I use my .22's mostly for shooting ground squirrels in the summer... My small game hunting cottontails and the like is done with my .22 Hornet.. The last tree squirrels I shot were also with the Hornet... But for hunting if you use a ,22 what is your favorite ammo.. I bought a bunch of Fed. bulk 22lr hp... The other day I shot maybe 15 gophers with it and my 521T.. Some where solid heart lung hits and the big gophers made it a few feet into a hole...I don't like that so went back to CCI MM HP ammo for my 94-22 and Stingers in my bolt action CZ.. My only complaint is the 94 does not group nearly as well as the CZ or 521T with that ammo, but it does a job on gophers, and the Stingers are even better.. What is your favorite...

My grandson was shooting them with the Aguila 38 grain super extra hollow points and had really good luck with it. Accuracy was pretty decent also.

I like the old winchester power point hollow points. I have one brick left. I shot two groundhogs recently with federal 31 grain hyper velocity hollow points. No complaints.

The most accurate short of buying the $18 fifty county boxes. American Eagle HP for a Ruger 77/22. Win HP Power Points for an Anschutz. Go for head or shoulder shots on Belding's Ground Squirrels. They do not run away.

The old Winchester Power Point (X22LRPP) was completely excellent but is no longer in production in the same configuration (I've still got bricks of the stuff). That being said, the two best that I have found accuracy/lethality-wise is the SK High Velocity Hollow Point and Lapua Hollow Point. I'm not certain that either load is still in production (again, I've got multiple bricks of both) but if you find them, they are worth the price.

RS

Winchester 1906 - Remington Thunder bolt 40 grs, round nose solid bullet.

Ruger 10/22 Winchester SuperX Power Point 40 gr, lead hollow point

Ruger 77/22 Remington Viper 22 Hyper Velocity 36 gr. solid bullet (1410 fps.)

My 10/22 has a belly full of Velocitors waiting for the woodchucks to come in.

The velocitors shoot dime sized groups @ 50yds and deliver instant death.

Remington golden bullet hollow point is the most accurate out of my Rem 581. with a solid body hit they won't get down the hole.

I'm really like the Aguila 38 grain HP high velocity load

Those and CCI Stingers are my go to loads.

Eley subsonic HP

CCI Subsonic. I like RWS Subsonic too. Both are deadly on squirrels.

I have a new found love for the Velociter. Deadly accurate and very few rats make it back to the hole.

I mostly hunt tree squirrels, with my .22s. My favorite load is CCI SV LR.

Over decades mostly used Minimag HPs. Red Squirrels to beavers and porkies.

Now prefer CCI subsonic HPs. Also the Eley version.

For rats at night CCI Quiet segmented HPs.

If I am hunting with a 22lr, there is a 99% chance I am squirrel hunting. Since we only head shoot them, I would use the most accurate ammo I can find.

RWS subsonics. I started using them in the late 70's and have never looked back. I like the PMC Moderators also, they are super quiet.

CCI Quick Shok. Puts a hurting on small game.

Since the 80's I've relied on Eley Tenex, Federal Gold UltraMatch (UM1), RWS R50, and their ilk for all my tree squirrel hunting. Winchester 52's, Springfield M2, Winchester Low Wall get the nod- as long as a rifle exhibits dime size or less accuracy at 50 yards it's good to go. Head shots in the main, but occasional chest shots still see them tumble out of the tree dead. I'm quite willing to sacrifice a little pizazz on the bullet's part in exchange for hair-splitting accuracy.

Those guns and ammo suffice rather nicely for backyard predators also. Three garden raiding groundhogs last year and a chicken killing fox this year succumbed to low vel target solids, all at roughly 50 yards. You don't need hyper velocity or HP's if the bullet goes squarely into the brain. Besides that, they are very quiet- a "pttt" versus a "crack" has advantages both in a suburban backyard and in the squirrel woods.

Note too: when I take up a station in the woods, I use a rangefinder to mark various distances so I know exactly where to hold or what elevation setting to employ to take advantage of having worked out bullet drops at the range. Same goes for pre-measured distances in the backyard. With the low velocity of this ammo it's what I do to compensate for increased bullet drop versus hi vel ammo.

