AR Sponsor
Posted: 3/20/2012 4:16:53 PM EDT
| I know the purpose of an AR22 is practice with like weapons platform, but if I wanted to use it to hunt small game what is the maximum distance I can expect to be effective? My thought is somewhere around 50 yards. The effective range has a big impact on scope selection for my new AR22. Your thoughts? |
| IMO, 22LR max distance for hunting for me would be 100 yards. Sure you can shoot further, but I wouldn't trust 22LR for hunting past 100 yards. I find 50 yards to be too limiting in terms of distance if you consider that to be your max distance, but to each his/her own. |
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I guess it's also about grouping. How tight of a group is common with a AR22 at 100 yards? Does it fall of greatly at further yardages?
Or let me ask it a different way. What is the maximum distance I can expect to maintain a decent grouping with a dedicated AR22? If I can shoot a decent group at a long distance, I would try a head shot on something small like a squirrel. |
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Not only group but bullet drop; trying to estimate exact distance and allowing for holdover is asking a lot of a rimfire system.
Limit yourself realistically to 50 yds; hell, what can you even see at greater distances that you might consider murdering with a .22? Moon |
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Quoted:
I guess it's also about grouping. How tight of a group is common with a AR22 at 100 yards? Does it fall of greatly at further yardages? Or let me ask it a different way. What is the maximum distance I can expect to maintain a decent grouping with a dedicated AR22? If I can shoot a decent group at a long distance, I would try a head shot on something small like a squirrel. To give you an idea, take a look at the sporter class silhouette rimfire rigs and consider the targets. The rams give you an idea of what rimfire capability is from offhand. The rigs are sophisticated and just as capable as biathlon rigs in terms of precision and accuracy. With the right ammo, a rabbit head shot at 100 yards is simple not counting windage. Squirrel is a little ambitious, but at 50 yards would be no problem. |
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I've done 1 group at 100 yards that was great. 99% of my groups at that distance are crap.
Steel Plates may be do able but precision on a Squirrel, Not. I found that I needed an 8-12" holdover going to 100 yards and any wind will screw everything up.... 50 yards is a good effective range for me... Dave S |
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All of the posts reflect the reality of the .22lr's effectiveness as a small game load. To make
a humane kill at ranges farther than 50 yards becomes problematic due to the innate inaccuracy of the .22 LRN or HP bullet. I know there are plenty of old timers here in the Ozarks that will gut shoot dogs, coyote, and even deer using a .22 because it is an easy way to eventually kill nuisance animals while not challenging the shooter or his firearm. But to kill small game quickly you have to hit small kill zones. My experience in competition and real life puts the effective range of the .22lr at 25 to 75 yards when fired from an accurate gun, by a skilled shooter, under ideal conditions. If you think you need a good small game gun and your marksmanship suffers, buy a 20 or a 16ga. Ted |
| Well my thought process is if I need to bug out were does the .22 AR fall into the list of things that must be taken. The thing I like about the .22 is you can haul a whole lot of ammo without taking up a lot of space or weight. The second thing is scope selection, if a .22 is only realistically only good for a 100 yards I don't need a high power scope. I thinking a 4x is fine. My goal is not to have the most effective small game gun ( I already own a 12 ga. and a .410) ,but make sure I purchase the right scope for my AR22 and make useful for more than just target gun. |
| This is illegal to do so I am not condoning this but I shot a Pheasent through the head at around 300 yards once when I was younger using my trusty old Nylon 66 with iron sights,it killed him dead on the spot..I realize this was a once in a lifetime shot but I did it once..Realistically around 100 yards. |
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