Shot Shells For .22Lr

[Terryorr 27]

When I got my FAC through for my .22lr I bought a selection of rounds for it. I paid £9.00 for a box of 50 Federal shot shells for it. In my opinion they are for shooting rats in a barn but my mate says don't use them on a new rifle because they will ruin the rifling on the barrels. Is this correct? What is any other members views on this?

[Coypu Hunter 486]

Are they steel or lead pellets? You can get both over here. I've read that the steel ones are a bad idea, but the lead ones are OK. Mind you, that's just internet chat, so take it with a bucket of salt! I doubt if occasional use would do much damage, but that's just my opinion.

 

Check out this video. You'll see that they're fine for shooting rats... so long as you're very, very good at creeping up close to 'em!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zh0jCg8Ymuo

[perthshire keeper 1,239]

their worse than useless! to be blunt their not even good for shooting stuff in cage traps

[Terryorr 27]

Hi Coypu hunter, I watched video there, the 1s I have are 25 grain No 12 lead shot 716 (not sure what 716 means) they have a complete brass case with a crimped end, not like the 1s on the video.

[charlie caller 3,654]

Total bullsh*t they are lead and will not harm the rifling in any way, the Federal ones you have with the crimped ends are ok for very close range rat shooting, on one of my local permissions the farmer uses them frequently to shoot rats in his barns and I have watched him use them, they are quite effective at around 10 yards, I cant imagine them being much use any further, oh and take the moderator off, or it will be full of shot and may even be damaged, and if you have a semi auto, you will have to single load them as they wont cycle the action.

[Terryorr 27]

OK Charlie Caller, thanks for your reply, good info there

[ianm 2,594]

Years ago i bought some of these for rats in cabins and decided to test them. I put a target on a piece of 3/4" marine ply about 4yds away and shot at it. It was a summers day and i had shorts on, most of the shot bounced back and hit me in the legs.

[charlie caller 3,654]

Lol did you try them on rats rather than yourself mate?

[ratbuster 808]

I have tried both types of cartridges (Federal / CBC (Webley based) & CCI) through a 6 mm smoothbore " shotgun " (original 50's German made Falke garden gun in # 1 bore) but my advice would be : keep your money in your pocket, they are quite useless beyond 15 feet. They used to made these guns and cartridges for very small vermin control e.g sparrows, starlings and mice. Even on a rat sized target they have too little power and pattern to do any good. A 9mm Flobert aka # 3 bore garden gun (its bigger brother) is useless beyond 15 meters even with a double shot cartridge.

 

These won't harm the rifling of your gun because the shot they use is really soft, but they simply are of no use even in a smoothbore.

Edited September 20, 2014 by ratbuster

[ianm 2,594]

  On 20/09/2014 at 11:06, charlie caller said:

Lol did you try them on rats rather than yourself mate?

 

I did when i stopped dancing about.

[andyf 144]

Hey:

22 shotshells are really 'cack', no good except maybe a compliant standing still mouse 6 feet away.

None the less the brass crimped type are hard to find and I have a few?

Anyway try them on a 12g cartridge box at 10 feet and you will see how 'devastating' they

are, (not).

Just remember to take off your moderator, as if it has plastic baffles the 'devastation' starts

there!!

[CharlieSlade 14]

I've heard they leave a horrible mess in your barrel afterwards, I'd get rid of them and use an air rifle instead for rats

[charlie caller 3,654]

  On 20/09/2014 at 20:34, CharlieSlade said:

I've heard they leave a horrible mess in your barrel afterwards, I'd get rid of them and use an air rifle instead for rats

Probably the best course of action, of if you have a decent backstop, use the .22 with proper bullets.

[Deker 3,478]

They have their uses, but it was many years back I last found the need for any.

 

I have never been easy about using then in a decent gun, I don't consider the lead will harm the rifling but it may well clog it up a bit more than a bullet, so perhaps a bit of a clean.

 

As regards a sound moderator, probably best to remove it when using these, especially if you have a long one fitted, an odd stray pellet could cause some grief.

 

I only know of one person who uses them pretty regularly these days, and his primary use is rats round the rearing pens, he rates them, and he also has an old dedicated .22 for shotshell.

 

These shotshell are also available in .22WMR, which has the edge over .22lr, but you still need the right situation to justify them, and not many people find that situation very often.

[Terryorr 27]

All interesting replies lads, good reading, thanks