.22 Mag

[overlandozzy1]

I picked up a CZ 457 LH in .22 Mag with a 24” barrel and threw a 3-9x40 on top. With the smaller cartridges becoming more and more popular, what are everyone’s thoughts on using 30gr VMAX’s on whitetails with 150 yards? Most of my shots in the eastern whitetail woods are within 100 yards. Any input is very much appreciated, but I would love to see what anyone’s results are if they’ve used this caliber on whitetails.


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[Caseknife]

I would be very surprised if any State allowed rimfire for big game.

 

[4Truck]

Personally, way too small to provide consistent results. Watched my grandfather kill an 8 pointer with a head shot while we were napping/squirrel hunting. This was 35 years ago, so I’m sure bullets are far more capable, but at the end of the day I still see it as a varmint/small game cartridge only.

 

[overlandozzy1]

You’d be surprised! Maine , NJ, Vermont, ND, Nebraska, Kansas, and Wyoming


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[Huntin Fool]

You’d be surprised! Maine , NJ, Vermont, ND, Nebraska, Kansas, and Wyoming


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Maybe some of those states but not ND

 

[hillbillyfab]

It’s center fire only here in TN. So no .22 mag allowed. Although I’ve seen lots of whitetail taken with a .17 Remington. My granddad had a .22 mag Marlin 25 that he affectionately called the meat stick. He said it killed everything they aimed at with it.

 

[Caseknife]

Might want to re-read the Wyoming regs, 22 mag is not center fire.

 

[Kyguy]

I picked up a CZ 457 LH in .22 Mag with a 24” barrel and threw a 3-9x40 on top. With the smaller cartridges becoming more and more popular, what are everyone’s thoughts on using 30gr VMAX’s on whitetails with 150 yards? Most of my shots in the eastern whitetail woods are within 100 yards. Any input is very much appreciated, but I would love to see what anyone’s results are if they’ve used this caliber on whitetails.


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First.... Why? Can you not afford one or handle the recoil of a 223?

2nd..... No one with any common sense is going to post on a public forum that they killed a deer with a round that isn't legal in their state, even if they used it.

 

[Scoutfan]

I have killed a lot of pigs and other animals with my 22mag. I used to shoot the vmax out of it but went back to cci maxi mags. I didn't always get enough penetration with the vmax. The maxi mags give plenty of penetration.

 

[Ferrulewax]

22 mag has killed a lot of deer, but very few (if any) legally. 223 already has basically no recoil, is already cheap, and is legal.

 

[7RemMag]

You’d be surprised! Maine , NJ, Vermont, ND, Nebraska, Kansas, and Wyoming


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Might want to re-read the Wyoming regs, 22 mag is not center fire.

Wyoming does NOT allow rimfires for use in big game hunting. .22 Caliber centerfires are legal as long as the projectile is 60 gr. or larger.

To the OP, my first question is...Why would you choose to use a .22 Mag when there are COUNTLESS other options that are more suited to the task, some of which are virtually just as cheap. Secondly, at 150 yards the .22 WMR is starting to really stretch its legs out in the first place. I doubt it would produce consistent, reliable results even with a less "explosive" projectile than the V-Max.

I don't like Game and Fish agencies dictating what cartridges are "enough" to be used to kill game. It sets, in my opinion, a limitation on everyone while failing to acknowledge the two most critical parts of the equation, which are the shooter and the design of the specific projectile in use. However, as much as I don't like those regulations...Posts like this one are why they exist.

 

[saltfork]

Not legal in Kansas. Must be centerfire

 

[menhaden_man]

Legal in North Carolina. I know two guys in particular that have killed hundreds of bears and deer with 22 mag.

 

[Slickhill]

I think maybe one of the Carolinas allows RFs.
I know a guy that when we were kids he shot a big 10 point buck right in the armpit with a single Winchester Xpert HP out of his 10/22 from about 50 yards. Old buck staggered a couple steps and tipped over.

Not my ideal deer rifle and the Vmax probably wouldn’t be my first choice if I had to use it. But if it was use the 22 Mag or don’t hunt I could make do.

 

[Jpsmith1]

I've seen it used. With perfect shot placement, it is as lethal as anything.

