Prepper rifle 22mag | TheaterFire

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The_Krystal_Knight@reddit

One of the main goals for prepper weapons is to have a common round previously mentioned so that if the SHTF happens you are able to get ammo and .22 mag is not gonna be easy find so then you’re stuck with a worthless paper weight. Get the .22lr for your small caliber weapon.

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Most_Escape_2764@reddit

What do you think? The corner store is gonna be open when the lights go out? Or that you're gonna win enough shootouts to be able to loot bodies?

The ammo you are going to use the day everything goes dark is the ammo you already have. Prepare ahead of time & ammo type won't be the problem.

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The_Krystal_Knight@reddit

I completely agree on stocking up, but there are a few calibers that are pretty common. That being said you might find them in lots of different scenarios hopefully not after a shootout but that is one of the scenarios for sure.

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Most_Escape_2764@reddit

Sorry if I sounded a little harsh there. Yes, there are definitely scenarios where you will come across ammo. It's certainly not impossible & maybe something worth considering; but i just think too many folks kind of "rely" on that to make up for their lack of preparation. I do understand many of us are broke (including myself these days) & if that's their backup plan it's understandable. But the goal should be stacking as deep as you can IMO & not depending on the thought of coming across it. I lean heavily towards the idea that even if I have a 12ga, the chance of me finding some in a rather hostile world where production has stopped is going to be near 0%.

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AdditionalAd9794@reddit

Deer? Is 22 mag sufficient, or even legal anywhere?

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HugeAnalBeads@reddit

In ontario canada not even 223 is legal for deer

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InsaneNorseman@reddit

Legal? No, almost certainly not. The vast majority of states do not allow deer hunting with the 22 mag.

Sufficient? Most likely not. While it is possible for an exceptional marksman, or someone who has managed to get very, very close to a deer without spooking it, to humanely drop a deer with a very well-placed shot from a 22 mag (as long as nothing goes wrong), the vast majority of people lack the skill to reliably do so.

The problem is that every novice who goes to the gun range twice a year and burns through a magazine of ammo while shooting a stationary target from a solid bench thinks that they are an exceptional marksman.

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BuckABullet@reddit

Lots of people poach deer with a 22LR. It's absolutely not legal to hunt with, for good reason, but in a SHTF situation it will absolutely take a deer.

Shot placement is critical - even more than usual. Proper prepping means you should have a better alternative, but 22LR can do the job.

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deliberatelyawesome@reddit

I don't even have to go twice a year to think I'm exceptional.

Went maybe 6 years ago and pretty sure I'm a regular Davy Crockett.

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WaltTheTurtle@reddit

Compare to Aero Survival pistol in 9mm. Takes Glock magazine.

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RKEdwards3@reddit

Yea… for a small game getter that cool. Unless you’re within 50 yards and shooting deer in the head, I don’t recommend it. Anyone worth their salt will say a minimum on deer is a .243.

Preppers in more opinions should have 5 guns:

1) Bolt action scoped rifle

2) Semiautomatic fighting rifle

3) .22 lr for small game

4) 12ga shotgun for hunting birds and fighting

5) And a common caliber reliable semiautomatic pistol

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No_Job7856@reddit (OP)

Yes you are right the 22mag has its limits. 50yrds on deer sounds about right. Would the 50grain ammo be ok for well placed heart lung shots?

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BallsOutKrunked@reddit

Do a lot of deer hunting? In my area the closest I'll ever get to a buck is 200 yards, more likely 300 yards.

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whyamihereagain6570@reddit

Where I grew up it was so densely forested that you rarely saw a deer more than 100 yards away tops, unless you were on a clear cut or a electrical power line that was cleared for the towers. Shot many deer around 50m or so.

Used an old lever action 30.30 as it made a great bush gun.

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biobennett@reddit

Many people, myself included shoot bucks each year with arrows inside 40 yards. Bow hunters hunt differently than most gun hunters

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BallsOutKrunked@reddit

Yeah you're right with archery, just something I've got zero experience with. I'm in wide open terrain, usually nothing taller than a knee high bush about. I have no idea how bow hunters pull it off out here.

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biobennett@reddit

Usually a lot of scouting and careful approaches, using elevation or angles for cover if it's in open country like you're talking about. Being really good at calling helps a lot too

It's a lot easier in woods, cattails or tall grasses, or when you have elevation and hills you can use for the approach.

