.22 Mag

[Kyguy]

The .22 Mag and even the LR can kill many things with close range head shots. Look at people using them for gator hunting. I don't think anyone disputes it. Truly, it's guaranteed that the ole' LR has taken at least one of everything on the North American continent.

But again, the question is WHY? And with the specific question about the Vmax, makes me think that head shots aren't part of the equation.

I had an incident last year during muzzleloader that still makes me question everything about terminal ballistics in general. I shot a doe in the head, as she was not quite squarely facing me, 63 yards, with a 200gr .40 caliber Shockwave bullet, muzzle velocity of 2000 fps (chrono'd). It entered about an inch under her eye, between her nose and eye, and didn't exit the back of her head. It was lodged in the bone; you could feel the bulge on the back of her head. It didn't pancake; there was still plenty of shank on the bullet. Until that moment, you would have NEVER convinced me that a 200gr slug wouldn't exit on a head shot on a doe.

 

[amassi]

When I was a kid 22 Mag sales always peaked the week before Archery season. Ie the most popular broadhead for coastal blacktails was made by CCI. (Obviously not a proponent of poaching but it was rampant)

That said, you can get legal deer fodder with the 22 hornet or K hornet that resembles the 22 mag.
I had a 77/22h and would load a 40g bullet down to 1800 fps for tree squirrels and raccoons and 55gr at 2600 for coyotes, foxes etc.

I can’t own a suppressor here but a single shot 16” suppressed 22 hornet would be more fun than a barrel of monkeys for 100 yard deer shooting


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[Ozarkansas]

Arkansas at one point had a rule that you could shoot pigs on public land with any weapon that was legal for any season that was open at that time. So a .22 magnum during squirrel season was a legitimate option if you wanted to go shoot pigs. I killed a shoat with it and it worked fine. I know of a couple of other people who’ve killed adult pigs without issue.

That being said, it’s not optimal and not legal in most states

 

[overlandozzy1]

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.

It’s not that I can’t afford or handle a 223.

And if I’m hunting over a corn or mineral sites, why not shoot them with a 22mag. There’s no meat loss, it’s not illegal in NC. With guys killing medium to large game with a 223, I see absolutely no issue taking whitetails with a 22 mag utilizing a well placed shot. Preferably in the head or neck.

It’s even been brought up about 22 mag being used for bear defense. So why not use it to minimize meat loss on a whitetail?


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[K9kodi]

Is this real life?

 

[silasbowhunter]

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


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Might want to double check the regs for Nebraska.
Does a 22mag have 900ft lbs of energy at 100 yards?


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[Axlrod]

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.

You are baffled because you can't comprehend every hunting scenario. I have seen a 22 mag revolver used very successfully on several dozen mountain lion hunts.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

You are baffled because you can't comprehend every hunting scenario. I have seen a 22 mag revolver used very successfully on several dozen mountain lion hunts.

How do close range .22 Mag shots on a mountain lion compare with 150-yard body shots on deer?

 

[Q_Sertorius]

You are baffled because you can't comprehend every hunting scenario. I have seen a 22 mag revolver used very successfully on several dozen mountain lion hunts.

The OP isn’t talking about shooting something in the head at close range.

 

[Thess87]

Take Kansas off that list, it’s not legal here. Make no sense to me to make that a primary deer gun. Why not use field tips and not broadheads? This would not be legal where I’m from let along irresponsible.

 

[Woolley Bugger]

Might want to double check the regs for Nebraska.
Does a 22mag have 900ft lbs of energy at 100 yards?


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Ditto for NJ. You can coyote, fox, and certain small game. Not deer.

 

[EdP]

How do close range .22 Mag shots on a mountain lion compare with 150-yard body shots on deer?

In absolutely no way at all. The OP has asked such a foolish question that it strikes me as fishing for folks bragging about illegal kills. .22 mag on deer up close in a survival situation, sure. At 150 yds, no way. Just my opinion from the land of small deer.

