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.22 magnum? really?

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sifusylvain View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sifusylvain Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: .22 magnum? really?
    Posted: September/11/2009 at 11:53
Just had dinner with a friend who has lots of gun experience. He swears he has done everything from target to varmint to deer hunting with an old Marlin .22 magnum rifle that was one of his favourite guns.
 
.22 magnum? really?
 
I am looking for a good rifle to shoot 250 to 500 yards for target, varment, preditor shooting. was thinking .223 with a variable scope to about 16x magnification. I'm 52 with astigmatism.
 
thoughts?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Longhunter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/11/2009 at 12:23
Deer hunting with a .22 magnum would be illegal in just about every state where I've hunted. 
 
I understand the .223 is legal for deer in some states, but it's considered marginal and is  illegal for deer in many states.
 
For target, varmint, or predator shooting, the .223 would probably be fine out to maybe 300 yards.  We have some excellent shooters on this site who can give you better advice on rifles for these pursuits than I can.
 
 


Edited by Longhunter - September/11/2009 at 12:24
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote magshooter1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/11/2009 at 12:25
Bushnell 4200 4x16x40 or 50, 6500 2.5x16x42 or 50, Sightron 4x16x42, Burris Sig. Select 4x16x44, Nikon Monarch 4x16x42 or 50 would all be good choices.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote supertool73 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/11/2009 at 12:29
Lots of the old timers used .22 LR and mag to kill deer.  My grandpa says he used to do it all the time to put meat on the table. 

A .223 would be prefect for your wants.  If I were to get a .223 bolt gun I would be all over this one.  It is heavy, but I bet it is a shooter. http://savagearms.com/12model_longrange_precisisionvarminter.htm

BigDaddy on this site has one and as far as I know really likes it and it shoots very well.

If you want a lighter one, a Remington 700P LTR would be a good choice as well.  http://www.remingtonle.com/rifles/700pltr.htm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pyro6999 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/11/2009 at 12:33
i dont mean to throw people under the bus, but on indian reservations up here the .22mag and a spot light is all they use. is it ethical, i dont think so. ive shot a deer with my .22-250 and it worked, it was a well placed shot to the neck. did i feel real comfortable doing it, no. i prefer to use .25cal and up myself.
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sifusylvain View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sifusylvain Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/11/2009 at 13:27
As ussual, I always get great feedback on this forum site! Thanks to all of you.
 
"Supertool73", I've been looking hard at that Savage model 12 for a while now...beautiful rifle. I recently discovered the Howa-Varminter Supreme with 24" heavy barrel and the Howa/Axiom, both several hundred dollars less than the Savage but with the "underrated" moniker. Any thoughts on the Howa product???
 
Thanks again guys!
 
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote supertool73 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/11/2009 at 13:37
never even touched a howa.  One nice thing about the Savage And Remington LTR is they have a 1-9 twist barrel which will stabalize 69 grain bullets.  If you plan on shooting to 500 often that will make a big difference.  I cannot see that the Howa even lists twist rates.  But many .223s are 1-12 which are only good for 45 to 50 grain bullets.  So just something you may want to look into.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RifleDude Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/11/2009 at 16:21
Originally posted by sifusylvain sifusylvain wrote:

I am looking for a good rifle to shoot 250 to 500 yards for target, varment, preditor shooting.
 
Even if deer weren't on the menu, that requirement alone rules out the .22 mag. 
Ted


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Urimaginaryfrnd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/11/2009 at 19:54
Anything a .223 will do a .308 will do better and the bullet wont get blown around in the wind as badly.  If you dont reload you need to consider the cost of ammo and likely stay with one of the traditional calibers and I'm thinking a .243 Win,  .308 or 30-06 would be a fine choice for what you have in mind.  I would take a real strong look at the stainless Tikka in a .243 or .308 or 30-06 all of which you can find relatively low cost ammo for and all of which should be able to take a deer at 500 yds with the 30 cal guns having an advantage.
But a 22mag is a fine survival rifle under 100 yds  and the truth is it will kill out further than that.  I had a friend who was special forces during Vietnam and they dropped him behind the line wiht a 22mag - he said two guys would be walking across a field at 200 to 300 yds and one would just fall over - no loud muzzle blast and the ability to carry a lot of ammo.  


Edited by Urimaginaryfrnd - September/11/2009 at 20:04

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ed Connelly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/11/2009 at 20:03
A 22 magnum does have some power.  Bob Milek shot a mountain lion with one back in the eighties, I believe.  I would not hesitate to shoot a lion with one.  I had a Colt New Frontier years ago ( dual cylinder ) and we shot about 50,000 rounds through it.  But, of course, the bigger rounds are better, naturally.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tahqua Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/12/2009 at 09:43
My .22 WMR turns varmints inside out at short range. Milek must have taken a head shot because I sure wouldn't trust that caliber for mountain lion.
I think the suggestion of 300 yards for predators is a good one for the .223. The faster 1/9" twist would certainly help with the 69 grain pills and would possibly extend that range. I don't know anyone using them, though.
Most of the predator hunters I know bring out a 22-250 or .243 for long range coyote hunting.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote martin3175 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/12/2009 at 10:15

got a 22 mag ,,, wouldn't EVER consider trying a deer with it

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ed Connelly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/12/2009 at 18:56
Originally posted by tahqua tahqua wrote:

My .22 WMR turns varmints inside out at short range. Milek must have taken a head shot because I sure wouldn't trust that caliber for mountain lion.
I think the suggestion of 300 yards for predators is a good one for the .223. The faster 1/9" twist would certainly help with the 69 grain pills and would possibly extend that range. I don't know anyone using them, though.
Most of the predator hunters I know bring out a 22-250 or .243 for long range coyote hunting.
 
I think it was a lung shot.  He wrote about it in whatever magazine he was writing for back in 85 or 86.  A pistol. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tahqua Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/12/2009 at 19:07
 With hounds and up in a tree, I still think it's risky business. But, Milek was someone I respected a lot back then.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pyro6999 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/12/2009 at 19:09
Originally posted by tahqua tahqua wrote:

 With hounds and up in a tree, I still think it's risky business. But, Milek was someone I respected a lot back then.

i think its risky when they do it with a bow and arrow like that. cats are so damn quick. a bear isnt as quick as a cat.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tahqua Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/12/2009 at 19:23
I can only say that a bear is damn quick when hit with an arrow or a bullet.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote amk204 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/12/2009 at 19:36
if you like the savage pre varmiter but not the price get a model 12bvss or 12 low pro.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RONK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/12/2009 at 19:42

 Thousands of treed mountain lions have been taken with heart/lung shots with .22s. They tend to cling to the tree as they expire up there before dropping into the pack of hounds.

Leopards, on the other hand, apparently do not like to die that way...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote swtucker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/12/2009 at 19:53
It's more of an ethics thing IMO.  I suppose if you hit a brown bear right, he'd die from a .22 Mag round.  
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RONK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/12/2009 at 20:22
 I agree Sean,  that hunting big game with rimfires is generally NOT a nice thing to do unless a survival situation requires it.
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