I am mostly a gopher (ground squirrel) shooter and I really like the CCI Mini-Mag HP, they give acceptable accuracy out of all of my 22's. They hit hard enough that there are very few crawl-aways most shots are DRT which I really like because even though I like shooting gophers I hate to see any animal suffer needlessly.

drover

The new Winchester Power Points aren't as accurate as the old Australian made product, but for most of my rifles, they are still accurate enough for squirrel work. And those particular hollow points are extremely effective on ground squirrels and quite often open up to nickel size when you get a solid body hit...

Are you sure the critters are crawling back to their holes, or are their buddies dragging them back to the hole for an appetizer later? I've watched with binos several times and seen other squirrels from the same hole dragging a dead buddy back in the hole... surprised the heck out of me the first couple times I saw it...

Bob

Whoa, that's interesting!

cci mm hp

I have observed that too, and in many instances have seen their brethren start eating on them while they are still alive, which is another reason I like instantaneous kills on them.

drover

I like these also. I used to favor CCI MiniMag HPs, but lately, they aren't shooting quite as well as the Aguila, in my rifles. I've stashed away a couple of cases of the Aguilas (caught them on sale last fall, before the covid-craziness hit us all). I'm probably good for life now.

Mini mags and velositors

Mini mag hollow points for hunting, cci standard for paper punching

Every rifle is different. But for bulk pack ammo Winchester Xpert 36 grain HPs shoot very accurately in my Marlin 795.

We often kill rats feasting on their dead comrades. Not sure if they prefer grain or rat meat.

CCI Mini Mag HP have been my favorite. Tried others but haven't found anything better.

This

WCH,

Before leaving Montana I was using the Browning 40gr HP's in my bolt guns.

They give the best "thwack" for the buck IMO. Hammers gophers and bunnies.

Pretty much in gnoahhh’s camp on the topic though I favor, excuse me, my rifles prefer different brands. SK Standard+ and the old Wolf MT. The 10/22 likes old production WW Power Point quite well, but kills the pigs with CCI SV.

I have no use for HV ammo, but plenty of uses for precise accuracy and quiet.

I love the CCI Segmented Subsonic HPs. If those were unavailable, I'd happily use the CCI Subsonic 45gr HPs too. I have over 20 different types of 22lr to try out this summer for accuracy in my rifles/pistols and can't wait to see what other notable mentions turn up!

In my Tikka I found excellent accuracy with CCI Blazer ammo, but found that a round nose bullet just would not anchor some critters. Finally switched to Remington Golden HP ammo and those work great. There are probably several ammo choices that are a bit more accurate, but the Goldens are inexpensive and plenty accurate enough.

Back when I used Blazer ammo, there was a skunk living under a little guest cottage we have. Really stinking the place up. Finally I caught it out in the open and shot it. And it got up, and I shot it again. I think I shot it 8 or 10 times before it was completely and utterly dead, and I went back to the barn. But it wasn’t dead, and dragged itself back under the cottage and let out a last massive blast of spray. Ok, says I, I need a better bullet. The Golden HPs are that better bullet.

CCI Mini Mag hollowpoints ... #1 by far.

I like Stingers in guns that shoot them well.

Other good choices are the WW Power Point HPs and Federal's bulk / loss leader HPs.

For "stunt" rimfire shootin', CB caps and BB caps will usually go through a squirrel's head up close.

Tom

Firing those out of a pistol with hearing protection, you can even hear the extra horsepower. I haven't popped any animals with them yet.

I just bought a case of Eley 38 gr HVHP. I am going to do some accuracy testing with them soon. Then I'll see what they do on a critter.

Whatever groups well for the firearm I'm using. A bullet to the brain will result in DEAD! especially with small game.

whatever comes out of my pocket next. I got a handful of 10/20/30/40/50 year old LR and L rounds in there now, just hanging on a coat hook. all perform the same.
I do like those LONGS. nice and quiet.

These are lights out accurate in my Ruger 77/22 SS/Syn

Thanks for all the replies.. Got some ideas for new ammo.. My ammo works, just like to try stuff.. For the guys popping squirrels in the head I understand the need for super accuracy..

My gopher shooting doesn’t require that super accuracy.. I need a good accurate shell, but one that causes damage.. When popping gophers the ranchers want as many killed as possible.. So I take quartering shots that would ruin a tree squirrel for eating.. I don’t want cripples, even well hit ones can make it to a hole if major damage doesn’t occur... To get as many gophers as I can in a day I take all kinds of shots that I would pass if I were hunting game.. I want dead gophers not suffering one.. Thanks for all the replies, I learned a lot.. Doubt I ever get to hunt many tree squirrels again, but I have great ideas for ammo if I do.

