ruger 1022 for turkey

[magnum1]

Hi everyone I am new to the forum. I have A question that I would like some opinions on. I like the ruger 1022 long rifle for small game hunting and was thinking of using it to hunt turkeys, I figured if I could hit one where the neck joins the body that the long rifle would get it done, does anyone have any ammo suggestions for this purpose?

[BigBore1895]

CCI accelerator ammo should do the trick buddy. Welcome to forum! Don' t be a stranger.

[Ballistictip]

Here' s something I' ve done that worked well. It' s a little bit off the wall but it works. I trimmed the nose of the bullet off flat. Use a file and lightly file off about 1/8 of an inch of the lead making sure it is absolutely flat. It didn' t seem to effect the accuracy at all in my old bolt action Savage. The only problem I can think of is it could possibly cause a jam in a semi rifle. It will nearly double the knock down power. I thought of this several years ago when I had a critter problem and didn' t want the critters making it back to the neighbors house. [>:] Not a single one of them took a step!! Never tried it on a turkey as we' re shotgun only around here but I bet it would work.

[trac209]

Where do you live that you can hunt turkeys with a 22.That is against the law here.

[TScottW99]

Where do you live that you can hunt turkeys with a 22.That is against the law here.

I don' t know where he is from but it is legal in some states [:@] TX, WV, VA and PA (fall only in PA) and some other states allow rifles for turkey hunting.

I don' t condone hunting turkeys with rifles, but it' s your choice. If you do hunt turkeys with a rifle try using a .22 centerfire instead of a rimfire. A turkey can be a tuff ol' bird and many have been hit by a rimfire bullet and went on to die a bad death.

P.S. For anyone wanting to tell the ol' story about the one eyed eskimo woman who killed a kodiak brown bear with an ol' rusty Sears single shot .22lr I ask you this.... I know of a young boy who killed a Giant with a slingshot.... If a giant were to show up at your house would you grab your son' s slingshot or the biggest rifle you have? Use the right tool for the job.

[Ruger-Redhawk]

ORIGINAL: TScottW99



Use the right tool for the job.

Well Said TScott. I agree with your statement.....
Ruger Redhawk

[Ruger-Redhawk]

I forgot welcome to the forum Magnum1. Questions and comments always welcomed.
Ruger Redhawk

[akbound]

Hi Magnum1,

I think I' d agree with TScottW99 on this one! Turkeys can be fairly tough birds and will carry a bad hit (especially from a .22 rimfire) off to die a slow death. Even " marginal" hits with rimfires will probably leave a lot to be desired.

Something on the order of a .22 Hornet would be more appropriate. (Or even a pistol caliber carbine using an appropriate load.) I know some parts of Pennsylvania allow rifle hunting for turkeys in the Fall only. I have a Ruger chambered for .22 Hornet that I would have absolutely no compunction using with a 45 grain soft point, (just do not shoot through the breast). Either hit it at the butt of the wing from the side, or where the neck meets the body. Some of the other intermediate cartridge rifles/carbines also work well. (.25-20, .32-20, .30 Carbine, or even a .357 Magnum sighted with .38 Specials SWC.) Also any of the smaller cased centerfire .22' s with the " right" bullet, (ie. NO VARMINT BULLETS), all work fairly well. If you handload you can use most other calibers as well. But you should work up a low to midrange velocity load that shoots well in your particular rifle. Once again....stay off the breast....and pick a bullet that does NOT expand explosively. For example using a .308 Winchester, shooting a 100 grain Speer Plinker bullet at between 1000-1500 fps. The trick is to find a load that shoots well in your rifle, (and insure you understand " powder detonation phenomenon" in " reduced loads" cartridges). If you do NOT understand it....you SHOULD NOT LOAD AND SHOOT REDUCED LOADS!!!!! At any rate...stick to loading manual loads!!!

But back to the original post....I would NOT personally use a .22 LR for turkey hunting!

[mainehunt]

If I were to hunt turkeys with a .22 rimfire, I would use a hollow point and try to put it right in the head. I know that could be a tough shot, mainly because of the turkey constantly moving it, but......If I hit it, he' s dead, if I miss the head he isn' t wounded to die somewhere where I can' t find him.

[Quack Addict]

Akbound -

What exactly is...

" powder detonation phenomenon" in " reduced loads"

I have never heard of such [] and have been thinking of loading some low velocity rounds for my 223 Rem as rabbit medicine... I think my accuracy load with a 40gr Vmax moving 3000+fps would be a little too much