The 22 Long Rifle is the undisputed gold standard for small game hunting and pest control, offering unparalleled affordability, negligible recoil, and minimal meat destruction. It is perfectly suited for hunting squirrels, rabbits, grouse, and small varmints in dense woods or rural properties. Hunters typically utilize bullet weights ranging from 32 grains to 40 grains, which achieve muzzle velocities between 1,050 and 1,430 feet per second. This yields a modest muzzle energy of 100 to 160 foot-pounds, requiring precise marksmanship to anchor game efficiently. Because the lightweight lead bullets shed energy rapidly and are highly susceptible to wind drift, the ethical and practical hunting range of the 22 LR is firmly capped at 50 to 75 yards.
22 LR Hunting
| Ammo / Load | Bullet Weight | Bullet Type | Muzzle Velocity | Muzzle Energy | BC | Hunting Purpose | Best Feature |
| CCI Mini-Mag | 36 grain | Copper Plated HP | 1,260 fps | 127 ft-lbs | .125 | Squirrels / Rabbits | Flawless cycling and highly reliable expansion |
| Federal Hunter Match | 40 grain | Hollow Point | 1,200 fps | 128 ft-lbs | .128 | Edible Small Game | Match grade accuracy combined with hunting performance |
| CCI Stinger | 32 grain | Copper Plated HP | 1,640 fps | 191 ft-lbs | .084 | Varmints / Pests | Hyper velocity for explosive fragmentation on rodents |
| Winchester Super-X | 40 grain | Copper Plated HP | 1,280 fps | 145 ft-lbs | .115 | General Plinking | Hard hitting and widely available at a budget price |
| CCI Subsonic HP | 40 grain | Lead Hollow Point | 1,050 fps | 98 ft-lbs | .120 | Suppressed Hunting | Whisper quiet operation for discreet pest control |
What Makes 22 LR Suitable For Hunting
The 22 Long Rifle (22 LR) is the most popular cartridge in the world, and its application in the hunting woods is legendary. Its primary advantage is precision. Because the cartridge produces virtually zero recoil and mild noise, hunters can practice extensively for pennies per round, developing the pinpoint accuracy required to hit a target the size of a golf ball at 50 yards.
When hunting small game, the 22 LR does not rely on massive hydrostatic shock. Instead, it relies on punching a clean hole through vital organs or the central nervous system. This low energy transfer is highly desirable for meat hunters, as it leaves the edible portions of rabbits and squirrels completely intact. It is the ultimate beginner cartridge, yet it remains a staple in the arsenals of expert woodsmen.
Best 22 LR Bullet Weight For Hunting
Bullet weights in 22 LR are highly standardized, but slight variations dictate the terminal performance on game.
- 32 to 36 grain: These are typically High Velocity (HV) or Hyper Velocity loads. Bullets like the 36 grain CCI Mini-Mag or 32 grain CCI Stinger sacrifice a small amount of mass to achieve speeds well over 1,200 fps. They shoot flatter than standard loads and expand violently, making them excellent for pest control.
- 40 grain: The universal gold standard for 22 LR hunting. A 40 grain bullet retains momentum better at 50 yards, penetrates deeper, and is less affected by light crosswinds. It is the preferred weight for hunters targeting tough squirrels or large jackrabbits.
- 45 grain and heavier: These are exclusively heavy subsonic loads designed to stay below the speed of sound while maximizing terminal mass. They are highly effective at close ranges, particularly when fired through a suppressor.
Best Bullet Type For Hunting
Because the 22 LR operates at low velocities compared to centerfire rifles, bullet construction is critical for transferring energy.
- Copper Plated Hollow Point (CPHP): The most versatile hunting bullet. The copper wash prevents lead fouling in the barrel, while the hollow point mushrooms upon impact to create a larger wound channel.
- Lead Round Nose (LRN): Often found on standard velocity target ammunition. They are incredibly accurate but do not expand. They will punch a clean, .22 caliber hole straight through an animal, making them ideal for headshots where meat preservation is paramount, but risky for body shots on tough pests.
