[Rocker59]

Most questions in an ammo thread usually have to do with reloading or from what I've read or posted myself, Factory centerfire ammo questions for hunting purposes...well I now have a rimfire question and, here again, it's not the normal "what's a good LR round for plinkin' or small game.....

I need to know if anybody else, besides me uses the good ole .22 WMR to take varmints OR better yet, the exact way I use it...during fall turkey season (I hunt PA). We generally will team up during the fall season, one with a shotgun, one with a varmint rifle and go bust up a flock.

Anyway, in years past, many have used .223's OR .222's, which work just fine...but can be too much at times, blowing away good meat. The .22 WMR has proven to be just right...along with the old 22 Hornet...but I don't have one of those...wish I did....so, POINT....

What's your favorite .22WMR round? What have you found to be the most accurate? Most reliable (I still run accross "high end" rimfire ammo that doesn't go "bang" when it's struck)? Just best performance overall?

I've used the Hornady V Max, but I have a question about that too. Why are some red box, red tip and others blue box, blue tip with the exact same data printed on the box, & they are the same weight bullet?

That's about everything.

 

[greyhawk50]

I have a Savage 93G in 22 mag. with the wood stock.
It has the accu-trigger and it shoots better than I can shoot it. It mounted a BSA 4X on mine. Mine is ammo sensitive. It doesn't like the Win. Lead Bullets but shoots very well with the Hornady V-Max or the CCI V-Max. It does pretty well with the Winchester Jacketed Bullets. I thought that I had some range pictures of the 22 mag., but I can't find them.
The question that comes to my mine is; does PA. allow the use of rim-fires for turkey

I hunted Deer in PA from 1973 until 1980. I've been back only 3 times since then and was disappointed each time. The last time was in 2006. Too far to drive, too expensive and too few targets.

 

[Rocker59]

Yes, I can use the .22WMR in PA, but good question, since Turkey falls under "Big Game" in PA, but as far as regulations, they do make that one exception for Turkey...Rimfires are allowed....any, they don't even limit case legth like some states to prevent the use of the .22 LR., which is a bit odd, or caliber.... which allows the use of the newer .17 Caliber rimfires.

Side note, you made me think, some state hunting rules are odd...ours...shotgun only for deer...but I can use an M1A or AK-47 for coyote...or PA only allowing flint lock muzzle loaders up until just a few years ago....and NO SEMI-AUTO RIFLES for ANYTHING....we can talk about that elsewhere, you just brought up a GOOD TOPIC...but for now, back on point...

SO....I use a 73 Savage Chuckster for the job. Shoots great. Sub MOA all day WITH THE RIGHT AMMO, problem is the Right ammo is usually the milder stuff ...V Max isn't the most accurate out of it, but it's accurate enough and has the right amount of punch. That's why I'm wondering how effective the bullets themselves are, as I've never taken a bird with them..... and it sounds strange, but anybody else out there who has ever taken a trurkey with a small caliber rifle knows those darn feathers are a lot tougher than a ground hog's fur.

 

[axxe55]

rocker, nice looking rifle there. i think that most any of the 22WMR ammo will probably work fine for your task at hand as long as it's accurate and you have good shot placement. i also believe it's much better suited for hunting than the 17hmr round. i have a savage M93r17 and love it, but i got mine for more of a target shooting rimfire, and if i had wanted one for hunting smaller game, i would have went with a 22WMR rifle. just find the heaviest and most accurate ammo for your rifle, and you should do fine.

i too have noticed the red box and blue box ammo. maybe newer labeling? not for sure on that one.

 

[Rocker59]

Thanks, I was thinking about the same...but you know...you have to ask "just in case" there's some wonder ammo I'm missing or V Max had poor penetration I did't know of, etc.

Shot placement & shot placement....with you on that. I've been hunting fall turkey with my dad in the Allegheny Foothills for as long as I can remember...I would never take a shot at a bird unless it was clean...I'd let him/her fly or run away to go on another day before taking a "maybe I got it" shot. Not worth it. Now when I'm feeling real froggy...dad used to do this in his younger days...and yeah...it's allowed....Ill walk in the woods armed with my 870 and sling the .22 WMR. That way I am prepared for any situation with the big birds.

