# Hunting with .22 birdshot?



## Wiswash

I want to shoot pigeons and doves with 22 birdshot. Is there an effective birdshot manufacturer? I bought some Federal gamestopper birdshot and I patterned it at 15 yards. Shot is so spread out (15-20 inch diameter) that I dont think it will be an effective killer. I want to use this on headshots and save as much meat as possible and thats my reason for wanting the birdshot. At 40 yds my percentage of head shots would not be high enough to warrant genuine hunting with the .22 long rifle bullet. 

Also I use a Ruger 10/22 LR and these cartridges Federal "gamestoppers" (birdshot) dont have enough power to power the autoload mechanism. Does anyone have any better ideas for an effective setup. Thanks


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## mosquitomountainman

Use a shotgun. 22 shot loads are for close range (measured in feet ... not yards) eradication of pests like snakes, rats, birds etc.


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## NaeKid

I also picked up a box of those .22 birdshot shells to use in the barn to get rid of pest-birds. From what I was told, that is what those shells are designed for, very close range without having enough power to go through the walls of the barn.

I wondered when I got them if I shot my buddy in the butt with that, would it hurt or tickle him?


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## sailaway

I shoot this ammo from a Stevens 44, single shot and works well for shooting snakes around the house. I'm seldom more than 15' away.


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## ZoomZoom

I'll pile on and from my experience:
Don't use in a semi-auto. They don't work since they don't have the pressure to eject or feed the next round.
20 feet or so is about max, and that's on a small bird. A dove or pigeon wouldn't be bothered.


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## HozayBuck

The best are CCI shot shells, and close range they are hell on a snake, but a beer can shot at about 6 ft barely had a mark...

If your shooting birds sitting still a Ruger 10-22 is plenty accurate to head shoot them, with a scope, iron sights will do the job but a scope is better if you have a safe place to shoot toss out some of the plastic lids from water bottles and blast away, when you hit them they will fly, bounce, jump etc, and just chase them, it's fun and in time you will be hitting them out as far as you can see them... just work at it, it will come. I once got 4 grouse with head shots with a smith 22 revolver before they noticed they were falling over... with a dead rest and cocking the hammer and at about 15 yards.. your on the right track, but the wrong ammo...and wing shooting is out!!


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## mmszbi

When we were kids we used 22 birdshot to hunt dragonflies. This much I can tell you...if you can consistently hit a dragonfly, there is not a duck, dove or any other game bird stands a chance come hunting season with a shotgun.
We often hunted rattlesnakes in the AZ desert with birdshot, pretty much what it's limited to.


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## NaeKid

mmszbi said:


> When we were kids we used 22 birdshot to hunt dragonflies. This much I can tell you...if you can consistently hit a dragonfly, there is not a duck, dove or any other game bird stands a chance come hunting season with a shotgun.
> We often hunted rattlesnakes in the AZ desert with birdshot, pretty much what it's limited to.


 I love dragon flies


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## HozayBuck

mmszbi said:


> When we were kids we used 22 birdshot to hunt dragonflies. This much I can tell you...if you can consistently hit a dragonfly, there is not a duck, dove or any other game bird stands a chance come hunting season with a shotgun.
> We often hunted rattlesnakes in the AZ desert with birdshot, pretty much what it's limited to.


Ahh Dude, I'm sorry , I showed your post to a lady friend who's an artist and her fave thing is dragonflies...so if you feel a sharp pain in your back or chest...well she did study something one summer in Jamaica Mon.. or was it in the swamps of the deep south...

Anyway, maybe a donation to the "Free the Dragonflies foundation" might help...maybe...But!! she's really good looking so the pain may be worth it...:dunno:

But good luck.... NK maybe we should step back a bit...


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## Wiswash

Thanks for your feedback. You see, Ive got neighbors in three directions, 300 yards away. The LR is a risk here. So I have to shoot careful. In the 4th direction is a swamp so I practice on the blackbirds, hitting at 125 yds. Of course the doves, which are plentiful, perch themselves between me and the neighbors houses.


