.22 in pistol cartridge

Centerfires, rimfires, pistol cartridges and everything in between.
lijeboy
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.22 in pistol cartridge

Post by lijeboy »

Has anyone had any luck taking down Rams consistently shooting a .22 in pistol cartridge? If so, what type of ammo are you using, please?

Thanks.
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Tlee
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Re: .22 in pistol cartridge

Post by Tlee »

Short answer is no... Even a 22mag isnt 100% effective on rams, although it is very popular at a couple matches that I frequent.

However, if all you have is a 22LR, then by all means, shoot it in PCCLA anyway. 40gr High velocity ammo helps, as does rear leg or hits in the horn. Just shoot and have fun until you can find or afford something heavier. 25-20, 32-20, 32mag, 38/357, and even 22mag (using Federal 50g ammo for rams) are all popular.

- Tim

lijeboy wrote:Has anyone had any luck taking down Rams consistently shooting a .22 in pistol cartridge? If so, what type of ammo are you using, please?

Thanks.
lijeboy
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Re: .22 in pistol cartridge

Post by lijeboy »

Thanks, Tim. I have a 32-20, a 25-20, and a .357, but am wanting to try the .22 because I am very comfortable with it.

Thanks again for the reply.
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snaketail2
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Re: .22 in pistol cartridge

Post by snaketail2 »

Sorry for the late reply...

Winchester has a newish 42gr hollowpoint, the 42MAX, that will have more downrange kick than the standard round. Comes in standard and high velocity. I used the standard vel in my BL-22 and rang only one of the rams I hit - it was a low belly hit and it didn't even rock when hit. The other three I hit went over slowly, but they went over. Is the 42MAX better than other .22 ammo? - can't really say... the three that fell might have gone down with 40gr bullets.

If your club doesn't have a .22 match with lighter targets I'd just use what you have and expect a few rams to stay up. All .22 ammo is hard to find these days, I found the 42MAX at Midway. Aim high and hope for best.

Michael

Here is the 42Max with a Federal Champion for comparison.
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Last edited by snaketail2 on Thu Dec 19, 2013 8:03 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: .22 in pistol cartridge

Post by boats »

Target setter will make or break the .22 on P/C Rams. Pratice we set ourselves. Back of the rail the .22 knocks them off well, front it won't knock all off. You can't control setters in real matches, best to use something that will knock down.

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Re: .22 in pistol cartridge

Post by lijeboy »

Thanks for the info. I'm going to stick with the 32-20 for PC.
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Re: .22 in pistol cartridge

Post by snaketail2 »

I agree - might as well use something that will do the job well.
However, at Raton I saw a pig that did not fall from a center hit with a 32-20. It was a light cast boolit fired in a Hunter's Pistol match...

Michael
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Re: .22 in pistol cartridge

Post by lijeboy »

Yeah, I agree, nothing is 100 percent. Part of what makes the sport so challenging.
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Re: .22 in pistol cartridge

Post by Tlee »

snaketail2 wrote:I agree - might as well use something that will do the job well.
However, at Raton I saw a pig that did not fall from a center hit with a 32-20. It was a light cast boolit fired in a Hunter's Pistol match...

Michael
I've not lost any (yet) with full bullet hits, but i have had several center mass hits with sub-sonic 100gr pills fall VERY slowly. So it would not surprise me to hear of one left standing, particularly if the wind was on the backside of the target at all.

FWIW, although its one of my favorites, I've lost several using 22mag, even using 50g Federals. I've even rang a couple in Hunter Pistol using a 22Hornet with 50-52gr Bullets at 17-1800fps.

Lastly, even the lighter SB thickness rams at Raton (and at my local club) can be stubborn... I've seen center mass hits from high velocity 22lr leave the light ones standing on more than one occasion. I even verified that someone didnt accidently put a PC target up the 1st time I saw it happen at Raton during a national event. I've seen "more than I can count" lost to standard velocity ammo at numerous clubs.

My .02,

- Tim
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Re: .22 in pistol cartridge

Post by snaketail2 »

OK, If you shoot your .22 really well, and knock over everything except a ram - you get 30 of 40, a AAA score - this will usually win B, A and AA class. Knock over a ram or two over and you might start a trend...'course you have to knock over the first 30.

Sounds crazy, but I'm going to try it...if it ever stops snowing here in St. Louis.

Snowed-in and hankerin to go shooting.

M
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Re: .22 in pistol cartridge

Post by Baja_Traveler »

I made AAA using my 39A in the pistol cartridge match. I always tried to shoot second relay, so when my partner went out to set targets he would set them back of the rail (and hope the wind didn't pick up). Still, I would ring the occasional ram with center and belly shots. Just hold high on the back and more often than not they will go over.
Havent used it since picking up my Rossi .357 a year ago, but I'm only now starting to approach my 39A scores - I have supreme confidence in that 39A...
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snaketail2
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Re: .22 in pistol cartridge

Post by snaketail2 »

Thanks Baja_Traveler, I know that some clubs have "Heavy" targets and some "Light". In Arizona I shot at clubs that had a mixture.
I win more matches with my .22 than I do with my .45 Colt - I think I'll follow the success for now.
(CLA isn't too poplar in St. Louis...2 matches a year!...so I might as well use what I already have.)

Michael
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Re: .22 in pistol cartridge

Post by boats »

Most Silhouette it's far more important to hit all targets than to knock over all targets hit. Mistake often made is load for 100 % Ram Knockdown and shoot something that's going to cost targets on CPT. Lever is a bit different in the Pistol Calibers are mostly light recoil and almost as accurate as a .22 LR. Hit rates in Lever are also higher so lost Rams make more difference than High power or BPCS.

Having said that about any AA or even AAA shooter will do better score wise with a good 39A than Pistol Caliber carbines.

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Re: .22 in pistol cartridge

Post by snaketail2 »

Well said boats. I have much more confidence in .22 than I do in my other rifle.

M
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Re: .22 in pistol cartridge

Post by glen ring »

Snaketail....do you shoot a browning BL-22 ?
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