I just finished up the last of the orange box PMC Zappers. There are still a couple bricks of the red & white box Zappers in the closet. These have been my favorites for decades but are apparently no longer made. I only shoot squirrel size critters with them. Next size up around here is ground hogs which need a center-fire. Just because.

I'm trying some of the Aguila 38HPs while breaking in a brand new CZ455 along with Geco 40 gr solids & whatever else is in the closet from old white box Winchester to Remintgtom Match . There's 300 rounds thru the barrel so far. The Zappers shot best of everything, which was no surprise. Whatever happened to PMC? The Aguila 38s went into the same size, or smaller, groups at 100 yds. as they did at 50. It was a tad breezy that day too. Not sure why?

WW Power Points, very accurate in my Ultra Light Arms. Nothing knocks a squirrel out of a tree like a HV HP.

I am in a greement with you on shooting ground squirrels, I do not want crawl-offs either. The best combination of accuracy and hard-hitting 22 LR ammo that I have found is CCI Mini-Mag hollow points. They hit with a hard distinct thump, it is very rare to have a crawl off using them. The CCI Mini-Mag round nose do not hit nearly as hard as the hollow points.

They are pricey and a bit difficult to find but are well worth it.

It has warmed up enough here that most of our squirrels are back underground now - it is a long time until next spring.

drover

42gr power points are great, but can't get them anymore. Only a few packets left. Bummer.

Drover, I agree with you.. Those mm hollow points are my std. round.. I stock up when ever I see. Them at a reasonable price.. Bought 10,000 20 years ago, just before I retired.. I also managed a case of Stingers and Yellowjackets shortly afterward.. I think all the yellowjackets are used up but one carton,, Still have some stingers , and bought 1000 more last winter.. They were my main round this year.. The only thing is they do not shoot well in all my .22’s.. Only my CZ and 513T.. Mini Mags shoot well in everything!!
Lately I have been shooting my CZ 17hmr with 17 gr. Max!!! Just awesome.. But as you said, the gophers are going down.. Hope to get a couple hundred more this summer, but it doesn’t look good.. Thanks for the input everyone!!!

Hornady Varmint Express .22 WMR Ammunition 200 Rounds 30 Grain Hornady V-Max Projectile 2200fps

Used to use the Win Power Points for sage rat, squirrel , and critter hunting for many years until they stopped making them in Australia.. They were very accurate in my rifles and those hollow points on the PP's in particular really would pop when they hit something. The new PP ammo just doesn't shoot as well in my rifles and I only have a couple boxes of the old stuff left, so I'm kind of using it sparingly at the moment. Some of the new stuff is acceptable, but not as pinpoint accurate as some other ammo I use- Federal Gold Medal and SK Standard Plus, so I'm using what my rifles like so I can hit those little bastids while they stand still for a few seconds... once my small stash of PP is gone I won't be restocking unless there is some real improvement in the USA made product...

I would prefer to use hollow points, but other than the Win Power Points, I haven't seen all that much difference between the hollow points and round nose in terminal results....

Bob

CCI mini- mags or Aguila HV 40gr rn. Those two work well in my 25N and 39A. F those Remington Thunderturds.

My Norinco bolt action really likes Velocitors. Never had a running problem with squirrels or rabbits at 25 yds or so as long as I did my part. My old stocks are dwindling and who knows when anything will be readily available again, so I've switched to my hoard of WW Power Points. That rifle really likes those too. For skunks, possums, coons etc I learned a long time ago to just use my 30-30; got tired of smelling them decay in the woods.

WyoCoyoteHunter: Considering accuracy and lethality, in my best 22's, I use the 40 grain Winchester Power-Point hollow-points!
These cartridges are (still!) very accurate, in my best heavy barrel 22's (Remington 40X, Kimber 82-G, Kimber Hunter/Silhouette, Sako P94-S, Ruger 77/22 V/T, 2 Ruger American Varmints and 2 Remington 541-T's).
These are a bit pricey but in my experience they are worth it.
Next behind that great cartridge and the ones I shoot in vast numbers every year I use the Federal 36 grain hollow-point bulk pack bullets.
My batch of Ruger 10/22's, Remington 511's, 552's, Marlin 39-A's and my Browning BuckMark Varmint Rifle all use these Federal bullets with good results.
Thank goodness the 22 rimfire ammunition "shortage" is over!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

+1, have 2 1/2 bricks left. Tried the new power points and no where near as accurate. Old 50 yards ~ 1/2", new 1 1/2" pattern. Rifle a Kimber huntsman.