 

[7RemMag]

Is this real life?

I like to think that noone could be this foolish…

It’s not that I can’t afford or handle a 223.

And if I’m hunting over a corn or mineral sites, why not shoot them with a 22mag. There’s no meat loss, it’s not illegal in NC. With guys killing medium to large game with a 223, I see absolutely no issue taking whitetails with a 22 mag utilizing a well placed shot. Preferably in the head or neck.

It’s even been brought up about 22 mag being used for bear defense. So why not use it to minimize meat loss on a whitetail?


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How much meat loss are you losing from a .223 or .22-250 to the neck, head, or even chest that you deem it necessary to further minimize ? In fact, in the post I just quoted you say you’re planning on using the .22 Mag for head/neck shooting, so why the hell wouldn’t you use a .22 centerfire? At least then you have the option to take a front shoulder shot under the right conditions if you’re so inclined. If you’re shooting in the head or neck, meat loss should be a nonissue regardless of cartridge. I could use a .300 Magnum and turn a deer’s head into a canoe, and I would bet when I showed you your comments on the matter would not have anything to do with “Look how much meat was wasted.”

Please provide REAL, firsthand testimony of someone who advocated for a .22 WMR for bear defense. I’m not talking about “It’s all I had and so that’s what I used” scenarios. I’m talking about “I had X number of other options available and I deemed this .22 Mag to be the most suitable.” Type of situations.

I’m sorry…..Actually…I’m not sorry. You’re just being silly. I pray that you don’t ACTUALLY follow through with this because it’s absolutely pointless and the cons definitely outweigh any perceived benefits.

 

[Macintosh]

It’s not that I can’t afford or handle a 223.

And if I’m hunting over a corn or mineral sites, why not shoot them with a 22mag. There’s no meat loss, it’s not illegal in NC. With guys killing medium to large game with a 223, I see absolutely no issue taking whitetails with a 22 mag utilizing a well placed shot. Preferably in the head or neck.

It’s even been brought up about 22 mag being used for bear defense. So why not use it to minimize meat loss on a whitetail?


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Assuming this is a legit question and not a troll:

You are missing the point of those who are advocating for small cartridges. They are 100% not saying “use the smallest cartridge” with no other criteria. They are saying to use the most-damaging bullet possible, and based on that starting assumption to use the smallest cartridge that accomplishes the wound channel you want, at the range you want to shoot. The underlying assumption there is a body shot (ie big target) that accomplishes a large/deep wound channel that incapacitates quickly.

Hence my original question: what is the wound channel that a 22 mag delivers, at the range you want to shoot? And is that actually what you want? According to the large number of photos provided here, a 223 or similar using the bullets they are talking about is making a +\- 3” diameter permanent cavity 14-16” deep into large critters, out to several hundred yards. People are using very specific bullets to do this though—they are NOT saying a 223 is a good choice with just any bullet. Look at the 22mag bullets, the velocity at range, get first hand detailed info and pics of an actual wound channel, and ask if that is a fair comparison to a gun that delivers a wound channel the size of a beer can thats deep enough to use on elk?
The bear defense example was Form, and was predicated on the statement that only head shots count in that situation so penetration is the only thing that matters, and the 22mag defensive ammo does deliver enough penetration with low recoil…but thats a totally different situation than a body shot on a deer.

If you are looking for a “challenge” and want to stick to archery-range brain shots only, then Im sure a 22 mag is effective. It seems like a stunt like hunting with an atlatl…ie CLEARLY not effective in the hands of 99.9% of people, but if you practice and if you have the discipline to stick strictly to extremely narrow window of shots, maybe it works but will always be controversial.
But if you are talking about comparing to a 223, its not a legit comparison to make based in the gel results that I was able to find. Do you have other information to suggest otherwise?

 

[KurtR]

Not legal here and if it was i wouldnt do it but if the world was coming to a end i needed to eat the vmax would be my last choice i have seen them splash on a prairie dog at 70 yds out of a 22 mag