How effective is .22 ratshot?

[TheMightyGoat]

My dad has had a recent problem with chipmunks getting into his garage, and borrowed my Marlin model 25 to fend them off. He bought some .22 ratshot to be more sure to hit them, but I'm wondering what range this stuff is effective at. He has killed eight so far at ranges up to 30 feet, so apparently it's a practical load. He has only missed one, but a few of them took more than one shot to finish off.

Does anyone know about how wide .22 ratshot will spread at 10 yards or so? How far could one expect to effectively take a chimpunk with it?

[Meat3rzxxx]

I dont know, i tried some of that "bird shot" stuff for the 22lr that was total crap. I just use the pellet gun on the chipmonks now. If he is getting them, it must work ok.

[Obin Robinson]

the bird-shot stuff will spread out quite a bit at 10m. i've shot it at a snowbank before just to get an idea and it was probably a 1m spread at the limits, with most of the concentration being in a 15cm (6 inch) pattern. don't quote me on this because it was probably a year and a half ago the last time i tried it.

the key though is that the energy of hitting a rat with those little pellets is still enough to kill them, or slow them down enough for a second shot. it's also better than risking a ricochet indoors.

obin

[mriddick]

There's 2 differant types, the CCI brand uses a plastic cap and the federal/winchester type that uses a crimp to hold the shot in. The CCI plastic cap will spin in the riflings and spread rapidly out of the bore, I've found better patterns from the crimped at slightly greater ranges. At best your talking 20ft IMO for shooting in either case to actually stop and kill the little buggers.

[mike3acr]

Well it sounds like you have to get some 4x4 sheets of paper, or cardboard and try it out. Perhaps you could affix a rubber rat to the center and have some fun. As for me it's been years since I played with shotshells in my 22, oddly enough I was shooting Japanese beetles out of the air with my Kimber 45 auto and CCI shotshells Saturday, it was a fun change of pace from spraying Melathyon all day. I guess I'll have to get some 22 stuff to play with next trip to the gun store.

[LHS]

I shot some of the CCI crap through my Mauser carbine, thinking it'd be fun for birds and such, but it failed to penetrate a cardboard IPSC target at a distance of 2 yards.

[der Stahlgewehr]

My brother used the CCI stuff to pop balloons at 15 yards.

Yeah, it is pretty wimpy stuff, a pellet rifle would be a much better choice for critter control.

[TheMightyGoat]

My dad originally started out with my pellet rifle, but he said he wanted to move up to something with more spread.

Oh, and it's the crimped Winchester kind.

[ruskiegunlover]

to tear out a beaver damn, and clean up a rat infested cabin......Under my late grandfathers rowboat, I found a small family of rats......Ranging in size from a gerbal to maybe 7-8 inches long.......Out of the seven or eight, (two ran off) I shot four with CCI birdshot out of my grandfathers old .22 bolt. Killed at least two with the first shot, a third spasmed for a few minutes, and the fourth took two shots.....This was up close, they were trapped under the boat, with my friend mike holding it up.....Point is, it killed those critters very efficiently.....

[Smegma]

I've had good luck with using the CCI shot on bats, rats, and snakes indoors. Wouldn't use it on anything larger than a rat, and personally wouldn't use it on a rat at any range beyond about 10 feet and wouldn't use it on anything larger than a rat at any distance. Good for dealing with small critters without blasting holes through the walls of barns, outbuildings, etc. See no reason why you'd consider using it outdoors, though.

[Airrick]

This stuff seems pretty tame. How does it have the power to kill but still be ok to shoot indoors?

[Pikeman]

Back in the 70's I developed my quick shooting on a friends rat infested farm (Remember the movie WILARD) I used both types of spread shot but rarely over 10 yrds ,3 to 5 yards most common. I prevered the CCI as the crimped kind sometimes would not extract. They are intended for relativily close range and are generally safe around equipment (wont penitrate a soda can) Mice and chippies could be killed with a single shot. Rats would take a second at close range after being slowed by the 1st. If cost is a problem substitute a boot heel or shovel for 2nd shot. put away the bolt gun and find an old Ithica lever or Remington pump and make John Wayne proud. Don't forget to tape a flashlight to the barrel in honor of Bill Murray. This setup combined with a H&R 629 or Ruger Single Six would account for 20-50 vermin a night

[Poodleshooter]

Originally posted by Airrick
This stuff seems pretty tame. How does it have the power to kill but still be ok to shoot indoors?

Rat shot is commonly a .22rf loaded with a charge of #12 or "dust" sized shotgun shot. When fired at close range it still retains velocity, but lacks hard penetration. At longer ranges it loses velocity so fast that it has zero penetration at all on hard or soft targets.
When people say "indoors" they mean "in the barn" or "in the garage" not in their living room. For that,I'd stick to a low powered BB gun.