Anyone using .22 solids over hollow point for Rabbits?

[C h r i s]

I've always used Eley .22 subs for my rabbit shooting, pretty good accuracy out to 75 yards.

However started to experiment with other brands and types of .22 subsonic ammo, one that seemed to standout was the RWS R50, a solid/target bullet, both the online reviews and my personal testing seemed to indicate that this is a phenomanally accurate round in my Tikka T1x, group sizes have shrunk to half of what I had previously considered acceptable.

It may be the most accurate in my rifle (and one of the most expensive), but non expanding. I'm yet to try it on live quarry, but wondering how other SD members have got on using solids for this purpose? Did you get a higher number of injured animals due to the lack of expansion, or perhaps it extended your range?

I'll give it a go this weekend, if the rain ever stops!

 

[Klenchblaize]

The 22LR subsonic is already endowed with a legendary propensity for ricochet that sadly way too many shooters consider acceptable and all part of the day out so why compound matters with solids?

Yes, I agree the likes of Lapua Midas Match will shoot 50m ragged holes all day but they will go straight through a rabbit and keep going.

K

 

[mealiejimmy]

Solids will definitely be a "through and through" on rabbits.
However that's also the case on most occasions when using hollow point ammo.

Cheers

Bruce

 

[C h r i s]

Yes. thinking about it, Ive never had to dig a .22 projectile out of a rabbit, they have always passed through despite being hollow point. My grounds have been totally saturated for a while now but yes I agree I would take this into consideration when things start to dry out a little, just like we do whenever we take a shot - assess the backstop.

 

[Tf223]

Solids will definitely be a "through and through" on rabbits.
However that's also the case on most occasions when using hollow point ammo.

Cheers

Bruce

But a hollow point of exit will at least be carrying much less energy due to deformation... I would have thought.

Unpopular opinion perhaps, I’ve never liked the 22lr. Had one briefly and back to my 22wmr. Things that ricochet that often are best left in the cabinet.

 

[Rhodesianjess]

Used T22 for years, headshots whether solid or hollow kills dead. Choice of backstop more important IMO than projectile choice, have had hollow points turn into zingers after killing rabbit

 

[Overlay]

CCI segmented is what I’ve used for years, never had a problem apart from one time a part came back of a flint, that’s out of thousands of rounds

I wouldn’t even consider a solid round just on the higher risk of a bouncer

 

[Foxyboy43]

Hmmm. Best lesson on the dangers of .22lr was very many years ago with a box of eley tracer. Without a substantial backstop they bounced absolutely everywhere in a totally unpredictable fashion and that included after passing through rabbits. From memory they were c.1250 fps, great fun, most educational but damned dangerous.

 

[enfieldspares]

When I used to shoot rabbits a friend swore by the standard velocity blue boxed RWS .22LR hollow point. I tried them and also thereafter used nothing else.

 

[AGR]

CCI segmented is what I’ve used for years, never had a problem apart from one time a part came back of a flint, that’s out of thousands of rounds

I wouldn’t even consider a solid round just on the higher risk of a bouncer

Absolutely agree.

 

[flatliner]

I'm using SK Rifle Match, and I haven't have had any issues with ricochets.The ground here is rarely hard, and the majority of shots are taken off sticks, with a suitable backstop.

 

[C h r i s]

Hmmm. Best lesson on the dangers of .22lr was very many years ago with a box of eley tracer. Without a substantial backstop they bounced absolutely everywhere in a totally unpredictable fashion and that included after passing through rabbits. From memory they were c.1250 fps, great fun, most educational but damned dangerous.

Have you seen how bad 5.56mm and 7.62mm tracers ricochet! Now thats scary! Solid copper is probably even worse unless its stopped by something suitably fleshy.

 

[Foxyboy43]

Have you seen how bad 5.56mm and 7.62mm tracers ricochet! Now thats scary! Solid copper is probably even worse unless its stopped by something suitably fleshy.

Hmmmm. I ahem, have this friend who allegedly shot both at 300m - neither “lit” for quite some distance (concealment?) but the sand sure did smoke for some time afterwards, apparently!

 

[StephenToast]

When you say, groups shrunk to half the size, what was the original group size and at what distance?

