Posted: 2/22/2015 11:10:58 PM EDT
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Since in numerous other threads we have determined that many of us mortal humans are incapable of obtaining a steady supply of 22LR, what should replace it in our safes?
It needs to be a cartridge and rifle that is easily obtainable, not something obscure. Rimfire or centerfire. I proposed putting a 9x19 upper on my AR, but that's a lot of lead for squirrels or rabbits. 17 HMR? Maybe switch to a 410 shotgun? What says the hive? |
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Dec 2012 switched to 7.62x54 and bought a $150.00 rifle for it. Have run 2200 rds through it sense then.
There was a special on 440 rd tin for $69.00 and thought would try it out. Ended up really liking it. Got the Chinese M53 20" Mosin and has a nice blast. (sorry didn't see the hunting part) |
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I make my own 38 special or 9mm ammo for around 5 cents per round. The answer you seek is buy a reloading press and a bullet casting setup.  I've been rolling my own .38's since before Obongo went to DC. I have both rifles and pistols that shoot it. They're inexpensive, accurate, and come in assorted weights and power. The .22 shortage really hasn't effected me much. |
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Hahahaha.... |
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There are some really nice .177 and .22 air rifles on the market. You can even get a match grade .177 PCP AR-15 upper from Creedmore.
Pellets are extremely cheap, even for match grade pellets. I've taken a lot of squirrels with a pump-up Daisy rifle and a cheap air rifle scope and plain, cheap pellets. One of the nice things about pellet rifles is that it gets you back to basics. Your other option is .17HMR. The rimfire shelves of the stores around here are bare of .22LR but overflowing with .17HMR. You can get a Ruger Single Six, a bolt action Savage, or an Alexander Arms AR in that caliber. I like .22 plinking with a handgun, but I'm trying to conserve my stash. So I'm looking at used .25ACP pistols, because I can reload those. I have lots of pistol powder and small pistol primers -- would just need a set of dies. |
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I switched to air rifles and have been very happy shooting them.
Many .177 air rifles are far more accurate than the 10/22 I used to have, more accurate than the Marlin 60 I once had too. Take a look at air rifle forums to find out what shoots well and what does not, especially the yellow forum and the GTA forum. Air Rifles are a whole different animal and are far less expensive to shoot. Crossman Premier Hollow Point pellets from Wal-Mart are not the most accurate but are still very accurate in a rifle that likes them. Spring powered rifles are difficult to shoot accurately but CO2 and compressed air rifles are not. I played with Benjamin pumpers, Crosman Discovery and Marauder rifles and they just did not have the accuracy I wanted. A Ruger Air Hawk took a lot of work to get accuracy but it can be done. Avoid springers having synthetic stocks. Best velocity for accuracy is about 820 fps, above that transonic effects degrade accuracy. |
| There is no shortage of .22LR. You can buy it 'till your'e sick of it on Gunbroker and such. There never was a shortage, it's always been there. You'll just have to pay more for it. You'll never be able to swing by any mart and pick up enough for the day for twenty bucks anymore. But you can buy it by the case, unopened from the factory in various quantities 3000-5000 rds for around ten cents a round plus shipping. No shortage exists, I swear. People are definitely interrupting the supply in order to resell it for much more all along it's way from where it's made to where it's intended retail point of sale was. But that's no shortage. If it really were in short supply it really wouldn't matter how much money you are willing to spend, there would be none to be had. |
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He is asking about cheap plinking/squirrel hunting. Pellet guns are lots of fun, and cheap to shoot all day. Quoted:
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Pellet gun. So we have been reduced to Brits? 
He is asking about cheap plinking/squirrel hunting. Pellet guns are lots of fun, and cheap to shoot all day. I agree. My .22cal RWS 48 will kill anything I'd normally use .22LR to dispatch within 50yds. And it's a fantastic plinker for when you want to punch holes in paper or tin cans. I call mine SquirrelBane! 
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Hornady says they are still making it but good luck finding any. Its a shame, its a really good small game round and doesn't tear up small game like .17HMR. Glad I bought a few thousand rounds while it was available. Quoted:
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Is .17 mach 2 still in production? |
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I run 148 grain double ended wadcutters with a very light charge of Clays powder. Cheaper than .22 LR these days. <a href="http://s18.photobucket.com/user/IV_Troop/media/Mobile%20Uploads/KINDLE_CAMERA_1417339927000_zps129412f3.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b109/IV_Troop/Mobile%20Uploads/KINDLE_CAMERA_1417339927000_zps129412f3.jpg</a> That looks like fun on a bun right there. Kind of makes me regret getting rid of my laser gripped 642. |
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There is no shortage of .22LR. You can buy it 'till your'e sick of it on Gunbroker and such. There never was a shortage, it's always been there. You'll just have to pay more for it. You'll never be able to swing by any mart and pick up enough for the day for twenty bucks anymore. But you can buy it by the case, unopened from the factory in various quantities 3000-5000 rds for around ten cents a round plus shipping. No shortage exists, I swear. People are definitely interrupting the supply in order to resell it for much more all along it's way from where it's made to where it's intended retail point of sale was. But that's no shortage. If it really were in short supply it really wouldn't matter how much money you are willing to spend, there would be none to be had. This is the truth. Here you go OP, here's 26 pages of .22 LR listed for sale on Gunbroker right now. Thousands of rounds available to purchase right now. So the question isn't availability, it's cost. At $0.10 a round, .22LR is still one of the cheapest cartridges to shoot, just not as cheap as it used to be. Frankly, I think the only thing cheaper to shoot per round than .22 is going to be a pellet. A quality air rifle is still going to set you back some coin, but it's mostly initial investment. I've toyed with the idea of getting a precharged pneumatic air rifle (no pumping or cocking between shots), but I still have a huge .22 ammo fort. If the cost of .22 never comes down, then maybe I'll pick up a nice air rifle. |
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Pre-charged compressed air rifle. Like the Benjamin maurauder. I have one in 22, my dad wanted a 17 so I got him one after he saw me massacring grackles with the 22.
It is wickedly accurate, and drops the birds hard. I see no reason why it wouldn't be just as deadly on other small game like rabbits and squirrels, maybe even a turkey if you make a head shot. It killed one groundhog so far too. Plus it has an integral barrel suppressor, so it is pretty quiet. It is expensive to start with, not so much the rifle but the compressed air tank has some sticker shock. But refills are only a couple dollars at a local dive shop. Paint ball stores can also refill, and fill to a higher pressure than most dive shops. Pellets are inexpensive. I got th bicycle refill pump as a Christmas gift but have not tried to refill the gun yet. I understand it is not quick, something like 150 strokes to get about 2700 psi, but at least it's there for when if/when grid goes down. |
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He is asking about cheap plinking/squirrel hunting. Pellet guns are lots of fun, and cheap to shoot all day. Quoted:
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Pellet gun. So we have been reduced to Brits?
He is asking about cheap plinking/squirrel hunting. Pellet guns are lots of fun, and cheap to shoot all day. And quiet. 
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