Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires Expanding Subsonic 22 LR

I’ve shot many many coons and possums caught in my traps with Cci suppressor, ELEY subsonic HP, RWS subsonic HP, and Cci subsonic segmented( not the quiet) and actually looked at the ones I could find during skinning. I would rate them in order of effectiveness as Cci seg, RWS, CCI Suppressor and ELEY subs a distant fourth. I was actually quite surprised by the ELEY’s as I have shot them for years and they always seemed to be good killers but they usually didn’t do much more than deform a bit. The RWS and suppressors usually make a pretty mushroom. I was quite surprised by the effectiveness of the CCI segmented. Those things flat kill.

Ben.

I’ve killed countless squirrels with Remington LR subsonic’s from a 541 T

I finally sourced some of the Eley subsonic hollow points. They do shoot extremely well, and they are scary quiet with my suppressor, but they don't have quite enough "umph" to cycle my Buckmark or 10/22 reliably. The CCI subsonic hollow points run better out of my semi-autos, and they shoot awfully good, as well.

https://www.shootinguk.co.uk/guns/ammunition/22lr-subsonic-ammunition-reviewed-46641

Skimpy on details, but suggests there are some differences.

I've used just two sub-HPs (non-segmented variety): Eley and CCI. At 50 yds my 64 sporters prefer Eley, but at 100 yds the order reverses. The Eley gives more expansion/less penetration on game. So size of critter is a consideration. Used the CCIs on crows and found the critical distance about 60-65 yds. Beyond that it just punches through - still works, just not as quickly. At typical .22rf distances either choice would be fine.

If you needed more violent expansion consider the CCI Sub-HP segmented version. I've sworn off HS anything .22rf. CCI subs are plenty good enough and alot more accurate than minimags etc. At this old age realized accurate placement trumps velocity - in rimfires, at least.

Tried the CCI segmented HP's in my new Ruger Target rifle.

Got 1" groups at 30 yards. Will keep searching for low speed HP's that work in my rifle.

Virgil B.

Eley Subsonic Hollow Xtra Plus does not expand 100% reliably on squirrels, but seems to kill them with a decent shot. They have been very accurate in most rifles, but wouldn’t function the slide of my G44.

I have a brick of WW Subsonic HP’s but I’ve never tried them on small game. They look like the old Aussie PP. Initially didn’t function reliably in the G44, but worked fine after a few hundred rounds of Blazer.

It’s difficult to beat a PP for a reliable squirrel killer.

jb in sc, man shoot those winchester ss hp's brother. but, better be conservative as winchester dc'd the 40 grainers much to my chagrin. i love those big truncated hp's.
Big Ed

RWS subsonic has been my choice for many years. They are very accurate in both my 452 and 10/22. Just bought 2 bricks a few months ago. And they kill squirrels reliably.

Paul,

I did a bunch of expansion testing on Milk Jugs several years ago, my results mimicked bullet performance on body shot squirrels (vs head shot). Squirrels I hunt here are the California Ground Squirrel, and when shot in the heart/lungs with a solid (RN) bullet they will often flop around until they slip down a hole.

Page two has a second set of tests/pictures, and some folks added their own results/pictures.

Jerry

https://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=150808