Tobyb525 Posted January 10, 2009 Report Share Posted January 10, 2009 Hi, I was just wondering what the effective killing range is for a .22 rimfire and whats the biggest animal you can shoot with it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wookie Posted January 10, 2009 Report Share Posted January 10, 2009 .22 rimmy is a short range calibre... Anything up to 100m is "effective" range for hunting though with subs (mine is sighted in for 60m) although you could go slightly further. With regard to quarry, you are best to read the ACPO firearms guidelines book. It lists all the recommended quarries that FEOs will grant for. I have a copy and it's a good read (not). Basically, you're going to be limited to rabbits, small game, that sort of thing. .22 rimmy is not suitable for fox (in the UK at least) or deer of any sort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newsportshooter Posted January 10, 2009 Report Share Posted January 10, 2009 (edited) If your new to shooting .22 which your question suggests then forget anything live over 50 yards before you pratice on targets. The .22lr has a large arc of trajectory and the drops off rapidly from 80ish yards. I've seen a drop of 4"+ between 70 and 90 yards with subs. Practice with targets at a range of 60 yards then 10yards apart up to 100 yards to get the feel of how much compensation you have to allow to hit the target at these differing ranges. You will probably find as I did that although 'effective' at such ranges in the sense of energy delivered (easily enough to kill bunnies), the .22lr requires a certain ammount of skill and knowledge of 'holdover' ect to shoot acurately and consistently at such ranges As for the largest animal you can shoot with it. I would suggest a rabbit would be the safest maximum sized animal for the calibre. There are those who will say you can shoot fox, muntjac or chineese water deer or anything else for that matter and perhaps they can (Possibly legally providing the range and with legitimate reason) but that, I would suggest, would be in very exclusive circumstances (such as despatching a wounded animal) and should deffinitely be the exception rather than the rule. When shooting .22lr you will find on occasion that you will belly shot a rabbit and, if left without being despatched, it will take a while for it to die (and it will be in agony) - without sounding pretencious the primary thought when shooting any quarry should be a rapid despatch with as little distress to the animal as possible. If a rabbit can be wounded by a wild .22lr shot then anything bigger would be all to easy to wound rather than kill. Edited January 10, 2009 by Newsportshooter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuart92 Posted January 10, 2009 Report Share Posted January 10, 2009 you can kill enenything with a 22lr just put the bullet in the right place stuart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newsportshooter Posted January 10, 2009 Report Share Posted January 10, 2009 Elephant??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazza Posted January 10, 2009 Report Share Posted January 10, 2009 you can kill enenything with a 22lr just put the bullet in the right place stuart How long have you been shooting with a 22lr? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newsportshooter Posted January 10, 2009 Report Share Posted January 10, 2009 you can kill enenything with a 22lr just put the bullet in the right place stuart You see -If only Roy Scheider had known this peal of wisdom Jaws would have been ****** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viking Posted January 10, 2009 Report Share Posted January 10, 2009 (edited) sorry to hijack, but what ranges do you think if using a .177hmr, cheers, lee Edited January 10, 2009 by viking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newsportshooter Posted January 10, 2009 Report Share Posted January 10, 2009 sorry to hikack, but what ranges do you think if using a .177hmr, cheers, lee .17HMR is a lot more forgiving - it is intrinsically a flatter trajectory round, due to higher velocity and smaller round, and drops only around an inch when shooting at 100 yards (zero)+ thus the point blank range is a lot further than .22lr. In short you should be good for bunnies to 125 yards+. As you get into the + bit you will need to use your holdover skills. The .17 Hmr is an excellent round in that it is so forgiving that it takes a lot less skill to hit a comparable (to .22lr) target. Basically the .17 HMR bullet flies a lot straighter so the shooter does not have to compensate (for drop of round) for targets at long range as oppose to short range Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markbivvy Posted January 10, 2009 Report Share Posted January 10, 2009 you can kill enenything with a 22lr just put the bullet in the right place stuart Enlighten us please young Mr hockers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tobyb525 Posted January 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2009 Cheers for the quick replies! I have been shooting air rifles (both pcp and spring) for a while now and can get one hole groups with both. I thought I would start thinking about an FAC as there are a couple of full bore and rimfire rshooting anges near me, plus I love to shoot bunnies! If im going start shooting 'proper' rifles than I thought a .22lr was the way to start as I have no real need for anything bigger. Thanks again, Toby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newsportshooter Posted January 10, 2009 Report Share Posted January 10, 2009 (edited) Cheers for the quick replies! I have been shooting air rifles (both pcp and spring) for a while now and can get one hole groups with both. I thought I would start thinking about an FAC as there are a couple of full bore and rimfire rshooting anges near me, plus I love to shoot bunnies! If im going start shooting 'proper' rifles than I thought a .22lr was the way to start as I have no real need for anything bigger. Thanks again, Toby If you go for an FAC request both .22lr and .17HMR. The HMR is not a 'bigger' caliber. to the contrary it is obviously smaller but it does give you a lot of extra range due to the extra length of the cartridge and subsequent extra propellent (basically the case is a necked down .22 wmr case to house the .17 bullet). You may get a good 50 yards shooter effective range from a .22lr over an air rifle but you'll get 80+ yards from an HMR on top of an air rifle's shooter effective range. If your going for an FAC it doesnt hurt to ask for both and most FEO's will not have a problem. Good luck Edited January 10, 2009 by Newsportshooter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sapper063 Posted January 10, 2009 Report Share Posted January 10, 2009 derbyshire fao says you can use 22lr on foxes, and it states this on my fac. i have shot fox but only up to approx 60yds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuart92 Posted January 10, 2009 Report Share Posted January 10, 2009 you can kill enenything with a 22lr just put the bullet in the right place stuart Enlighten us please young Mr hockers. think about it, if u place the shot in a soft part of a skull im sure a 22lr would be about to penatrate(spl?) the bone not from normal ranges i must add close range really close range "hockers" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markbivvy Posted January 10, 2009 Report Share Posted January 10, 2009 you can kill enenything with a 22lr just put the bullet in the right place stuart Enlighten us please young Mr hockers. think about it, if u place the shot in a soft part of a skull im sure a 22lr would be about to penatrate(spl?) the bone not from normal ranges i must add close range really close range "hockers" And you expect the animal to wait for you to get that close do you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuart92 Posted January 10, 2009 Report Share Posted January 10, 2009 "Enenything"........................looks like the books took the first bullets. english gets it best Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newsportshooter Posted January 11, 2009 Report Share Posted January 11, 2009 (edited) I'm guessing the last two posts were imputed after a few drinks...... Gentlemen, turn, walk ten paces and 'prepare your handbags'€™ Edited January 11, 2009 by Newsportshooter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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