It's not legal nor ethical to use but it works in the right hands

 

[Macintosh]

What does a 22wmr wound channel look like? Its a light, blunt bullet that is leaving the muzzle fairly close to to minimum expansion velocity for the bullets fks advocate for big game hunting using very small cartridges. Even at very moderate range I question if it would have the velocity to upset a damaging bullet while still retaining enough mass to penetrate deep enough. I have a hard time thinking you’re going to get much wounding beyond just penetrating with a .22-.25” hole, at least once you get deep enough to disrupt the organs of a deer. If folks have necropsy photos of larger medium size game (coyotes, hogs, etc?)that show a significant wound channel beyond just penetration, thats where Id start considering it evidnce that the cartridge is maybe reliably capable. I havent looked, maybe it does that…???

Edit: A quick look online shows a few backyard gel videos. They do not seem to show much in the way of a wound channel beyond only penetrating. Most dont upset at all past archery range. This is way less of a wound than even a mono bullet from a centerfire rifle. Maybe there is a “magic bullet”? Seems like thats what it would take for a 22mag to be anything more than “not recommended even if it works with perfect placement”.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

I’ve never tried a .22 magnum for deer (it’s illegal in this state), but all the poachers’ sons who rode the school bus with me swore it had no equal, but only for headshots (often with a spotlight). They said it was more consistent at headshots between the eyes than a .22 LR. None of them were counting on it to kill a deer with a body shot and certainly not at 150 yards. These were dirt poor families whose primary meat was venison or whatever other wild game they could get.

If they were poaching deer at any range, they almost all used a .22-250. And the story was that if you ran into the game warden, as long as he didn’t catch you with the deer in your truck, just say you were out shooting groundhogs.

It could all be “kid lore”, but I tend to trust the reports of what actually kills game from people who killed a lot of game.

 

[7RemMag]

If they were poaching deer at any range, they almost all used a .22-250. And the story was that if you ran into the game warden, as long as he didn’t catch you with the deer in your truck, just say you were out shooting groundhogs.

It could all be “kid lore”, but I tend to trust the reports of what actually kills game from people who killed a lot of game.

The “quickest” kill I ever saw on a deer was a .22-250 with a 55 gr. Barnes TTSX to the base of the head at 300 yards. That doe just slumped to the ground and that was it.

I don’t doubt that if shooting between the eyes a .22 Mag would suffice. A .22 long has killed many more deer than any of us will ever know in just the same manner. For someone actually hunting though, it’s incredible to me that with all of the great options out there. Lightweight, low recoil, etc….That a .22 WMR is the first thing that comes to mind to anyone. It’s actually sort of concerning to me that it’s even a thought for someone. Aside from cost, there’s no real advantage to using it over a .223, .22-250, or any number of other “smaller” cartridges. They all perform substantially better. For the record, I love the .22 WMR. I killed MANY foxes, groundhogs, and squirrels with my Dad’s. I just don’t think it’s a reasonable consideration for a deer rifle. Period.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

The “quickest” kill I ever saw on a deer was a .22-250 with a 55 gr. Barnes TTSX to the base of the head at 300 yards. That doe just slumped to the ground and that was it.

I don’t doubt that if shooting between the eyes a .22 Mag would suffice. A .22 long has killed many more deer than any of us will ever know in just the same manner. For someone actually hunting though, it’s incredible to me that with all of the great options out there. Lightweight, low recoil, etc….That a .22 WMR is the first thing that comes to mind to anyone. It’s actually sort of concerning to me that it’s even a thought for someone. Aside from cost, there’s no real advantage to using it over a .223, .22-250, or any number of other “smaller” cartridges. They all perform substantially better. For the record, I love the .22 WMR. I killed MANY foxes, groundhogs, and squirrels with my Dad’s. I just don’t think it’s a reasonable consideration for a deer rifle. Period.

I agree completely. It’s baffling to me that anyone would consider it for anything other than taking game in the most illegal and unethical manner possible.

 

[GoatPackr]

If I were legal and I was stand hunting and only shooting maybe out to 50 yards with a suppressor I'd consider it and then only take head shots from the right angles.

I've seen piles of large Beef cows put on their nose from 22 rim fire cartridges to even begin to doubt the ability of a 22 WMR to cleanly kill game animals if used correctly. All our local slaughter trucks use 22 rimfire for beef, Pigs, sheep ect.