Shooting Rats with a .22LR

[JamesK 2]

Its Common practice in America for rats to be shot with a .22LR rifle and if you are able to do this in the uk i can skip getting a Weihrauch HW100 and go straight for a .22LR since i'm gonna be on rat duty for a while yet until i find somewhere with rabbits.

 

So my question is, can you shoot rats with a .22LR? Legally of course.

Edited March 30, 2011 by JamesK

[Countryplinker 4]

Its Common practice in America for rats to be shot with a .22LR rifle and if you are able to do this in the uk i can skip getting a Weihrauch HW100 and go straight for a .22LR since i'm gonna be on rat duty for a while yet until i find somewhere with rabbits.

 

So my question is, can you shoot rats with a .22LR? I'm sure you can, but can you do it without getting into trouble.

 

Thanks in advance

 

James.

If you're goin to shoot rats out in the open with a safe back-stop you could use a .22lr , but in a confined space ie barn etc or around farm machinery using one would be very dodgy with richochets & misses , IMO you'd be alot safer with an Air rifle atb

[JamesK 2]

Its Common practice in America for rats to be shot with a .22LR rifle and if you are able to do this in the uk i can skip getting a Weihrauch HW100 and go straight for a .22LR since i'm gonna be on rat duty for a while yet until i find somewhere with rabbits.

 

So my question is, can you shoot rats with a .22LR? I'm sure you can, but can you do it without getting into trouble.

 

Thanks in advance

 

James.

If you're goin to shoot rats out in the open with a safe back-stop you could use a .22lr , but in a confined space ie barn etc or around farm machinery using one would be very dodgy with richochets & misses , IMO you'd be alot safer with an Air rifle atb

 

Where i shoot them is outside next to a large shed so when i take the shot there is always grass / mud behind them would that be a good enough back stop?

[stubby 175]

if you can find a stockists, you can get cb longs, or rat stoppers, very simular to a shotgun shell, they have a clear plastic dome end, filled with lead shot, you need to remove the moderator though when using these, so if noise is an issue they may not be best, outside into grass is fine, the cb longs, have a lower fps, do some google searches on .22 ammo, you'll find them, sometimes dearer than sub sonics though.

 

as long as your cert allows you on that land, to shoot vermin, then I cant see any reason not too, you could always make your own safe backstops, paving slabs on edge, feeding area {liquidised cat food} in front

[salukiwhippet 6]

Legally you're fine, practically maybe less so.

 

.22lr is a bouncy little bugger so ricochets can be an issue, even on soft ground if the angle is shallow.

 

CB longs can be ok but won't cycle a semi auto and they bounce too, though they have much less energy to begin with (30ftlb rather than 90 or so)

 

.22 Shotshells in a rifled barrel are pretty poo - effective range not much more than about 6ft due to the blown pattern from the rifling.

 

Airguns are just about perfect for rat work - why would it have to be a HW100? A cheapie springer or c02 gun will be more than adequate - or even a cheaper PCP

 

James

[JamesK 2]

Legally you're fine, practically maybe less so.

 

.22lr is a bouncy little bugger so ricochets can be an issue, even on soft ground if the angle is shallow.

 

CB longs can be ok but won't cycle a semi auto and they bounce too, though they have much less energy to begin with (30ftlb rather than 90 or so)

 

.22 Shotshells in a rifled barrel are pretty poo - effective range not much more than about 6ft due to the blown pattern from the rifling.

 

Airguns are just about perfect for rat work - why would it have to be a HW100? A cheapie springer or c02 gun will be more than adequate - or even a cheaper PCP

 

James

 

because i have an air rifle currently and wanted to upgrade. might just stick with air rifles though after reading these comments. thanks for the advice

[matt_hooks 188]

Stubby, CB longs are a different beast to .22 shot shells.

 

.22 LR in a confined space, I'd concur, are something of a liability. The amount of energy is a huge excess compared to what is required to kill a rat. This is asking for ricochets and rebounds. I don't think you would get an FAC issued for a .22LR with rats as the main reason to hold, unless you can prove that you have a lot of rats that are in the open, or at least in a shootable place for the LR (on a dung heap you might get away with it for example)

 

The air rifle is perfect for rats.

[JamesK 2]

Stubby, CB longs are a different beast to .22 shot shells.

 

.22 LR in a confined space, I'd concur, are something of a liability. The amount of energy is a huge excess compared to what is required to kill a rat. This is asking for ricochets and rebounds. I don't think you would get an FAC issued for a .22LR with rats as the main reason to hold, unless you can prove that you have a lot of rats that are in the open, or at least in a shootable place for the LR (on a dung heap you might get away with it for example)

 

The air rifle is perfect for rats.

 

Not so sure about that, i've done a bit more research and its extremely common for rats to be shot with a .22lr in America. Talked to my local gun dealership the owner of the shop is very experienced with firearms and he said i would be able to shoot them outside no problem but inside would be a different story. I've decided im going to have a look at the Ruger 10/22 tomorrow and make my decision at the shop as i still have to take into account a few more factors

 

Thanks for everyones replies

Edited March 30, 2011 by JamesK

[dadioles 68]

Matt is absolutely right on every point and don't forget that your gun dealer wants to make a sale. USA is not UK.

