winchester. If you live anywhere near Fenland i am happy to take you out and show you this setup.

Thanks very civil of you like but I use a 6x42 with an a4 reticule no computer. Range finder dope data or nothing in fact other than a lot of years practice

 

My point is realy you cannot replace the practice with anything. 22 ammo dope changes markedly it's not just resetting the zero even in nil wind

At 50 yards it's just not definable at 100 plus it becomes cavernous in my experience group wise drop wise wind wise. Scopes don't know that neither do programs

 

It might sound daft but it's not hard with a one magnification to judge range and allow up to a foot of allowance

 

Don't get me wrong though a shot that needs a foot of allowance isn't on with any great degree of windage also

Need to shoot within allowable ranges on the day

[la bala]

Thanks very civil of you like but I use a 6x42 with an a4 reticule no computer. Range finder dope data or nothing in fact other than a lot of years practice

 

My point is realy you cannot replace the practice with anything. 22 ammo dope changes markedly it's not just resetting the zero even in nil wind

At 50 yards it's just not definable at 100 plus it becomes cavernous in my experience group wise drop wise wind wise. Scopes don't know that neither do programs

 

It might sound daft but it's not hard with a one magnification to judge range and allow up to a foot of allowance

 

Don't get me wrong though a shot that needs a foot of allowance isn't on with any great degree of windage also

Need to shoot within allowable ranges on the day

Each to there own, i respect your reply.

[colin lad]

this is how i do it but and this is the thing it will only work in daylight as my range finder ain't a nv finder and without much wind as kent has pointed out wind is a key factor,

on a calmer day i took my lr and 100 rounds 7 tall bit's of wood and a4 targets each with a black circle about half inch diameter at top of paper,

post's put in ground at 70,80,90 100,110,120,130 yards measured with range finder,

then set zero at 50 yards then shot 5 shot's at each target, went out to each target and drew another half inch circle in centre or around each group,

then back to shooting position gun on rest and looking through scope measured each gap, scope is a sidewinder with mil dots,

targets worked out to nearest mil dot drop as follows, you need to change mag to make gaps fill mil dot's,

70 yards equals 12 zoom and 1 mil dot drop

80 yards equals 8.5 zoom and 1 mil dot drop

90 yards equals 12 zoom and 2 mil dot drop

100 yards equals 10 zoom and 2 mil dots drop

110 yards equals 10.25 zoom 3 mil dots drop

120 yards equals 11 zoom and 4 mil dots drop

130 yards equals 9.5 zoom and 4 mil dots drop,

this will only work on calmer days and with range finder but i could draw circles about the size of golf ball and hit it 9 times out of 10 even at longer range's

so the lr can do it but as mentioned it's practise that will work in the field

 

colin

[oowee]

this is how i do it but and this is the thing it will only work in daylight as my range finder ain't a nv finder and without much wind as kent has pointed out wind is a key factor,

on a calmer day i took my lr and 100 rounds 7 tall bit's of wood and a4 targets each with a black circle about half inch diameter at top of paper,

post's put in ground at 70,80,90 100,110,120,130 yards measured with range finder,

then set zero at 50 yards then shot 5 shot's at each target, went out to each target and drew another half inch circle in centre or around each group,

then back to shooting position gun on rest and looking through scope measured each gap, scope is a sidewinder with mil dots,

targets worked out to nearest mil dot drop as follows, you need to change mag to make gaps fill mil dot's,

70 yards equals 12 zoom and 1 mil dot drop

80 yards equals 8.5 zoom and 1 mil dot drop

90 yards equals 12 zoom and 2 mil dot drop

100 yards equals 10 zoom and 2 mil dots drop

110 yards equals 10.25 zoom 3 mil dots drop

120 yards equals 11 zoom and 4 mil dots drop

130 yards equals 9.5 zoom and 4 mil dots drop,

this will only work on calmer days and with range finder but i could draw circles about the size of golf ball and hit it 9 times out of 10 even at longer range's

so the lr can do it but as mentioned it's practise that will work in the field

 

colin

Respect. For someone that has just got RF and completed basic zero. I am waiting for better weather to start to get to know the rifle in the way you describe. I just hope i can start with the basics which for me will be rabbits at 50m and then get to understand the rest of what you describe.

