At what range does a well placed .22lr round no longer have the energy to ethically kill small game? My NRL22 rig I am very confident with out to 200 or so, but want to know it’s got enough energy to humanely kill at that distance.
22lr Range and Lethality
- Thread starter meestermeetch
- Start date
In order for bullet to be lethal it must hit where intended.
So losing accuracy makes lethality fall down too.
I would say that from the point when you feel you cannot call your shots with certainty, your kill zone ends.
Small game has quite small vital areas which does not help.
So losing accuracy makes lethality fall down too.
I would say that from the point when you feel you cannot call your shots with certainty, your kill zone ends.
Small game has quite small vital areas which does not help.
This I understand. But I am confident to hit the vital zone of say a squirrel out to 150 yards. I have never shot one past 25. Assuming I hit my target where intended, will 22lr remain effective?
A little research finds that 22lr retains about 90 fpe at 100 yards. One author claims that it requires 9 fpe to kill a squirrel. 
so, theoretically it may be possible. But, I wouldn't. Then again I admit the long range animal sniping TV shows horrify me. One shot. One clean kill. YMMV
so, theoretically it may be possible. But, I wouldn't. Then again I admit the long range animal sniping TV shows horrify me. One shot. One clean kill. YMMVYea, I like that one shot one kill thing. I have read things all over from 250 to 50 max figures I would ask here. I guess I need to go test.
I've killed prairie dogs with one shot out beyond 400yds. Yet if I wanted to guarantee they tipped over dead on the spot, it would need to be a headshot, and I wouldn't take that shot with a 22lr beyond 75yds.
How far do they run when hit at that distance? How much damage does the round do at that distance vs closer?
22lr doesn't do any real damage to a prairie dog. Even at point blank. It goes in, they go *thump*, and they tip over. Unless you hook them in the head, in which case some parts may show. Inside of 100yds, a body shot will often result in them tipping right over and staying there... but it will often result in them getting up and running down the hole too.
Effective hunting range for a 22lr is measured in tens of yards, not hundreds of yards. I've shot prairie dogs with a 105gr 6mm from a Dasher at 400yds to 1000yds and it will zip right through them, knocking them off their mound... but often times they'll get back up and run down the hole.
I've thumped gophers at 250 yards with mini mags. They just tip over. Some of it is just luck that far out. However, broken legs on cattle from their damn holes mean every one I see gets a shot tossed their way.
I wish I had more of that magic lot of mini mags, they were shooting 3/4 moa at 200. Next lot was 5 moa.
I wish I had more of that magic lot of mini mags, they were shooting 3/4 moa at 200. Next lot was 5 moa.
A 22lr bullet placed in the heart/lungs or brain of a squirrel or prairie dog will make a quick kill well past 200 yds. But as mentioned above that is a very small target.
Part of the story is to use the right bullet.
I have killed prairie dogs at ~130 yds with CCI Segmented Subsonics out of a CZ 455 Ultra Lux. It was a challenge to hit them in gusty wind. I shot off a Primos Trigger Stick tripod (edit: standing) as it is not wise to get down near the ground, with all of the PD poo everywhere. PDs can carry the bubonic plague (yes, that one
) and fleas are what transmit it to you, so if you’re a new shooter, don’t go prone and don’t handle the dead PDs. And then there are the rattlesnakes…
Back to the bullets I use. The CCI segmented rounds (both subsonic and supersonic version) split into three separate petals. They really kill the PDs fast.
Why do I use the subsonics? Less noise = more targets. Subsonics + the 28.5” barrel of my Ultra Lux is like a silencer that’s way easier to clean.
I have read on Rimfire Central that some really like CCI SGB (small game bullet) on squirrels. They report the flat nose whacks them harder. I have no first hand experience with that round other than shooting paper with it. The one time I attempted squirrel hunting I didn’t spot even one. Almost nothing in the forest moved that day; very weird.
At my house in the city, there are about 10,000 squirrels per block.
I have killed prairie dogs at ~130 yds with CCI Segmented Subsonics out of a CZ 455 Ultra Lux. It was a challenge to hit them in gusty wind. I shot off a Primos Trigger Stick tripod (edit: standing) as it is not wise to get down near the ground, with all of the PD poo everywhere. PDs can carry the bubonic plague (yes, that one
) and fleas are what transmit it to you, so if you’re a new shooter, don’t go prone and don’t handle the dead PDs. And then there are the rattlesnakes…Back to the bullets I use. The CCI segmented rounds (both subsonic and supersonic version) split into three separate petals. They really kill the PDs fast.
Why do I use the subsonics? Less noise = more targets. Subsonics + the 28.5” barrel of my Ultra Lux is like a silencer that’s way easier to clean.
I have read on Rimfire Central that some really like CCI SGB (small game bullet) on squirrels. They report the flat nose whacks them harder. I have no first hand experience with that round other than shooting paper with it. The one time I attempted squirrel hunting I didn’t spot even one. Almost nothing in the forest moved that day; very weird.
At my house in the city, there are about 10,000 squirrels per block.
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What sort of bullet are you using? I don’t claim to be some PD shooting master, but I hit them with my .204 + Hornady Vmax 32g/40g anywhere from 200-450 yds and if hit in the body (or head, of course), they never move. Bang flop, DRT, etc. At 200 or less the PDs just evaporate with a 3900fps (40g) or 4225fps (32g) .204 Vmax.
If I wing them, yeah, they go full Forest Gump and backflop into their hole. Sorta of amazing, that determination. I suppose I’d do the same if my leg suddenly disappeared.
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6 dasher isn’t a 204 ruger. Another thousand fps changes things. lol 
I’m quite aware of bullet selection, but 105 hybrids fly good enough to hit them 800yds+, while 55nosler and 87 vmax, doesn’t.
I’m quite aware of bullet selection, but 105 hybrids fly good enough to hit them 800yds+, while 55nosler and 87 vmax, doesn’t.
Oh, I didn’t mean to imply you didn’t know about bullet selection. I am the bullet noob. I don’t hand load and there are very few ammo choices for the varmint calibers I use (17 Hornet and 204) and for those Vmax is usually the only bullet offered.6 dasher isn’t a 204 ruger. Another thousand fps changes things. lol
I’m quite aware of bullet selection, but 105 hybrids fly good enough to hit them 800yds+, while 55nosler and 87 vmax, doesn’t.
So, I don’t know a hill of beans about, well, a lot of things but definitely not much about bullets.
The 105g hybrids have a better BC, I take it? But don’t expand much? You can PM me if you want.
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Yes, 105's have a hugely better BC than nosler 55's.
0.536 G1 vs 0.276 for the noslers.
I like the little stuff too. I've fired a few thousand 20gr V-max in 17 hornet in the last year. Inside 250yds it really gives those pdogs a whipping.
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