Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Small Game What is your favorite 22LR ammo for small game?

For rabbits and squirrels, I just like the CCI 36 grain hollow points and doing headshots. So, I try not to ruin as much meat as possible.

RWS Subsonic. Head shots for me also.

Subsonic hollowpoints, either RWS or CCI work well for my Kimber Hunter.

CCI mini mags in my 10/22 or Mk4, CCI standards (1050fps) in my Bergara BMR. Squirrels only. I run beagles for rabbits so carry a shotgun for them. If I get low I have a bunch of bulk winchester PowerPoint hp's. They do serviceable work till I get more CCI.

American Eagle 38 grain hollowpoints. Head shots.

I like the Segmented CCI MiniMags now. I used to be a firm believer in the HPs, but considering how much better the Segmented loads shoot, I like them better nowadays. When I can't find the Segmented stuff, I now use Aguila 38gr. HVHPs, which shoot better in my CZs than the MiniMags. I have eight CZ .22LRs, and every single one of them favors the Aguila load. The two Rugers don't seem to care, they shoot everything equally poorly. They is, what they is.

Whatever it is, the load has to be accurate enough for headshots. I have a good supply of the old grey box Winchester truncated cone subsonic hollowpoint that are excellent. Eley SSHP are excellent. The old Winchester Power Points are very good, and I have a good stash of them around here. CCI Small Game Bullet work great and are consistently accurate. Mini Mags are terminally effective, always reliable, but I have never found them to be all that accurate. Mini Mags are always decently accurate, but never the most accurate in my various rifles and handguns. I have a Ruger MKIII Hunter and a MKIV LITE that is sighted in with Mini Mag. Other than those two nothing else shoots them well enough for head shots at longer ranges.

CCI Stingers for raccoons, usually just use the bulk federal 38 grain hp for rabbit.

My CZ's aren't picky but i shoot Norma Tac match or Federal Gold Medal match on head shots for grey squirrels.....Hb

My sporter weight Annie's seem to be more forgiving than the heavy barrel versions. Same with the Savage Annie.

I like SSHPs, whichever one your rifle prefers. I have a fair amount of the RWS, and they do pretty well in my guns and kill well.

I often hear the crack of the HS in the woods, and it’s louder than you might think. The SSs just make a soft pop.

My CZ 452 shoots cheap bulk stuff so well I never thought about subsonic stuff, but you all have me thinking. Great thread…

I have used CCI SV LR for years and it is accurate in ALL my .22s. Have shot a ton of squirrels, with that ammo.

Dinny, was able to help me find some, Hard to Find, CCI .22 Cal. Subsonic lead Hollow Points,
1050 fps. That I was Looking for.

It really works well with a Semi Rural type setting, at the Back end of a Development, and
using a Suppressor!

without a doubt my CZ 453 with a 12x optics is my favorite squirrel rifle.

Eley HVHP-SShp, RWS HVHP-SSHP.SK HVHP-SSHP and CCI 36gHP Anschutz 1415/16 CZ 452american and a 1022 semi bull barrel,,all 3 are bug hole shooters,at 50y 5shot group, head shots are all i shoot,, squirrel gets a pass if it dont show his head,, its a game my hunting pards and I have,, boiler room shots a killers too I kno, its quick dispatch of the game and the perfect shot these are the ammo I prefer,,, all 3 rifles shoot about anything except thunderbolt and golden bullets and will keep those inside a quarter at 50y the SK HVHP could be the best I ever shot,,only a few bricks left,,edit to say dont be afraid of the fiocchi sshp its also a lights out ammo and hits like the hammer of thor

Neighbor,, check with academy sports,, I was in store this week and they tons of that flavor in stock for $11 a 100ct sleeve

Yep. Stingers for any varmint. They kill stuff DRT.

Another one I really like because it's so quite is the discontinued PMC Moderator. Thankfully I saw that coming.

Ive got a few hundred Rem CB ( new type ) and CCI quiet.
My 455 doesn't like either.

Way way back had a 572 that did well w Rem.CB shorts ( 15 a brick.....27 yrs ago ).

That was a fun pest popper