Guns, Bows, Shooting Sports, and Hunting Question Re .22 Rifle Ammunition

[HBarlow]

I recently bought an inexpensive scoped Remington . 22 rifle to shoot an occasional raccoon or skunk. I'm not a gun enthusiast and know very little about them.

First, after buying the rifle, I was surprised to learn that none of the stores in the area have any ammunition for it or for other guns, for that matter.

Today I found a small ranching town hardware store that had one box of Federal . 22 caliber long rifle bird shot. I bought them since no one has anything else.

The label indicates the cartridges use no. 12 lead shot. I don't know the first thing about the characteristics of these rounds I bought and they may be completely wrong for my purpose.

Can I use them? What sort of accurate range should I expect? Major limitations?

 

[BigPapa]

Sorry Harvey, all those are going to do is make a coon or a skunk mad. I use those to shoot wood bees with my single six pistol. They're basically mini shotgun shells with a mini range to go along with them. Effective range is probably 4-8 feet and they would probably not be lethal on any animal except maybe a mouse past 2-3 feet if then.

Can't believe you can't find . 22 ammo in TX.

 

[AMink]

Ammo is getting scarce. 12 shot is about the size of a fat grain of salt. Keep an eye open for regular hollow point ammo. No need for the hot CCI Stinger or Mini-mag type ammo

 

[JFought]

i havent seen 9mm in 2 months and i look pretty hard
i randomly founf some 22lr at academy i bought 4 boxes, shjould have bought all 8

my friend look all the time like 2-4 times a week- even police supply stores no 9 thats not homes defense $$

i gonna buy a truck load if i ever do find it! i only got like 6 little boxes.....
anyone care to donate!

 

[mfurrh55]

My brother gave me a box of . 22s He won it in a drawing at a boot store last year, i have a . 22 pistol, but it only fires Magnums, if i could find a cylinder to fit mine that would accept the LR s, i'd be in good shape as the box has 555 . 22 rounds in it

 

[HBarlow]

Well, I guess that was a useless purchase. Hell, the rifle may have been a useless purchase also from what I'm seeing and hearing locally. I live almost 50 miles out from Lubbock and can't make the rounds of Wal-Marts, Academy Sports, etc. every day searching for ammunition for it.

Thanks for the information.

 

[jhenderson]

Harvey. Go online. My first choice would be Cheaper Than Dirt. Do a search. I would be surprised if you couldn't find 22 Cal ammo online. It's not a big self defense round.

 

[Flying_gage]

Seconding the above. Just order it online. Shouldn't have any issues there even in today's climate.

A . 22 scoped Remington is just about the perfect gun out there. Although it wasn't a Remington, a certain Carlos Hathcock grew up on those and took many a small animal. Whenever I have someone out to the place who has never shot, or not for awhile, I always start them on the . 22 as it is the most forgiving and you can easily correct bad habits.

 

[AMink]

No rifle is useless!Oo. If nothing else, set up a big piece of paper and shoot some of the shot loads. At least you'll have an idea of the pattern.

 

[HBarlow]

I looked at cheaperthandirt's website today and didn't see anything. I'll try looking again or calling them tomorrow.

 

[Bob4x4]

The rounds you got are good for hiking through snake country

 

[HBarlow]

I looked at cheaperthandirt's website again. Every single type and brand of . 22 LR is out of stock except this:

-
6-0307075
Ammo . 22 Hornet Hornady Varmint Express V-Max 35 G...

I don't know anything about it. Advice please?

 

[Mark31]

Uncle Harvey, I was told a buuunch of years ago that shooting "rat shot" would ruin the rifling in the barrel and to only shoot that in a worn out or cheap rifle you didn't care about. Maybe one of our resident firearm gurus will enlighten me? Mark

 

[Mark31]

The rounds you got are good for hiking through snake country

Shooting an aggressive water moccasin (cottonmouth) with rat shot would be like spitting in Mike Tyson's face when he was in his prime: Either way, YOU GONNA DIE!! Mark

 

[Flying_gage]

Gunbroker is also a good place. Under advanced search you can narrow it down to your state.

This is a sample:

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=328094061

Times are a bit crazy right now. The big on-line stores are gonna be out for a bit...

 

[Flying_gage]

Just a little tip too, if I may. If you get it in bulk where it is loose, put it in old Parmesan cheese containers. They work about perfect for you rounds and dispensing them.

 

[Bill Stockard]

I recently bought an inexpensive scoped Remington . 22 rifle to shoot an occasional raccoon or skunk. I'm not a gun enthusiast and know very little about them.



First, after buying the rifle, I was surprised to learn that none of the stores in the area have any ammunition for it or for other guns, for that matter.



Today I found a small ranching town hardware store that had one box of Federal . 22 caliber long rifle bird shot. I bought them since no one has anything else.



The label indicates the cartridges use no. 12 lead shot. I don't know the first thing about the characteristics of these rounds I bought and they may be completely wrong for my purpose.



Can I use them? What sort of accurate range should I expect? Major limitations?

When my brother and i were teenagers, we shot several boxes of that ammo shooting rats in our hay barn. It'll get the rats without shooting holes in the metal roof. About once a week we would go out to the hay barn after dark and sit still for a while until we heard them scurrying around and we'd flip on the lights and shoot fast for a few seconds. Then turn the lights out and wait and do it again. About three times of that and the rats would get wise. :-laf We'd wait about a week for them to forget and do it all over again. :-laf



Bill

 

[HBarlow]

I found many online companies with lots of 22 LR "out of stock" but figured it probably won't shoot very well.

I found an Ables website and the only thing in stock was Ely Club . 22 LR 40 gram round nose overpriced. I ordered two boxes, 100 rounds anyway. I don't know the first thing about Ely Club, never heard of it, but I'll have a few rounds to put in my new rifle.

Thanks for all the opinions offered. I think I'll try to return the ratshot if the country hardware store will take it back.

Any information or ridicule about the Ely Club rounds are welcome.

 

[Moe]

Who needs gun bans if you cant find any ammo?

 

[WCPoe]

I have some luck shopping at Sportsmans Guide.


http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/browse/ammo-pistol-22-ammo.aspx?c=95&s=903&stk=1&d=121

This ammo shortage is getting ridiculus though