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RKEdwards3@reddit

No. The .22 mag doesn’t create a hydrostatic shock effect in the body cavity. It’s too slow

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SnooChocolates7344@reddit

Hydrostatic shock has little todo with the effects of a bullet killing

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RKEdwards3@reddit

When you are shooting an animal, hydrostatic shock has a lot to do with it. Yes, whack em with an arrow or 22 and they’ll bleed out eventually or succumb to a pneumothorax injury… but the reality is that you’ll never find that animal. It’ll run off and die after several days

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SnooChocolates7344@reddit

Lol you don't know what you are talking about. a muzzleloader at 150 yards is below 800 feet per second well below the hydrostatic shock mith of 2400 fps and I can tell you that it's shot placement not hydrostatic shock.that has been disproved for a long time

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RKEdwards3@reddit

You’re the one that doesn’t know what you’re talking about. My online muzzle loader shooting pyrodex substitute and a .45 sabot round is still running about 1900 fps. Do your research bud because your facts are a couple decades old

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SnooChocolates7344@reddit

Read my dam comment 100 yards that 45 round ball is going no faster than 950 fps but my 54 only hits at 1050 fps at that range

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SnooChocolates7344@reddit

Lee real bullet 380 grain 54 on top of 140 grains of powder

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SnooChocolates7344@reddit

Also my facts are my load data for making 100 plus yard shots on deer with real home made black powder from western red cedar

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AdditionalAd9794@reddit

I once hit a boar with 30.06, inside 50 feet. Thing did a back flip and sprinted out of there like a bat out of hell. We followed the blood trail for over 200 yards and had to pull it out of a blackberry patch, it was a perfect shot through and through both lungs and out the other side.

Point being hydrostatic shock and shot placement don't always do the trick.

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RKEdwards3@reddit

And I’ve killed deer from 30 yards with a 10mm to 350 with an ‘06. There are distinct and catastrophic differences between handguns and high velocity rifle rounds

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pants_mcgee@reddit

Hydrostatic shock is mostly a myth and has a minimal effect on affecting the would channel.

Deer and other game die because they bleed to death and bullets and shot placement are chosen to make sure they don’t as quickly and ethically as possible while destroying as little meat as possible.

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No_Job7856@reddit (OP)

I think if you check the ballistics the 22mag does carry enough fpb foot per pound of energy at 50yrds for larger game like deer. Its surprisingly powerful at that range.

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hondata001@reddit

No, approx. 200 ft lb at 50 yards is not enough, and also illegal to hunt deer with in most states.

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SnooChocolates7344@reddit

You assumed the government exists

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hondata001@reddit

I am assuming someone owning a rifle for hunting will hunt with it

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raystone@reddit

A plan of taking small game and deer isn't realistic when SHTF

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No_Job7856@reddit (OP)

Why so?. I live I a very rural area with a hugh amount of deer and other game.

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raystone@reddit

It's been widely discussed in the past. Even in a very rural area, game becomes exponentially more difficult to find and kill in a short amount of time.

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tooserioustoosilly@reddit

Ok so as far as a .22mag being a good round for your survival firearm. It depends on you and your abilities as well as you finding enough ammo to have on hand. So it comes down to a few things to make up the difference in how things work. So as far as is a .22mag usable for hunting? Well my first hunting rifle was a 22mag bolt action rifle that my father bought for me and one for my brother. We in our youth have killed multiple make deer, javelin, coyotes, rabbits, and squirrels. For anyone saying you can't shoot a deer unless you are 50 yard away, they have no experience and or do not know how to shoot very well. A 22lr is still deadly at 100yard depending on the manufacturer with them carrying around 80 foot pounds to 100 foor pounds of force. The 22WMR will carry around 140 ft lbs at 100 yards.

Now as far as are there better rounds or firearms for survival? Well it depends on your plans and your set up. I personally have multiple 22WMR firearms I own the keltec 30 it's a 22mag pistol that holds 30 rounds of 22mag ammo or 31 if you load one in the chamber. I have my bolt action rifle from when I was 10 and hunting with it. I have a Savage A22 magnum rifle that holds 10 rounds. I would say that if I was to have to bug out I would choose my 30 round 22mag pistol and my 10 round 22mag rifle over many of the other 40 some firearms I own. Why would I choose these two? Well they are both fairly lightweight With the keltec 30 only weighing 1¼lbs loaded and the rife weighing 5lbs a little more if you have a scope mounted on it. Also ammo weight matters. 1000 rounds of 40 grain 22WMR weights around 9lbs. I have not weighed 9mm ammo but the fact that most is 100grain or more I would say that 1000 rounds will be at least double the weight. A glock18 with 17 rounds will be about 2lbs With a carbine semiautomatic rifle being around 7 or 8lbs. So if you plan to hike bug out the 22 mag system will be around 16lbs with 1k rounds. The 9mm system will be around 28lbs. Well I have had years of backpacking experience and guess what a extra 12lbs is a lot especially when it might need to be water or food. So I personally would have whatever rifle you plan to carry be semiautomatic and have a pistol chambered with matching ammo for your survival package. I know bolt action is more accurate but these modern semiautos are good enough and being able to put 10 rounds down range faster may be the key to survival. I would not want to be on the receiving end of a 22mag or 30 from my keltec 30 haha. I personally carry the keltec 30 because I live rural and have need for it with stray dogs and coyotes and such around my livestock but I know with the capacity that there are not many humans that would survive if I had to use it. It is super lightweight and so not a bother hanging on me especially in the summer months when anyone knows how some extra weight laying on your side adds sweat. Both of my choices in firearms are fairly weather resistant and have handled the humidity and rain and snow pretty well. You go make your decision and most of all practice a lot with the firearms you choose so that your muscle memory is on point and you know them well enough to make them work there best.