You clearly have a desire to own a firearm but it is not justified for the task you have in mind, therefore you should be refused.

A sub 12ftlb air rifle is the perfect weapon for ratting either indoors or outdoors and a good quality rifle will easily take out rats to 30 or 40 yards.

A more appropriate reason to own a rimfire would be rabbit control.

I don't know what sort of air rifle you are using at the moment, maybe it makes more sense to upgrade that. Have you ever tried something like a Theoben Rapid PCP? A fully regulated PCP will give shot after shot half inch or better groups at 35 yards irrespective of fill pressure. That might make you change your mind, at least until you get permission to shoot on a large area of approved land with a rabbit problem to justify rimfire.

A good PCP air rifle is expensive but so is licence + safe + gun + moderator + ammo

Edited March 30, 2011 by dadioles

[JamesK 2]

Matt is absolutely right on every point and don't forget that your gun dealer wants to make a sale. USA is not UK.

You clearly have a desire to own a firearm but it is not justified for the task you have in mind, therefore you should be refused.

A sub 12ftlb air rifle is the perfect weapon for ratting either indoors or outdoors and a good quality rifle will easily take out rats to 30 or 40 yards.

A more appropriate reason to own a rimfire would be rabbit control.

I don't know what sort of air rifle you are using at the moment, maybe it makes more sense to upgrade that. Have you ever tried something like a Theoben Rapid PCP? A fully regulated PCP will give shot after shot half inch or better groups at 35 yards irrespective of fill pressure. That might make you change your mind, at least until you get permission to shoot on a large area of approved land with a rabbit problem to justify rimfire.

A good PCP air rifle is expensive but so is licence + safe + gun + moderator + ammo

 

ive worked out all the prices, they're about the same. .22lr ammo is very inexpensive.

 

I highly doubt the person i spoke to would purposely mislead me just for a sale, i've known them for years and they have always been truthful and trustworthy. Like i said i am going to do more research tomorrow.

Edited March 31, 2011 by JamesK

[JamesK 2]

Matt is absolutely right on every point and don't forget that your gun dealer wants to make a sale. USA is not UK.

You clearly have a desire to own a firearm but it is not justified for the task you have in mind, therefore you should be refused.

A sub 12ftlb air rifle is the perfect weapon for ratting either indoors or outdoors and a good quality rifle will easily take out rats to 30 or 40 yards.

A more appropriate reason to own a rimfire would be rabbit control.

I don't know what sort of air rifle you are using at the moment, maybe it makes more sense to upgrade that. Have you ever tried something like a Theoben Rapid PCP? A fully regulated PCP will give shot after shot half inch or better groups at 35 yards irrespective of fill pressure. That might make you change your mind, at least until you get permission to shoot on a large area of approved land with a rabbit problem to justify rimfire.

A good PCP air rifle is expensive but so is licence + safe + gun + moderator + ammo

 

ive worked out all the prices, they're about the same. .22lr ammo is very inexpensive.

 

I highly doubt the person i spoke to would purposely mislead me just for a sale, i've known them for years and they have always been truthful and trustworthy. Like i said i am going to do more research tomorrow.

 

I haven't decided yet though, i do really want to get an FAC regardless of if i do get a .22 rifle. But every time i make my mind up on either a .22lr or upgrading my air rifle i change my mind and go with the other one.

 

I need to really consider every factor i doubt im going to decide what to do this week.

[CharlieT 32]

I have lived and worked on a farm all my life and I can assure you that using a .22LR is perfectly legal and fantastic fun for rat shooting. Nothing better on a summer evening than a couple of hours plinking at rats in and around the yard. As with all firearms though remember your backstop.

 

Years ago when we used to feed swill to the pigs I used to shoot dozens every evening as they ran round the edges of the bins in the swill house, I used to make my sister hold the torch while I shot. Fantastic fun.

[JamesK 2]

I have lived and worked on a farm all my life and I can assure you that using a .22LR is perfectly legal and fantastic fun for rat shooting. Nothing better on a summer evening than a couple of hours plinking at rats in and around the yard. As with all firearms though remember your backstop.

 

Years ago when we used to feed swill to the pigs I used to shoot dozens every evening as they ran round the edges of the bins in the swill house, I used to make my sister hold the torch while I shot. Fantastic fun.

 

Nearly made my mind up before now reading your post has opened up the can of worms again.

 

What im going to do is ask a few questions at my RFD tomorrow, then have a chat with the owner of the land i shoot on. If everything works out im going to get a .22lr. If not im going to get a weihrauch HW100 instead of my BSA Scorpion.

 

[stubby 175]

Stubby, CB longs are a different beast to .22 shot shells.

 

 

sorry where do I say they are the same, maybe you'vre just read my reply wrongly, or Ive missed a coma or fullstop somewhere

[JamesK 2]

Ok, Decision is definite now.

 

Asking land owner if i can use a .22lr there. if yes - get Ruger 10/22. If no - Weihrauch HW100

 

Regardless of this i am still getting my FAC.