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## mmszbi

I'll take my chances with the sharp pains...last time was just gas

These were not purty dragonflies...big black mean ones that would just as soon take a chunk outta ya.

No rattlesnake lovers??:dunno:


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## The_Blob

Wiswash said:


> Thanks for your feedback. You see, Ive got neighbors in three directions, 300 yards away. The LR is a risk here. So I have to shoot careful. In the 4th direction is a swamp so I practice on the blackbirds, hitting at 125 yds. Of course the doves, which are plentiful, perch themselves between me and the neighbors houses.


pretty smart for a varmint with a brain the size of a pea...

ever notice how there can be 1000 crows cawing & making all kinds of racket until about *5 seconds* before you step out on the porch with your gun? :gaah:


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## eldarbeast

Back in the 1930's and after WW II, Remington produced several smoothbore .22's and 5mm expressly used for shooting small clays out to a distance of 30 YARDS. The intent was to allow trap and skeet shooting in a smaller area.

Regular rat shot will perform like a shotgun when fired through a smoothbore. There have been several other manufacturers of smoothbores (Mossberg, for one)...

eldarbeast


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## Jimmy24

You may want to try CB shorts. Low vel, but plenty to kill doves. Can catch them in pellet gun traps most of the time. Can shoot as single shot in an auto.

22 Conical Ball Cap by CCI - 22 CB Short, (Per 100) - Marine n Sports

Jimmy


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## stand

*Use a blowgun, slingshot pellet rifle, bola, throwing stick*

traps, ojibwa snares, nets and bird "lime" (while roosting, at night) to catch them instead. Dragonflies and toads eat skeeters, so leave them be. They are your friends. Bugs are going to be pure hell once there is no more Deet, etc.


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## The_Blob

I would suggest using an air rifle for small game like that, no kick, low noise, low cost... I'm personally a big fan


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## Magus

Wiswash said:


> I want to shoot pigeons and doves with 22 birdshot. Is there an effective birdshot manufacturer? I bought some Federal gamestopper birdshot and I patterned it at 15 yards. Shot is so spread out (15-20 inch diameter) that I dont think it will be an effective killer. I want to use this on headshots and save as much meat as possible and thats my reason for wanting the birdshot. At 40 yds my percentage of head shots would not be high enough to warrant genuine hunting with the .22 long rifle bullet.
> 
> Also I use a Ruger 10/22 LR and these cartridges Federal "gamestoppers" (birdshot) dont have enough power to power the autoload mechanism. Does anyone have any better ideas for an effective setup. Thanks


CCI rules.the crimped "snake shot"Remington made is just mustard seed.out of a 6" barreled revolver or the Remington rifle made for shot they do quite well at 10-15 feet.

Here's something quiet:
Re size 357 brass to 38 special size and ream out the primer hole to 3/16ths.
USE NO POWDER!!!

Melt some canning wax in a tuna can until its 1/2 " deep and mix in a tube of radiator graphite.place the can into a pan of ice water or allow to cool naturally until it is 3/4 hard and press the 357 casing into it and allow to fully harden.then seat a magnum cap into the primer hole and mark the cases with red paint on the base,loading these modified cases with a regular load will probably blow up your gun!

Back to the soft slug:
Always store in a cool place like in an Altoids box in the back of the fridge,they will melt in hot weather!

Best used out of a pistol,you can kill rabbits and squirrels [with a head shot!]out to 30 feet and they are highly accurate and no louder than a squib load[as in it doesn't sound like gunfire.]you can also practice all day without endangering or pissing off your neighbors.

Clean your bore with kerosene or other solvent that dissolves wax.


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## ttruscott

I'd go .410 myself having no luck at all with .22 birdshot.


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## Magus

A 410 is loud.LOL


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