Muskrat Ammo

[Marty S]

My experience with .22 bullets these days is that it is all really hard on the rats. In the olden days (Im 45ish) we could shoot rats with long rifles and longs and they were shot clean but seems like these days whenever I shoot rats with anything I'd mess them up far more thaqn need be, except CCI CB Longs, but they aren't completely accurate. It's like the lead is softer in the long rifle bullets of the last decade.

Anybody else notice this? or am I going senile in my old age? Even the shorts seem like they hit them too hard, pretty zippy.

Have you found a good muskrat bullet? What is it?

We should email the bullet companies and beg for a hardened solid bullet for fur collection purposes. Mind you right now with Obamaggeddon happening, now might not be the best time to ask!

[gman1978]

Marty you are right on the money with your comments. I have noticed the same thing too. Not even worth shooting in most cases because even with a solid head shot its a mess. Stick to the traps and sub cages now mostly. I liked the federal Long rifle ammo ( 20 years ago). It worked great with limited damage. (Man that bring's back some great times!)

[Daslogster]

Eley subsonic, I love the stuff.

[spentround]

Try subsonic 22 ammo....a couple hundred feet slower speed..Also try CB type ammo...slower yet and great closer range....should have good results.

[HunterDave]

I haven't tried a lot of different types of ammo but I'm loaded with solid target ammo. I noticed a difference between the hollow points. I might have to try those sub sonics that were mentioned. Now adays I just let the traps catch them and I don't even bother carrying a rifle with me.

[rugerfan]

I'd try some subsonics, cabelas in Edmonton had a bunch of cci Quiet .22 last time I was in there.

[bill9044]

I use Winchester wild cats. Solid lead bullets. Don't expect to do a body shot and get them you need head shot only.

[tikka250]

i havent shot many muskrats but the ones i did i used CCI QUIET subsonics. unlike cb's which are a 29? grain they are a full 40 grain bullet which has a bit more punch.

[6tmile]

I use a Gammo air rifle with a 3x9 scope in .177 cal. Take them out to 50 yards if there is not much of a cross wind. Hardly any sound and anchors them right there. No mess and no damage.

[pointer]

Federal solids seem to work good for me same size in and out very little damage

[PCP_ECOM]

Originally Posted by 6tmile

I use a Gammo air rifle with a 3x9 scope in .177 cal. Take them out to 50 yards if there is not much of a cross wind. Hardly any sound and anchors them right there. No mess and no damage.

x2 I tried .177 this year for first time,it shoots 1000 fps and yes knocks them down,even with standard style pellet,i bought some varmit ammo for it

[Marty S]

Originally Posted by Daslogster

Eley subsonic, I love the stuff.

So where do you buy this stuff at? Are you using the hollow point? Or something else.

[H380]

Plain Remington Hi velocity solids work pretty well for me .

[bill9044]

Originally Posted by PCP_ECOM

x2 I tried .177 this year for first time,it shoots 1000 fps and yes knocks them down,even with standard style pellet,i bought some varmit ammo for it

Are you hitting head shots or vitals? Not sure if you hitting them while swimming or on their food pads or shore.

[Secret coulee]

Originally Posted by bill9044

I use Winchester wild cats. Solid lead bullets. Don't expect to do a body shot and get them you need head shot only.

Bingo-with the wild cats, but even better then the wild cats is all i shoot is the copper plated solids by American eagle they shoot awsome with all my 3 single shot cooeyes but key is all head shots-pin hole goin in and pin hole goin out but i find the wildcats fragment just a tiny little bit depending on the angle of the head shot but is not even a facter to even wory about for the LR cause they both shoot great,and trapping for me is many other species cause my two beaver and rat retrievers is all i enjoy watching for the retrievels

[Powder monkey]

By far the best .22 rounds I've used on rats were Czech made bb caps and cb caps. They were in a little plastic container looked like smokeless tobacco container. Quiet like a pellet gun,no exit and usually not even a smashed up skull

[PCP_ECOM]

Originally Posted by bill9044

Are you hitting head shots or vitals? Not sure if you hitting them while swimming or on their food pads or shore.

Took some in head and in body still took them out

[Marty S]

I've shot some with Wildcats, but like SC said some fragmenting and I'm wanting cleaner.

Anybody ever use these? I want some, if they shoot accurately...



How do they perform? In a solid of course, I suspect the HP isn't for muskrats.

[Daslogster]

I have found they are not bad in the accuracy tends dept but found they don't cycle in most semi-auto 22's I tried, either rifles or handguns reliably