[colin lad]

it was actually quite enjoyable went with a mate and made a morning of it made a small chart and laminated it put velcro on back so can stick to stock so on a nice summers evening can sit out over a warren and in theory can shoot rabbit's beyond 100 yards,

going to take wmr and do the same see if i can get that to 150 plus as it has hawke varmit scope with half mil dots

 

colin

[Bangbangman]

Respect. For someone that has just got RF and completed basic zero. I am waiting for better weather to start to get to know the rifle in the way you describe. I just hope i can start with the basics which for me will be rabbits at 50m and then get to understand the rest of what you describe.

Good idea. Field test your scope-rifle-ammo combo under real world conditions, too. Check if your point of impact shifts when shooting off bipod/sticks/sitting etc.

 

Place targets out to beyond your expected range, plot the drops and your "real-world group size" to determine your ethical max range (under the conditions pertaining at the time, of course.)

 

Use your data to generate a tested drop chart, either graphical or tabular. Stick it to your stock or scope. I usually use tabular and include a column for full value 10mph wind. Below is a graphical drop chart for my old set up. Drop is in inches; I use mil or MOA (depending on scope) for the sticker on the gun.

 

 

Vortex have brought out a new flip-up scope cap range called "Defender". They will be offering a customised "dope discs" service; inserts for the inner surface of the eyepiece cap, printed with your info. I've made my own in the past but this will be slicker.

 

Incidentally, my old club had an inaugural competition when the 200pt range opened. Each club member was allowed a single, cold bore shot (no sighters) at a painting of "The monarch of the glen". An easy shot with a centre fire (though some still missed) so I chose to use my .22LR (a humble Ruger 10/22). I'd guesstimated the holdover/wind age and got lucky with a hit. That was 185metres. That painting still hangs in the clubhouse.

 

I'd not contemplate a shot at that range, with that gun, on live quarry- I have nowhere near the skills not the gun and I don't think .22LR ammo has the consistency to guarantee humane kills routinely at that range.

Edited February 21, 2016 by Bangbangman

[DIVERD]

I had a problem with a piece of ground with huge rabbit numbers, but had to shoot from a glacial mound to a bank with dozens of warrens, the whole hillside is moving with rabbits. The safest shot is from one side to the other, but the base of the hill is 65 meters from the top of the mound and the top is 120 meters. We pottered away for a number of years with mill dot scopes with some success, but to be honest it was often luck as well as judgement. We tried stalking the hill face, but it tends to result in only a couple of shots, and with one direction not being safe. From the mound the rabbits cannot see or smell us, so makes for far greater sucess.

 

My pal and i eventually invested in a Z5 and Z6 BT for our CZ rimfires and zeroed at 50/75/100 and 120 meters. This system allows you to have multiple zero points, and is actually spot on. In calm days, off the bipod the accuracy is excellent, basically spot on, though we go from head shots to body shots for the longer ranges. In a wind we need to do a series to test shots at the beginning of the session, and then wait till the rabbits calm and come out again, but to be honest it is a calm days activity.

 

We have found cci partitions work best for us at these ranges, and have plenty of energy. We need to range every shot. The topography of our main shooting grounds drove us to this, but it certainly works. I dont claim to be a fantastic shot, and a number of our friends have come out with us, and though initially doubtful of the .22 capabilities basically all have managed these shots with little problem.

 

Basically a case of right tools for the job.

[colin lad]

though i did some test's and will try it out on some rabbit's i think if i had a real problem area i would just take the hmr or .222 if it's windy,

the original test were more to see how far the lr would hit a quite small target

 

colin

Edited February 21, 2016 by colin lad

[Houseplant]

Followed advice and got on the range today for a solid 2 hours. It paid off. I'm much more comfortable with my rifle and scope. Zeroed at 50 metres, perfect! For a 25 metre shot, the end of the thick part of the upper reticle corresponds to the point of impact. The same could be said the lower reticle at 75 metres. A convenient, practical solution unless I've missed something!?