.22 Magnum for deer, moose or bear?

[Eleven]

I've killed hundreds possibly over 1000 hogs with a 22 or 17 HMR. I've also killed and watched hundreds of deer be killed on depredation permits with small calibers. If you know where to shoot them they'll fall over dead.

Where is that? Serious question. Are you saying ‘hit the secret spot’ or are you saying hi them in the vitals?

 

[SC HUNTER]

Where is that? Serious question. Are you saying ‘hit the secret spot’ or are you saying hi them in the vitals?

With pigs if their in a trap I prefer a solid 22 long rifle round or solid 22 magnum round in the brain. If their in a field I will shoot them with whatever rifle I have with me at the time and either in the head or behind the shoulder.

With deer on crop permits we shot them with 22-250, 220 swifts and 223 using pointed soft point or vmax bullets. I shot almost every deer on the crop permits in the lungs, they would run and get close to the woods usually or make it to the woods before dying and I didn't have to drag them across a bunch of peanut plants.

 

[Reddish]

Local butcher that comes to the farm to butcher hogs and beef. He uses a .22 Mag between the eyes from 10-25yds and they all drop on the spot. Hard to say how many thousands of animals he’s killed with that old Savage rifle.

Still not choosing a .22 Mag for my next elk hunt though…

 

[MEdude]

On those deer depredation permits, what is the preferred .22 mag round / bullet type, for best results?

 

[wesleylee1984]

My state requires centerfire ammunition but does not specify what ammo as a minimum. Pretty wild that the rimfire shooters could stuff a freezer full of meat but my state won't allow rimfire for Larger game above furbearers. I'll stick to center fire ammo because that's what I have to do and I know a 270 will bag a deer regardless if I hit it perfect or not. However a well placed shot is always what I strive for but there have been times I've screwed that up royaly and the larger caliber rifle have saved my bacon.

 

[Dented]

I agree. I'll always use enough gun. I'd like to think I'm the world's greatest shot, I'm not. I'll take the extra insurance.

 

[SC HUNTER]

On those deer depredation permits, what is the preferred round / bullet type, for best results?

I had a custom 220 swift that shot 50 grain moly coated vmax into little tiny groups. I never had deer run far, if at all when that little pill hit them. Laser beam type trajectory and little recoil.

 

[MT-nuffgun]

You’ll shoot your eye out kid.

 

[MEdude]

On those deer depredation permits, what is the preferred round / bullet type, for best results?

Sorry, I was asking about .22 mag pills

 

[MEdude]

I had a custom 220 swift that shot 50 grain moly coated vmax into little tiny groups. I never had deer run far, if at all when that little pill hit them. Laser beam type trajectory and little recoil.

Sorry, I wasn’t clear… Asking about .22 mag pills.

 

[Billy Goat]

Just a regular hollow point. Nothing fancy.

Might be something newer that works better, but years ago it was just easiest to come up with a lead hollow point.

 

[SC HUNTER]

Sorry, I wasn’t clear… Asking about .22 mag pills.

I don't know if winchester still makes these because I bought 4000 of them when I shot my 22 magnum alot. I have 1000 or so left but I shoot my 17 more now days. Those winchesters were deadly and killed animals very very well. My brothers 22 mag shoots a Hornady round very well and it also kills just fine.

 

[RockChukkar]

Well Montana has big deer, and elk, and Moose etc. and there are no restrictions here, so you could use a .17 Mach 2!

From the MT, Regs:

There is no rifle or handgun caliber limitation or magazine/round capacity restrictions for the taking of game animals.

Similar in NC. No caliber, magazine or barrel length restrictions. The only restrictions is you can’t hunt with FA.

 

[zdc1775]

Sorry, I was asking about .22 mag pills

When we were killing deer on our farm using deprivation permits we mostly used a 22 hornet with 45 grain cast bullets at 1900 ish fps but I also used a suppressed 22 mag for around 20 or so one year and those were all CCI Maxi-Mags, mostly the solid round nose but some of the hollow points. Mostly shot them in the lungs if they were in the field or in the head if they were along the fence line all 25-100 yard shots.

 

[MikeDeltaFoxtrot]

I found the OP interesting. These rules seem to vary widely by state. I do most of my deer hunting in VA and WV. In Virginia, to hunt deer or bear, the rifle must be .23 or larger. No .223 or .22LR allowed.

WV prohibits hunting deer with a rifle that uses rimfire ammunition of less than .25 caliber. So .223 is OK, but 22 LR or 22 Mag is out.

I have no desire to use any of those, so it doesn't matter to me, but it is interesting.

 

[RockChukkar]

Anyone use a 30gr vmax for deer?

 

[Te Hopo]

Anyone use a 30gr vmax for deer?

I've tried it on a few goats and even neck shots are a hard no from me with the 30gr Vmax.
Too much flesh damage without actually hitting the spine hard enough.

 

[RockChukkar]

I've tried it on a few goats and even neck shots are a hard no from me with the 30gr Vmax.
Too much flesh damage without actually hitting the spine hard enough.

What have you had better luck with? I’m thinking soft points like the cci game points may work. I’ve got my granddads beater marlin 25mn that he used for a truck&tractor gun. I know he killed a few deer with it but not sure what he used for ammo. All I have is a few boxes of hornady 30v’s, so looking to get something else.

 

[KHNC]

SC allows rimfire deer killin on private land. And if you are from certain areas of the state, its 24-7 on public, private or trespassing.

 

[RockChukkar]

Picked up 500rds of Remington 40gr Jsp the other day. Look forward to seeing how they perform in the 25mn.