.22 Cal Max Hunting Range

[john79 29]

Hi im just getting used to a .22 cal after year's of using a .177...was wanting to know what is your maximum range is for hunting at sub 12f/lb as the accuracy of my wolverine seem's to open up at 50 yard's -60yard's is about a 2 inch group

 

thank's john.

Edited August 25, 2014 by john79

[pianoman 3,587]

Hi John.

Depends on how well you can shoot to these ranges with a full understanding of your pellet's trajectory path. The additional fact is, the further you push the ranges out, the more even light winds and breezes take a more positive effect in deflecting the pellet. I've shot my HW77 .22 with AA Field 5.51mm ammo out to 70 yards and killed rabbits cleanly. But I only attempt long range shots where the winds are little or not enough to deflect the pellet and I know exactly on my scope reticle where the shot is going to fall with reasonable predictions.

 

If your two-inch group @60 yards is an average from your rifle at this distance, have you got your scope set perfectly level on the vertical line with your rifle's action? If there is even a slight canting over to one side, this will throw your shot off true from your actual zero distance a little or a lot depending on how much is in error.. Or, your prefered pellet isn't quite as stable at this range as the balistic energy within is diminishing. Or there's a wobble on your part, or....any of these together!

As it is, 50 yards is more than enough distance for hunting. And longest HFT target distance isn't further than 40 yards I believe. My longest distance shots, greater than 50 yards have all been exceptions rather than norms. 20 to 40 yards are the usual distance on a hunting day.

 

More often, most misses occur most at close range targets rather than long range ones which are easier to calculate for holdover

 

Simon

[villaman 9,983]

Like Simon said ,it all depends on your capability's , You need to know what you and your set up can do , ie gun , scope ,pellet and all so weather.

[john79 29]

cheer's guy's maybe iv just not found the right pellet for the barrel...it is very windy on our range tho and maybe canting the rifle don't help

 

atb john

[Rez 4,961]

45 yards for me personally. It's the range I know my set up. There are chaps that can take game at 65 on here, but I don't have the confidence just yet. It's never the set up, air rifles will take game easy every day at 65, a good set up anyway, but the only thing that'll let the team down is the shooter.

[random 659]

agree with what's been said,around 40 is as far as i push myself if it feels right,but 30/35 is probably the norm...

 

have taken rabbit at 50 yards plus but not too often...

[Blackbriar 8,569]

As above, I'm most consistent at 30/35 yards.

I can hit a target at 45, but I wouldn't feel comfortable hunting at that range.

 

"A good man knows his limitations......"

[jamesS410 106]

As has been said before, the maximum hunting range of whatever calibre air rifle is the maximum distance at which you can consistently hit the kill zone and ensure a humane dispatch with a good degree of confidence. Like the above posts I tend to keep to a 40-45 yard maximum unless conditions are absolutely perfect and I am 100 percent sure of the range to the target (as in lasered or to a known landmark) in which case I will occasionally stretch to 60 yarders

[ghillies 209]

what ever you did in .177..... but as sais in the first reply, how far can you hit? 60 yards isnt a problem if you can hit right. (70 plus is getting too far tbh..tis posable but the kills are far from clean on rabbit)

 

on a lamp when i'm fluent 65 seems like 55 and i have np's....70 eghhh i dont actualy like the amount of kicking 75 i'd say its a no no.(diferent on soft feather)

 

if you look on chairgun you'll see plus yards for some pellets and 45 yards for other pellets, then theres length of barrel etc...the BC is a huge factor, hense use chairgun, they say 4fp's is about the limit on rabbit (on arrival not the gun power lol). and not forgetting the bit inbetween, like weather/temperature wing etc can hinder or further a shot, it starts to get a bit serious at the extremes, like one day you could adequatly do the shot no probs, day after hitting it would do able alas it would kill the thing...so as always, comman sence after doing the home work basicaly.

 

i'd say 5-5 1/2 fps on arrival gives a better 'clean kill'...the clean kill bit is only the amount of after kick from the dead brain....but at those distances it does narrow the window between not so needed and needed distance shots, i.e. if theres a problem rodent and its the only option left (skill/gun alowing) then there is an opertunaty, if not 10 yard further stalking isnt usealy a problem at 70 yards away, time to call it a day if you cant make ten at 70 lol..(even if its that hard a stalk you'll probly get to 55 any ways....)

 

btw my guns reged tuned and other stuff....along with 30 plus years of 'yu ccant do that shots'....60 max for the stardard good kit.(if the pellets up to it..and you of course) so 40 yards is a good cut off point untill you've a few years in.(and i'd agree to the '30' for beginners, or at least as far as you zero, and that zero isnt a 2 or 3 inch 'good enough' group..you havent even zero'd if its a 2 inch splatter....hit the hole at 30 meters...thats zero'd btw!)

 

edit.. i will add i'm no where near the best btw lolol....no where near,

Edited August 28, 2014 by ghillies