I read through the whole thread and didn’t see any mention of the CCI Small Game Bullet. Has anyone tried it. It shoots well in all my 22s but I haven’t had a chance to try it out on rabbits yet. Just curious how it performed if anyone has used it.

Rifle dependent and I go for accuracy. One likes American Eagle HP's and the other Win Power Points. The Win Power Points seem to have vanished, but I did stock up back when Obama voiced distaste for middle America's fondness for church and firearms. Always use HP''s as they put a bit more hurt on ground squirrels. The high end target stuff is slightly better but I don't have the coin for a couple cases each spring.

It's accurate and reliable in all my rifles. Shoots flat, hits hard and tears up less meat than a hollowpoint. It is in the mid price range, not as inexpensive as Mini Mags, but less expensive than something from Eley.

I use CCI 36gr. HP's in my 77/22 and about anything in my old Savage 6A. It will chamber Stingers where the 77/22 will not.

Plane Jane winchester white box expert HP’s. They’re cheap and hit hard. If I’m shooting suppressed CCI suppressor or RWS subsonic HP.

BeN

winchester subsonic hp,cci subsonic hp or eley subsonic hp all in 40 grain iteration with my fav the winny's HUGE truncated cone hp.
Big Ed

I've been running Armscor 36 gr HP's for prairie dogs for quite sometime now out of my pistols (for terminal effect not accuracy really), but I've just started hollow-pointing Blazers lately with my Neal Waltz die and find it to be very good also.

I have some where over 6000 of the old Win 40gr HP PPs and they do shoot well in everything and kill better than anything else I have tried.

That said having gone suppressed for pretty much all 22 rf shooting the sonic crack is annoying and they are still super sonic in a 6 inch pistol.

The world needs a 45gr or so subsonic, big HP, super accurate, and semi auto reliable RF at bulk ammo prices.

I would be down for a brick or 20.

My favorite ammo is the cheap chidt, as long as it shoots accurately and doesn't malfunction. Examples of this are the bulk boxed of federal hp's and the american eagle hp ammo. They work just fine for killing chidt too..

Winchester High Velocity Experts......... I love that big flat point with the large hole in it. Many one shot kills on rock chucks at 50 yards +-.

Sometimes that squared off point on the bullet can cause some feeding problems in some autos. They feed OK for me in my 10/22's and CZ.

Ii mostly shoot squirrels still hunting. Among the most accurate 22 shells I've used were Russian standard velocity brass case shells that I bought in the 90s. They shoot exceptionally well in my Kimber, Sako and Win 69A.

I bought 10 bricks of these back in the days when President Clinton told me I didn't need an "assault rifle" or munitions from other countries. So I went out and bought a Chinese SKS, a tin of 7.62 x 39 and these ten bricks of Russian 22s. If I remember right, I gave $9 a brick for them.

I still run onto boxes of the Russian shells from time to time in the workshop, but I'm mostly out of them now. They came in a brown box with a plastic tray and with a black outline of a Capercaille (sp) grouse, and the brick was packaged in a heavy brown craft paper with the ends folded over.

And CCI comes through again......it's good stuff too!

The most accurate off the shelf. Presently Win Power Points (HP) or American Eagle (HP) in Anschtuz, and Ruger, respectively. Volume is such that I cannot afford the competition grade stuff. Most everything else does nice patterns.

Anything That the package is stamped CCI.....

Ken

CCI Segmented Subsonics

I like CCI Subsonic, has worked well for me. I'm trying Eley Edge EPS this season; the flat nosed bullet. Very accurate from my Kimber Hunter.

BB and CB caps aren’t stunt shooting fodder. Been killin’ stuff for years with both. Squill, ‘dillos, coons etc. It be expensive stuff anymore, won’t replenish when I run out.

Besides RWS Subsonic, Norma Subsonic 22lr. shoot extremely well in several of my rimfire rifles. Excellent Squirrel round.