As I said at the start, the larger center fire .22's with the exception of the Hornet have a tendancy to "blow 'em up"...not good. We've taken them with the 22 WMR, but not for years and new rounds have been developed since we last used it. I actually did a complete reblue on the rifle pictured. Dad left it in a barn for a few years and it was a mess. I put pictures up on another site of it's restoration. It took me a good week or so, but she's a pretty old rifle now. Anyway, I brought her back to life, put a new scope on and she will again see action in the foothills of PA.

 

[oldbrass]

I`ve only taken a couple racoons and a pesky coyote that was harrassing my sisters weener dogs..I don`t recall what ammo it was, just the walmart cheap stuff, dropped that coyote deader than dead at 30 yards

 

[duster066]

I can't help a bit as you have way more experience with this round. But I'll just say I've fallen in love with it, and can't believe I've missed it all these years. I bought a Marlin 925M and put a Simmon's 3X9 rim fire scope on it. Around here it's near impossible to take a shot beyond 100yd, so I have no idea what I've got. But at 100yd it will shoot all the Wal Mart stuff very well. It does seem to do a little better with the 40gr loads, but it's really hard to tell as I'm not a big bench rest shooter. I just love the cartridge and would love to take it east of the Cascades for a little rabbit action..

 

[JohnnyLoco]

Rocker,

I might get flack from folks but here goes. I have killed thousands of animals with a 22Mag from Rats to Axis deer and I can tell you despite all the fancy-Nancy and very good 22Mag ammo out there, The Winchester Super-X 40 gr Semi Jacketed Soft Point HP (my own description) is the best 22mag ammo at any price. It behaves like a real bullet because of its design. I've tried every other ammo made and this is the best I've experienced.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/29...um-rimfire-wmr-40-grain-jacketed-hollow-point

If I could only have one combination to kill everything from a rat to a Moose, it would be my Winchester 9422M or Ruger 77/22 SS and this ammo.

 

[duster066]

Rocker,

I might get flack from folks but here goes. I have killed thousands of animals with a 22Mag from Rats to Axis deer and I can tell you despite all the fancy-Nancy and very good 22Mag ammo out there, The Winchester Super-X 40 gr Semi Jacketed Soft Point HP (my own description) is the best 22mag ammo at any price. It behaves like a real bullet because of its design. I've tried every other ammo made and this is the best I've experienced.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/29...um-rimfire-wmr-40-grain-jacketed-hollow-point

If I could only have one combination to kill everything from a rat to a Moose, it would be my Winchester 9422M or Ruger 77/22 SS and this ammo.

I like this cartridge and would like to learn more about it. My 925M seems to prefer 40gr loads, and I've shot the round you recommend. Do you know if the 22m guns simply do better with heavier bullets, or is it just the flexibility that cartridge gives for your needs that causes you to recommend it?

 

[JohnnyLoco]

Most of my guns are just about as accurate with one type ammo as another, this applies to my 22LR and Magnums. Because of this, I base my opinion on bullet performance. My 22's do seem to favor 40 gr in the accuracy department no doubt. The bullet design of this little joker really works well. I personally have never needed more than one well placed shot to include a 200lb animal. Granted the deer were either head shots or a direct head-on chest shots.

The V-Max and similar stuff does pretty good but I personally think the Winchester Semi Jacketed Soft Point HP is the best performer.

The "flexibility" issue is not a factor for me with the 22mag because I don't hunt small game (food) animals with it. Its sole purpose is killing varmints and putting meat in the freezer if it so happens all I'm carrying is the 22mag. Keep in mind I shoot a lot of stuff off my back porch rail that I don't want to clean up so I hit them where they will carry themselves off.

For squirrels, rabbits, quail, turkey, and such I use a 22LR.

 

[Speed_Shooter]

Rocker,

The Winchester Super-X 40 gr Semi Jacketed Soft Point HP (my own description) is the best 22mag ammo at any price. It behaves like a real bullet because of its design. I've tried every other ammo made and this is the best I've experienced.

Boy, imagine this...I already find myself agreeing with Johnny, but I, too, like the Winchester ammo. It shoots great in my Savage 93, Marlin 57M, and my Ruger Single Six Convertible. I shoot the other stuff as well, but I generally use the Winchester on game and varmints.

 

[JohnnyLoco]

I think it works darn good in 22 pistols.