What distance are you shooting your rabbits at?

At 50 yards My .22 will group inside a 5p piece with either Eley or CCI but it opens up pretty quickly. Say 10p at 75yds. I have never done better than a two inch group at 100.

I rarely stretch my .22 to 75 yds anyway so it's more than accurate enough. Even if solids gave me a better level of accuracy I can't see that I'd be that bothered.

 

[Dunwaters]

I haven't used anything other than standard target loads in the .22 for decades, they work fine, but anything does with a head shot. Best result so far is 4 rabbits for 1 pop. Anything you pick up will be a nice tidy carcass but you definitely dont get the same knock down you will from HVHP’s .
The target loads work on rats and crows too, but they will often run or flap away from the scene a bit, they will go through a fox from end to end at most sensible ranges.
They’re also a very sensible option for knocking off farmyard pigs, sheep and chickens where legal.
Try them, next big craze is bound to be long range varmints with the .22 rimmy.

 

[stevec]

CCI segmented is what I’ve used for years, never had a problem apart from one time a part came back of a flint, that’s out of thousands of rounds

I wouldn’t even consider a solid round just on the higher risk of a bouncer

The FEO told me exactly the same thing when I got my .22 - he told me to stick to CCI segmented as he thought they were the least likely to ricochet. I stuck to this after a friend was hit in the leg from a ricochet that came straight back to him and a couple of years later someone else was locally. Both ricochets were off unseen rocks behind the target. I was really impressed how effective they were. Sadly no rabbits where I live now.

 

[C h r i s]

At 50 yards the RWS were a slight improvement, but most noticeable at 75 to 100 yards. However I don't generally use the 22 for hunting at 100, tend to stop at around 80. Beyond that its an HMR.

5 shot group size at ~50 yards with Eley subs is around 15mm, with the RWS R50 its a ragged 8-10mm hole so long as its not too windy and I'm making the effort. More often than not I can put 3 shots into the same hole with the R50's.

At 100 yards the Eley hollow points are generally around 2", and the RWS 1" or just over (in ideal conditions, bipod, Vortex PST II 5-25).

 

[Cottis]

I mean certainly match grade ammunition is good and I would agree that it is somewhere in the region of shrinking group size by approx half.

Below is an example of my rifle shooting RWS HP's and RWS R50. Night and day in terms of accuracy. Shoot a rabbit with either and it is dead and almost certainly both will go all the way through with no discernable damage on the exterior. Internal wise it might be slightly different when you take the jacket off and inspect. Both will zing off anything. I rarely use my .22LR anymore. If I was shooting it in anger at rabbits in excess of 75yds, I would definitely use match grade ammo. I just pick up the HMR though. Far more versatile for my needs.

 

[Boosh]

I use Eley club and match on rabbits, everything is head shot and drops very dead. It's when you start pushing the distances towards 100 mtrs then you start to notice the accuracy difference between solid match ammo and hollow point whilst trying to get the clean head shot. It's pretty satisfying to stalk, range find and take clean shots out to extended ranges with accurate ammo and a scope with a good rest.

 

[Mr. Gain]

I'd sum up my experiences as follows:

• Solids will enable you to extend your range by, say, 25m, but oblige you to take head shots and be more than usually selective about the position of the target. Body shots drop fewer rabbits on the spot, but head shots produce more saleable carcases.
• Hollow points are much better for body shots, which gives you a bit more leeway for ranging errors and reduced accuracy but produces messier carcases. They also produce riccochets with less energy and worse BCs due to greater deformation.
• Segmented hollow points are the best killers, and the best for riccochet reduction, but they can be less accurate than standard hollow points and will produce more carcase damage.

The choice of ammo therefore depends on what you intend to do with the carcases, and the conditions and ground where you are shooting the rabbits:

• Some dealers won't take body-shot rabbits
• Some places are harder/stonier/flatter than others
• Some ground presents closer shots while other ground requires greater reach
• Some permissions will be shot at night, others by day.

So it's horses for courses, and a question of knowing the pros and cons so you can make the best choice. For some people that choice will be .17 HMR, checking rounds under a magnifiying glass, keeping your ears open for squibs, and carrying a cleaning rod!