- Segmented Hollow Point: A specialized bullet that breaks into three distinct pieces upon impact. It causes massive internal trauma and minimizes the risk of over penetration or ricochets, making it excellent for farm pest control.
22 LR Hunting Ballistics
The 22 LR has a looping trajectory, commonly referred to as a rainbow trajectory. Range estimation is critical past 50 yards.
Note: The following data represents estimated specifications fired from an 18 inch rifle barrel with a 50 yard zero.
CCI Mini-Mag 36gr CPHP (High Velocity)
- Muzzle: 1,260 fps / 127 ft-lbs
- 50 Yards: 1,070 fps / 92 ft-lbs
- 100 Yards: 940 fps / 71 ft-lbs
- Bullet Drop @ 100 Yards: -5.6 inches
CCI Standard Velocity 40gr LRN (Subsonic)
- Muzzle: 1,070 fps / 102 ft-lbs
- 50 Yards: 950 fps / 80 ft-lbs
- 100 Yards: 860 fps / 66 ft-lbs
- Bullet Drop @ 100 Yards: -7.4 inches
By 100 yards, a standard 22 LR bullet drops significantly and loses nearly half its kinetic energy, making hits on small vital zones exceptionally difficult.
22 LR Effective Range For Hunting
The practical and ethical effective range of the 22 LR for hunting is 50 to 75 yards.
Most ethical small game hunters require a minimum of 60 to 75 foot-pounds of striking energy for clean kills on tough animals like squirrels. The 22 LR reaches this minimum threshold right around 75 yards. Furthermore, the lightweight projectile is easily pushed off target by a mild breeze. While target shooters routinely hit steel plates at 100 or 200 yards with the 22 LR, doing so on live game is highly unethical due to the lack of terminal energy and the high probability of wounding the animal.
Supersonic vs Subsonic 22 LR For Hunting
The debate between supersonic (High Velocity) and subsonic (Standard Velocity) is a massive topic in the 22 LR hunting community.
- Subsonic (Standard Velocity): Generally preferred by precision hunters. Bullets traveling around 1,050 fps never break the sound barrier. High velocity bullets start supersonic but slow down and cross the transonic barrier around 40 yards, which causes them to destabilize slightly and lose accuracy. Subsonic ammunition is inherently more accurate and is whisper quiet when suppressed.
- Supersonic (High Velocity): Preferred for general hunting where slight accuracy degradation is an acceptable trade off for harder hitting hollow points. Loads traveling at 1,260 fps deliver more shock to the animal and shoot slightly flatter inside 75 yards.
Best Barrel Length For 22 LR Hunting
The 22 LR uses a tiny powder charge that reaches complete combustion very quickly.
- 16 to 18 inches: The optimal barrel length for a 22 LR hunting rifle. The bullet achieves maximum velocity within the first 14 to 16 inches of the barrel. An 18 inch barrel provides an excellent sight radius for iron sights and balances perfectly for carrying in the woods.
- 20 to 24 inches: Found on target and bolt action sporting rifles. These longer barrels do not increase velocity; in fact, the friction of the long barrel can slightly reduce the bullet’s speed. However, they are significantly quieter and offer a longer sight radius.
- Handgun Barrels (4 to 6 inches): Firing a 22 LR from a handgun results in a massive velocity loss, often dropping below 1,000 fps. Handgun hunting for small game is popular but requires the hunter to restrict shots to 20 or 30 yards.
Game Size And Hunting Conditions
The 22 LR is strictly a small game and pest control cartridge.
- Rabbits and Squirrels: This is the absolute sweet spot for the caliber. It anchors them cleanly and preserves the meat beautifully when loaded with proper hollow points or solid round nose bullets.
- Pests (Rats, Starlings, Crows): Highly effective for barnyard and agricultural pest eradication.
- Tough Varmints (Woodchucks, Raccoons): The 22 LR is highly marginal for tough, heavily muscled pests. Shots must be restricted to very close range (under 35 yards) and placed perfectly in the brain. A 22 Magnum or 17 HMR is a much better choice for these animals.
