rat shot/bird shot

[wwt]

My experience with this ammo is limited to quick-drawing barn rats w an old pistol so sorry that I didn't worry about damaging it. Would the members of this forum be good enough to share their knowledge, theories, and lessons learned?

[kt]

what i hear is that the old crimped cartidges could damage a barrel, but the newer cci ones with a blue tip are said to be safe, i have one customer who comes into wally wold for it, uses it on pigeons and says it smokes them but doesnt dent or nick what ever the bird was sitting on
kt

[skeet]

It won't hurt a bbl to have it shot(old crimped) in a pistol or rifle...but it will leave some leading in the bore....and it may not eject out of some well as it may impinge on the bore itself...The new stuff works pretty well. I've been shooting grackles etc at a couple of metal bird feeders with a Smith 63(looking for a K-22). The darn good birdies won't even fly away when I blast the grackles and black birds. They flutter and then go get something to eat. A friend gave me a whole case(5000 rds) of the crimped 22 shot cartridges and they shoot fine. Only have about 800 left and nothing is hurt at all...except the grackles and blackbirds!!

[kt]

as a fellow bird watcher, hope you got a good eye, you may be blasting some pretty cool species of blackbirds that you are all passing off as the same species. Personally there are a few species i cant tell one from the next. Give the grackles hell.
kt

[rlnzhuntchat]

Can anyone tell me the effective range for the .22 bird shot ?

Thanks,

Buckaggie

[Brant Buster]

Like with a shotgun you'll just have to "pattern" your .22 and see for yourself.

All you'll need is a cardboard box 16-24" square, a couple sheets of paper or large paper plates, and a handful of rounds.

Start off at about 10-12-15 feet then work backward one yard at a time. The rifling in your .22 will actually work against you as the certrifical force it creates will spin the pattern apart faster than if your rimfire-gun was a smoothbore.

Keep in mind that at too close of range, the pellets can riccochette into your eyes and under your skin - requiring a trip to the doc.

In high school I had several crimped Remington rat-shot. Blasted mice, rats, gophers with them even to 20+ feet. The point where they became ineffective was rather abrupt (effective at 20' perhaps, but not 22' - I don't remember the exact range, but I also no longer have that particular .22 nor any of those shells).

[Rocky Raab]

I like the things. The CCI is definetely the way to go, IMO. Neither will cycle a semi-auto, but a simple pull on the slide does the job.

The 22 Maggie version is much better than the 22LR. The maggie has slightly larger shot, and a bit more of it.

Beyond about 25 feet, the effect is largely luck as the "pattern" has much more air than lead in it by then. That's true of any of the three kinds: crimped, capsule LR or capsule WMR.

[earschplitinloudenboomer]

Absolutely the berries for snakes!

[skeet]

I shoot 'em if they are black..mostly grackles and starlings..but they get smarter all the time. Can't hardly crack a window without the darn things flying now.. Range on the crimped 22 outr of my 63 is about 20 ft..a little farther out of a rifle. Still looking for that K-22. Anybody got one? Oh tried a few 45ACP shot cartridges out of my ol Colt(WWI vintage). Kills 'em a lot farther but it's also hard on the metal bird feeders. Couple even cycled the ol Auto Love that ol 45. BTW we just acquired a neat little 45 carry gun we are gonna do a little test on. Will Post in handguns. It is a nice little ParaOrdnance LDA