Is 22 WMR a little over kill for rabbit ?

[CUPCAKE118 0]

What do you think about 22 WMR am i over complcating things or is Mag a little to much power for rabbits your comments

 

(extends out to fox though )

 

ATB Tony

[matt_hooks 188]

I never understand "overkill". You can't make it any deader than dead! The WMR packs a fair old punch, so unless you can place all your shots in the head area, you risk losing a lot of edible meat, but if you want foxes at range, then you don't have an option. Not sure if your FEO will approve a WMR purely for rabbits (though there is the "it's a rimfire" argument that says you can hold one on a .22rf slot)

[CUPCAKE118 0]

I never understand "overkill". You can't make it any deader than dead! The WMR packs a fair old punch, so unless you can place all your shots in the head area, you risk losing a lot of edible meat, but if you want foxes at range, then you don't have an option. Not sure if your FEO will approve a WMR purely for rabbits (though there is the "it's a rimfire" argument that says you can hold one on a .22rf slot)

 

 

Overkill just a turn of frase excessive power for the job in hand

[matt_hooks 188]

Yes, I understand what overkill means, but I don't understand how you can have "too much power".

 

You suggest that you should shoot only with the absolute minimum possible power necessary? I would say that anything that has enough power is fine, and if it has too much power, what of it? As long as you follow safe shooting practices, with a good solid backstop etc. then there is no added risk to having more power than necessary.

 

Of course bigger, more powerful rounds will generally burn more powder and therefore be more expensive, and a high powered round on small game such as rabbits makes meat damage rendering the carcass inedible more likely, but in terms of making them dead, there is no such thing as "too much power"

[CUPCAKE118 0]

Yes, I understand what overkill means, but I don't understand how you can have "too much power".

 

You suggest that you should shoot only with the absolute minimum possible power necessary? I would say that anything that has enough power is fine, and if it has too much power, what of it? As long as you follow safe shooting practices, with a good solid backstop etc. then there is no added risk to having more power than necessary.

 

Of course bigger, more powerful rounds will generally burn more powder and therefore be more expensive, and a high powered round on small game such as rabbits makes meat damage rendering the carcass inedible more likely, but in terms of making them dead, there is no such thing as "too much power"

 

 

Fair comment!

head shots are the order of the day as a rule as the butcher wont have body shot rabbit.

How does the magnum work in licencing terms as it is still a rimmy can it be held on a .22Rf catogory or is that a little frowned upon?

[David Dey 2]

How does the magnum work in licencing terms as it is still a rimmy can it be held on a .22Rf catogory or is that a little frowned upon?

 

Hi.

West Yorkshire won't allow magnums on a ticket that just says .22rf (not even to buy ammo) but South Yorks and Greater Manchester will.

 

DD

[Deker 3,478]

What do you think about 22 WMR am i over complcating things or is Mag a little to much power for rabbits your comments

 

(extends out to fox though )

 

ATB Tony

 

 

Which part of WMR is a problem for rabbit, ammo is cheaper than HMR and a 40g HP WMR will tend to make less of a mess of a bunny than a 17g Ballistic Tip HMR. The 40g HP WMR is also rather useful for the fox!

 

30-32g Ballistic tips available for the WMR which fly nearly as fast and flat as a HMR, there tends to be a wider array of ammo available for the WMR than HMR so arguably more versatile.

 

Headshot bunnies should be straightforward at 100yards with a HMR and all but as easy with a WMR.

 

Cracking round!

 

If you are talking bunnies to 60-80yards(ish), then no need for anything more than a .22lr

 

All land, all circumstances and situations are different, that's why I have a .22lr, .17HMR and .22WMR, etc, etc.

 

PS I have some surplus WMR ammo available at an excellent price. The cracking tool that delivers them to under 1" all day.

 

500 CCI 40g Maxi-Mag HP still Factory sealed £100 Total.

 

PM if interested, usual paperwork required of course!

Edited October 2, 2010 by Deker

[matt_hooks 188]

Deker, are you actually agreeing with me on something?

 

Wonders will never cease!

 

As you say, it's all about getting the right tool for the job in hand, including taking in to account the lie of the land, the likely ranges to be shot over etc. etc. etc.

 

I would suggest that the HMR doesn't really give any significant benefit over a WMR, but I can see the appeal of having a round that shoots that flat.

[Deker 3,478]

Deker, are you actually agreeing with me on something?

 

Wonders will never cease!

 

As you say, it's all about getting the right tool for the job in hand, including taking in to account the lie of the land, the likely ranges to be shot over etc. etc. etc.

 

I would suggest that the HMR doesn't really give any significant benefit over a WMR, but I can see the appeal of having a round that shoots that flat.

 

 

Ha Ha...such is life, if we agree so be it, nothing personal here anyway, was there an issue?

 

ATB!!

[matt_hooks 188]

Deker, are you actually agreeing with me on something?

 

Wonders will never cease!

 

As you say, it's all about getting the right tool for the job in hand, including taking in to account the lie of the land, the likely ranges to be shot over etc. etc. etc.

 

I would suggest that the HMR doesn't really give any significant benefit over a WMR, but I can see the appeal of having a round that shoots that flat.

 

 

Ha Ha...such is life, if we agree so be it, nothing personal here anyway, was there an issue?

 

ATB!!

 

Of course not, you have some very good ideas (the ones that agree with mine) and some not so good ones (the ones that don't!)

[bewsher500 3]

I have one and never use it.

I am lucky though, I have a .22lr and a .17HMR which makes the .22wmr redundant.

 

it will go on your FAC as .22WMR and you will have no problems justifying it for vermin control (it just ownt have foxes added as your primary reason unless you have a VERY friendly firearms officer!) it is on mine under the same justification as the .22lr.

 

I have never needed the extra energy the magnum delivers and the range increase over the .22lr HV doesnt justify the means in this country IMO.

In the US they love this round. but when you are shooting a 4kg ground hog that extra energy at 100yds in needed.

It still has a rainbow trajectory at anything past 100-120yds.

But you could confidently knock a fox over inside that if well placed. not convinced it delivers the wound tract that a frangible ballistic tipped .17HMR shell can. but the energy it carries at that distance makes up for it.

 

IMO you can stretch an .17HMR further if you zero it at a decent range. but it is light and prone to wind drift.

the .22 WMR has a good choice of jacketed and tipped rounds, are much cheaper to buy than the HMR and has some more punch.

 

one thing I will say is mine is seriously noisy!! much louder than the HMR through the same moderator

 

if it is just rabbits I would always go with the .22lr in either subsonics for sheer stealth and second shot capability or HV if you want to stretch to 100+yds.

I have no problem shooting a fox with it if I come across one inside the 75yd mark. but I would not go out of my way to shoot one unless I could be damn sure it was a head shoot preferably through the eye or ear.

 

I shot a fox right between the eyes in the garden at about 40 feet with a .22CB long (slightly lower power and much quieter than the 22subs) but the bullet didnt penetrate the skull. fox dropped straight down and was stone dead though with a massive heamorage at the impact site!!

Edited October 8, 2010 by bewsher500