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No_Job7856@reddit (OP)

That's a great answer. Finally someone who understands how useful the 22mag can be in a real world situation. I have previously had 22lr 22mag 17hmr and 223 and like you if I had to pick one to hunt a wide variety of game and put as much meat as possible in my freezer it would be 22mag. Iv noticed a lot of old timers swear by the 22mag.

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ROHANG020@reddit

How did you arrive at this decision and why don't you like the 1022?

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Fit_Acanthisitta_475@reddit

22mag is expensive. I would get 22lr and 556 maybe a 308.

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goodboysparkle@reddit

I'm not a gun guy or even a serious preppers, but I love a .22 mag. Light round to carry more for the weight and packs a lot of punch. Good at long range too if you have a scope.

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No_Job7856@reddit (OP)

Yes I will get a scope and try get accurate with it. The ammo is very light I hope to get a couple of hundred rounds.

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deliberatelyawesome@reddit

"hope to get a couple hundred rounds"

That's exactly why you should get 22LR - I don't know many who buy fewer than a few hundred rounds of 22 in a single purchase. I'd hate to be trying to get a couple hundred rounds of something everyone else easily collected a few thousand of.

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9n223@reddit

I'm gonna assume you're in the USA. I would have to recommend a different cartridge in that case. An AR in 5.56/.233 would be a better bet. Might not be the best bet for deer or anything bigger, but a proper shot would definitely do the job. A .308 would be even better, especially for anything bigger. But if you live in a country that won't let you buy any "military" ammunition, maybe a bigger hunting cartridge would be the best. .243, 270, 300wm.

22mag has its place. Its a good small game round and can easily take down a coyote. I would still rather choose a 22lr for small game. I've taken many squirrels, rabbits, and even a woodchuck with my 13 year old Ruger 10/22. I took my 22mag out once and put it away right after. Great cartridge, but a 22lr can take care of whatever you'd point a 22mag at.

I'd say get a cartridge that is very common around your parts. For example, I stock up a lot of 5.56, 12ga, 22lr, and 9x19. Because I know that if a situation arises, I can count on my neighbors and friends on having more, or I can help feed their firearms.

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spoosejuice@reddit

I wouldn’t shoot a deer with a .22 mag unless I had to. I would like to have a .22 mag for small game though

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LastEntertainment684@reddit

I’m a big fan of .17HMR and .22MAG, but I’m grabbing my 9mm Carbine over either of them to be honest.

Hits with roughly double the energy out to 100 yards, ammo costs about the same, centerfire priming is much more reliable than rimfire (and commonly reloadable), and if I’m already at a disadvantage with a fairly low-powered cartridge at least I can share ammo/mags with my pistol.

Sure .22 mag will shoot flatter but it’s pretty easy to compensate for drop at the distances these cartridges are useful at and any larger critters you’ll want to be in close anyway.

That’s just me though, your mileage may vary.

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prepnguns@reddit

Other people here can talk ballistics better than me.

I have an AR-15, Glock 19 and a .22. And thinking 12 gauge next.

So yes, I think a 22mag is pretty good for your emergency survival rifle and definitely better than nothing. But I'd encourage you to add to the collection when you can.

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ottermupps@reddit

It'll work to take small to medium size game, with good shot placement and ammo selection. You would be MUCH better served by getting a .22lr rifle and a dedicated full-size rifle (.243, .308, 6.5 Creedmoor, .270, etc.). 22 magnum is a fairly potent round, and on coyote sized animals on down it does wonderfully. Anything bigger, and you need your shot to be perfect for a humane kill. Also, 22 mag is fairly expensive, more than 9mm right now. 22lr for small game and a full size rifle for deer on up would be a much better move.

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SnooChocolates7344@reddit

Black powder rifles

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IrwinJFinster@reddit

I’m not sure I’d try for deer with .22 magnum. And I’d prefer bulk quantities of less costly 22 LR for training and use in any event.

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this_guy_here_says@reddit

As much as I enjoy shooting my 22mag, the ammo is pricey, it still drops quite a bit the further out you go, the ammo is harder to find. I really like my 17hmr , faster bullets , same price, shoots straighter, good for multiple size game, doubt you'd take a deer in the body, headshot definitely.

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fuckface_cunt_hole@reddit

Maybe it's just me, but 22mag is always hard to find and always almost ignorantly expensive for what it is.

I've always been able to get 9mm cheaper and in quantity verus 22mag.

Also just regular 22lr I feel would be better. Just for ease of ammo.

For me your shtf gun needs to be an extremely common in use caliber. 22lr, 9mm, 556, 308, 12guage.

I feel like 22mag forfeits your ability to scavenge ammo from anything other than fudds.

I've never really seen it matter to use 22lr or 22mag on small game. Overwhelming majority of small game in my area a 22lr is more than sufficient, cost 3x less, and is available in bulk literally everywhere.

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hondata001@reddit

Yes I would go with a 9mm carbine over a 22wmr.

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xXJA88AXx@reddit

What ammo is it?.. The common stuff is 12ga., .22lr, and 9mm. Not to mention .223 and 5.56.

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No_Job7856@reddit (OP)

I have a 12gauge shotgun. There is 50grain federal ammo and hornady v shock 30grain.

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