Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 22 cal CF and bears

Every bullet has limitations and shots need to be made according the limitations of the bullet. The key is knowing the limitations, making the shot required, and passing up those shots that the bullet is unsuitable for.

Most of us would be unwilling to live with the limitations of a 22cf when hunting bears, but that does not mean a 22cf is incapable of reliably killing a bear.

Yes, I agree with the theoretic fact that a .22 centerfire (caliber) will kill a brown/grizzly bear. However, I question the choice, as opposed to the happenstance circumstance.

As someone whose (thus far) been responsible for the killing of more than 140 of the beasts, I would definitely question the choice of that caliber over something larger.

But, I would agree with the theory of its (.22 centerfire) capability on brown/grizzly bear when used in controlled (predictable) situations or possibly even a happenstance (sheer luck) chance.

Nothing theoretical about it. I see it regularly. Among the "stunt" shooters is one huntress that has offed 7 of the beasts with her mini-14 (not happenstance and I suggest that 7 of them displays skill rather than luck) and she is confident more will succumb should the opportunity arise...........

Nothing theoretical about it. I see it regularly. Among the "stunt" shooters is one huntress that has offed 7 of the beasts with her mini-14 (not happenstance and I suggest that 7 of them displays skill rather than luck) and she is confident more will succumb should the opportunity arise...........

You say that "she" killed seven brown/grizzly bears with a .22 centerfire? If so, where did "she" kill those?

SW Alaska.

Just so you know, that out in the bush, particularly with the natives, they tend to lean toward centerfire .22s and .30-30s. Just about every boat or sno-go (in winter)running up and down the Yukon or Koyukuk Rivers has a Mini-14 in it or strapped on it. The younger generation is more into the ARs and SKSs. But they see them and use them as general everyday utility guns for everything from mice to meese and sometimes when necessary, bears.

I've asked several of them over the years why the .22s and they acknowledge they may be small, but they carry a lot of ammo if needed. You almost never see them take a body shot either. They all aim for the head........wastes less meat that way.

Even out here on the AKPEN in big bear country you find most of the rifles being toted by locals are .270 Win or smaller. It's only the outsiders that carry the big boomers.

You could hunt bear with a CF .22 , but it's overkill ! A .17 HMR is all anybody needs , of course you should use the 17 Gr. bullet too . The 20 Gr. ruins too much meat !

About 30 or so years ago a lady who had a ranch a little south of Bozeman heard a disturbance one night in her sheep corral. She grabbed her .22-250 and went out to see what was going on. There were 3 grizzlies killing her sheep, and she killed each with one shot apiece.

I have another friend in Bozeman that hunts and kills a black bear almost every year with his .22-250. Scenarshooter know who he is.

Speaking of Scenarshooter, how many bears have you shot with your .220 Swift Pat?