Being his first possible animal kill, I really want to recover it.
Why risk it with a rim fire? If anything I would oversize the gun to ensure a clean kill, or have a backup, that is a real gun. Its on the coon thread, I shot a coon twice in the face from about 5 yards with a .22 and it just made it mad.
I try to imagine a line from ear-hole to eyeball, and put my shot mid-way between the two on the line. If they are facing me with their face in a corn pile---just a bit above a line from eye to eye. But---this is not at a range beyond 25 yds.
Why risk it with a rim fire? If anything I would oversize the gun to ensure a clean kill, or have a backup, that is a real gun. Its on the coon thread, I shot a coon twice in the face from about 5 yards with a .22 and it just made it mad.
I have .223 youth rifle that I have yet to let him shoot. I may have him try it out before we go hunt to see how it feels for him. Thanks.
My brother kills LOTS of hogs with a 22. Anything larger then that is like a magnum round to him.
He does shoot the soft pocket behind the ear or in the ear. Your Son could take the very low heart shot, on a smaller hog, but even then recovery will be iffy. I would agree with a few other remarks here, let him shoot something a bit larger. Would not take much. even a 223 would be more adequate than the 22 in the body.
I will add this as it seems appropriate here.
Last season my son and I were scouting around and just enjoying a day in the woods. I had my 270 on my shoulder just in case we spotted a hog I wanted. Well we did spot some pigs and my son (9 yrs old) hammered one with that rifle at just over 200 yards. I know that sounds like a BS story, but he had a very solid rest and shoots the 22 and 223 at the house. That was his first time with my larger rifle. I was nervous he was going to get scoped, but he held it good and all worked out.
-Sometimes you just have to let them try. Another note to that. I missed one in the brush a few weeks later MUCH closer, and will never hear the end of it.
A suppressed .22 long Rifle our of a Ruger Mark IV will not kill a 130lb pig at 50 yards with 2 shots to the body... The scoped rifle wasn’t quite ready when I walked up to the feeder.
I was actually quite surprised what 17 grains did to 50-60ish pound pigs. Bang, flop, dead
Curious about this. I've got an 17 hmr that my daughter could easily shoot. I've never considered it, because I figured it would require an earhole shot just like the .22 would be, other than the fact that the 17 hmr would give you a more accurate round to the noggin at further distances.
But are you suggesting that a 17 hmr to the body would do the trick? I kinda didn't want to have to take the AR route (don't want to bother buying another gun.)
Curious about this. I've got an 17 hmr that my daughter could easily shoot. I've never considered it, because I figured it would require an earhole shot just like the .22 would be, other than the fact that the 17 hmr would give you a more accurate round to the noggin at further distances.
But are you suggesting that a 17 hmr to the body would do the trick? I kinda didn't want to have to take the AR route (don't want to bother buying another gun.)
I've killed hogs with heart shots with my .17. Also with head shots. I prefer it over my .22
Thanks for the input, looks like I will have him place one in the ear hole. I have trail cam pics of varying size hogs so I may have him try for a smaller one. Being his first possible animal kill, I really want to recover it.
Just be prepared for a screaming, squealing, pig flopping all over. You may need a finishing shot. If you think that will traumatize your kid then get him an AR.
Curious about this. I've got an 17 hmr that my daughter could easily shoot. I've never considered it, because I figured it would require an earhole shot just like the .22 would be, other than the fact that the 17 hmr would give you a more accurate round to the noggin at further distances.
But are you suggesting that a 17 hmr to the body would do the trick? I kinda didn't want to have to take the AR route (don't want to bother buying another gun.)
I shot 2 in junction last year. First pig ear holed at 50 yards. Bang, flop, dead. Group ran a bit. Second shot was hurried and hit pig dead in the shoulder in line with the leg. Bang, squirm a bit and dead.
Ive be a .17 fan since it came out and owned one about that long. I like it better than 22mag. Its been more accurate and deadlier than a 22 mag for me out to a ranged 238 yards
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