- Coyotes and Deer: Absolutely illegal and highly unethical. The 22 LR will not reliably penetrate the vitals of medium game, resulting in needless suffering.
Shot Placement And Bullet Performance
Because you are hunting with roughly 100 foot-pounds of energy, precision shot placement is mandatory.
When hunting edible small game, headshots are the absolute rule. A bullet placed between the eye and ear will instantly dispatch a squirrel or rabbit without damaging a single ounce of harvestable meat. If hunting pests where meat preservation is irrelevant, a center mass shot through the heart and lungs with a hollow point is acceptable, but the animal may still scramble a few yards before expiring.
Best 22 LR Hunting Loads
Based on decades of field use and ballistic consistency, these are the standout options for hunters:
- Best Overall for Small Game: CCI Mini-Mag 36gr CPHP. The most trusted 22 LR hunting load in the world, offering flawless semi-automatic cycling, clean burning powder, and reliable expansion.
- Best for Precision Hunting: Federal Hunter Match 40gr HP. Provides competition grade accuracy for strict headshots while still utilizing a hollow point design for terminal performance.
- Best for Maximum Shock: CCI Stinger 32gr CPHP. A hyper velocity load traveling at 1,640 fps that fragments violently, making it the top choice for farm pest control.
- Best for Suppressed Hunting: CCI Subsonic 40gr HP. Engineered to reliably cycle semi-automatic rifles while remaining below the speed of sound, offering devastatingly quiet performance.
Pros And Cons
Pros:
- Ammunition is incredibly affordable, allowing for limitless practice.
- Produces zero felt recoil, making it the perfect caliber for introducing new shooters to hunting.
- Preserves meat perfectly when precise headshots are taken.
- Mild report protects hearing and prevents spooking other game in the woods.
Cons:
- Severe trajectory drop and wind drift firmly cap the ethical range at 75 yards.
- Lacks the kinetic energy required to reliably anchor tough varmints like woodchucks at distance.
- Rimfire priming can occasionally lead to misfires (duds) compared to ultra reliable centerfire ammunition.
FAQs
Is 22 LR good for hunting?
Yes, it is the most widely used and highly effective cartridge for hunting small game and dispatching pests at close range.
What is the effective range of a 22 LR for hunting?
The ethical effective range is roughly 50 to 75 yards. Past 75 yards, the bullet drops rapidly and loses the energy required to guarantee a clean kill.
Can you hunt coyotes with a 22 LR?
No. It is highly unethical and widely considered underpowered for coyotes. A 22 LR lacks the energy to penetrate a coyote’s thick muscle and bone, often resulting in a painful, non-lethal wound.
What grain 22 LR is best for hunting?
A 36 grain to 40 grain bullet is the best choice for general hunting, offering the optimal balance of velocity, wind resistance, and terminal energy.
Is High Velocity or Standard Velocity better for hunting?
High Velocity (supersonic) is generally better for body shots on pests due to reliable hollow point expansion. Standard Velocity (subsonic) is better for strict headshots on edible game because it is inherently more accurate.
Will a 22 LR ruin squirrel meat?
Not if you place your shots correctly. A headshot preserves all the meat. However, a body shot with a high velocity hollow point can destroy the front shoulders of a squirrel.
Can you hunt deer with a 22 LR?
Absolutely not. It is illegal in almost every jurisdiction and entirely unethical. The 22 LR is strictly a small game cartridge.
Final Verdict
Is the 22 LR good for hunting? The 22 Long Rifle is a foundational hunting cartridge that belongs in the safe of every outdoorsman. It is best suited for hunting squirrels, rabbits, and small pests in dense woods where shots are taken inside 50 to 75 yards.
The ideal ammunition is a 36 grain to 40 grain copper plated hollow point that ensures reliable cycling and consistent expansion. Its major advantages are its silent operation, lack of recoil, and unmatched affordability. Its primary limitations are a severe lack of kinetic energy for anything larger than a rabbit and a looping trajectory that prohibits long range shooting. If you want to put meat in the stew pot or silently clear rats from a grain barn, the 22 LR is a flawless and time tested tool.